Mike Healey Productions, Inc.

Promote your business with video!

2012-01-12T12:07:00.000-06:00

Most people have the tendency to watch videos over reading text so you might want to consider using video to promote your business. Video has the ability to give your potential customers a stronger sense of your business and position your company or brand higher in search results. And that means more sales. The video approach also is more effective in reaching out to younger audiences. MHP can help you communicate your message effectively and get proven results!

YMCA of Northeast Louisiana "Strong Kids Campaign 2011"

2011-03-01T11:13:00.000-06:00

We recently wrapped a non-profit video project with Ross Creative Services for the YMCA of NELA. Please volunteer your time, resources or make a donation!

Have you visited the MHP YouTube Channel?

2010-10-26T20:27:00.001-05:00

B&H Photo Video Pro Audio iPhone App!

2010-10-14T09:59:00.003-05:00

Get your gear on the go!!

Download the free B&H Photo iPhone App to search, browse, and purchase from their entire inventory of the latest in photo, video, pro audio, computers, home and portable entertainment, binoculars, scopes and much more!

Get it here!

Six Things Cheapo Video Production Companies Don’t Want You to Know

2010-08-20T08:29:00.004-05:00

I came across this blog on www.thedvshow.com and just had to share...

With editing software and equipment purchased for pennies on the dollar from ebay, a full camera kit (with tripod included) bought at any consumer retail store and the free video production articles and training on the internet, any Joe-Schmoe can call themselves a “professional” overnight.

Cheapo videographers want you to think they can create the same content a pro can create- for less. Even though they look and sound professional, using all of the buzzwords and technical jargon to impress you, there are some details and traps being concealed under the sheep costume they’re wearing.

A cheapo videographer sees the potential to make quick cash producing a video for you. They don’t want you to go elsewhere- stooping to levels of offering outrageous discounts and package deals to undercut the professional competition just to get your business.

“Cheap” and “professional video” is all you hear before the venom starts to take it’s toll.

Before you reach into your wallet thinking you’re going to get the best bang for the buck, here are six things the cheapo video production company doesn’t want you to know:

1. They can create a video for you - that’s it.

Professionals not only create a video- they can tell a story. Professionals know the special techniques, the formulas and triggers that will sell a product or a service. Professionals have the experience and knowledge to weave together and create something compelling enough to keep a viewer interested without distractions getting in the way of your message.

2. They are not technical geniuses - pressing play and record on the camera is the extent of their knowledge. How to shoot in low light or no light, creative angles to use and getting excellent audio, to them, is the camera’s responsibility.

Professionals don’t rely on what they see in the camera’s viewfinder. They use a light kit with 3 points of light, light meters tell the temperature of the light source so your subject matter will have the correct skin tones or color. Professional know how to get rid of a shine on a bald spot.

Professionals use a lapel microphone to capture leveled audio and they hide it well - so it doesn’t look like an obnoxious black dot on your chest. They know sound from a microphone’s camera doesn’t cut it.

Professionals know what angles keep your video interesting.

3. Their equipment was bought at a consumer retail store - purchased from the open box aisle with a coupon. Final price: $175 and it included a bag and tripod. No thought was given to the technical details of the lens, lux rating, HD or SD? Unbalanced color temperature? The manuals are nothing more than alien code language and quickly ignored.

Professionals save their money for a camera they know they need. Their equipment perfectly matches the type of video work they do.

The video camera is a delicate tool for the video professional. It gives them the ability to take the creative ideas in their mind and craft a well designed, professional looking video.

Professionals take great care, time and thought in making an equipment selection. The tools they chose are considered an extension of who they are.

Like a successful company interviews dozens of applicants and there is only one person qualified to do the job right, the professional does the same when choosing his/her camera.

Like a woodcarver carefully creating a delicate, exquisite wooden chair - he/she chooses the best tools for the job - the same goes for a video professional.

4. They don’t really know how to edit - He’s over here, now he’s over there! Cut. Cut. Cut. Cut. Cut. Fade to black. Add music. Done. This is all they can do with the free editing software that comes bundled with their computer.

Professionals know when to cut and when to dissolve. They know when to use a closeup and when not to use a closeup. Transitions are used at the right time - not just thrown in because it “looks cool.”

Free editing software limitations are lifted with their use of professional editing software.

Professionals have dozens of editing add-ons and tools at their disposal to add that needed effect to your video.

Editing is an art. Not a bunch of paint splashed on a canvas.

5. This is the first time producing a video they’re actually getting paid for- sure, they did Aunt Elsie’s wedding and Sister Sue’s birthday party- Uncle Joe’s used car lot ad for cable - and now you hired them to do your corporate marketing video campaign targeted at thousands of your loyal customers.

The professional videographer not only produced weddings but moved up to corporate and commercial videos. They volunteered for local TV access stations, produced free videos for smaller businesses and even networked with people to produce more. He/she cooked slowly to perfection and knew it was time to start charging more after years of experience working in the trenches.

6. They have another full time job - most cheapo video production companies are one man bands. He/she is going to be editing your video alone, in their free time - after hours and on weekends. Producing your video is just a sideline job to make ends meet. They’re not really focused or concerned about building a business, buying additional equipment or training to enhance their craft.

When you make a call for changes or to check on progress, expect a quick email or phone call made during their lunch break.

For the professional, your video is top priority.

They can’t wait to get up in the morning to start production - this is their passion. They are driven to complete the video in a timely fashion to your complete satisfaction.

Professionals make followup phone calls to schedule appointments, they want you to be updated on their progress, they want you to be involved in making changes or updates that will lead to a final video you will be happy with.

There are many more reasons why a cheapo videographer wants to withhold information about the video they’re producing for you.

The work many of these cheapo videographers get are later cleaned up by professionals AFTER you realize it wasn’t the best bang for your buck.

Do what you love and love what you do!

2010-07-07T14:42:00.011-05:00

When was the last time you had fun buying a vehicle?

Over the years, we've had a blast producing TV commercials for White Ford in Winnsboro, LA. In that time, we've acquired several blooper reels and decided to produce a few TV spots to allow customers to enjoy the fun that makes the work we do so enjoyable. In this spot, Cloid and Robert John are proof that buying a vehicle from White Ford can be fun...

White Ford: "White Brothers" TV :30 from Mike Healey Productions, Inc. on Vimeo.

Behind the scenes

2010-06-30T15:09:00.011-05:00

Here's a few behind the scenes shots while shooting a new media campaign for Johnny's Pizza with French Creative Group. Photos courtesy of Brad Arender

MHP is now a Registered Apple Developer

2010-06-16T15:53:00.006-05:00

Having your own iPhone app for your website or blog will become a common way to promote and extend your company's brand. I found out recently creating that application and getting it into the App Store can be a lengthy and expensive process. However, fellow Twitter peep Michael Gass has enlightened me and I have found the whole process a lot less painful. Nonetheless, the MHP App should be available soon as well as other Apps currently in the development stage. I will update the progress here. In the meantime...

2010 will be the year that SmartPhones go mainstream and iPhone is leading the way.

These are some iPhone App stats that will be of interest:

* 1 Billion iPhone Apps downloaded
* 100 million apps are downloaded from the Apple app store each month
* the average apps downloaded per device is 50
* iPhone’s App Store hits 1.5 billion downloads in first year
* top apps can make $400 to $5,000 per day on ads
* average number of apps sold per device is nearly twice as high as songs at 53
* Domino’s claims to have sold over $1 million worth of pizza through their app

Agency iPhone Apps:

* Big Fuel
* Karasma Media
* She-conomy
* Wieden + Kennedy
* Fisheye
* The Russo Group

Ad Agency Resources iPhone Apps:

* Ad Age Latest News ($1.99)
* Ad-ology
* Michael Gass – Fuel Lines

Agency Client iPhone Apps:

* Wisconsin Cheese
* Pizza Hut
* The Home Depot
* Sears
* McCormick
* Walgreens
* Starbucks
* KFC

Social Media Resources iPhone Apps:

* Guy Kawasaki
* Chris Brogan
* Mashable
* Seth Godin
* Brian Solis
* Jeremiah Owyang

Blood Curse Movie Teaser Trailer

2010-06-10T18:18:00.001-05:00

This is the teaser trailer for Spencer Lee's upcoming vampire horror movie "Blood Curse" now in pre-production. This film will be shot entirely in Northeast Louisiana.

Monroe-West Monroe CVB to host premiere of movie trailer teaser of film to be made in Twin Cities

2010-06-09T01:08:00.002-05:00

The Monroe-West Monroe Convention and Visitors Bureau and BC Productions, LLC will host a premiere event for the teaser trailer for the vampire horror film, “Blood Curse,” and a meet the filmmakers event from 3 to 5 p.m. Wednesday.

This film, written by Spencer Lee, is being produced by Lee, Michael Mahaffey, George Noe, Brandon Sanford and Valerie Rodriguez.

“Our target date for pre-production is July,” said Lee. “Filming should begin a few months after that and will take place in the local area.”

BC Productions, LLC will be on hand at the event to collect resumes from those interested in working on the film.

“We are looking for experienced production crew, extras and talent,” Lee said.

The Monroe-West Monroe Convention and Visitors Bureau is located at 601 Constitution Drive in West Monroe, LA. For more information about the event, contact Sheila Snow at 387-5691.

via the News Star

How much does it cost to make a video?

2010-05-24T13:39:00.007-05:00

Prospective clients often ask, “How much does it cost to make a video?” It’s a good question – and every producer wishes there were a simple answer. But the truth is, this question is a lot like asking an architect, “How much does it cost to build a house?” or, asking a car dealer, "How much does it cost to buy a new car?"

An architect’s answer would probably be: It depends. Do you want a 50-room mansion on a remote island? Or a prefab cookie-cutter at the lowest possible price? More likely something in between – but what, exactly? Before giving you a quick quote, an experienced architect will ask a lot of questions - including what budget range you are considering.

It would be great if there were a simple formula stating X minutes of video = Y dollars. But video production, just like home construction, involves far too many variables for that. And we need a lot more information before we can give you a meaningful estimate.

We need to consider factors like who your audience is, the level of production value they are expecting to see, the potential value of a truly great video to you or your company, and most importantly, a ballpark figure reflecting what you can actually spend.

After all, the requirements and expectations for a quickie “talking head” for one-time use are completely different from those of a global product launch video for a Fortune 500 company. There’s no point in receiving an estimate for one if you’re really in the market for the other.

The best thing to do is talk to us. With over 20 years worth of award-winning video and multimedia experience, we can help you define your goals, advise you on how to achieve your vision within your budget, and help you maximize every dollar you spend so it shows up on the screen in a quality production.

When we do talk we can explore a range of video production choices and explain how they influence the budget. Here are some factors we need to consider:

* Do you already have a concept, or are we developing one for you?
* If your concept is more expensive to produce than you thought, are you open to a different concept that achieves your goals within your budget?
* What exactly needs to be shot? This is an all-important question, because it determines which equipment we need…
* … how large a crew we need…
* … and how many days of shooting will be required.
* Where are we shooting the video? Are there location expenses?
* Do we need to hire actors or models or voice-over talent? Or are we using your own people? (There are pros and cons to each.)
* How complex is the editing?
* Will there be sophisticated graphics or special effects?
* Will we need an original music score, or stock music, or no music at all?
* How long will the finished video be? (Helpful hint: Shorter is better)
* Do we need to shoot in HD or standard definition? (HD looks great, but is more expensive. Standard-def is often more practical, especially for web commercials)

The fact is, there are literally hundreds of factors that affect the cost of video production. And you can’t simply choose a company based on price, because a lower price - while attractive in this economy - will rarely yield the best result.

The bottom line? Let us know YOUR bottom line – or at least give us a range. Whether your ballpark is $2,500 or $50,000 or $250,000 it’s best to communicate that up front so we can help you create a concept and a production plan that suits your needs and achieves your goals in the most cost-effective way possible.

And here’s the MHP promise: Whatever the size or scope of your project, we’ll deliver a video that you’ll love and that we’ll all be proud of!

Leveraging Social Networks to Market Your Videos

2010-05-21T11:20:00.005-05:00

There has never been a better time in the history of mankind to create videos, and there has never been a lower cost way to market your videos to viewers across the world than now.

Most of us are on the popular social networks like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube, but from the updates and tweets I read on a regular basis, very few people leverage these marketing outlets effectively.

I’m not saying that I’m a social network marketing genius or anything but I pay close attention to the links my followers click on, and which ones they don’t. I think that promoting your videos via social networks is a great opportunity to take advantage of, but perhaps the biggest tip I can offer is to not always be pushing your own content, you need a mix of other’s work too. In order to receive attention you need to provide attention, so your posts can’t be about you constantly shouting out to the world “look at me, look at what I’ve done, look at what I’ve created.”

Some key benefits for promoting your videos through social networks:

* Increase awareness and interest in your videos
* Establish and develop positive word of mouth
* Grow your viewing audience
* Save money on advertising, the main cost is a time investment
* Develop a grassroots following and fan base.

When promoting and marketing your videos through online social networks you need to really focus on using good metadata. Your title is the most important piece of metadata for each of your videos, so you will want to choose a title that’s so irresistible that viewers can’t help but click on your link. Video descriptions are also very valuable pieces of content so provide interesting information, and be sure to include a back link to your website or blog. Tags usually get overlooked by many video creators but can have a dramatic impact on view count. I know of a video creator who tagged their video “thriller” the day before Michael Jackson died and the very next day the video reached 1 million views. That was purely luck and timing, but this should help you understand the importance of tagging your videos. Take the time with metadata because what many video creators do is spend hours creating their video, and then spend less than a minute on their metadata which is bad because this is how most viewers discover new videos to watch.

Jeremy Campbell
Spidvid

Welcome!

2010-05-20T14:51:00.004-05:00

Thanks for stopping by and welcome to the new MHP blog!

I've been telling my clients and business partners for years about the importance of blogging, facebook, youtube, twitter, LinkedIn and all the social media madness that we face every day. I utilize many aspects of social media on a daily basis but never really took the time to set up a full-time MHP blog because I was too busy helping clients with their needs. I figure it's time practice what I preach.

Here you'll find what we're up to, industry news, tips and tricks and an inside peek of what goes on around here. I'm really not here to try and market to you or solicit your business. You probably already get enough of that. Besides, the work you'll find here speaks for itself.

I welcome your input, comments and suggestions and invite you to join me in the world of creative chaos!

~Mike~