What if every veteran business person was to help a beginning business person? Chances are that we would have less failure and more opportunities. What if every person was a mentor to another person? I improved as a business owner leading a team of very talented people when I was in the company of successful business entrepreneurs like Jerry Seliccia, Floyd Wickman, and Mark Victor Hansen.

Where does a person in need begin? How does today’s entrepreneur get in the company of other successful entrepreneurs and learn from their success and failure?

In this blended media blog post, you will learn my story and how the sharing fire concept helped get me to where I am today. It keeps getting better and better every year, but that success came at the cost of many reinventions and failures. I'm grateful for the people who helped ignite the flame of success and guided me through challenges.

I never knew that business people could network at college until I made my first networking connection. Back in 1977 while attending the University of Detroit, I met Jerry Seliccia. At one time he was president of Ambience Recordings, which was where I ended up getting my first job. I met Jerry during a break outside class having a smoke. I can tell you that by now I knew I was going into some type of production business. Little did I know that my new friend Jerry would be the start of what would eventually become a career in audio and video production, audio and video forensics, and marketing.

In the following audio interview for http://www.SharingFire.com my friend and a client of Primeau Productions--Marc Hardy, PhD--and I spoke for awhile about the concept of people who influence other people. The influential people give others a leg up to the next level of success, hence "sharing fire."

To learn more about Primeau productions, visit http://www.PrimeauProductions.com

From the upcoming book, “Caught On Video”

The world of video has become a way of life. What once was a verbal society has become a visual society. Humans began speaking, then advanced to writing. The transmission of thoughts through speech became more advanced, too. The telegraph gave us the ability to communicate to others from a distance. Radio then sent our thoughts over airwaves without wires. Images were projected using light onto screens that brought our thoughts to life!

I don’t know about you, but I think this is all pretty amazing!

Video camera manufacturers had a vision that families would want a way to capture family events just like the previous decade had captured family events with movie cameras. That is where I believe the video revolution began. Video camera manufacturers were right-- video cameras soon became present at nearly every major family event.

First there were movies, then television, and now many forms of video. Both analog and digital video has become a way of life in just about every private and public situation. We use cameras at family events, to look at our drains for while doing home repairs, and for medical applications looking at the inside of our bodies. We see cameras in public to patrol our streets to keep us safe; in stores, banks, sports arenas, and even on telephone poles to look at traffic conditions.

Video hit critical mass when Hollywood decided to use it as a medium to distribute movies. Much of what you see in theaters today is from high quality video projection--soon to become High Definition video projection--brought to the theater through wireless transmission. The advancement of video can seem to be moving faster than the speed of light.

Today, surveillance CCTV (Closed circuit television systems) and PDA’s have joined in on the video revolution. Cell phones can even record video at a moment’s notice. To date, nearly every human activity has been caught on video at one time or another. Executions and evangelism, sex, news, wars, crime, our kids growing up, and family vacations have all been caught on video. As a nation, the United States has had front row seating for several major wars, court trials and even funerals like those of Princess Diana and Michael Jackson.

When Oasis singer Noel Gallagher was attacked on stage in Toronto in 2008, a great phenomenon occurred. That night after the concert, dozens if not hundreds of videos recorded on cell phones of his on stage attack were posted on You Tube.

In a 2009 blog post from YouTube (http://youtube-global.blogspot.com/2009/05/zoinks-20-hours-of-video-uplo... ), 20 hours of video are uploaded every minute. People have made YouTube their online video home. This is the equivalent of Hollywood releasing over 86,000 new full-length movies into theaters each week.

Early television is like today’s modern digital videoconferencing. Two closed circuit television systems are connected by a wire or by dish and wireless transmission. I am sure you have seen news reporters broadcast from the scene of a crime or accident using this same technology.

This technology is also used for security today for closed circuit television systems. CCTV systems can be viewed live or recorded to a digital video recorder and viewed at a later date, just like television programming. Video is a great security tool.

Video as well as closed circuit television systems were traditionally recorded on VHS tape. Today both systems use digital video recorders. DVR’s record video programming on a hard drive, very similar to computer hard drives. Often times that video information is transferred to DVD discs for viewing on other systems at later dates. In the last ten years, video has served law enforcement, courts and private businesses very well.

I am a huge video buff as well as a video forensic expert. Much of the video that is presented in litigation stands by itself and a video forensic expert is not needed. However, litigators consult with video forensic experts when they feel something is just not right or they don’t understand some of the recorded information. Video forensic experts are educated, knowledgeable and experts at helping litigators understand the multi faceted aspect of video.

I have seen recorded video help litigation for over 17 years. CCTV video has helped determine where a fire started, who the person was on the video recording at a certain time coordinate, and exactly how a slip and fall happened.

Video in the courtroom is a great aid when the truth about a situation needs to be discovered and understood. A video forensic expert’s activity is priceless when questions are asked about the operation of the CCTV system or when only a portion of the video footage is presented as evidence casting doubt on the prosecution or defense. Video does not lie, or does it?

I have been retained on cases for the defense where only a portion of available video footage was provided from a situation that was completely covered. This works against the defense because part of the evidence is missing. I have been asked by National Geographic to examine UFO footage. However, video alteration is not always distinctive and obvious.

Video is like a new language that we all need to speak going forward in 2012. It will entertain, educate, motivate, keep you safe, help your litigation and even grow your business. Take the time this year to learn a little about the power of video because we have truly hit the video revolution!

Click here to read the follow-up article about the newly discovered song that Ed Primeau did voice identification on to confirm that it was sung by Elvis Presely.

Nearly thirty four years after The King's death, a new song has been discovered and confirmed forensically to be the king himself, Elvis Presley. Ed Primeau was contacted by Mike Chesney of WWMT TV 3 the CBS affiliate in Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids Michigan to use his voice identification expertise to confirm the song is genuine.

Ed Primeau is president of Primeau Productions, LLC, based out of Rochester Hills, Michigan, as well as a well-respected audio and video forensic expert.

The TV crew arrived about 10 am last Tuesday and gave Ed the three versions of the song “Living to Love You” which was written by a deceased Grand Rapids resident and performed by Elvis Presley. The crew filmed Ed’s forensic investigation and then interviewed him about his conclusion.

Ed’s theory is that while in the Detroit area in 1976, Elvis had an interest in this song whose lyrics made their way to the King prior to his visit. According to Primeau, “Elvis liked the song and recorded a demo, which is what we have in these recordings.”

The three versions are vocals and piano only and do not sound like an Elvis song, which may be a huge reason why the song was not recorded and released. Primeau referred the film crew to Gary Graff, an icon rock journalist and Billbord magazine columnist who is a friend of Primeau’s and local Metro Detroit Area resident. He also confirmed the song to be Elvis himself. Graff also commented on Primea's forensic credentials and conclusion in the video interview.

There are three criteria for conducting voice identification, critical listening skills, electronic measurement and visual inspection of the sound wave. “Living to Love You” was compared to two other Elvis songs recorded around the same time that served as an exemplar of Elvis Presley’s voice. The vocal tone, vibrato and style of singing is an identical match to Elvis Presley.

Traditionally, a voice identification test includes the forensic expert making an exemplar of the person in questions voice to compare with the recording in question. Since Elvis is dead, Primeau used the two songs the TV crew provided and he agreed on them as exemplars.

Primeau noted the vibrato resonance and style matched Elvis Presley’s. Primeau went further and downloaded a sample of an Elvis impersonator from the Internet and compared that voice to the recordings in question. Using digital spectrograph technology, Primeau compared the two known Elvis songs, the three takes of “Living to Love You”, the impersonator and a Neil Diamond song. The spectrographic readings confirmed Primeau’s opinion and displayed the obvious results for the TV crew.

The significance of this new song by Elvis Presley is that it will stimulate fan interest in existing Elvis material and fetch a generous amount of money at auction, should that ever happen. It has been a long time since the king released any material and his estate Graceland is yet to comment on the discovery.

There are some professional speakers that get great footage every time they are video recorded. Then there are those who have video demons hiding in their suitcases and rarely get great footage from their live speaking events. In this article, I would like to communicate some tips and techniques to help you get great live speaking footage every time.

Introduction to the producer or director

The first thing you must do is meet your producer or director. Who is in charge of the video portion of your event? One way to meet this person is to ask your meeting planner for an introduction. Another is to call the facility where you will be speaking and ask them to introduce you. Either way, meeting the producer or director of your event is the first step in getting great footage.

You want to begin by thanking them for meeting with you. Tell them you are glad to have their professionalism for your video recording. Tell them your main purpose speaking to this group is to give their audience the best information and value about your expertise.

Tell them that you understand it is crucial that your wish for a perfect video recording does not interfere with the live audience.

Live Video recording

Assure them that you are comfortable if they have to stop you for an unexpected reason if something should go wrong with the sound or video. Let them know how important it for you to have footage of this speaking engagement. Ask them for their suggestions, but remember, they are busy like everyone else. Don’t talk their ear off. Rather, earn their respect. They are like the chief in the kitchen preparing your food.

Keep in mind as professionals, they charge for their services accordingly. Ask them in advance about any fees associated with you getting a clone of the digital video footage they will be recording. Ask that they do everything possible to make the footage they record first class.

The Rehearsal

If at all possible, rehearse before you go on either the day of or the night before. This includes checking the lighting for even, consistent lighting; wireless audio microphone radio frequency drop outs; or interference and equipment functionality.

Test record a 2 or 3 minute section of your presentation and play it back. Listen to the audio through headphones and view from your confidence monitor or viewfinder. Listen carefully for hums or buzzes. Absolutely no hums or buzzes should be acceptable.

You will hear room noise and HVAC (heating and cooling) systems. There is not much you can do about that since it is a hotel or meeting facility and not a sound stage!

About Digital Video Equipment

Most Digital cameras are tapeless. Format transfer is one of the hardest parts of using your live digital video footage. Try to get your footage in full quality Quicktime format (.MOV file format). If there is a charge for that, it’s probably worth it. Here’s why;
Various manufactures of digital video cameras use their own proprietary encoding.

Production companies like Primeau Productions who will be creating your speaker demo video will need to convert that proprietary footage to use for editing in Final Cut Pro, Premiere Pro or Avid. More than likely, it will be more cost effective for you to have the live production company do the format conversion.

If Primeau Productions does the conversion, we will have to search the Internet, locate the proper converting software and reformat that live digital video in our studio before beginning your demo video editing. More than likely, it would be better to have the live production company do the conversion since they have done it before and have the process down. After all, it’s their equipment.

What other Equipment Should You Expect?

(2) 400-600 watt lights minimum. More than likely, you will be on a general session stage with plenty of lighting. FYI- white light is best for video. Suggest they not use any color fills unless those colors compliment your skin color. Sometimes blue or red fill lighting will make you look better on camera.

Is it possible for them to have a back up wireless microphone to use in case your main microphone should fail? Microphone failure is probably the number one reason your video could not turn out.

Audience reaction microphones
Our client Steve Rizzo always speaks to the production team before he delivers his presentation to request that audience microphones be strategically placed around the general session room to pick up the audience reaction.

This signal from these microphones should be sent to an isolated channel on the video recording; separate from your main speaking microphone. That way the post production company or editing team can mix the sound during the editing session.

You can also use the camera microphone to capture audience reaction/applause and assign to the isolated track or use the B camera to record audience reaction (if you have the luxury of a 2 camera recording).

The Room Set Up

Do what you can to make sure the room and stage look good on video. Sometimes the littlest things will make your video look sloppy. Are there tables that can be moved off the stage to give you more room? Anything you can do or say to keep wait staff and other persons from walking around during your presentation?

If you Hired the Crew to Video Record Your Presentation

Recommend a stage direction if you have a choice. Position it away from kitchen doors and exit signs. Windows and mirrors could also similarly ruin your shot. If possible, recommend that they build the room set up from the rear forward. Give as much distance from the wall behind the stage if possible. It will then be out of focus. If there is a drape, please make sure your outfit does not blend in with the drape color.

In the back of the room, set up two risers for the main camera; One riser is for the camera and one for the camera operator. (Avoid footage that is shaky.) Double this for two cameras.

What does the shot look like in your viewfinder or monitor?

As a video producer, it is my preference to NOT have a center aisle if at all possible. It adds energy and value to your video footage to see the audience in the shot, even if it is the backs of their heads. If this is not possible, place the camera to one side or the other in the rear of the room instead of shooting straight up the middle, center aisle.
People are becoming more sensitive to having their group’s faces on camera for your video. Be considerate and make sure what your clients protocol is not violated.

Take into consideration what the camera shot will look like from each back corner location. If you choose the back right corner because there is electrical outlets readily available, turn the camera on using your battery to take a quick look at the shot before setting up to stay at that location. What do you see in the viewfinder? If there are undesirable exit signs, thermostats or kitchen doors in the shot, move the camera so they are NOT in the shot. Pipe and drape may be worth the investment if you are not happy with the back ground look. Beware, black drape sucks out light but looks better than royal blue and maroon.

Types of Camera Shots

Try to arrange your camera “A” shot to have audience presence. If the stage is too high then have your “A” camera capture you on stage. Get a variety of slow push in and pull out shots so your entire recorded speech does not look the same. .

Ask your camera operator to shoot as if their camera were live all the time. You do not have to constantly move in and out...just occasionally. Medium body shot (waist up) a majority of the time.

It is important that you have movement in the video. If you move around a lot on stage, let the camera operator know. It’s best to stay with a medium to wide shot if you move around a lot while speaking. Do not be as concerned with zooming in and out. If you move around a lot on stage, then the camera operator does not have to do a lot of zooming in and out. Ask them to use their professional judgment. The fact that you spoke to the camera operator and told them what you are looking for will increase your odds in getting great footage.

Hopefully the room is large enough so the video does not look too compressed and busy. We know this may be out of your control. However, when you arrive and realize the room is too small, ask if your program can be moved to a larger room. One out of ten times one is available and we move. The more room, the better the footage!

If we are shooting more than one camera, we get a variety of interesting shots with camera two. Some would include larger audience shots; others would be four, three, and two person audience shots. Make sure nobody in your shots is sleeping, looking bored or picking their nose. Find the audience members enjoying themselves and get it on tape. When recording audience shots, stay on the shot for a minimum of 15 seconds—stay longer if you anticipate a punch line. Get as many audience members as possible so all your audience footage does not look the same.

If you are comfortable, get some other shots of you walking on stage, taken on stage from behind you with the audience in front; side angle shots; quick pans to the audience and back; and shots we could use for a montage or transition or edit. Wide shots from the rear of the room showing the IMAG (image magnification screens) are also desirable.

If your client is video recording one camera and you would like to add another, ask for permission to bring in another camera operator that will record all “B” roll shots as outlined above.

When you hire a second camera operator, ask them to keep their camera in manual iris and focus. Set the iris once for the stage area and adjust only if necessary. We do not want video footage that comes in and out of focus constantly throughout the presentation which is what auto focus will do because you are moving around.

Lighting

Although lighting is not as crucial as back in the Beta camera days, it is still important.

If you are bringing in your own crew, lighting should be done from far room left and right as close to the stage as possible. Back of the room lighting will cause shadows behind you. Place your lights extremely wide so that the shadows are out of the shot.

By placing your lights close to the front of the room and wide, the shadows will be far left and right behind the performer. When you are shooting, these shadows will be out of your shot because you are not shooting extremely wide shots. Try not to have any shadows in the shot. If necessary, use back lighting to help accent the performer and remove any shadows.

Place the (2) lights against the walls stage left and right and use sandbags or grip tape so if they are bumped they will not fall over.

Use back light a bit for depth near the back extreme side points of the stage so the lights do not get in the shot.

Amnesty

Please give your live producer or director complete amnesty. Ask them to help you look your best. Make sure you don’t have any stray or fly away hair strands before performing. Women, this is especially important for you. How does your lipstick look?
Men, is your tie straight?

I know this may be uncomfortable but I promise you we will not mind the feedback. Take one final look in the video monitor before you begin your presentation to make sure you look great.

NO EMPTY SEATS IN THE SHOT!

You are using this footage to produce a promotional or demo video that will get you business. It is crucial that the footage look exciting and interesting. PLEASE do all you can to avoid empty seats in any of your video shots.

If we are using two cameras, make sure the second camera (if shooting audience faces) does NOT show empty seats.

Hide all lavaliere wireless microphone wires; make sure to always use fresh batteries. Please ask the production crew to let you know if something on your person is not right.

If you use a lavaliere microphone, make sure the microphone capsule does not rub against your jacket, tie or scarf.

Photographer Notification

If the group has hired a photographer, please meet with the photographer, introduce yourself, and ask they not get in any of your shots. Of course you can’t help the flash going off. In fact, that looks kind of cool in the video. However, it has to be understood that they stay out of the video by not walking through your shots.

This entire process should not take you more than one hour including a rehearsal. Primeau Productions believes this is time well spent to do everything you can to make sure an excellent opportunity to get great video footage is not missed. All great speaker demo videos begin with great footage.

One final thought; if you hate being photographed, try to convince yourself you like to be photographed. Based on our professional experience, we have found that if people hate being photographed or video recorded, their footage will probably look bad. If you embrace the video recording process, smile and love the camera, the audience will love you in the room and at home.

I was listening to AM talk radio while driving to a client the other morning. The news was about nothing but crimes committed out of desperation. For example, a car drove into an ATM at a gas station and shot the operator in the arm at 4am. I started to think about what I would do if I lost my job, my home and my dignity and was motivated to write about my thoughts.

I know this might make some people angry, but if it even helps one person, I am glad. I want to inspire you to begin your own economic restructuring instead of being immobilized by anxiety.

Economic restructuring is happening all over America. Corporate America has succeeded and failed with restructuring. I believe personal economic restructuring is a must for any person or household in order to survive in these very turbulent times.

To make money, we each need to have a job. The higher our education and motivation, the more pay we can earn. If you have lost your job to forces beyond your control, getting mad or committing crimes is not the answer. The real answer is to be optimistic and find another job. Anything is better than nothing at first, even working at Walmart or McDonalds. Why? Because it gets you out of the house and gets you interacting with people.

Temporary jobs also help you combat depression. Human interaction is vital when you get depressed.

My first thought is do not borrow money. Borrowing money only sets you back further because even when you get back on track financially you have the debt to pay back. Plus, borrowing money is only a temporary solution; it will not solve the real problem of finding a job.

Everyone does something better than anyone else, so consider starting a business. I have been self employed since 1984 and cannot imagine any other way to make money. What do you do better than anyone else? Ideas include babysitting and selling art or crafts. (I have seen some amazing artwork from street vendors in New York and even purchased some.)

Join a multi-level marketing (MLM) company to start your own business. Home based businesses are on the rise. Not only do they put money in your pocket, they also help you socialize with your friends and family. Hint: don’t sell stuff you do not like. Three MLM’s I buy from include Sensi, Partilite and Shaklee. Somebody is earning commissions from my purchases.

One new MLM I believe is going to be huge is Thirty One. They sell purses. Not only do they have ladies’ purses and bags, they also have a men’s line.

Another way to make money is to have a garage or estate sale and sell some of you items. Don’t stop there—what items do your friends and neighbors have that you can sell at your sale to earn a commission from? Post your sale on Craig’s List for a stronger turnout.

You could also have a bottle and can drive and collect returnables. In Michigan, we get ten cents for a can or bottle. One hundred cans earn you ten bucks, enough to buy a pack of cigarettes or lunch for three at a fast food restaurant. Collect as many cans and bottles as you can. If you are comfortable, go door to door and announce that you are raising money by conducting a can and bottle drive asking if they would like to contribute.

When times get really hard, get dressed up so you look presentable and visit a local hotel that has room service. Walk the halls and look for room service trays that are in the hall on the floor. I would not stop and eat right there. Bring a bag and put the leftover food in the bag and take home for later consumption. In a city like Las Vegas, there is much food wasted on a daily basis that never finds its way to hungry Americans.

I hope one thing in this unusual blog post sparked an idea or some motivation in you to try something to move you out of worry or depression. The likelihood that somebody is going to call you to offer to help is not so good. You have to do your economic restructuring on your own.

Technology has taken a front seat with many business operations. Computers help with scheduling, accounting and communication and are now also the number one tool for marketing, especially Internet marketing. Its time companies create a position in charge of technology or a chief technology officer. The primary role of this position is to keep updated on the technological advancements as well as the tools available to help advance the business.

One of the most important items in the job description for this CTO should be how to use technology to get more customers by managing an Internet marketing campaign. The CTO should know basic HTML programming, have an understanding of social media and keep informed by reading Internet articles that inform about updates and the latest technology, software and websites that aid the CTO with the company’s Internet marketing campaign.

Traditionally, there are two ways to operate an Internet marketing campaign. The first approach is to outsource to a professional company that can teach your CTO Internet marketing techniques that are tried and true. The second and more costly way is to hire a professional company with a great success rate to handle your campaign. In my opinion, it is better and more cost effective to hire a CTO that can handle your Internet marketing campaign.

It’s a good idea to have the outsourced company launch your campaign and train your employees to manage your campaign. Make a list of all daily activities like tweeting, blogging and video production to help position your business as a thought leader. Then once the initial launch and training are complete have your CTO manage your campaign.

Here are a few reasons why a CTO is the way to go:

1. Successful Internet marketing campaigns require daily monitoring and activity. This activity is more cost effective using a full time employee instead of outsourcing.

2. You can develop an Internet marketing procedures manual that will serve your company well for years to come and the next generations of CTO. It will add value to your business.

3. You will learn about Internet marketing quickly and you will be able to guide your campaign strategically.

4. In-house Internet marketing will lead you through a door that you would not otherwise have entered for business growth. By having a person on staff that understands all aspects of managing an Internet marketing campaign, your team can develop a strategic plan. The CTO can then modify that plan on an ongoing basis.

Here are some of the activities your IM strategist will do on a day to day basis:

1. Revise your website to improve SEO by adding and revising key words and page text, images and video.

2. Answer social media requests and manage social media campaigns.

3. Develop a system to accumulate back links from clients and other social websites.

4. Solicit guest blogging reciprocation.

5. Build a network of article based marketing websites by uploading existing and yet to be written articles that exemplify your thought leadership.

If you are thinking about having an on staff CTO but don’t know where to begin, think about hiring an intern or college student part time. You may be able to find an individual that is working toward a degree in social media and/or Internet marketing. You can also look for a high school or college student to launch your campaign. High school students are great with technology and the Internet.

If you decide to bring in a professional company like Primeau Productions, LLC. to train your CTO, audio record your training program so you can use it for future employee orientation.

Use Camtasia to video record screen captures of the training as well.

There are many free eBooks available online that will also help you learn more about Internet marketing; you should allocate time to read as much as you can.

Traditionally new business comes into a company through sales and referrals. Internet marketing will improve your SEO by moving your website closer to page one. Having a CTO will help streamline your day to day Internet marketing activity so when people search the web looking for what you have to offer, they will find your website.

Get in touch with Primeau Productions, LLC and let us help get your Internet marketing campaign on the right track. Consulting processes begin at just $50.00.

High definition video gives me a headache. Every once in awhile, we receive HD footage to add to a standard definition video production OR a quick edit for a client’s website. HD video is great when you are watching television, but a pain when trying to edit simple Internet marketing video. This may sound funny coming from the owner of a video production company, so let me explain.

We just finished searching and locating a video supplier in Columbus, Ohio for a client who wants her presentation video recorded next week. During our search, something hit me like a ton of bricks. This story includes this painful realization which is happening more often.

The quality of high definition video is good because it provides a very detailed picture (a lot of dots; which is how I explain this when I speak to groups) on a high definition video system. However, high definition can cause a lot of problems and unnecessary expense for businesses:

• HD video files are huge! When you are working with a high definition video source, you need a lot of hard drive space to store and edit the HD video file. This can be a problem; especially with longer videos. Not only is storage a problem, but so is rendering and exporting (activity that can drive your editing bill through the roof). Bottom line, these large files take a lot of studio time to process for both Internet and DVD use.

• HD is overkill for Internet video. The reason being that most HD video requires a production company to convert the raw HD files for editing; adding an extra step before editing. So in addition to the size and time restrictions we now have monetary restrictions.

• HD complicates things. Another concern worth mentioning, that has to do with square and widescreen video, is the problem with aspect ratio (screen size). High def and standard def both have 16:9 and 4:3 aspect ratios. When a video production company receives video that is both 16:9 and 4:3, serious adjustments need to be made so both formats can be used in the final video production. You don’t need to add high definition video to this equation, as it will just increase the difficulty and price of the process.

• HD footage can be difficult for the consumer to view. As a production company, often times we have to download software in order to convert raw HD files for editing. Most HD camera manufacturers have software that has to be downloaded and used to convert their proprietary files before raw HD video can be used for editing in Final Cut Pro or Premiere Pro. To make matters worse, as a consumer, once you receive the HD files recorded on an HD camera, won’t be able to view the video. This is due to the file size and format, and more often than not, a consumer’s personal computer does not have the power to view the huge HD footage. This fact ties in with the last point:

• HD can be very costly. As a result of hidden costs, the price of an HD video can steadily creep up. Although you may pay a certain amount for the actual shoot, you could end up incurring extra studio costs that was not discussed previously. This may change in the future, but for now, it is unfortunately a big problem.

The company I spoke to in Columbus told me they shoot everything in HD. He then attempted to sell me on the quality of HD video, insisting on how good my client would look. Since I have experience with raw HD video, I asked if he could convert the file to a regular 16 X 9; standard definition video (since the file size would be more reasonable and it would be faster to edit in the studio).

o His response: the cost for a 90 minute remote recording was $1600.00; however, the additional studio conversion was an extra $400.00.

Next, I spoke to Gene at Warman Productions http://www.warmanproductions.com/. He completely agreed with my HD concern and that it was overkill for this application.

Solution:

Gene offered to shoot with their HD camera, but instead of recording in HD, they would record using their HD camera on to a DV Cam tape (which is standard definition). That way, no HD files would need to be converted (via downloaded software). We would be able to view and easily work with this standard definition video in our system (Final Cut Pro and Premiere Pro).

o Gene’s price for the same professional service: $600.00 TOTAL!
Sure, HD video looks great, but extra steps and tools, time and space, are necessary for use in the editing room.

Now, if you are producing a video and you plan to have it broadcast over the television or Blu Ray video, then consider high definition. If you are producing video to help grow your business and or entertain clients online, then stick to standard definition. The quality will not be compromised and the cost will be far less by avoiding HD video. However, always make sure that you spend a sufficient amount of time investigating different companies to find a plan and price that works best for you.

Business-Building Ideas from Terry Brock

Hurricane-Force Change Requires Adaptation
Changing and adapting have always been extremely important to survive. It was Herbert Spencer (not Charles Darwin) who coined the phrase "Survival of the Fittest," and it is more true today than ever.
Think of companies like Microsoft and Cisco. Just a few short years ago they were top of the hill. Short-sighted (largely socialist-thinking) people would be heard to cry and moan that "Microsoft is such a bully and no one will be able to displace them." This same type of inane, historically-deficient bromides charged Cisco would "always be on top and no one can stop them."

It is amazing (and enlightening) what just a few years difference makes.
Today, Microsoft is, yes, still a force to be reckoned with and Cisco still makes damn-good routers and other equipment. However, both are heading downward by most estimates. Their cool factor has diminished and as a result the cavalcade continues a downward spiral. In technology, those companies which are not as cool as others don't attract the best brainpower, therefore they don't come up with the best products, therefore the market doesn't buy their stuff which leads to less profits which increases the "less cool" environment. The downward spiral continues.

So, how do you not only stay cool, but increase the desire for the marketplace to embrace you? What can you do to gain the status of being THE company to watch and embrace? What can you do to become the thought leader that people turn to --- and hence want to be around? GigaOm recently had a great post about this (http://ow.ly/6eirm) where they laid out the case. The bottom line is pretty simple --- but not easy.
We have to continually focus on what the market wants today. Coming up with a way cool program on a 5.25" floppy disk was way cool in the early 80's and it helped to propel Lotus Development Corporation to dominate the market with their spreadsheet they called Lotus 1-2-3. I made hundreds of thousands of dollars back then teaching that product.
But who uses that product today?

Not many.

Excel displaced it and remains the spreadsheet of choice for most today --- although without the passion and "coolness" that were attributed to it before.

Today an whole new kind of cool exists. Tomorrow it will be different yet. So, what's a struggling thought leader or business to do?
Harken back to the wisdom of Herbert Spencer (and Charles Darwin). Keep reinventing. Keep focusing. Embrace new and wonderful adventures that will attract your market. This is, and has always been, the key to success. Change is like a hurricane with its force.

An old business adage we'd often hear when something like this, "If you keep on doing what you're always done, you'll keep on getting what you've already got." That might bring a few smiles and perhaps some polite applause in some circles. However that tired adage just doesn't work today.
In an environment that is continually changing, if you keep doing what brought you success in the past --- under past conditions --- you are probably going to slide further and further away from the success you enjoyed before. You have to be different. You have to do things differently. Think of today's outstanding winners like Facebook, YouTube, Google, Apple and others. They are doing something DIFFERENT from what was done before. They're not trying to make a better 5.25" disk with a better spreadsheet. That era is over. Done. Finished.

Keep reinventing and adapting. It is the way to survive. It is the way to thrive. Sure, it is easier to sit back and rest --- but growth doesn't come from resting on your laurels.

Stretch yourself. Try different. Become a better person and company.
Somehow I think Herbert Spencer (and Charles Darwin) would be giving you the "thumbs-up" signal as you embrace new by adapting and changing for the better.

Comments? I look forward to your thoughts and ideas. Please leave them here on the website so others can benefit from what you say. I really do look forward to hearing from you.

Catch this video I did a little while ago where I interviewed Gary Shapiro, CEO of the Consumer Electronics Association about Innovation and Change. http://ow.ly/6ej3v

Terry Brock works with organizations to bring about positive change. He is a member of the Speaker Hall of Fame and Certified Professional Speaker. To find out how he can help your company drop an email to Terry@TerryBrock.com or visit his website at
http://www.TerryBrock.com

Over the last ten years, the professional speaking industry has evolved into a forward thinking technological evolution of information and confusion. During this time, most professional speakers have seen a decrease in bookings and fees. Competition has been the main contributor to this perplexity and a lot of poor decisions are being made. In the following post, I will provide my perspective and experience earned while working with dozens of professional speakers in various markets and fee ranges around the world.

Historical perspective
To put this post into perspective, I have to share a story. Back in 1978, I met Floyd Wickman. He was the first professional speaker I worked with while I was employed as an audio engineer. I was the low man at the studio and nobody else wanted to work with him. He wanted to record a 2 pack cassette product. It was hard for him to be energetic and motivational in the studio while talking to a microphone. He said he was at his best in front of a live audience. I remembered the Dezi Arnez story about how ‘I Love Lucy’ was the first television show to be recorded in front of a live audience. This gave me an idea. Why not audio record his presentations where he could feed off the audience energy, at a live seminar? He gladly accepted my offer and my boss had no problem since this was not a conflict of interest. I rented two 80 pound reel-to-reel recorders and one of the first wireless microphones and headed to the Hyatt Regency in Dearborn, Michigan. The difference in the outcome of the product was amazing! Thus, Primeau Productions was born.
A lot has happened since then. Cassettes have turned into CD’s and downloadable Internet audio files. Speaker demo videos became affordable and a necessary tool to get more bookings; first on VHS tape and then DVD, and now the Internet on over 30 International websites. These days, a meeting planner can find almost everything they need in regards to booking a professional speaker on the Internet; including credentials, a speaker’s demo video and video clips.

Today
The speaking industry took a hit after 9-11, and many professional speakers had speaking engagements cancelled. Attendance of meetings also dropped and as a result, the number of meetings decreased. Professional speakers at the top of their game reinvented their marketing and did the best they could. Those who have not reinvented themselves still blame 9-11 for their decrease in bookings.
Here is what you need to do to play in today’s competitive professional speaking Industry:
1. Have an easy to use world class website. A lot of speakers spent a lot of money on Flash based websites and planned on using them for a long time. The problem with Flash is that Apple products do not support it. The cool effects on websites, like walking on the computer screen and moving headers are also not viewable on Apple products. We cannot ignore this rapidly growing market sector, so the solution is to stick with HTML 5. Use Youtube and Vimeo to embed your video content into your Wordpress website and keep the website simple and clean. Most of all, make your products and expertise easy to find.
2. Have a professionally produced speaker demo video. When you consider that one or two paid speaking engagements will return your production investment back to you, why would you consider producing your demo with a non experienced production company, or yourself? Not to mention, your competition is more than likely using professionally produced video. There are plenty of professional video production companies, including Primeau Productions, who know the speaking and meetings industry, and will get your demo produced professionally so you get more prospects and bookings. A pro that has experience with speaker demo videos will help make your demo better than if you go it alone. Look at samples and choose wisely.
3. Add value and make it obvious. Many professional speakers say they customize, and many others value added propositions, but keep them a secret. Get creative and make this added value obvious in your demo and on your website. Post blog articles that address the needs of the speaking industry and meeting planner.

The Future
I believe the future of professional speaking depends on the willingness of professional speakers to reinvent their business model, speaking messages, Internet presence and brand positioning for their expertise. You have to be a thought leader in your area of expertise and prove it. Use video to show the depth and extent of your subject matter expertise. Interview past clients and kick your social media for business into overdrive.
Don’t brag about your experience, rather display experience in everything you do. I find many professional speakers are full of themselves because their last presentation earned them a standing ovation. It’s time to learn humility and be humble in everything you do.
Follow your heart, not your wallet. Instead of focusing on the money, focus on your passion. You may have earned a great income from last year’s speech, but what does the world need today and in the future? Concentrate and meditate on your passion and promote those keynote topics instead of the ones that use to sell. There is nothing wrong with reinvention, except it takes valor.
Be courageous and project that courage in your messages. When you do your homework and discover the clients’ pain, address that pain on the platform and provide solutions. You can no longer be a bubble gum speaker, you have to provide value as well as solutions.

Marketing
Use the marketing tools available to you today to get the word out. More and more speaking leads come from people you don’t know, instead of those you do know that are part of your database. Inbound marketing has become at least 20% of all professional speakers’ business. Get with the program and leverage your social media networks. As the second largest search engine and third most visited website (after Facebook and Google), YouTube has taken over as a promotion tool for professional speakers. It’s not enough to post video clips and speaker demos on YouTube, you have to be active and engaged frequently to get the biggest bang out of YouTube for marketing. Friend, subscribe, like, share and post comments often for the videos you watch on YouTube, and use this strategy if you are involved with a mastermind group or NSA chapter to help each other out. YouTube videos also end up in search results and include thumbnail images, so make sure to optimize your videos with great titles, descriptions and tags that include your predetermined key words and phrasing as search criteria.

Talent and Growth
To compete in today’s meetings industry, you have to be r-e-a-l-l-y g-o-o-d; if you are just ok, then it’s time to learn how to get better. Get a coach, or hire a speech writer to help you boost your content, delivery and entertainment quotient. If you attend educational events like The National Speakers Association then write down action steps after you leave. Hold yourself accountable or ask someone else to be your CAO (chief accountability officer).
If you use stories in your presentation, what other stories do you have that can be told on stage that you are not using? Many years ago I had the pleasure of working with Og Mandino in Las Vegas. During our back stage conversation, he explained to me that he kept a story log. Before each speaking engagement he would look though his story log and pick the stories that suited each audience. Nothing about Og was off the shelf. Today we have the opportunity to log dozens of stories every week if we just pay attention to the lessons we learn.
This is part of the customization process. If you don’t customize, it’s time to start, and stories are where it’s at. Show customization in your demo video when possible and definitely in standalone video clips. Embed those clips into blogs written about that customized subject material.
Don’t let others influence your creativity. Stop asking for feedback from friends, family and other speakers. One of the worse activities you can become involved with is to ask others for their opinion when you are creating. Remember, opinions are like noses, everyone has one. The Beatles worked behind closed doors when they created their music. Opinions can cause your true creativity to become scarred. Work and create from your heart and instincts and leave the feedback for after you’re done creating.

Increase your Opportunities and Negotiate
As much as we hate to admit it, we all negotiate our fees. One thing that is a big time benefit for the future of professional speaking is to offer value to your prospects to close more bookings. Speakers who do not add value and negotiate speaking engagements will have fewer speaking engagements.
Speakers who offer to include breakouts, master of ceremonies and other multiple presentations to their offerings during the negotiation process close more deals. We know this to be true because many of our speaker clients have success stories of negotiations resulting in multiple bookings from their client.
The future of speaking successfully and being booked as much as you like depends on your willingness to be the best bargain in your fee range.
If the prospect is willing to pay $5,000, and your fee is $7500, you have to do some soul searching and negotiating if you want the gig. On the flip side, once you lower your fee word travels fast.
To Sum it up
• Add value, because the rules have changed
• Be visible everywhere you can on the Internet and position yourself as a thought leader
• Update your professional speaker demo video at least every other year
• Continuously learn and grow to perfect your message; get a coach or speech writer to help
• Be ready to negotiate your fee
I would love to hear from you after these thoughts and ideas have settled in. This is my promise to you; if you take my advice and break away from the same old-same old, your business as a professional speaker will flourish. It takes courage to be different and break free from the herd. It also takes creativity to compete in today’s professional speaking and meetings industry.