Production Stills from recent projects...
Who are we?
BizVid Communications is a San Diego based video production company owned by Bill Gruber and Caz Taylor. Together we have over 50 years of video production experience and we like to blog about video production, marketing and business.
Author Archive
Search Engine Optimization for Your Business Website
April 9th, 2013
Thanks for joining us on this blog from BizVid Communications, a leading San Diego video production company. I want to talk to you today about the phrase I just used: “a leading San Diego video production company”… it takes some work to become known as an industry leader. If used properly, today’s social media can aid in the process.
Since search engines are literally one of the “engines” that drive computer and social media traffic, incorporating a wise blend of heavily trafficked social media in your own website will aid in what is known as Search engine optimization. When your company takes great advantage of the sites and pages and media that is heavily viewed and ranked, your own popularity and rankings actually dovetail with other popular media. It’s taken hard work to be ranked high in Google and other searches.
Some of the ways we optimize our web presence has been to incorporate and interlink our videos on YouTube and Vimeo to our BizVid Website. We do the same thing with our frequent blogs, which appear on our website, as well as through our YouTube and Vimeo accounts. Add these to our company’s Facebook pages and in our Yelp reviews, and when search engines see that your company appears within many high ranking media, your own ranking increases. While the sheer number of media options is growing by the day, it is wise to be selective in the media you incorporate into your website. If for no other reason, to keep you sane.
At the end of the day… your greatest success will come from what you do best. In our case that is video production. A company can have the best web support and SEO assistance, but the bottom line is if you aren’t who you are, it doesn’t really matter. Thanks for joining us on this blog.
How to Shoot Video Outdoors With Balanced Light
January 9th, 2013
As a leader in San Diego video production, BizVid Communications offers periodic blogs dealing with some of the elements in the production process. In this blog, we’ll take a look at a simple outside set up. Since a great deal of the impact will depend on a good, yet simple setting, we’ll use a recent shoot at a San Diego church as our example.
This particular set up was for the capture of three testimonials. To simplify the process, BizVid elected to include all three participants together. They were to pass the microphone one to another in one direction, so the camera could flow through the process smoothly. The camera would begin on a three shot, then push to each individual giving their testimony, using a simple, sweeping pan. At the close, the camera would pull to a three shot again.
Beyond those logistics, the most important facet was the location. BizVid chose an area in the front of the Baptist Church, where nice palm trees and an interesting building structure could be used. Because the light was very bright in some areas of the background, we chose to stay pretty tight on the action. Locating a place with even light is important, when shooting outdoors. Cameras have trouble when there’s a mixture of bright sunlight with heavy shadows. The camera has difficulty picking up the speakers clearly. Remember that even, balanced lighting will make your videos really standout.
If you have to video tape in bright sunlight, make sure the light is off to the side, or behind the camera. Otherwise your talent will be mostly silhouetted.
These simple tips will give your video the best chances for success. Of course, having a captivating message and a good deliverer of that message are optimal, as well.
Hurricane Disaster Help For Small Businesses
November 4th, 2012
Produced by BizVid Communications, a San Diego video company, their recent SBA Radio broadcast offered solutions to businesses who have been set back by hurricane Sandy. Ruben Garcia is the San Diego and Imperial County Small Business Administration District Director. As the guest expert of the radio show, he brought on SBA’s disaster relief spokesperson and SBA Public Affairs Specialist, D. Jelani Miller. Miller offered funding solutions for families and small businesses that have lost property, resources and revenues in the storm’s aftermath.
Mr. Miller is responsible for providing SBA Disaster Assistance information to congressional offices, federal representatives, state offices, local agencies, the media and most importantly, to disaster victims.
During the SBA Radio interview, two main contacts were offered as helpful resources to business and residential storm victims.
According to an SBA.gov website, the Office of Disaster Assistance’s mission is to provide low interest disaster loans to homeowners, renters, businesses of all sizes and private, non-profit organizations to repair or replace real estate, personal property, machinery & equipment, inventory and business assets that have been damaged or destroyed in a declared disaster. SBA’s disaster loans are the primary form of federal assistance for the repair and rebuilding of non-farm, private sector disaster losses. For this reason, the disaster loan program is the only form of SBA assistance not limited to small businesses. Disaster Assistance has been part of the agency since its inception in 1953. Click here for more details.
While the SBA also offers disaster assistance to individuals, Jelani Miller recommended that the first step in those instances would be to contact FEMA. According to the FEMA website, Immediately after the declaration, disaster workers arrive and set up a central field office to coordinate the recovery effort. A toll-free telephone number is published for use by affected residents and business owners in registering for assistance. Disaster survivors should contact FEMA at (800) 621-FEMA (3362). Disaster Recovery Centers also are opened where disaster victims can meet with program representatives and obtain information about available aid and the recovery process.
Using a Video Teleprompter
October 30th, 2012
In this blog, BizVid Communications, a San Diego video production leader, answers the question, “how can on-camera spokesmen and women memorize so much material?” Most often, the answer is, they don’t.
An invention called the teleprompter offers a way for a person or people in front of the camera to deliver large amounts of information without looking at notes, cumbersome cue cards, or trusting their memories.
The concept is both ingenious and simple. You’ve seen the mirrored glass in interrogation rooms on television. From one side people can look straight through, but the other side is mirrored. The glass in a teleprompter is plated in the same way. Behind one side is the camera lens, looking unobstructed through the glass.
On the mirrored side, the script is projected and reflected. Since the mirror image is reversed, the operator sends the signal backwards, so it will appear on the mirror properly oriented. As a result, the spokesperson can read the text while looking directly into the camera lens and the viewer is none the wiser.
The teleprompter apparatus is often mounted on the camera itself, but it can also be placed independently. The teleprompter operator has the desired script pre-loaded into their computer and sends the signal to the screen. It is the operator’s job to scroll the copy at a proper speed, so the reader can deliver the copy in a normal fashion. It is the teleprompter operator’s responsibility to follow the tempo of the speaker, instead of the speaker struggling to stay with the teleprompter.
Sometimes you’ll see a thin sheet of teleprompter glass mounted on stands just to the edges of the camera’s view when the president speaks. Often, when it sounds like a great impromptus delivery. It’s not. Thanks goes to the teleprompter and the operator.
The Gobo: A Simple Video Lighting Technique
October 2nd, 2012
In this blog, BizVid Communications, a San Diego leader in video production, feels that it’s time to make “light “of yet another video production process. Simple lighting techniques can add significant production value and command greater attention for amateurs and professional videographers, alike. Today we’ll talk about the use of a “Go Between’ light, also known as a Gobo.
Simply put, a Gobo is a light pattern projected against a surface to add interest in the background of a set. This technique is best applied where the brightness of a setting can be controlled. A special light can be devoted to project a pattern on a wall behind the primary action. These patterns may be grids, starbursts or nearly anything one can imagine. These patterns or stencils can be purchased or even created, using a heavy foil, light metal, or some other non-combustible material. Additionally, color gels can be added to create more interest. Sometimes a company logo or recognizable design (like a lightning bolt) can be used to emphasis a topic or point.
It’s amazing how impactful a simple light can make a set. Often Gobos are used to augment a nicely lit background, in conjunction with other props, such as furniture. Other times, they can effectively take the place of other props or settings and still offer an environment of great interest and quality.
The use of a Gobo is often a simple way of making a production look professional without spending a lot of money in set designs. We sometimes make custom gobos for our clients; StageSpot does a great job!