If you are not sure whether your company should use videos on your web site then you may want to read this Testimonial. It was sent by Denise Nojaim, The Executive Administrator to Shane Albers, CEO of Investors Mortgage Holdings, Inc. Scottsdale, AZ.

“I just wanted to drop you a note and thank you for all the good work you and your team did on our video shoot.  What was supposed to be a quick, 20 minute video address turned into a 40 minute production that you and your staff handled flawlessly, not once, but twice!”

“The final product has been a huge hit.  Communicating our message to our investors via video, instead of via a printed letter, really added to the sincerity of the message since our investors were able to see our President and CEO “in person,” as it were.  Its positive impact cannot be overstated; I have had several investors write to say they didn’t understand the Conversion Transactions until after they watched the video.”

“Again, thank you for your professionalism and guidance through this project and I am looking forward to working with you again in the future!”

Sincerely,  Denise

• Producer, editor, cameraman:  John Trotto
• Sound, lighting:  Frank Salle
• Makeup:  Giselle Fox
• Teleprompters:  The Prompter Posse
• 2nd camera assistant:  Ryan Nelson

The ASMP, a guild of professional photographers, has set up a Tutorial on their web site to help still shooters who want to learn video. Providing motion as well as stills is seen as an important step to remain competitive in this industry. I was flattered to be chosen as one of the 14 photographers in the US to contribute information and experience to this new feature for members. This would have been helpful information for me 3 years ago when I began to purchase equipment and software, and learn the video production industry.

Although the 14 photo-videographers use different equipment and provide a wide variety of services, the tutorial can guide those interested. The equipment and software is more complex than that which is used in digital photography, and the learning curve is longer.

The tutorial on video addresses many business questions such as usage rights, whether to be a camera person or producer, rates for the various people in a production (DP, camera, director, etc.), invoicing and marketing the two businesses.

Here is a link to the new video page on the ASMP web site. (American Society of Media Photographers)

http://asmp.org/tutorials/video-tutorial.html

You may need to be a member and log in to read beyond the first page.

I was honored to be a part of this evening with so much creative talent in one place at one time. I was also humbled by my peers.

I must thank those creatives who participated in the Speed Dating event on October 28th. Your attitude and energy made the evening a pleasure for everyone. Right to the very end you were friendly and smiling even after listening to 40 presentations and viewing hundreds of images from Valley photographers.

For those of you who were not able to attend, the Speed Dating event was set up to allow 40 local photographers to present their work to 20 companies representing the valley’s advertising, design and editorial community. The event was held at the Levine Machine on 7th Street in Phoenix. Several photographers contributed lighting equipment and labor to transform the warehouse environment into a cool, warmly lit, creative environment in which to view portfolios. First, of course, there was food, drink and chatting and time to view the 40 framed prints that were gifts to the creatives at the end of the evening. Then the photographers descended on the agencies like… well, you know, we’re all looking for work these days.

I must thank Jeff Noble for conceptualizing the event, and Steve Dreiseszun for all his hard work as the Phoenix chapter president of the ASMP, and all the board members. Thanks also go to Professor Penny Dolin and her students of the GIT Commercial Photography Studio at ASU’s Polytechnic Campus for helping during the event.

Exhibitors were: Tempe Camera Repair, MacMedia and Through Each Others’ Eyes.

Let’s do it again…maybe in two years.