Episode XI Studios

ending links to video e-mails has several advantages over attaching videos directly to e-mails. Social networks are changing the face of marketing and video e-mails.

Video e-mail marketing provides the ability to embed videos in e-mails or provide a link to a video file. Providing a link to a video file is the best option. This avoids the problem of sending video messages as attachments, which sometimes have difficulty getting through.

Social networks are changing the face of marketing and how businesses contact their customers. E-newsletters are still good for providing information; however video e-mails using social networks is becoming the newest venue for providing quick short information to potential and current customers.

Disadvantages of Video E-mail Attachments

There are more disadvantages to attaching videos to e-mails than there are advantages, such as:

• Video attachments are typically too large for most people to receive.
• Most people will not open attachments to avoid the possibility of infecting their computer with a virus.
• Many businesses block their employees’ ability to receive e-mail video attachments.

Video E-mail Links

Sending links to video e-mails means more people are more likely to see the intended message, especially if the video is 3 minutes long or less. Some people may watch a video up to 5 minutes; however videos longer than 5 minutes are not generally watched.

This length of time was determined by researching some of the most viewed videos on social networks and averaging the length of these videos. This corresponds to the known factor of the short attention span of typical Internet users today. Short easy to view videos are generally receiving the most hits on the Internet. If the topics are really interesting, then viewers may stay a little longer.

Social Networks and Videos

The most popular social networks which allow people to post videos include:

• YouTube
• MySpace
• Facebook
• Bebo
• Flickr

These social networks have advantages for using a link for video e-mails:

• Controlled Groups – the person posting the video for their e-mail can control group members
• Privacy Controls – again the person posting the video can limit access

Marketing Applications of Video E-mails

Using videos for marketing products and services has several advantages. This is because busy people multitask and it gets difficult if they need to read articles or new information. With a video e-mail they can be scanning their papers and watching the video at the same time. Of course this means the video must be catchy to grab their full attention.

Business uses of video e-mail software include:

• Announcements of new products
• Announcements of special promotions and limited offers
• Announcements of newly acquired business ventures to potential and current customers
• Human Relations position announcements
• Announcements of employee promotions that are in direct contact with customers
• Personal congratulation messages to customers
• And many more options

Video e-mails are becoming a popular method of sending direct marketing information to potential and current customers over the Internet. Using social networks allows any business to send links to marketing videos.

As with any e-mail marketing campaign, the business needs to comply with the Can Spam Act of 2003 and only send video e-mails to current customers and others who have opted-in to receive e-mails from the business.

End of Life Videos Cause Two Volunteers to Change Careers

Through volunteering for Hospice (website), two volunteers discover what life is really all about-helping other people. Beth Sowell, co-owner of Episode XI Studios, LLC, stated: “Someone once told me that people always remember how you make them feel, and that is why we are here.” Beth and co-owner Randy Davis leave their office once a month and visit a patient that is near the end of life, and through family photos and a video interview of the patient, create a legacy video for the surviving family. Typically the video is played at the funeral or wake as well.

The experience of volunteering caused Beth and Randy to start a video production and event planning company in Charlotte. Though the business model focuses on the needs of small to mid-sized companies, Episode XI Studios, LLC allocates time to create one legacy video per month. “It is my duty to maintain and support the community where I live,” Davis said.

Episode XI Studios, LLC is a marketing company located in Charlotte, NC that specializes in video production, event planning and corporate photography. The company believes in going well beyond a camera and a tripod, by using camera cranes and dollies. The end result isn’t a video production, but a Hollywood-style production…and all for the small to mid-sized companies

Episode XI Studios, LLC is chosen to produce a high-energy video production, which celebrates the launch of SynergyStreet online community for entrepreneurs and engages the audience participation.

SynergyStreet (http://www.synergystreet.com) is an online community, designed by entrepreneurs, for entrepreneurs. The purpose is to provide the small business owner a single source for networking, news and knowledge; a vehicle to help maximize time and resources. The focus will always be entrepreneurs. The quest will always be to help make the quality connections needed to qualify marketplace meetings and build the relationships needed to grow and prosper business.

Full service video production company, Episode XI Studios, LLC is celebrating one year of video production and event planning service to the Charlotte, NC area. Some of the company’s video accomplishments include: a product demonstration video placed within Walmart®’s Canadian Sam’s Club®, a video tour of the Embassy Suites in Concord, NC, and a video for-the nationally distributed-TEC Infrared Grill.

Located at 910 East Arrowood Rd, in Charlotte, NC, Shining Stars Academy Company Website boast of its mix of varied staff and student backgrounds. That is what is expected when the owners of the academy are Vic (Indian) and Mayra (Puerto Rican). Do not expect to see a lunch menu with hot dogs and tater tots on a daily basis here; it’s a mix of Italian, Indian, Puerto Rican, Mexican, and American dishes at this facility.

Vic and Mayra have spared no expense in ensuring the safety of each student. Finger guards, Internet-accessible video cameras and secure entry are just a few of the benefits featured in the academy.

The video (to be used on the company website) features happy faces from almost every ethnicity, and playtime is a fun-time, not only for the students, but also for the teachers and other staff members.

Episode XI (11) Studios Helps Ty Boyd Get Message Delivered Through Video

Full-service video production company, Episode XI Studios, LLC, located in Charlotte, NC teams up with Ty Boyd, to produce video message, distributed worldwide. Ty’s advice is extremely power and yet simplistic. “Fire your purpose with passion”, advises Ty. This is the one, most important thing that you can use to “power up” your personal communication skills.

Ty Boyd began his business life as a broadcaster and became an in-demand talent both on and off the air; he made it his responsibility to touch every one of his customers (viewers and listeners) in person. It was in touching his customers in this manner that Ty realized how powerful these skills could be for others. Boyd emerged as broadcaster, professional speaker, and a teacher/coach of executive communications.

2008 marks the 28th year for Ty Boyd Executive Learning Systems (TBELS) (Company Website). What began as a single assignment, has grown to be a dynamic learning and development organization in Charlotte, NC. It started when Rick Dyer (Apple Computer) and Tom Carpenter (Aetna Insurance) both asked Ty to teach their executives to better communicate with their customers. He was soon to realize that “with focused learning, we all can learn to communicate more effectively with our customers…often dramatically.”

Video encoding is the final step in the video creation process. Because video can be “formated” to be used in a number of delivery systems, it must be converted, or encoded, to the proper format. Everything leads to this step and if not done correctly can cause the finished product to look substandard.

Why is digital video compressed?

“Digital video is compressed because it takes up a staggering amount of room in its original form. By compressing the video, you make it easier to store. Digital video can be compressed without impacting the perceived quality of the final product because it affects only the parts of the video that humans can’t really detect. For example, there are billions of colors, but we perceive only about 1024 shades. Since we can’t discern the subtle difference between one shade and the next we don’t have to keep every color. There’s also the matter of redundant images—if every frame in a 60–second video has the same chair in the same spot, why save the data of that chair in every frame?

Compressing video is essentially the process of throwing away data for things we can’t perceive. Standard digital video cameras compress video at a ratio of 5 to 1, and there are formats that allow you to compress video by as much as 100 to 1. But too much compression can be a bad thing. The more you compress, the more data you throw away. Throw away too much, and the changes become noticeable. With heavy compression you can get video that’s nearly unrecognizable.

When you compress video, always try several compression settings. The goal is to compress as much possible until the data loss becomes noticeable and then notch the compression back a little. That will give you the right balance between file size and quality. And remember that every video is different—some videos look great highly compressed, others don’t.” - http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/moviemaker/expert/digitalvideo.mspx

Staff Member Volunteers With Habitat For Humanity and Golfers in Transition

Randy Davis, CEO of Episode XI Studios, assists Habitat for Humanity (HFH), in partnership with Golfers in Transition (GIT) in erecting the walls to a four-bedroom home in North Charlotte, NC. A time-lapsed video can be seen on the company website, under current events.

Both non-profit organizations serve different functions in assisting those in need. HFH is a nonprofit, ecumenical Christian housing ministry and seeks to eliminate poverty housing and homelessness from the world, and to make decent shelter a matter of conscience and action. GIT is a networking group for job seekers who gather not only during HFH functions, but also gather on the golf links of Charlotte, in an attempt to build relationships between job seekers and recruiters. The Charlotte chapter of GIT is organized by Gary Burgess and has been active in several Habitat Homes.

Television (TV) has taught us one thing-people would rather watch than read. Studies show that people retain:

10% of what they read

20% of what they hear

50% of what they see and hear

A video on your website, in your lobby, or in a satellite office is better than a television commercial, because it is delivered at precisely the right moment when you have your viewers attention. Video emotionally engages your viewer in a power way. It creates a lasting impression, long after the credits roll.

A recent study compiled by Dynamic Logic in 2004 showed that a single exposure to an online video increased Brand Awareness by 10 percentage points, while 10 exposures to an ad banner only raised awareness by 6%.

Just 10 years ago, it would have cost a small fortune to have a custom video production of your product or service-but not anymore. As you know, electronics are becoming more affordable, and that is good news for you. Episode XI Studios is committed to bringing a cinema-style video approach to your product/service that will allow you to compete with companies much larger. You wont believe how affordable it is for:

Scriptwriting

3-D Storyboarding

Videographer

Sound Engineer

10 hours of filming using

Camera crane (for smooth vertical shots)

Dolly (for smooth horizontal shots)

Intros and Titles

Professional voiceover talent

Custom Motion Graphics

Edited into Hollywood quality production

Formatted for: Web, DVD, Tradeshow viewing

Prices start at $2,500 and payments plans are available.

One last thought: www.mbreleases.wordpress.com reports in its Online Video Advertising Effectiveness Study: of the 80% of viewers that have watched a video ad online, 52% have taken some sort of action. The report also stated: of consumers who made a purchase in the last month, 48% said the Internet drove initial awareness, 57% said they learned more using the Internet, 55% used the Internet to decide where to buy, and 56% made the final purchase decision using the Internet.

There is no question regarding the power of using video to not only promote your product but also yourself in the Real Estate market. As attention spans get shorter and shorter online - you need to be as compelling as possible via the most entertaining medium. There is a reason people would rather watch the movie that read the book.

Here is an excerpt from an interview with Morgan Brown a Marketing Director with Turnhere.

“How can real estate professionals use video in their marketing?

With such a large percentage of home owners starting their search for property online, using video in online listings is the first thing that comes to mind. Pictures are nice and descriptions are helpful, but there is no substitute to video for giving a user a firsthand experience of the property with a well-done video home tour. In addition to using video to highlight listings it can also be used to showcase neighborhood attributes and provide a profile of your business and team.

For example if you are a Realtor in the East Bay of California you can use video to highlight the quaint neighborhood of Rockridge and its beloved walking streets lined with local restaurants and shops. This content is ‘evergreen’ and helps people evaluating your listings get a true sense of the surrounding area.

Is appropriate for every listing?

I can’t think of a listing where it isn’t appropriate. Even properties that don’t have the most curb appeal can benefit from a video by capturing the attention of just the right buyer. Listings that are moving fast already and perhaps properties that rely less on online research for sales are exceptions to that statement.

Videos too expensive for most Realtors, right?

Professional video production is totally affordable for nearly all marketing budgets. Compared to traditional marketing channels it’s a bargain. It’s much cheaper than print materials, flyers, radio, TV, outdoor (bench and billboard) and other marketing vehicles.

What makes a good web video?

I think there is a big misconception out there that it is easy to make a good video. The fact is making good video that is compelling, authentic and relevant to the viewer is difficult. To wit, of the millions of videos watched on YouTube each day the average view time is less than 10 seconds. This is a direct result of most video not meeting the needs of the viewer.

When the viewer gives you permission to talk to them by clicking play you have to deliver, and deliver right away. To make good video for the Web (which is much different than traditional broadcast video advertising i.e. a :30 second TV spot) it needs to focus on three key things: authenticity, delivering a compelling message, production quality which makes it enjoyable to watch and drives action.

Bottom line is that web viewers have near-infinite choice for their attention and are typically skeptical. This means that your message has to be compelling, relevant and real. Over-produced sales pitches or videos that don’t meet the viewer needs are big turn-offs online.

What are some ways you can leverage the video content you create?

The nice part about video is that it’s a highly portable piece of content so you should look to get it out on the Web to get as many eyeballs to it as possible. Using a smart distribution strategy can put you in front of the right people at the right time. Whether it’s putting your video up on YouTube, Facebook, Active Rain or making it shareable via email and embeddable in a widget the idea is to get your video out there to where the viewers are.

Can you give us some examples of some of your favorite videos on the web? (Not those kind of videos…)

My favorite videos are ones that are compelling and interesting. They take a piece of everyday life and show it to you in a different way. I love to see the stuff that you don’t get every day in mainstream media. Show me the true character of a city by doing a tour of all the BBQ joints in town or show me the kitchen of the hotel that cranks out 1,000 four-star meals a day. Give me a clip of the author talking about why they wrote their new book. One of my favorite videos is the author David McCollough talking about how Washington escaped from the Red Coats at the site of the Brooklyn bridge - amazing insight that I would never get. I also love the videos of Mentos and Diet Coke so it goes both ways. Videos that give me a unique, authentic perspective on life are the ones that I love.”