Podcast kit

There are a variety of ways to create a video podcast. You have your traditional “talking head” video where you record yourself talking or giving a demonstration. You can also create screencasts for things like software or web-based tutorials. There’s also side-by-side Skype video interviews. Lots of options!

So the first step is a decent quality HD video camera to shoot your video podcasts. And yes, the Flip or similar will work. I’ve even seen people record video podcasts via iMovie on a Macbook Pro. In fact there is nothing stopping you using your iphone 4 or later which has the quality, but not necessarily the memory.

Tip: You want to record & publish your video podcast in HD format so make sure you have a camera that supports that.

Next is video editing…

How To Create A Video Podcast: Software

You can use iMovie on the Mac for video editing, and Camtasia Studio on the PC.

Anyone can shoot a video and upload it to YouTube, but for a video podcast I recommend you go the extra mile. Create a custom intro whic lets people know about your brand and name, use  transitions or it will just end up in the giant rubbish pile of the internet.

If you are not the creative type we can put some great pro looking graphics together as template to use.

Once you create your first video podcast episode, you’ll want to upload it to the web and start building your subscriber base.

Create an iTunes acount and follow the easy steps to start uploading. If you use a woiordpress website there are plugins which allow you to upload podcasts.

Create an RSS Feed for your video podcast which you can then submit to iTunes. It will also allow you to embed your episodes into individual blog posts, which you can optimize for free search engine traffic. In addition to these basic promotion strategies, with a video podcast you’ll have the added benefit of being able to submit your feed to video podcast directories.

What drives progress?

The answer is simple. And it probably won’t surprise you.

But it’s hard to focus on progress when all you see is regression.

The Financial Times headlines, “Italy turns to China for help in debt crisis”.

The Age says, “Retailing to go from ‘bad to worse’”.

And Bloomberg News reveals, “BofA [Bank of America] to Slash 30,000 Jobs in Cost-Cutting Plan”.

Every way you look, you see destruction… job cuts, companies going bust and countries borrowing and begging from other countries.

Things look bad. And if we’re honest… it is bad.

But among the gloom, there’s something to look forward to.

It’s this…

No progress without destruction

Progress needs destruction. We know that may sound weird, but it’s true. Throughout history all improvements to human life have come as a result of destruction.

We’re talking about entrepreneurs coming up with new ideas, products and services that replace existing ways of doing things.

It’s destruction caused by creation.

In this case it’s where the destruction hits an established business. Now, the business isn’t necessarily doing something bad. It’s just that entrepreneurs always look for ways to make a profit.

If there’s no way for new firms to make a profit with an established product, an entrepreneur will find a way with another product.

The technology sector is a perfect example.

When new technology is introduced it will typically have high profit margins. This is because it’s new and the firm has invested a lot of money in it. So, in order to make money the firm charges a high price.

It’s a risk, because there’s no guarantee consumers will pay the high price. But if they do, the technology firm is on a winner… and the profits start racking up.

But there is a downside for technology leaders. High profits act as a signal to competitors. This causes competing firms to enter the market to get a cut of the action.

And because the established and new firms want to gain market share (and profits), the inevitable result is a race to the bottom as they undercut each other… prices and profits are slashed. This is, of course, great news for the consumer.

And it’s good news for progress and creative destruction too.

Why?

Searching for profits

Because at some point it becomes unattractive for new players to enter the market. Start-up costs and low profit potential means entrepreneurs will look elsewhere. Simply put, the “high profit signal” isn’t flashing anymore.

But that doesn’t mean progress stops. Entrepreneurs will just look for other ways to make money. And so the search for profits leads entrepreneurs to come up with newer ideas… something else that could shake up the same or a different industry.

Take television manufacturing as an example. The last 10 years has seen the industry go through several phases: old style CRT… rear projection… plasma… LCD… LED LCD… 3-D LED LCD… Smart 3-D LED LCD… what comes next?

For all we know, the “next” may have already happened but we haven’t seen it yet!

As each technology appears you see a wave effect in prices. Plasma TV prices were high until LCD TVs came on the scene… then they dropped. But as soon as LED LCD TVs appeared, standard LCD prices fell too… LED had become the new premium product.

We use this example because it’s the most obvious and visible. But this is what happens all the time. And not just in the technology sector. It happens with any industry.

But in order for progress to advance, you need an environment where entrepreneurs can flourish. Without it progress stops.

For years, Western governments have meddled with the free market. Erecting barriers to entry to keep entrepreneurs from destroying established businesses with new innovations.

That doesn’t mean entrepreneurialism is dead. It’s just harder to find.

But maybe it won’t be that way for long.

Looking forward to the future

A positive from the disaster happening in Europe and North America is the experiment of allowing governments to steer national economies is proving more of a failure as each day passes.

The destruction of national economies in Europe is painful. But the upside is it’s purging economies of welfare dependency and that should result in smaller governments.

And that’s why, in the long run we’re positive about the future.

The reversion to smaller governments will allow an altogether more positive type of destruction to take hold – creative destruction.

Old ways of doing things – ways created by the State – will be cast aside and replaced by the next breed of entrepreneur. One who can make profits without fear of government taxing away their gains.

This won’t happen overnight. But ultimately, we’ve greater faith in the abilities of entrepreneurs than we’ll ever have in the abilities of meddling bureaucrats.

As my mobile phone contract comes to an end i have been looking for news about the iPhone 5 release….amazing how much total rubbish is out there! Anyway this seems as credible as iphone 5 release rumours get. I just need to put my sausage fingers on a diet to deal with the touch screen.

The picture is complete nonsense by the way.

Thanks to the first post

A grainy picture of a computer monitor has been wheeled out by Apple fanboys as the latest evidence that the iPhone 5 will be launched in October.
The picture shows the retail calendar of US electronics store Best Buy and the ‘proof’ is a line which reads: “Process Display or Granger will be installing an Apple fixture on the large C2 end displays. Please ensure a manager/key carrier is available at 6am for access to the store.” The date given is October 21.
Tech blog This is My Next, which was handed the picture, assures its readers that this is no run-of-the-mill store furniture installation. Apparently, 6am is an unusual start time for installations at Best Buy – 7am is more common – and “a similar arrangement was scheduled for the iPhone 4 launch” last year.
The rumour has been lent a small amount of credibility by Japanese IT news site Macotakara’s danbo which claims two manufacturers, Foxconn and Pegatron, have begun production of the smartphone.
The latest intelligence contradicts a Reuters report from last month that cited no less than three anonymous sources who claimed the next-generation iPhone (they declined to use the phrase ‘iPhone 5′) would be available in September. Such is the reliability of Apple rumours.

With close to billion brand stories being told online in Facebook, Twitter, and various major social networks, how does a small business or individual running the business stand out and stay portable?

Define “Personal Brand” Your digital personal brand includes the online assets that comprise your digital persona – in plain English, that’s your voice, and the online interaction that you use to communicate the real you. As the lines between personal and professional continues to blur, an individual has to manage their digital personal brand while they work for someone else. After all, you want the ability to take your online personal brand assets with you when you move to a new company or transition to being a pure entrepreneur.  Essentially, your digital persona needs to move with you wherever you go.

Why is this important? You’ll have approximately 10 jobs between the ages of 18 and 42 – that’s around 7 different careers. So it’s not a matter of “if” you change careers or companies, but “when” – which makes keeping your personal brand portable critical.  

Tips to make your Personal Brand portable

1. OwnYour Social Network URLs Establish (and maintain) separate social network accounts with your personal brand.  Your Twitter, Facebook, Flickr etc shouldn’t be tied to the company that you work for as the only accounts you have or manage.  When you leave a company to start your own business, your accounts should travel with you – but this can only happen if you own the accounts. Why not establish your profiles in the social networks you’re active in before you need them? Every social network provides users the option of customizing a “vanity URL” to align with their personal and/or business brands. A great tool for identifying the availability of customised URLs is Knowem.

2. Own Your Network In social media we get enamored with numbers and we judge the value of a person’s social network by the number of followers or friends they have. But who really owns the contacts in your social networks? The answer is simple – the social network does. If the contacts in your network are only on Twitter, for example, there is a risk of losing them all if your accounts get comprised or the terms of service change. How should you manage this risk? Create a list from your social network contacts, and download and import your contacts into a personal database that you own and manage. (Be aware though – if you are tweeting from company accounts, then legally you don’t own the contact list.) As you transition from employee to small business owner your online network will become more of an asset that has value in the real world to generate leads and get introductions to influencers or key decision makers.

3. Own Your Hub (don’t just rent!) Every person should have an online hub (dotcom) for their personal brand.  The dotcom should be aligned with the business brand you own, or your personal brand. Remember that while social networks have tremendous value in helping spread our ideas, you do not own this digital real estate. If you want a nice place to virtually entertain clients, take them back to a dotcom that’s all yours.

BrandCamp is an engine of change in Detroit that is focused on entrepreneurial and Intrapreneurial thinking around personal branding.

Recently Wild Bunch Media has been gathering loads of testimonials, sound-bite and interviews for Fountainhead Retreat in Maleny. It’s an amazing place and the only certified organic health retreat in the world.

The first thing you have to try and do is talk to the client and ascertain what kind of feedback they are after. You cannot tell an interviewee what to say but they will need direction, to put them at ease and so your questions need to lead to an expansive answer rather than a ‘yes’ or ‘no’. For example- ‘How would you describe your experience Fountainhead Retreat?’ Rather than ‘Did you enjoy your experience at Fountainhead Retreat.’

Always try to get the interviewee to repeat the question back to you or mention the name of the business you are trying to promote. So with the above questions the answer should start:’ My experience at Fountainhead Retreat was… etc’. This way you can edit yourself out of the interview.

Ask a variety of questions so the material can be used not just for testimonials but as promotional soundbites.

If you’re looking for honest emotions and answers it’s best not to prepare them too much or it sounds rehearsed. With practice and thought you can put the interviewee at ease with questions and you ‘bed side manner’.

I found some good advice about preparing your interviewee for  longer, more indepth interview where you would like your interviewee to prepare there answers (San Diego Video Productions).

One of the best ways to improve your on-camera interviews is by conducting mini-interviews with your subjects before the camera rolls. An apprehensive, nervous CEO became a solid, confident presenter on tape largely because our producer spent time preparing him.

Ideally, this is done in person with the subject a few weeks or days before your video production. That way, they’ll become comfortable with your interview style and you’ll have an idea what they’ll look and sound like on tape. It will also give you an opportunity to evaluate their chances of performing as required for the program. It may be possible to schedule some quick media training or suggest other ways to enhance their performance. This could include the addition of a teleprompter or a hair/makeup stylist.

If time doesn’t permit a personal visit, a phone conversation is the next best thing. This is when you can determine whether your subject is long-winded, lacks energy, etc., so that you can find a better interview subject. You can help your subject to be succinct and clear (i.e., “Am I understanding you correctly when you say…” or “Do you mean to say…”). It will also give you the chance to help the subject gather their thoughts. Busy professionals often wait until the last minute to scan briefing notes and then sit down and want the interview over in five minutes. The client then wonders why the program wasn’t successful.

Pre-interviews can also help you formulate better questions because you’ll know what your subject is going to say. At the very least, take a few minutes before the camera rolls, while the crew is setting up, for a mini pre-interview to find out what your subject will say and to help him or her relax. The worst thing to do is to sit in the room during setup. There are too many distractions. The client will be listening to where the audio guy went on vacation instead of discussing the subject at hand with you. This is the time to take control, isolate the client from handlers if possible, and accomplish your goal of making the subject comfortable with you and their material.

Wild Bunch Media offers Live streaming

Wild Bunch Media already offer live streaming solutions, from a 1 person web seminar to multi camera events. However it’s never quite as simple as it should be. Expensive streaming software, Cameramen, video mixers and our resident computer expert making sure bandwidth keeps up with the amount of viewers. Alternatively you can stream through third party website but risk losing your branding and image.

When we heard You Tube was starting live streaming and you could do so through your own channel we knew we had to get on board. So we went back to You Tube university and learnt how to do it. It’s not available to the masses yet but very soon…

The online video giant recently launched its YouTube Live portal that will integrate live streaming capabilities and discovery tools directly into YouTube’s core platform. The system should eventually roll out to the masses, but will start off with select channel partners to ensure smooth content streaming until all the kinks are worked out.

“The goal is to provide thousands of partners with the capability to live stream from their channels in the months ahead,” said YouTube. “In order to ensure a great live stream viewing experience, we’ll roll this offering out incrementally over time.”

The service has been tested before for streaming popular one-time events such as concerts, sporting events, and interviews. Early last September, the service trial proved buggy and faced a limited viewership. But in January, a new and improved version came back and now it’s full steam ahead to build the system out to include streaming from thousands of content partners.

The new YouTube Live will not only have a landing page specifically for live streamed content browsing, it will also allow users to subscribe and mark events on the calendar for watching later. In this case, subscriptions not only alert subscribers of posted videos but also of upcoming streams.

There are already other services out there devoted to live streaming content such as Ustream, Justin.tv, and Qik, but with the juggernaut that is YouTube jumping into the ring, it will be interesting to see how this impacts the competition. For now you can go check out the YouTube Live portal.

online video campaigns

Here’s a great reason to not only have an online presence in the first place but also to have a functioning video online presence.

Online Videos

• 2 billion – The number of videos watched per day on YouTube.
• 35 – Hours of video uploaded to YouTube every minute.
• 186 – The number of online videos the average Internet user watches in a month (USA).
• 84% – Share of Internet users that view videos online (USA).
• 14% – Share of Internet users that have uploaded videos online (USA).
• 2+ billion – The number of videos watched per month on Facebook.
• 20 million – Videos uploaded to Facebook per month.

Although these are impressive figures it also shows there is a lot of rubbish out there floating around in cyberspace like a turd in a puddle. Which is why it’s really important to have a video professionally made that will cut above the noise.  Wild Bunch Media’s has a validated experience in producing cost effective online video campaigns worldwide. We made instructionals, adverts, short films etc but getting them watched is what we really enjoy and have been fine tuning. Thats the real secret.

Thanks to Duct Tape Marketing for these stats and generally being bloody great.

iPad video editing, colour correcting, storyboarding and audio

The iPad, and what I like most about what we’ve seen so far is that Apple clearly thinks it’s important that we be able to make things with it. The redesigned iWork apps are impressive experiments in creating stuff using a multitouch display. I liked my iPhone enough when it was just a phone, but I love it now that I have Storyboard Composer (formerly Hitchcock), Screenplay, and Photoshop Mobile, to name just a few.

I also use an app called Air Mouse to control the Mac Mini in my home theater. That, and the many other apps that allow your iPhone or iPod Touch to act as control device for your computer, made me ponder the possibility of using the iPhone’s multitouch screen as a control surface for Magic Bullet Looks. But I never took the idea very far because of the small size of the screen.

Doing color correction either know first-hand the value of a dedicated control surface, or avoid finding out for fear of the can’t-live-without-it sensation. An understandable fear, given the cost of these peripherals. Back in 2008 when I wrote about gestural interfaces and hardware devices, I expected to spend a couple grand at the very least for any kind of multitouch control device. Video pros routinely spend much, much more for large, cumbersome, single-purpose color control surfaces. Read any review of them and you’ll see one common thread: once you work a three-way color corrector with a set of trackballs that allow you to adjust multiple parameters at once, you never want to go back.

Imagine the dude above is looking at a stripped-down version of the Magic Bullet Looks interface on his main display. The Tool Chain, Preset and Tool Drawers, and touch-friendly Tool Controls appear on his iPad.

The iPad may seem expensive to people with a laptop, a smartphone, and little room in their life for something in between, but for video and film professionals looking for a general-purpose way to get more touchy-feely with their creations, it’s beyond a bargain.

As long as the software shows up.

So what do you think? Is the image above something that interests you?

Also check out hexler.net’s TouchOSC app. They are doing this now for audio applications, and even have a free desktop application (Mac and Windows) that you can use to design your own control layouts.

Thanks so much to prolost.com for the info in this blog.

Duncan Macfarlane phtography

Great photography by Duncan Macfarlane of these painful but pretty jellyfish.