When it comes to social media video strategy the first question our clients always ask is “How often should I upload videos to my social media platforms?”.

We tend to flip this question around and instead guide our clients through creating a strategy for filming and editing video content that will allow them to grow an online audience full of valuable, engaged followers.

Our two top tips: Consistency and Resourcefulness!

• Be consistent: Whether you chose to share content weekly of monthly, try to stick to a regular interval for a few months so you can really start seeing results.

• Take advantage of content scheduling tools, such as YouTube’s option to publish videos at a later date. Once you’ve created and uploaded your video, the visibility tab on YouTube allows publishing in the future. At the time of writing this, all the big social media platforms offer this option.

You could of course upload 150 videos in one go to your website or YouTube channel. I mean, technically speaking, it is possible. However, if your goal is building an online audience, consider using a scheduling tool to ensure content reaches your followers regularly. Whether that’s monthly or weekly, audiences and search engines both want the same thing from your website: fresh content. 

Note that we keep mentioning YouTube. Remember that it’s owned by Google and it has become the second-largest online search engine. Chances are this is where you want to be found!.

Video Production: The Ideal Content Strategy and Planning Schedule

We’ll say it right away, there is no magic ratio. 

There is, however, a clever way to ensure you never run out of fresh content to share, and that is to plan, create, publish, promote, and analyse every bit of content you put out there.

• Establish your goals: What results exactly do you want to achieve? Let’s not get sidetracked by numbers or ‘going viral’ and instead think of reaching your target audience, communicating a clear message, and telling unique stories. Educating viewers.
• Define your target audience: Remember that people want to watch exactly what appeals to them. Nothing else. So perhaps focus on creating sweet and short pieces that target a specific audience.
• Brainstorm ideas: Branded content, talking heads, product demos, animated explainers, vlogs, training videos. There are endless opportunities to highlight the virtues of your brands, product or service.
• Get creating: That’s the fun bit!

Social Media Video Strategy: It can be an easy process!

It does sound daunting but with a bit of organisation, there is no reason why you can’t put a few great pieces of content out there in very little time.

Two words: Batch production, like a production line in a factory. That’s right. The trick lies in allocating specific days for specific tasks:

• Day 1: PLAN all the content you would like to create
• Day 2: FILM all the videos
• Day 3: EDIT

Just like we allocate a day to go through all the receipts, invoices, orders, business emails, we can designate one day to think about the content we want to put out there.

When filming videos, choose a specific day when you will be batch recording all the footage. Set time aside to get camera-ready, set up the kit (camera, lights and sound), props or sets, and always make sure you capture b-roll. Then, it’s time to get stuck in! Solo or with the help of our friendly team.

Our top tip: Remember to script your videos. This will help the editing process and will make it easier to write video descriptions and titles.

Finally, batch edit all your footage; yes, we can help with that too, but it is perfectly possible to fly solo too.

Here’s a super quick round up of our Top 5 favourite apps to edit videos on the go in 2021:

• iMovie: iOS
• InShot: iOS and Android.
• TikTok: iOS and Android.
• Adobe Spark Video: iOS
• Adobe Premiere Rush: iOS and Android

We can help tell your story with bulk video production

Whether it’s filming in batch or bulk editing big selections of footage, the answer is a streamlined process. This ensures you can keep track of the project every step of the way.

We work with you every step of the way to generate content that answers exactly to your input and follows through all marketing objectives set at the beginning.

Experience has given us the ability and technical resources to ensure that we can quickly carry out any changes or amendments required.

We understand that our clients often need unique solutions. Indeed, every marketing team’s needs are different. This is why we pride ourselves in being flexibility and in offering simple options that go a long way.

Definitely contact us for a content strategy chat and an estimate based on your precise requirements.

Sunny days are overrated. When it comes to filming videos or taking photos using natural light, sunny days can be quite challenging. We are here to tell you why and more importantly, how to fix it.

I know what you’re thinking. It’s winter day eleventy billionth, London is at its bleakest and all we can think is bring on the sunny days. After all, we need that perfect brilliant sunshine to film all those videos we’ve been meaning to publish. Right?

Wrong!

We can all agree that there’s no light source as bright as the sun, but a lot of light can translate into a lot of problems. All that light will cause super bright hot spots and deep dark shadows.

Add to this the general unpredictability of an outdoor shoot. As the day goes by, passing clouds will play tricks on you, constantly varying the amount of light and shadows on your subject, effectively making it seem as if your composition flickers.

The key to making your filming session a success is to be in control of your shooting environment. When filming outdoors, the one element that will cause the most trouble is ambient light.

Somewhat surprisingly, with natural light being the one element that can cause the most trouble during outdoor shoots, one solution is to film on overcast days. A cover of clouds will soften the effects of harsh sunlight effectively making shadows disappear altogether and giving a more uniform overall lighting effect.

However, this is not always possible, so this is why we always recommend to our clients a real game-changer when it comes to lighting. A diffuser, you can find our preferred option via our shop, it’s actually a 5-in-1 kit of diffusers and reflectors you can place between the light source and the subject, to soften the amount of light.

Bear in mind that using a diffuser will probably mean you’ll need an extra pair of hands, but as we always say: great videos are the result of team effort. Alternatively, you can invest in a stand, or our absolute favourite, Manfrotto’s Magic Arm.

As ever, if you have any questions at all about video, just give us a shout! We love a chat, especially if it’s a “video chat”! (See what we did there?).

On seeing the word recce a military operation comes to mind. The word comes from reconnaissance which in the video industry, refers to visiting a location in advance of filming video content. If you are shopping around for video estimates for your business you will have seen words like ‘pre-filming recce visit” in a few proposals.  If you haven’t, we think it might be a red flag and you may want to have another chat with your potential supplier.  But is it really worth the extra time and expense?

Does my video really need a pre-filming recce visit?*

Preparation is key to any video production. The more preparation ahead of a shoot, the more efficiently the day will run and the less likely that something will go wrong. Plus the better results the client will get.

A pre-filming recce is one of the crucial ways of preparing ahead of a shoot. Particularly due to budget constraints, visiting a location is the perfect way to assess any risks before filming.

We’re all so pressed for time that using precious hours in a pre-filming recce might not sound great but when compared to what it would cost if something were to go wrong, it’s more than worth it. Most projects involve a crew, talents, equipment and location. Organising all of that only to realise on the day that the location is not perfect or unsafe, would mean very expensive delays.

*It’s a great question to ask your production company

When requesting prices for a filming job, ask the production company if a recce is required for your particular project. It is not *always* the case. Pre-filming recce visits are more commonly used for example in live streaming projects and in general for larger budget commissions where there’s a need to really make the most of a specific location.

What will a pre-filming recce visit reveal?

You want the crew to see the location with their professional hat on. They will be able to spot any potential issues and come up with solutions and alternatives. There’s always the risk of a location being totally unsuitable but it’s best to find out ahead of the actual filming day. Maybe the place is not ideal considering the equipment required, or there might not be proper sound insulation. Perhaps there might be insufficient space for crew and kit, or safety issues like faulty electrics or slippery surfaces.

Top 3 issues to watch out for:

• • Sound: Crisp, clear sound is a key component of a good video. Environmental sounds such as traffic, air con units and such can be easy to overlook. Experienced filming crew will spot trouble
  • Lighting: Good lighting is crucial to a great end result. Whether natural or artificial, lighting can make or break a video. During the pre-filming recce visit, the crew needs to check existing light sources and make an assessment of what kit they will need to bring on the day.
  • Electric power: Video production is a power hungry operation. These days most kit will run on batteries for a good few hours. An experienced crew will know to come prepared for any contingency though and the best tip is to walk around the location and identify all power outlets, always double checking they are in good working order.

If the pre-production team does spot any issues, they will suggest strategies to resolve them. Sometimes briefs can be tweaked to suit. In any case, a pre-filming recce visit allows for this approach to be been taken ahead of filming day, rather than having to deal with nasty surprises later.

It’s not all negative though, a pre-filming recce visit will also be a source of inspiration. Some of the best ideas our crew has had are born on location whilst preparing before filming day. A great video maker should really be able to make the most of any particular setting in terms of space and lighting.

Costs implications:

We have set rates for pre-production, production and post-production based on the time we spent on each task. A pre-filming recce visit will always be less expensive than a filming or editing hour. One member of our team will set aside 1 or 2 hours depending on distance and project complexity.

We really do think a pre-filming recce visit is worth the cost, as it can really make a difference on filming day.

Check out a rough pricing guide we’ve put together and do get in touch if you have any questions or wish to request a quote. We’re always happy to help with any queries.

Which trends will rule social media video in 2019?

2019 is the year of video… but wait, isn’t every year “the year of video”? We share with you the social media video trends that will help put your brand at the top of your followers feeds.

Over the past few years, we’ve seen a steady rise in the use of social media video in marketing and PR, and in 2019, the power of social media video seems as strong as ever.

With the start of the new year, I’ve been mulling over what I think will be 2019 social media video trends to give you 10 ideas you can use to bring your social media posts to life, including the use of stories, short-form video and many more!.

Stories.

Remember Snapchat stories when most marketing people couldn’t make heads or tails of it? Well, Instagram dixit, their stories have increased the time spent on the platform from 15 to 32 minutes a day and 82% of brand audiences prefer live video from a brand to social posts. a
Take advantage of that FOMO to attract viewers!
Even more so, it is a proven fact that most audiences prefer ads that read like stories, who doesn’t love a good story?

Captions, the case for inclusive videos.

Videos without subtitles are watched, on average, 66% to completion whilst 80% of Facebook videos are watched on mute!
We think those are huge numbers you just cannot afford to ignore.

Thought leadership.

First person story-telling just works!
It’s also one of the easiest types of video to create: just you in front of the camera.
Your audience wants to see what your day-to-day is like, particularly if you share issues you are very familiar with and can provide expert advice.

Podcasting? Film your sessions!

You’ve already discovered the power of podcasts. Why create one asset at a time when you could be creating two in one go?. With a video recording of your podcast, listeners can put a face to the voice and relate even more to your content. If you can record and film from your business’ premises even better! You’re giving potential customers front row access to the ins and outs of the biz.

Mobile-first video.

According to eMarketer, nearly 80% of people watching videos do so from their smartphones and 94% of the time they hold their phones vertically. Vertical video is here to stay. If you wish to meet your customers’ needs consider filming good quality vertical content to use on Instagram stories.

Video in email.

On average, how many emails a day do we get? Surely tons clogging up notifications, so how to stand out? Using the word “Video” in the subject line can lead to higher open rates, whilst video thumbnails lead to higher engagement!

Video allows you to inject personality to otherwise boring marketing emails. Maybe try adding a video to the signature so clients can quickly see who you are.

We think this social media trend will continue to grow in 2019, as more and more people start to see success when including video in their email communication.

Paid-for video courses.

Over time you’ve worked hard creating content loaded with value for your customers. In return, you’ve built up a captive audience you already know is interested in what you have to say. Perhaps it’s time to start charging for that content and what better way to deliver it than online video courses. How about creating videos around those topics

This social media trend will help you balance your marketing efforts vs. revenue and help you come up with ideas for even more new content.

Be transparent.

Don’t be afraid to show what happens behind the scenes. We’re not only talking about sharing the good days and achievements, but also the setbacks. Sharing your decision-making process, what’s worked for you, and what hasn’t, can be communicated more easily and effectively using video.

Live Q&A.

Live streaming capabilities are available in nearly every social media platform. Make the most of a live session and engage with the audience by encouraging them to ask questions around a specific topic.

Back to Instagram stories, check out the “Ask Me Anything” sticker.

Influencers.

75% of consumers trust social media when it comes to making purchase decisions. This applies to holiday destinations through to choosing a restaurant for dinner or picking the most ‘instagrammable’ place to hang out. If you collaborate with the right influencer to mention your brand or showcase your product, you’re immediately tapping into a ready-made target market more than willing to follow the opinion of someone they trust.

Are you curious about which 2019 social media video trend is more suited to your business? Get in touch via the contact page to learn more about what we do. Remember to follow us on Instagram to see snippets of our day to day work and access valuable tips that will help you nail social media video.

Unless you’re living under a rock, you’ll know that Instagram IGTV launched this week and everyone is already jumping in on it.

At The Quick Brown Fox, we just launched our own IGTV channel with a nice handy little tutorial video with all the tips and tricks you’ll need to get you started on this new tool. You can watch our video here.

As with every social media platform, it’s important to have a strategy and a little think as to how you’ll use it to benefit your brand and reach the perfect audience but for now, let’s just have a quick glimpse into how it works.

Getting ready for Instagram IGTV:

First, make sure you have the very latest version of the Instagram app installed on your phone. It may be that even after updating you will have to open & close the app in order to see the IGTV icon at the top right corner next to the paper dart.

At first, you’ll be asked to create your channel. No worries, it sounds worse than what it is, it’s really just a series of very simple to follow on-screen prompts.

Once you’ve done this just tap your avatar to start uploading videos directly from your camera roll by either tapping the + symbol on the right or where it says (duh) “upload video”.

Choose any video, it should be longer than 15 seconds and up to 10min long. Bear in mind that IGTV has been created with vertical videos in mind. Instagram reckons that vertical is the natural way in which people watch videos on their phone. So there! Vertical videos! Consider this when you’re shooting your content. Make sure you follow some basic guidelines to create good quality videos.

Remember to add a nice title and a relevant description. Make sure you use of this feature well, because (wait for it…..) you can add hashtags AND clickable links pointing to wherever you like!. Think your blog, website, anywhere!. This is possible even if you have under 10K followers, unlike the “swipe up” feature on insta-stories which is only available to accounts with more than 10K followers.

As always, chose a nice cover, Instagram IGTV is a visual platform after all!

IGTV main features:

Something we really love is that IGTV  is available to both business and personal accounts. This could be a game changer for some Instagram users.

Once you have set up your channel and have finished uploading the first video, your followers will be able to visit your IGTV channel directly from your IG profile by tapping the IGTV icon to the left of your highlights. Your new channel displays prominently, so again, make sure you take full advantage!.

Your followers can like, comment and share your IGTV content in the same way they interact with grid posts and insta-stories. But here’s another possible game changer: as the channel owner, you can grab a link to your video and share it in other platforms to direct traffic to your shiny new IGTV channel.

Have fun!

If you’re considering to start vlogging don’t be put off by thinking that you must use professional cameras and equipment to generate great quality video content.

The holy grail of social media success is an engaged audience. One of the ways to generate meaningful interactions and maintain engagement is to achieve that sought-after “self-shot” look and feel. Thumb-stopping content will ooze authenticity.

To start with, don’t feel bad if your video is not looking as sharp as the brands you follow on Instagram, you would never guess the level of production that goes into producing some of their content.

A couple of years ago, we filmed various very successful vloggers such as Dina Tokio using a Canon DSLR 7D. Today there are plenty of more options at affordable prices. Here’s a couple you could try [this is not an #ad so we are not getting paid for these mentions]: Panasonic Lumix GH5, Canon 5D [a classic!] or Sony A7s [particularly good if you think you’ll be filming in low light conditions].

Luckily, mobile phones cameras are getting better literally every day.

Not long ago we ran a few tests on the iPhone X and the quality is just astonishing. It shoots 4K 60fps and if your content is for social media only, then this is indeed an option. Please bear in mind that results won’t be as nice in low light though, so be mindful of lighting conditions.

Yes, you’re probably wondering about that one other brand: It’s very often that we get asked about the capabilities of a GoPro. We love those little cameras! However, with GoPro, it’s important to use top of the line kit because the resolution upgrades drastically with each new model. The most recent ones, also have image stabilization which is a huge advantage when filming on the go.

Whatever you are using, and before you rush to buy new kit, include lighting in your filming bag. You will see an instant boost in the quality. Get the lighting right first. You can thank us later 😉

Click here to check our blog about basic lighting tips and tricks. 

And remember, you are only going to improve if you keep filming every week.

1- WIPE that lens:

This may sound silly but loads of times blurry iPhone videos happen because of a dirty lens. Make it a habit to clean your camera lens with a standard glass cleaning cloth and you’ll see the difference.

2- Keep it STEADY:

Make sure you hold your phone steadily and with both hands. If this is not practical maybe try resting it on a surface or consider buying a small tripod or stabiliser. The Manfrotto mini tripod is not expensive at all at £30 (including the must-have clamp to fix our phone).  We’ve been using ours for over 3 years and it’s never let us down. It’s not bulky, it takes 1 second to mount your phone on it and having a big name brand behind it makes it super reliable.

3- Consider the LIGHTING set up:

Most places have warm lighting which tends to have a yellow tint to it. You want to film under ‘daylight’ light which has a more blue-ish tint and on film looks closer to natural light. You can achieve a natural light look artificially by swapping the bulb in your desk lamp or you can get an LED panel that can be adjusted to lots of different scenarios.

4- Film in 4K:

Most users don’t know this mega tip, but it is possible to FILM 4K quality iPhone videos. Indeed if you have an iPhone 6 or newer your device is capable of filming videos in 4K.  It’s not quite as simple as just opening up your camera and pressing record. You will need to tweak some settings, but don’t worry, it’s not too complicated. Just go to Settings > Camera, tap either Record Video or Record Slow-mo, and select your preferred resolution from the listed options. Choose from various options from HD to 4K and even change the frames per second to give you the smoothest video with the highest number of pixels.

5- Invest in a few APPS:

Your iPhone videos can be hugely improved by using third-party apps. There are a few good free ones but consider investing in paid for apps as well for better results. We use and recommend iMovie for editing on the go, Hype Type to add animated texts to your videos and Stop Motion Studio for well… doing those clever stop-motion clips where inanimate objects seem to have a life of their own.

6 – SOUND:

This is a biggie. Spot on sound is crucial, so unless you’re planning to overlay a music track or voiceover on top of your video, try your best to keep environment noise to the minimum. In reality, the phone’s built-in mic is not great, so maybe consider investing in an external recording device or a directional microphone. If you’re shooting iPhone videos, we use and recommend the Rode SmartLav. Just search online for it, it shouldn’t break the bank at roughly £50.

7 – Consider VERTICAL:

Up until a year ago horizontal filming was a must since output channels had either a square or 16:9 ratio. Filming a video whilst holding your phone in a vertical position always meant ending up with those awful black square to either side of the video when watching on a bigger screen or after uploading to youtube. Nowadays with Instagram and FB stories huge relevance, we’d say it will ultimately depend on where the video is going to be published: If you’re filming for YouTube or Facebook, stick to holding your phone horizontally, if you’re creating an Instagram story, play around with vertical videos. Maybe you’re wanting to make a square video. In this case, you may want to shoot horizontally but leave some room on either side to allow for the cropping that will ensue.

8 – Bonus TIP:

Check out our friends over at Avocado Social where they share their 3 top tips for creating attention grabbing social media video.

As you can see we’ve gone back to the beginning: Planning is key! Before pressing that record button, think exactly what you want to get out of your video and where and how and then go from there. If you’re stuck, give us a ring, we’re always happy to help.

Have fun making videos!

Appearing on camera can be really tricky for non-actors. It can actually be really uncomfortable!

So we thought we’d share with you our top basic tips to help you feel at ease from the word ?ACTION!

• Keep it light: It will help the final video look much better. Like in life, don’t take anything too seriously.
• SMILE! It might feel awkward at first but don’t let it put you off.
• It WILL take multiple takes. And that’s OK! Promise it will be all worth it in the end.
• Would you run with your hands in your pockets? Nah you wouldn’t! It’d be silly, right? Well, same goes for being on camera. Find a comfy, natural position and relaaaax.
• Bring a friend: our crew is mega friendly. All of them. But if you still think it’ll be intimidating feel free to bring someone to tag along. They’ll have the job of being encouraging and supportive.

Check out the video below and let us know what you think. We reckon these guys all look quite at ease!

When you’re watching a video it is really easy to take lighting for granted. That is if the lighting technique used has been successful.

Just as we often bang on and on about sound, lighting too should never-ever be overlooked. Even if your budget is tight we would always advise carefully considering your light set up.

Natural light is great, yes, but extra support lights can make or break your video.

Consider today for example. It was dull, wet, rainy (British summer eh!). Definitely, you would need extra light on a day like today, particularly if you are filming indoors.

Hold on, how about a sunny spells kind of day? Well, lighting then will be ever changing with clouds constantly blocking the sun and changing the light temperature and intensity.

Funnily enough, overcast weather makes for easier filming conditions than a super bright day.

Remember:

Lighting can help determine mood. Think thrillers and horror flicks. Those shadows playing mind tricks are everything, right?
Poor lighting will make for more expensive post production, more time in the editing suite. More importantly, imagine you have to suddenly go back out and film everything again. Now, that would be expensive!
At a professional level, one of the most popular lighting techniques is called the Three Point Lighting technique:

You have a key light/main light, placed to the side of the camera and lights the main subject.
A fill light or secondary light is placed opposite to the main light to help fill shadows cast by the key light.
Back Light: It is placed behind the main subject to add some space between the background of the scene and the subject and give a more 3D look on camera.
In our beginner’s workshops, we always discuss many alternatives to take advantage of available light when filming.

Get in touch if you would like to learn more.

Mobile phones are everywhere and they’re becoming more and more powerful by the day.

Now, just because you have a powerful camera it doesn’t mean every video you make will be top notch.

That shiny new iPhone 7, ok scratch that… that battered, smashed screen iPhone 5 will only get you great quality if you use the right technique and the correct tools to edit.

Practice makes perfect, read on for a roundup of 7 key points to consider when shooting video with your mobile:

1 Get ready to shoot: not only will you need a script or at least a pretty good idea of what you want to say on camera but remember to check you have enough batteries and storage space on your phone.

2 Keep it steady: Make sure you hold your phone steadily and with both hands. If this is not practical maybe try resting it on a surface or consider buying a small tripod or stabiliser.

3 Vertical? Really?: It will be very obvious once we tell you why, but just picture your TV… right, think about the screen or your TV, is it vertical or horizontal? Aha… well, just never, ever, ever, ever, EVER shoot vertical video. Just don’t. You’ll end up with those awful black square to the sides! Instagram has been putting us through our paces with insta-stories only being available in vertical mode. It really puts us off.

4 Don’t stand too far away: Try to position the camera close-ish to your subject, about 1 meter should do the trick, and remember the camera is to one side of the phone ?

5 Sound is huge: This is a biggie. Spot on sound is crucial, so unless you’re planning to overlay a music track or voiceover on top of your video, try your best to keep environment noise to the minimum. Your phone’s built-in mic is not great, maybe consider investing in an external recording device or a directional microphone.

6 Lighting is Critical: If possible try to shoot in natural light, mornings are usually best. Avoid pointing the camera directly at the window though or you’ll end up with just silhouettes. Play around with the focus and exposure… which takes us to the next point…

7 Apps: The iPhone camera can be hugely improved by using third party apps. There are a few good free ones but consider investing in paid for apps as well for better results.