Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube Oh My!


In today’s day and age it’s all about social media. More than half of the planet is connected to at least one platform of social media. According to statistic brain the total percentage of 18-24 year olds who already use social media is 98%. That 98% is our future. There are almost half a billion YouTube users per month. Which is exactly the reason why any independent filmmaker, film producer and marketer, or any student trying to showcase their work should be taking advantage of developing their brand on social media.  Anyone can make a post, tweet, or upload a video, but who’s listening and watching? The only way to get likes, followers, and subscribers is to build your brand.

You must know who you are, what you are doing, where you want to go. What is your message, who is your target audience, and what is your intent. This is the first step in developing your brand for social media.

According to Jason Osder on Lynda you should stop trying to pull people in; go to where your audience is to engage them. Make connections with others. Don’t expect viewers if you are not willing to view other videos. This will also allow you to see what else is out there, too. Make sure your style and brand is consistent and evolves. Don’t jump from one style to another over night. If someone likes what they see they will be back for more, so continue with your posts and videos. There’s always how to videos and tutorials on YouTube about branding and marketing.

Utilize sources like Tweet Deck and Hoot Suite to get real live topic updates. The who’s talking about what, then engage them through twitter. This encounter can lead them to your Facebook or YouTube. Which is where you want them to go to subscribe and like your content.

As an independent filmmaker it is sometimes difficult to get an audience to view your work. These are a few tips that I have learned along the way.

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Before the lights, camera, and action!


There's a saying that goes "It takes a whole village to raise a child". It also takes a tremendous amount of crew to put together a production. I've had the privilege to work on some amazing tours and events this past summer.  Mrs. Carter tour BeyoncĂ©, The Legends of Summer JT and Jay Z Philly.com, Justin Bieber, Eagles Eagles Band, and WWE Paid Per View Money in the Bank just to name a few.

Some shows can be an average size production, taking just a day to set up / load in and break down / load out.  Other shows can be a large production taking several days to set up / load in, and a few days to break down / load out. There are tours that are only 15 tracker trailer loads, and there are larger tours that are up to 50 tracker trailer loads.

This is where the importance of a production manager comes into place. What is a production manager? A production manager is someone who takes care of all the transportation of the equipment. They know exactly what equipment they have, and how it gets packed. They travel with the road crew, and they know exactly how many stagehands they need. The production manager knows the timeline of the set up to the minute, the diagram of all the lights, and all the measurements of the staging.  They handle any technical issues during the tour. They also set up all meals for the crew while at the venues. For more information on what tour management does check out Tour Concepts.

In my current position I work with audio, video, lighting, and carpentry crews. I’m working my way up from the bottom. I’m learning every facet in the production of a concert. 

The next time you go see someone in concert. Remember that it has taken countless hours as well as hundreds of crewmembers to get the stage, lights, audio, and video ready!