Welcome to another video tutorial from BizVid Communications a leader in video production for businesses, industry and health.  Today I’m going to show you how to put a border around a video clip and make it whatever size and color you want. 

First, scale the clip to 75%. Look for the “rectangle tool”, which is found in the dropdown box of the “pen tool”.  Next, click and drag to make a box around the clip that is larger than the clip itself.  This creates a graphic similar to text a graphic. 

Then, extend it to the length of the video clip.  Now, drag the video clip above the graphic and here’s the border… but we’re not done.  Next, select the video clip, then go to the motion controls “position” numbers to center the clip on the graphic.  This still needs work. 

For this I will use “scale” but must uncheck the “uniform scale” box.  Now I can manipulate the height and width independently.  First, be sure that the graphics clip is selected then; begin to adjust the scale and height settings to your preference.  To finesse, select the video clip and move to your desired position.

I will show you how to lock the two together but first, I want to change the color of the border.  Select the border, double click the “fill” box and change the color. To nest, select both clips, right-click, then “nest.”  It is now one clip and can be manipulated any way you want.  

And there you have it…simple and effective.  

BizVid Communications is a premiere video production company, so creating blogs are important for keeping our name and brand visible. Further, systematic blogs provide important information regarding one’s product or service. Such communications help with rankings on social media. These are very likely good reasons for companies like yours to do the same.

Regarding the selection of blog topics, we are reminded of the strategies behind one of the most popular and highly rated television programs ever. Jerry Seinfeld’s self-titled show, Seinfeld, was touted as a series about absolutely nothing. Even “nothing” can be something if it’s properly packaged. Indeed, there is nothing like it.

Keeping in mind the main objective of “name and brand appreciation/ recognition”, any blog topic which commands a reader’s attention can do the job. Also it is helpful to understand the media parameters into which your blog will be placed. For our purposes, the length of a blog should probably be around 600 words. That is enough to command attention, while not discouraging a person who does not enjoy reading. A person’s love of reading is not usually a factor in the purchasing of a product. So keeping things short and sweet is always a wise decision. What’s more, that 600-word length seems to be typical for popular blogs around the Internet.

Some believe that having a catchy photograph also helps in the blog presentation. Because of copyright laws, it is unwise to grab just anything off the internet and use that as your blog post’s graphic support. Who wants to get a threatening letter in the mail? This may not be worth the risk. Today’s cell phones offer such high resolution photography that you can click your own photo that illustrates your topic fairly easily. As a video producer, we have access to stock photography and video which allows us to search out appealing visuals within our existing usage contracts. Perks of the trade.

Regarding blog presentation style and tone, it is advisable to simply “be who you are” in your communications. The “real you” will be more believable and more able to properly communicate your message than putting on a false persona. That said, Bizvid Communications is responsible for portraying the products, services, benefits, and personality of our clients.

In video production world, we often assume the character of our clients more than our own character.  Over the years we have learned to do this quite well. In fact, we love helping our clients put their best foot forward. Even so, our own personality is never completely lost in the equation. We enjoy taking our clients’ thoughts and streamlining them into impactful and concise messages.

Then, there are times when you have said all you wanted to say, but the format requires you to provide more words than you feel comfortable generating. For example, if you are creating a blog like this one, and you have only 489 words written, but need to get to 600 words.

In such instances, it may be advisable to apply the art of summarization. It is proven that a person’s ability to comprehend something is enhanced when a presenter reframes the original precept, using fewer words. Repetition can be a communicator’s best friend. 

Remember, periodic blogs are very important for branding and name recognition.  Pick topics that will command attention for your target audience which you feel comfortable communicating about. Be aware of recommended blog lengths and other restrictions. And, use photography or graphics as part of your blog whenever possible. Well, my 600 words are completed, as is this blog message. Thank you for joining us for this informative blog.

San Diego video production company, BizVid Communications, has produced hundreds of videos over the years. One of the more satisfying categories for us is medical surgery.  Typically in this environment, we are asked to document a new surgical procedure or the use of a particular instrument in the performance of surgery.

We are honored to be a part of such a project because the resulting video helps to advance the cause of medicine. In the performance of our duties, we must operate at the highest level and without distraction to the surgical staff.  A do-over in surgery is not an option.  

In the case pictured here, we used two cameras. Camera 1 was placed on jib and was suspended over the cadaver for an unobstructed view of the area to be worked. Camera 2 was placed on a ground level tripod so as to capture surgeon interactions.  We rigged each surgeon with a wireless microphone in order to record their teaching moments. 

After recording, the next task in the process is to edit all of the recorded material into a truncated and cohesive presentation. It must accurately represent the procedure and include the important teaching moments. Typically, the edit will go through several iterations prior to sending the video to the client for their final notes and input. Once their edit notes, if any, have been addressed, the video is finalized and sent back to the client for distribution.  It is a rewarding process. One that we hope to continue for a long time to come.

BizVid is often hired to provide video production services to companies holding conventions, symposiums, or meetings here in San Diego, California.  Our production services take on many forms, and we’re happy to share of few of those with you now. Read more →

BizVid Communications was selected to provide production services for the documentary titled “Quest for Truth: The Israeli / Palestinian Conflict.” The vision for the project and the entity we worked for is the United Kingdom organization, Generation2generation. Read more →

Welcome to another in a series of Adobe Premiere Pro video tutorials produced by BizVid Communications, a leader in San Diego video production services for business and industry.  Today you will learn how to create a title using Adobe Premiere Pro.

First, access the type tool by selecting the keyboard shortcut, “control T” on the keyboard.  After accessing the type too, a window is opened in the program monitor and that’s where you can type any text.  You can also access the type tool by selecting it in the tool bin, then click inside the monitor. Double click the box and type your information. Next, place the text where you want it by clicking the text and dragging it into position. 

Now we’re going to add a background behind the text.  In the tool box, select the dropdown in order to access the rectangle.  Next, click and drag the rectangle around the text. Let’s click the“graphics” tab in order to open the Essential Graphics window, which is the place where all text editing happens. 

In the right column, there are two tabs; select the “edit” tab.  This is where all any changes can be made.  Let’s start with the text by clicking and dragging the text layer above the shape layer.  Once done, the text can be edited in a variety of ways: changing font, color, size, kerning, or whatever.  For this demo, we’ll use the Gotham font and add a drop shadow to the text.

To change the color of the shape, double click the “fill” box in order to open the color palette.  We’ll add a second shape to our example, in order to give it a little more visual interest. Return to the rectangle and click and drag around the text.

Once everything looks good, we’ll “pin” everything together so that noting moves independently.  Once everything is “pinned”, we can add more text without having to rebuild all of the boxes.

If you wish to align and transform this box, go back to the “Editing” mode and locate the title.  If you want to create another text graphic that features the same design but with different text, simply hold the “Alt” key down, then click and drag the box to a different location.  After you’ve moved the box to a new location, you can then change the text. 

Unlike earlier versions of Adobe Premiere Pro (versions prior to 2019), the changing of words in one text box will not affect any other text box.  Additionally, when you create any text, you only find them on the time line; they will not be in the Project section.  

Now you should have a great title for your Adobe Premiere Pro project. If you have questions, please feel free to leave a comment here or on our YouTube channel.

You have seen this “catastrophe-in-waiting” in nearly every social and personal environment: marriage, other personal relationships, and even business partnerships. The left-brain “structure” moguls are at odds with the right-brain “creatives” to see who runs this or who leads that.  

Our blog has been written to offer a moment of clarity and inspiration within this very dynamic. At its conclusion, we hope that the insights will improve your company’s odds of success.

The left-brain mentality: If you have a strategic reason behind every action. If you spend a great deal of time mapping out every business strategy and setting up just the right people and situations to maximize your likelihood of success, congrats, you are a left brainer.

The right-brain mentality: Even if you’ve got the goods and the knowhow, the “same old, same old” strategies of plodding your way to success lack the flash and flare of creativity. Of standing out. Or burning out. Congratulations, you’re a right brainer.

Activating balanced relationships: My partner and I are in the business of creating video to tell our clients’ stories. We work with the big companies and the small guys. Over many years, we have learned to thrive in that delicate fulcrum of left, right, center.

In the end, neither one of the two viewpoints should ultimately win out. If the client ultimately feels that their best interest has been accomplished, then success and successful relations happen. This is usually accomplished with just the right balance of give and take.

My partner knows production stuff. He has ten Emmys to his credit and prefers getting stuff systematically done without wasting much time chatting or strategizing. He is disciplined in the business acumen with excellent follow through and consistency. He is a left-brain genius.

I know video production from a less cerebral, more sensory perspective. It is directly tied to the people who hired us. Informed and interactive clients can also help insure the success of a project. My approach would be, “What do you think about this look?” Or, “Is there a better way for the topic to be verbally or visually presented?”  Sometimes, I’m sure that my interjections slow the progress of my partner. Equally as often, my partner’s interjections keep us on time and within budget. 

My business partner’s left-brain tendencies have proven successful for him in the past. And, independently, my right brain tendencies have garnered good client successes.

Bottom line is we tend to have more happy clients together than we do independently. The moral of the story is that it is worth the effort of discover your workmate’s strengths and vigilantly seek to blend his or her best with your own. There is an old proverb that says, “If one can chase a thousand, two can chase ten thousand.” Pride aside, it can be more fruitful together.

Welcome to another BizVid Communications video tutorial.  The title of today’s Vlog is “How to Blur a Moving Subject in Premiere Pro.”  This video is an update to one I produced a few years ago called “How to Blur Faces in Premiere Pro.”  

The two ways I use to blur a subject are “Gausian Blur” or “Mosaic.”  Today, I will show you both because the process is different for each.  Let’s get started.  I placed in the timeline a proud US Marine walking to meet another person but I’d like to blur her face.  First I will use the “Gaussian Blur” method. 

 In the Effects Panel I’ll type in the word “Blur” and Premiere will reveal all of the blur options available.  To be clear, you can use any of the “Blur’s” listed as they all look a little different.   But today, I’ll start with “Gaussian Blur”  then show you, “Mosaic.”   Next, I’ll place the“Gaussian” effect onto the video clip.  I can do this by double clicking the effect or, dragging it onto the clip.  

 Next, I need to select the mask tool that will be used to highlight the specific area to blur.  The’re three options:  “Elipse,” “4 Point Polygram,” or the “Pen.”   But, because I want to track and blur a face, I will use the “Elipse” mask.  As soon as I click on it, it appears in the program window.  Be sure that your play head is at the point where you want the blur to begin.  At this point you don’t see any blurring and won’t until I add it.  If I were to add it now, it would be difficult for me to precisely form the ellipse around the face.  

To form the ellipse, I will use these little square handles.  Once formed the way I want it, I will add the blur by increasing this number to about the 50 mark. Obviously you can choose whatever degree of blurriness  you want.  I’ll also add a slight “feather” so that there are no hard edges. 

Next I’ll begin the mask tracking process.  I can do that one frame at a time like this….or, by letting Premiere do it automatically like this.  The program is pretty good about keeping a precise track.  If it does start to go awry, you can stop the progress and manually adjust, then start again. One the tracking finishes, give your video a watch and see how it your “Gausian Blur” turned out. 

 The other method I talked about was using a mosaic to blur the subject.  So, I’ll type in “Mosaic” then double click to add it to the clip.  As you can see, unlike the “Gaussian Blur,” the “Mosaic” applies the effect to everything and  It’ll stay that way until I select a masking tool.  Again, I’ll use the “Ellipse” mask.  Next, I’ll reduce the mosaic effect to a point where I can more easily shape the ellipse around the face.  I’ll do that right here at “Horizontal” and “Vertical” blocks.  

Next, I’ll use the same procedure to form the ellipse as shown earlier in this tutorial.  Now that I’m done forming, I will add the mosaic effect.  Next, I’ll start the mask tracking…….and here’s the finished result.  As with “Gaussian Blur,”  If you have several points on a clip that need blurring, simply keep applying the “Ellipse” or any of the three masks as many times as necessary like this.  So, I hope this tutorial has been helpful.  Be sure to subscribe and also visit the BizVid Communications website to see the type of work we produce.  Thanks again and happy editing.

A proven strategy for maintaining longevity in your business, and in life, is measured by one’s willingness to “go the extra mile”. Research has consistently shown that people (clients, customers, anybody) tend to incorporate hard-to-quantify components into their decision making.

An important decision may come down to intangible qualities such as the likability of a person, or perhaps having some arbitrary connection based on a hobby, or movie, or maybe having friend in common. These intangible benefits can often “seal the deal” in both a metaphorical and a literal sense.

Unknown variables are out of our control, but there is one important personality trait that each of us can intentionally improve, and that is our ability to “go the extra mile”. If you develop the trait of always going the extra mile, it can make the difference between having a profitable business or struggling to survive.

How does a person learn to “go the extra mile”? A wise person once shared this process with us and now we’re going to pass it along to you.

The process begins with intentionality. Start by taking a thought and then think it fully through so that you reach a decision. Once you have your decision, take action to turn that decision into a reality. If you continually take action based on intentional decisions, you’ll begin to form a habit. Finally, once others start to notice your habit, you’ll realize that you’ve just developed a character trait.

The simple version looks like this:

Thought > Decision > Action > Habit > Character

When people know you’re a person who will go the extra mile on their behalf, you will suddenly become known as a dependable person. Dependable people are invaluable in business, since it provides extra assurance that the job will be done right, the first time.

Professional athletes will tell you that when an action is repeated frequently enough, it becomes second nature. As it is in sports, so it is in business. A person who has repeated a winning action often enough has that action ingrained in them, so that it becomes second nature. This allows the individual to transfer the energy that had been used to repeat a task, diverting it elsewhere to further benefit the end result. We’ll call this step “becoming habitual” about an action or activity.

When you become known for “going the extra mile” in all you do, your reputation will precede you and, as a result, business will find you. Relationships will find you. In addition to helping others find you, by going the extra mile in all you do, you will find life-long satisfaction in the profess of becoming the best you can be.

Engage the benefit of always “going the extra mile.” When your company has this as an element in your business strategy, you’ll see that “it” factor will consistently drive success and satisfaction your way.

Today I’m going to show you how to use Adobe Audition to create a seamless music track customized to whatever length you want.

Before I discovered the technique I’m about to show you, I used to waste a lot of time trying to get a seamless loop of music: I’d lay the music track in the time line, cut it in half, drag the ending to the end of the video, then drag the left side back to the cut, add a cross dissolve and hope it sounded seamless.  If not, I would play around with it until it worked. All of that process took a lot of guesswork and time. Thankfully, there’s a much easier way.

In this example, it’s worth pointing out that I subscribe to Adobe Creative Cloud so my versions of Premiere Pro and Adobe Audition are up to date.

In the video embedded above, I have a talking-head segment that is 3:49 long, but my music cut is only two minutes thirteen second. If I played the existing music track under that video clip, the music would stop well before the video did, and that’s distracting to the person viewing the video. Let’s make our audio track match the length of our video clip  

First, determine the length of your project.  In my case, my project 3:49 so that’s the length of time I need my music to be but the track I have is only 2:13.  So let’s make a seamless loop timed to 3:49. Next, go to “Edit” and scroll to “Edit in Adobe Audition” and click “Sequence.”  Next, name it what you want.  I’ll name this “Loop Track” then click “OK.”  That opens Adobe Audition and imports the audio tracks from your Premier Pro project.

Next, I’ll create a new multitrack session.  So, go to “file > new > multitrack session” and click.  I’ll name it “music loop track” and click “ok.”  Next, in the “files” section, find the music track and drag it into track one of the multitrack session.  Next, go to the “properties” tab on the left side.  If it’s not visible, go to “Windows” and click “properties.  In the “properties” window is “Remix.”  Click “enable remix” and that will take a few seconds to remix the track.  Now we create the magic.

Here you’re going to change the target duration to whatever you want the new length of your music track to be.  My project is 3:49 minutes long so I will change the duration of the music track to 3:49.  Next, click enter and it will seamlessly loop the track to your desired length.   To see where audition made the cuts, you can zoom in to see the little razor lines.  Beautiful.

Next go to “file > export > export to Adobe Premiere Pro”. Click “export” and next it will open your project, where you will click “ok” for a new audio track and it will bring your seamless, looped audio track into the project for your use.  How easy and convenient is that?!

By the way, if you have other projects you are working on an you want to use the same music track, you can leave Adobe Audition open and change the duration time to meet the needs of the new project.  So there you have it.  I hope this tutorial has been helpful.  Please visit our website to see the type of work we do.  Thanks for watching.