Education

Using Photography to Give Voice to The Vulnerable Communities, The Importance of Connecting With Nature, And Exploring Various Creative Domains During Lockdown

 Start this week off by listening to our latest podcast episode with guest Alejandra Carles-Tolra! Alejandra is a visual artist and photography facilitator. Her work has been published by CNN, The Huffington Post and the Wuhan Art Museum. At the moment, she’s working with non-profit organizations as an art workshop facilitator with the goal of empowering vulnerable communities. Get your creative mind going as you listen in on discussions about using art to give individuals a voice in vulnerable communities, the importance of creativity everyday, and using the time during the pandemic to make art around you! 

The full episode is on Apple Podcasts at Creative Haven Here: Using Photography to Give Voice to The Vulnerable Communities, The Importance of Connecting With Nature, And Exploring Various Creative Domains During Lockdown

And if you want to learn more about Alejandra and purchase her work, visit the links below!

IG Account - @alejandractr

Website - www.alejandractr.com

Work for sale can be found here https://www.fiftydots.com/en/categoria-producto/artists/alejandra-carles-tolra-en/ 

Free Webinar - How To Shoot Awesome Videos With Your Phone

You have the ability to make better videos on your phone than most amateur videographers with cameras.

I'm hosting a free webinar this Saturday, May 23rd at 11 AM PST on How to Shoot Awesome Videos With Your Phone. Made for beginners and people who don't have a camera, I'll teach you basic video fundamentals (framing, lighting, sound) and ways to optimize your phone so you can get the best footage and sound possible.

Sign up at the link below. Thanks and see you there!  

https://free.videocontentschool.com/phonevideowebinar

A Tangy And Snowy Behind-The-Scenes Peek!

Take a look at what this team of video crew were able to do with the green screen in this yummy orange juice commercial by the Jeljeleh brand! Watching this group of men in the snow enjoy a refreshing glass after the visual effects were added on in the split-screen have us all wanting some juice too!

How Creativity Makes Us More Human

“You’ll have a middle-class predictable job if you have domain expertise and something technical - but if you actually want to lead in that world, then you’ll need to have a set of skills or a set of aptitude that we associate with the humanities. Creativity among them” This is a clip of Alec Ross speaking out about how having creativity is what divides us from artificial intelligence and helps us stand among others in the workforce. Alec Ross was the Senior Advisor of Innovation for Hillary Clinton while she was Secretary of State and is a technology policy expert who wrote the New York Times bestseller “The Industries of The Future”. This podcast interview includes talks about how technology can desensitize creativity, why creativity is still important to humans as we progress along advancing technologies, and how exercising can help you get out of a rut and boost creativity. 

The Full Episode is available on Apple Podcasts on Creative Haven here: Using Creativity To Distinguish Humans From Robotics and AI, While Utilizing Technology To Enhance our Artistic Expression

Aspect Ratios In Social Media

As a filmmaker in the modern era, it’s crucial to promote your content on various social media platforms. But you may notice that the way video appears differs between platforms.  For example, YouTube displays video as a rectangle, while Instagram is more square-shaped. This is because of a video’s aspect ratio. There are multiple aspect ratios out there, and it can be confusing to keep track of which platform has which aspect ratio. We’re here to help you with exactly that.

So first of all, what exactly is an aspect ratio? Aspect ratio is a ratio of the width to the height of an image. So an image with an aspect ratio of 1.79 to 1, or 16 to 9, will be longer than an image with an aspect ratio of 1 to 1, which will be a perfect square. 

1 - 16:9. The 16:9 is the rectangular aspect ratio you have likely seen more than any other. The platforms that use 16:9 include Facebook, Youtube, Twitter, and Linkedin.

2 - 9:16. The 9:16 aspect ratio is designed to roughly fit the size of the average smartphone. Sometimes 16:9 videos are put in a 9:16 aspect ratio, with the rest of the space being filled with colour, text, or graphics. Platforms that use 9:16 are Snapchat, Instagram (IGTV), Tiktok, Pinterest and Facebook (Stories).

3 - 1:1. The 1:1 aspect ratio is, as its name would suggest, a perfect square. Platforms that use it include Instagram (Thumbnails) and Facebook.

4 - 4:5. The 4:5 aspect ratio is slightly bigger (taller) than the 1:1 aspect ratio. Platforms that use it include Instagram and Facebook.

Ensure That Your Sound Quality Is On Par With Your Video

Bad sound can ruin your pretty video.

A video can be shot perfectly but the person talking is barely audible - not a good move.  Some say that sound makes or breaks a short film, and that also applies to your video if it involves audio as the main component like tutorials, testimonials, or interviews.  

Invest in a good sound person or sound package to make sure your sound is captured correctly.  It’s important for your video’s survival and makes it more understandable for your audience.  If I can’t hear the person talking, then the visuals better entice me to keep me on board.  

Have you watched a video recently with bad sound and it forced you to turn it off? 

Fighting to Keep Your Creative Vision When Working With Brands and Not Taking Your Art Too Seriously To Enjoy The Process

Start this week off by listening to the newest episode of our podcast interview with Simona Pavan! She is an accomplished photographer who has worked with many notable clothing companies such as Gucci, Nike, Reebok, and more for advertising. Simona’s work has also been featured in exhibitions and books all around the world. Our discussion included on topics such as how to keep your voice when working with brands, not taking art too seriously while having fun with it and not following trends in art so that your artwork can remain authentic.   

The full episode is on Apple Podcasts at Creative Haven Here: Fighting to Keep Your Creative Vision When Working With Brands and Not Taking Your Art Too Seriously To Enjoy The Process

A Split-Screen And Cinematic Glimpse Of The Wildlife

This quick split screen clip captures the artistry and level of patience required in the cinematography of this wildlife scenery! Check out the setup side by side with the pure moment that was captured on film! 🦊

How To Stay Invested In Your Work

“Doesn’t matter what age you’re at, the opportunity is always there. So, with that reminder, success, you have to keep working for it.” Hopefully, this heartening advice from Flekz can help light a fire for you today. Gustavo Fuentes is a street artist that creates art pieces using painter’s tape and geometric knives without exact measurements from rulers! As we sat down and spoke with Gustavo, we managed to touch base on how freestyling your art can lead to more authentic pieces, avoiding other artist’s works for inspiration to keep your own work pure, the importance of working out for creativity and channeling your emotions from music to create art. 

The full episode is available on Apple Podcasts on Creative Haven here: Channeling Your Emotions With Music To Create Art And The Importance Of Freestyling Your Creativity For Authenticity

Six Refreshing Video Marketing Tips You Should Implement in 2020

Are you hoping to stand out a bit more with your video marketing tactics? 

Hoping that you can find some tips to give your own business an edge?  

In 2020, the pandemic has forced businesses to rethink their marketing tactics. Despite the sudden change in our landscape, here are six refreshing tips that should provide a boost to your company’s video marketing strategies. 

Firstly, you want to be sure that you are familiarized with the 7 sales and marketing video types - 80%, Employee Bio’s, product/service, landing, bad fit, customer journey, and claims. It is not necessary to have an About Us video despite it being common among companies online because it doesn’t tend to generate revenue or trust. After that, be sure that you spend some extra time polishing your YouTube channel by -  optimizing your playlists, use sections, designing a banner, and more. A cleaner layout allows your viewers an easier time browsing through your channel.

A personalized video for sales will allow you to connect with an audience deeper than a bland email message and can provide a better way to pipeline your sales for your sales team, look up vidyard’s chrome extension as it is a free tool to use in creating one. Try researching into hiring a videographer to help you create video content, as you are getting an individual/crew to fully commit time making high-quality content!  Don’t forget that there are more outlets than YouTube for you to post your content!

Credits - Written By - Liz Moorehead - 6 top local business video tips for your 2020 marketing strategy

Video Marketing Guide - The Authenticity Of Your Message And Video Is What Matters Most

Fans want authentic videos, not polished pieces

Have you ever worked so hard on a video that looks amazing but doesn’t get a lot of views, and your video shot on a cell phone is your most watched content?  I’ve had this happen to me before and it’s frustrating but also relieving.  You don’t need high quality for engaging videos.  Most people want relatable, organic, un-polished content that doesn’t look like a commercial.  Viewers want to see something “real” and believe videos that come from their favorite influencers that are usually shot on cell phones.

So consider User Generated Content, Live Videos, Boomerangs, and Phone footage to get your message across to your audience.  You don’t always have to use a DSLR or Cinema Camera to shoot your videos to get the results you want.

Balancing Creativity With Business, Gaining Experience Through Office Jobs, And Taking Lower Rates For Strategic Networking

Last week, we featured a few posts about not needing expensive equipment to start on video marketing! In our latest podcast episode with Michael Reiken, we managed to delve a bit further into that subject. Michael Reiken is a filmmaker and entrepreneur with his own media company (Aristokat Media) and a teeth whitening company (White Smile). The rest of the interview included discussions on the importance of working at bigger companies to gain insight on how to be a professional for your own business, staying patient while building your own company/product and why it’s fine to take a lower-paying job if there is an opportunity to network and build relationships with clients.

The full episode is on Apple Podcasts at Creative Haven here: Balancing Creativity With Business, Gaining Experience Through Office Jobs, And Taking Lower Rates For Strategic Networking

Take A Look At Pucko's Chocolaty Behind-The-Scenes!

Take a look at this impressive split screen of this commercial before and after VFX! While we might not understand the language in this Swedish commercial, we definitely craved some chocolate milk by Pucko. Especially after seeing how one delicious sip could take you to somewhere you desire in this behind-the-scenes! You can see the impressive little details leading up to the transition and final results here all the way down to the man pulling down the coat!

Getting Out Of Your Comfort Zone

“That’s the problem. You’re in a rut, cause you’re just there in your comfort zone. And you’ve gotta get out, you’ve gotta surround yourself with people, you’ve gotta find a mastermind of people that are gonna encourage you”. This inducing quote is a part of the advice that John Lee Dumas shared with us in terms of not allowing ourselves to get too content. John is the CEO/Host of EOFire which is an award-winning podcast that has generated many episodes and has earned him a seven-figure revenue a year. The theme of our interview with John was about getting out of our comfort zones and the discussion included, the importance of exploring other industries to get out of a rut and allows one to find inspiration, how using journalism and meditation improves his flow state and inspires him and how spending time to relax can allow one to regenerate and get work done. The full episode is available on Apple Podcasts on Creative Haven here: Optimizing Your Creative Flow State And Productivity With Meditation, Journaling, and Getting Out Of Your Comfort Zone

A Step-by-Step Guide to Better Videos

Do you want to start video marketing for your business, but limited in resources? 

Unsure if you have enough time and money to invest in a premium camera and video editing technicalities? 

It’s been proven by many businesses that there are affordable ways and steps you could take to still create quality video content on your own. Simply having a lower-priced video camera or latest smartphone is enough to get started. Here are some things you can do to get started on creating quality content while you are on a budget. Firstly, ensure that you have properly thought out a production plan to execute. The plan should involve a script to the video and the message you want to deliver should be identified early on. Don’t be afraid to be yourself on camera, the authenticity of your personality should garner you, customers. If you have someone else in your company that may be more charismatic, perhaps consider them to be in front of the camera instead. 

As you are explaining the product in the video, repeat the details a few times so that you can reinforce it into your viewers. The viewers don’t know as much about the product as you do, and they certainly would get bored hearing you just talking about all the specifications. It is much easier to just demonstrate or put the product into action. Chances are that even if you felt that the video content is amazing, not everyone will want to sit through the entirety of it. So how can you increase the chance your viewers will stay? Entice your viewers by promising something at the end such as a discount code to reward them for watching. A Call-To-Action should be presented to viewers at some point so that they can subscribe for more of your content or take a look at your business page, even if they don’t finish the video. 

And be sure to promote your video as much as you can. A great video won’t be good if you can’t capture an audience. You can start by adding an eye-catching title, adding relevant hashtags/keywords, and posting on all of the major social media platforms, and selecting the proper thumbnail to increase the chances of more viewers. 

Credits - Written By - Lauren Colman - How To Make A Video: A Step-by-Step Guide

You Can Still Create Engaging Content With Budget Cinema Camera Options.

You don’t need a Red or Alexa Mini to make engaging content.

Are you fascinated by the Alexa look and want to buy one just so you can be one of the cool kids? You don’t need it if you’re filming vlogs. Reds and Alexas are great for higher budget productions like music videos, commercials, films, and TV shows, but it isn’t necessary for your project.  

You can get caught up in the way the image looks but you can achieve the same with a cheaper camera like a Sony FS7, Panasonic GH5, or even a Black Magic 6k. You can spend less and get that look you want, just hire the right Director of Photography or know your camera fundamentals.

Dealing With COVID-19 As A Professional Artist, Using Art As Therapy, And Using Photography To Speak On Social Issues

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a source of drastic changes and frustrations around all of us this year. We had the opportunity to touch upon this subject with photographer Julia Fullerton-Batten in the latest episode of our podcast. Among her achievements, Julia was the first female photographer to shoot for the esteemed Campari calendar and became a Hasselblad Master in 2008. As the pandemic was the central topic, we discussed how to deal with the lockdown as an artist, the need to create sustained happiness(bad and good), art for therapy, confronting fears, speaking on social issues and how you shouldn’t be pressured to create amidst the lockdown. The full episode is on Apple Podcasts at Creative Haven here: Dealing With COVID-19 As A Professional Artist, Using Art As Therapy, And Using Photography To Speak On Social issues

A Magical Behind-The-Scenes of a McDonald's Commercial

Take a look at this incredible behind-the-scenes of a McDonald’s commercial! From the fairy models and magical burgers, to the video crew. You can see the amount of effort made into the choreography and rehearsal! 

Establishing A Brand

“Don’t get too comfortable within your brand. If you’re just starting off with music, you’re going to go through like five artist names.” The advice came from rapper/artist Leo Black as he spoke to us about how his brand identity had to continually evolve before he achieved success. Leo Black’s success in the music industry has included him signing with Never Say Die record (dubstep label), touring with DJ Mustard, and having his name appear on Spotify’s US Viral 50 charts. We had the opportunity to sit down with him as he talked about growing up in South Central LA, overcoming hardship during his childhood to become a successful rapper, how his passion for music got him famous, the importance of consistency, and learning from mistakes to succeed. The full episode is available on Apple Podcasts on Creative Haven here: How To Become a Successful Artist Through Consistency and Utilizing Digital Platforms.



Use These 25 Tips To Improve Your Marketing Videos

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   Are your marketing videos conveying their messages effectively? What changes could you implement and have your videos stand out more? Whenever you upload video content to your business page, you have an opportunity to appeal to your customer’s desires and needs and tell a story. 

   Spend some time in the creative process and ensure that your content is not boring! Use an eye-catching video title to get attention and tag it with relevant keywords so that it can have a higher chance of appearing in search results. Don’t be afraid to add some music in your videos as it can help spice it up and set the emotional tone you desire. Many online users may browse the internet through their phones and tablets, so make sure that the video is mobile friendly. 

   Most importantly, be sure that you have a CTA (call to action) at the very end of all your videos. What would you like your audience to do once they have finished viewing your video? You could encourage them to sign up for your newsletter or invite them to check out your product through a link. Encourage viewers to have a conversation by asking them to leave a comment or ask a question to increase engagement. 

Credits: Written By - Gabrielle Pickard-Whitehead - 25 Tips for Creating Great Marketing Videos