tv-pro-gear-design

What Is a Soundstage? Filming on a Soundstage

Tue, 29 Aug 2023 18:30:00 GMT

You’re surrounded by dozens of gleaming lights – cameras are focused and the energy in the room is hard to contain. While it might seem like this is only possible directly on set of a high-budget production, a soundstage can change the game completely.

Sound stages are incredibly versatile spaces that can be rented for your video’s production and post-production process giving everyone access to a professional production area that can be utilized on-demand.

In this guide we’re going to cover what sound stages are, their features, and how you can select the ideal soundstage for your own production. So let’s jump in and start exploring sound stages in more detail, and look at exactly what it takes to begin filming on one.

What is a Soundstage?

What exactly is a soundstage and how does it differ from an ordinary shooting location?

Imagine walking through a cavernous insulated warehouse where entire worlds are built and dismantled with each new production. This massive structure, equipped with advanced soundproofing and lighting systems is a soundstage.

The unique design of these spaces gives filmmakers an environment where they can have complete control over every aspect of the production. From creating custom built sets to manipulating lighting and sound a soundstage gives you the freedom to tell your story exactly as you've envisioned it.

Acoustic treatments and soundproofing on walls ceilings and floors dampen echoes and minimize noise interference from outside sources. Additionally, with a wide range of lights at your disposal, you have everything you need to ensure your vision will come to life in vivid detail. High ceilings and grid systems allow you to position lights and other set pieces with precision.

Soundstages give production teams the convenience of having all essential facilities under one roof. From wardrobe rooms to editing suites and production offices everything you need is right at your fingertips.

There’s no question that having a centralized location streamlines the entire filmmaking process and fosters collaboration among cast and crew members.

Essential Features of a Sound Stage

Sound stages are the backbone of professional video productions and with the right features can provide the perfect environment to create high quality content. Let's dive in and see what features make a sound stage a necessity for your creative endeavors.

Soundproofing: Before anything else a sound stage should have excellent soundproofing. This ensures that you can capture clean clear audio without any unwanted noise interference from outside the studio. Proper insulation and sound-absorbing materials such as acoustic panels play a critical role in achieving crisp and clear sound.

Flexible set design: A sound stage has to be versatile when it comes to set design, allowing you to easily build up and tear down the ideal environment for your production on demand. Modular and easily customizable sets help make this possible.

Excellent lighting: Lighting is essential to set the mood and convey your story effectively. A well equipped sound stage has adjustable and customizable lighting options that cater to various shooting needs and styles ensuring your visuals come alive just as you imagined.

Green & blue screen capabilities: In post production visual effects can play a major role in enhancing the look and feel of your final product. A sound stage with a high quality green/blue screen makes it easier to add digital backgrounds or special effects seamlessly, giving you endless creative possibilities.

Reliable power access: Video production can require a considerable amount of electricity to power equipment. A sound stage will have ample easily accessible power outlets, and a stable electrical supply to keep everything running smoothly.

Convenient storage areas: Having dedicated storage spaces for props, wardrobe, and equipment is crucial to keeping your sound stage organized and clutter free. This also helps speed up setup and teardown times.

When looking at all of these features as a sum of its parts it's clear that a sound stage brings next-level convenience for video production teams. Rather than having to scramble and set up all of these elements individually a sound stage offers everything under one roof.

How to Choose the Right Sound Stage Rental Space

Equipped with controlled lighting as well as soundproofing and versatile sets, a sound stage ensures that your video production runs smoothly from start to finish. When looking for the right sound stage to use for your own production, it’s important to keep all of these elements in mind.

If you’re looking for a sound stage rental specifically designed to make your production thrive, the 1632 Stage + Post area from TV Pro Gear is the ultimate choice for your next video project.

1632 has an expansive 1,400 square foot soundstage, complete with a prelit cyclorama wall, perfect for all of your production needs. Whether you're working on a high or low budget project or even an indie film this space is tailored to give you everything you need for a successful production.

With over 6,500 square feet of available space at your disposal including editing bays, mix rooms, screening rooms, meeting rooms, makeup rooms and more, you'll have access to everything you need under one roof.

Not only does this facility have all the essentials, but it's also backed by a dedicated and skilled staff that can assist with multi-camera 4K projects, editing, graphics, VFX, color correction, and sound design. The stage control room houses cutting-edge equipment like Ross Carbonite, TriCaster TC2 Elite, and Blackmagic ATEM Constellations 8K for smooth and efficient switching.

It also features a color grading and screening room with 4K/UHD projector capabilities, HDR, and surround sound – creating the perfect environment for reviewing your work and making those crucial final touches.

No matter which type of production you’re overseeing the 1632 post-production facility has everything you need from start to finish. Rather than trying to build up a production set on your own taking advantage of a pre-build soundstage can give you the versatility you need to ensure a successful production from start to finish.

Guide To Building a Corporate Video Studio

Fri, 18 Aug 2023 17:27:24 GMT

As companies grow and expand, so do their communications and media requirements. Eventually, there comes a time when building a corporate video studio is the next logical step towards leveling up your media production.

You see, having an in-house video studio means you're ready to create captivating content on-demand without relying on external production companies. You'll be able to produce high-quality videos efficiently and cost-effectively, and ultimately, you'll enjoy full creative control over your content.

Sounds pretty good right? Well that's just the tip of the iceberg.

In this guide we're going to walk through the entire process of building a corporate video studio step by step. We'll be discussing all the essential components, such as video production equipment, audio equipment, backdrops, and guide you through important considerations within the recording and streaming process to ensure a smooth production workflow. Let’s jump in!

Benefits of Building an In-House Corporate Video Production Studio

In today's fast-paced digital world, video is an indispensable tool for marketing, communication, and collaboration.

As you think about the potential of building your very own in-house corporate video production studio let's look at some of the incredible benefits it can offer.

Cost-Effective

You heard that right! When you invest in an in-house video production studio, you're actively reducing the need for external video production agencies which can get very costly.

Say goodbye to those hefty invoices and hello to a smart, long-term savings solution. Once your studio is up and running, this investment will very likely begin to pay for itself, making it an undeniably cost-effective choice over the long term.

Complete Control Over Production

Having an in-house video production studio grants you unparalleled control over your projects.

You'll be able to steer creative direction, schedules, scripts and post production editing all without interference or compromise. This level of control allows you to ensure your vision comes to life precisely as you imagine it.

Quick Content Turnaround Times

When time is of the essence, an in-house video studio can be your best friend. By eliminating third-party involvement, you can produce and deliver content at a much faster pace.

This allows you to respond quickly to changes, capitalize on new opportunities and maintain a steady flow of timely communication with your audience.

Consistent Branding

Branding is a vital aspect of any business, and consistent visual and narrative styles play a crucial role in that. With your very own in-house video production studio, you have the power to maintain cohesive branding across all videos – think of it as a fine tuning process that helps enhance brand identity and recognition.

Uniformity in visuals and messaging allows your audience to become familiar with your brand's unique style ultimately strengthening your brand's impact.

Confidentiality

Protecting sensitive corporate information is essential. When you have an in house video production studio you're keeping the entire production process internal, reducing the risk of leaks or disclosures during shoots.

This added layer of security helps maintain confidentiality, ensuring that your private information stays just that – private.

7 Steps for Building a Corporate Video Studio

1. Identify Your Space

Finding the perfect spot for your corporate video studio is critical. You'll want to search for an area that's quite spacious and filled with natural light.

Good lighting is key for producing high quality videos, so pay close attention to this aspect when choosing your location. Remember you can always set up studio lighting if required.

2. Plan Your Layout

Once you’ve identified an ideal space, it's time to plan your layout. Consider where to place your cameras, lights, and sound equipment, making sure that you make the most of your available space.

Take time to think this through – a well planned layout will make filming much easier and more efficient.

3. Procure Your Equipment

Now it's time to shop! Do some research to find the best video and audio equipment for your needs keeping in mind important factors such as quality, cost and compatibility with other equipment.

Remember investing in reliable and high quality equipment is crucial for producing top notch videos that showcase your brand.

4. Set Up Your Studio

With all your equipment at hand it's time to set up your studio. This includes installing lights, arranging backdrops or green screens and setting up any soundproofing measures.

Every little detail matters so take the time to create a professional-looking set that will enhance the production value of your videos.

5. Set up Training Programs for Your Team

Make sure your team is properly trained to use your equipment and software. This may involve hiring a professional trainer or taking advantage of online resources to learn the ropes. If you’re using advanced technology such as robotic camera operators, training becomes even more critical.

Inve sting time in training will ensure that your videos are produced smoothly and efficiently while maintaining a high level of quality. A well trained team is a key factor in the overall success of your corporate video studio.

6. Maintain and Upgrade Your Studio

As time goes on it's important to keep your equipment well-maintained and up to date. Regularly inspect and clean your gear, and ensure it is functioning properly.

Stay up to date on the latest advancements in video and audio technology so you can upgrade your equipment when necessary, keeping your studio at the cutting edge of the industry.

7. Review and Consistently Improve Your Production Quality

Keep an eye on the quality of your video productions and continuously evaluate your studio's performance. Seek feedback from your team and get input on how to improve both the processes and the final output.

If you embrace a culture of continuous improvement you can ensure your corporate video studio always provides value to your company.

Video Production Equipment

From cameras and tripods to lighting and lenses each piece of gear plays an important role in making sure your footage comes out looking professional and captivating.

In this section we'll explore the details of video production equipment explaining their importance and benefits so you can make informed choices and elevate your video making game.

Your Camera

You can’t have video without a camera! High-definition (HD) or 4K cameras are crucial for capturing high quality footage that'll captivate your audience.

When choosing a camera, consider your specific needs and budget . Do you need a camera for documentary style shooting or for capturing fast action? Thinking about these factors will help you make an informed decision and elevate your video production quality.

Tripods & Mounting Equipment

To guarantee steady and consistent shots it's important to invest in reliable tripods or other mounting equipment. A good tripod will keep your camera stable, ensuring that your footage remains professional and free from any distracting shaking/artifacts.

Whether you're filming an interview or an elaborate action sequence, having the right mounting equipment is crucial to achieving the smooth polished shots that make all the difference in your final product.

Lighting

Good lighting is the backbone of professional looking videos. To create the perfect atmosphere consider using various types of lights such as key lights, fill lights and backlights.

Key lights provide the main illumination for your subject while fill lights help eliminate shadows and create a more even look. Backlights are then used to add depth by separating your subject from the background.

Experimenting with different lighting setups can significantly impact the final result, making your footage stand out.

Lenses

Different lenses can dramatically change the look and feel of your video and it's essential to be familiar with the various types available.

Wide angle lenses capture broader shots making them perfect for landscape or group scenes. Zoom lenses provide flexibility in framing and composition without physically moving the camera, and prime lenses offer superior image quality with a fixed focal length.

Understanding the capabilities of each lens type will allow you to achieve a variety of visual effects and perspectives, improving your storytelling and giving your videos a more professional touch.

Audio Equipment

In addition to the video equipment you’ll need you’ll also have to consider the audio/sound equipment required to produce that crisp professional sound.

From microphones to studio soundproofing let's take a closer look at essential audio equipment for any corporate video studio.

Microphones

When setting up your corporate video studio, choosing the right microphone is very important for capturing clear and professional audio.

Depending on your needs, you’ll often be choosing:

Lavalier microphones: These small clips on mics are perfect for interviews and on-screen talent as they discreetly attach to clothing and provide clear focused sound.
Shotgun microphones: A directional mic that’s ideal for capturing audio from a specific area while minimizing background noise. It's commonly mounted on boom poles or cameras for versatile use.
Condenser microphones: Known for their sensitivity and accuracy, these mics are frequently used in studio environments to capture vocals or voice-overs with exceptional clarity.

Audio Mixers

Audio mixers allow you to control and balance different audio sources during recording or live broadcasting.

By adjusting volume levels and equalization settings you can ensure each element of your audio remains professionally balanced.

Headphones

High quality headphones can play a role in monitoring audio during recording and editing sessions.

By investing in a comfortable and durable pair with excellent sound reproduction you can accurately assess audio quality, detect issues and make adjustments.

Soundproofing

Achieving optimal audio quality in your corporate video studio often requires soundproofing measures. Acoustic panels installed on walls ceilings and floors can significantly reduce echo and background noise helping produce a clean and professional sound.

Audio Editing Software

To polish your corporate videos audio you'll need reliable audio editing software. This allows you to enhance sound quality, remove unwanted noise, and adjust levels during post-production. By mastering audio editing, you can guarantee that your final product has a polished and professional sound.

Audio Interfaces

For a seamless connection between your microphones, instruments, and computer, an audio interface is required.

These devices convert analog audio signals to digital (through ADCs), transmitting high-quality sound for recording and editing purposes. By choosing an interface with the right inputs, outputs and compatibility, you can optimize your studio's audio workflow.

All About Backdrops

The perfect video backdrop not only boosts visual appeal but also strengthens your brand's message. Let's look at some popular backdrop options that can help you create engaging and impactful corporate videos that resonate with your viewers.

Green/Blue Screens: A green/blue screen lets you replace your video background with ease during post-production. This gives you nearly limitless options for visual effects.
Branded Backdrops: You can incorporate branded backdrops into your videos to reinforce your company's identity and present a unified, professional look across all your content.
Natural Backdrops: Sometimes, less is more. A natural office setting can provide an authentic and relatable atmosphere your viewers/clients can connect with on a personal level.
Portable Backdrops: If portability is important, consider portable backdrops that allow for quick and easy background changes during your shoots.

Recording and Streaming

Effective video recording and streaming have become essential in today's digital landscape, particularly for corporate video systems . As you set up your own recording and streaming operations here are some key components to consider for an efficient, successful, and professional outcome:

Video Recording Software: When considering your options for video recording software solutions, pay attention to factors like ease of use features and compatibility with your existing equipment. Remember the best choice for you should cater to your specific needs and simplify the recording process.

Live Streaming Software: If you're planning live sessions or webinars, invest in reliable live-streaming software that offers real-time editing capabilities. This allows you to make adjustments on the go ensuring your audience receives the best possible experience during your live broadcasts.

Video Editing Software: To improve the overall quality of your videos and elevate their visual appeal, invest in robust editing software. The right application will provide you with features like effects transitions and color grading tools as well as options to add branding elements like logos and intros.

High-Speed Internet Connection: A stable high-speed internet connection (upload speed especially) is vital for uninterrupted live-streaming and efficient video uploading. Make sure your corporate video studio is equipped with the necessary bandwidth to prevent lagging or buffering during live sessions, guaranteeing smooth online interactions with viewers.

Concluding Thoughts

By now you've not only learned about the benefits of having a customized video studio at your fingertips, but you've also learned the essential steps to bring it to life.

From video production equipment and audio necessities to choosing the perfect backdrops we've covered all the bases to ensure you have the knowledge and tools you need to make your vision a reality.

So go ahead, let your creativity flow and revolutionize the way your company communicates – whether it's through engaging training videos captivating presentations or simply sharing your brand story with the world.

And remember, when you need a helping hand or professional guidance TV Pro Gear will always be here to help you achieve your creative goals.

How To Choose The Right Video Production Company

Fri, 11 Aug 2023 13:29:41 GMT

In an era when almost 90% of video marketers say that video content gives them a great return on investment while also empowering their lead generation efforts, it's easy to see why the format has become so popular. We're not too far away from a time when most of the content that people consume on the Internet will be video-based .

But at the same time, video content can be difficult - not to mention expensive - to produce on your own. As consumers demand more of it than ever, this burden can only grow. Thankfully, video production companies exist to help brands with exactly this task.

But what is a video production company, how can they help businesses, and how do you make sure that you're finding one that can meet your own needs? The answers to all these questions and more require you to keep a few key things in mind.

What Is a Production Company in Film?

As the name implies, a video production company involves a team of professionals who will handle virtually all aspects of your upcoming project in terms of both the creative and the technical aspects. They use their passion, their creativity, and their expertise to help you conceptualize the right content , to offer the resources necessary to film that content, and to edit it into a format where it will have the greatest impact with your target audience.

What Does a Video Production Company Do?

The function that a video production company performs can be broken down into two different aspects: the technical side and the brand side of the conversation.

From a technical standpoint, the right video production company can handle virtually all aspects of your project. In addition to being there at the conceptualization stage, they can also help gather the necessary equipment based on the needs of the project, can offer access to both talented actors and actresses in front of the camera as well as passionate crew members behind it, and more.

Even when you're talking about something like a live event, a video production company can also handle all aspects of the post-production process, too. This is when things like sound mixing and editing come together to make sure that the finished product lives on in its best possible form.

From the larger, branding side of the conversation, a video production company can help leverage the power of video as a communications medium to your benefit in a number of ways. They can help you develop the types of high-quality offerings that raise awareness about who you are, what your business does, and why people should be paying attention.

This can be especially helpful if you don't have the resources in-house to produce quality video content yourself. You can still utilize video on places like social media to increase traffic to your website, but you don't have to invest heavily in your own infrastructure up-front in order to do so.

But more than anything, a video production company can help people increase their own understanding of your business, your products, and your services in a compelling, long-lasting way. This in and of itself is the most important benefit of all.

How to Choose the Right Video Production Company

When it comes to choosing the right video production company, one thing to keep in mind is that not all organizations are created equally. Just like your business may be very different in virtually every sense when compared to even your closest competitor, the same is true in the world of video production.

Therefore, the most important quality to look for is a production company that works well with your own company. One that understands what you do and what you're trying to accomplish. One that doesn't force you into a "one size fits all" box when it comes to video production and who is instead prepared to play to the strengths that may make you unique.

Create a Clear Content Brief with a Clear Aim

Another important factor to consider when choosing the right video production company is that you need to begin the process by creating a clear content brief with a clear aim to work from.

Think of this as a two part process. By establishing goals for yourself early on in the process, you can quickly narrow down your list of potential video production company candidates from "everyone" to "only those who are capable of meeting your needs." But to get to that point, you need to establish what those needs actually are.

Why do you want to utilize video content in the first place? What are you trying to accomplish? How will you know when your marketing efforts are successful? Is it after a single live event has been captured? Is it after your website traffic or social media following has grown by a certain percentage? Answering these questions will help enormously with the rest of the process.

Beyond that, you need to create a content brief - both for yourself and for your future video production partner. This will include, among other elements:

The aforementioned goal and purpose of your video content.
The target audience (meaning, an overview of your ideal customer).
The type of video you want to use.
Any key messaging that needs to be included.
Examples of similar videos that you like and want to emulate whenever possible.

How to Set a Budget

At that point, you have enough actionable information to work from to begin creating a budget. Assuming that you don't have an unlimited amount of money to spend, you need to make sure that every dollar is utilized wisely. That's where a budget comes into play.

Start by considering the type of video you want to create and thinking about all the elements that are required. If you're shooting live action, for example, that will almost always require hiring actors - something that will increase the budget before anyone has called "Action" on set. If you're thinking of animation, you need to also consider voice actors, talented animators, and other elements.

To properly set a budget, start by speaking to a few different agencies and giving them an overview of what you were thinking. Once you've done that, you should have a fairly reasonable range to work from when setting your expectations regarding how much you'll be spending on these goals.

Create a List of Companies to Compare

Next, you're create to create a comprehensive list of the video production companies that are available that you can then begin to pare down to only a few select candidates. You can get ideas for production companies to contact in the following places:

Ask those around you. Do you have friends in your industry or do you attend regular networking events? Don't be afraid to ask who they go with for video production and see if you can view samples of their work.
Speaking of other videos, you should also see who your competitors are using and, if you like their work, see who did the video production.
Utilize search engines. Google can be an invaluable resource to find video production companies in your area.
Pay attention to video production awards ceremonies. Is there a video production company in your area that seems to win awards and other distinctions on a regular basis? That may be someone who you want to contact moving forward.

Questions to Ask a Video Production Company

In an effort to pare down that list as much as possible, you'll also want to ask questions of each candidate production company. This serves two purposes. First, it helps make sure that you're quickly weeding out any companies that cannot help you accomplish your goals. Secondly, it also helps to properly calibrate your own expectations regarding what is and isn't possible.

Just a few of the questions you may consider asking include but are not limited to ones like:

"Can I see case studies for past projects that show what you're capable of accomplishing?" If your primary goal is to increase traffic to your website, for example, it would be helpful to have a document that can prove that a video production company has accomplished a similar or even the same goal for another business in the past.
"Can I speak to any of your past clients, or do you have testimonials I can see?" Any company that is proud of the work it does should have no problem putting you in contact with people who they have performed for in the past.
"What does your video production process involve?" Again, all video production companies are unique unto themselves. Understanding their process will help you determine if their culture/approach is a good fit for your own.
"Can you go into more detail about your team members?" You'll want to get an idea of who is actually working for this company - meaning who is working on your project. What type of experience does the crew have, for example? How many similar projects have they worked on in the past?
"Who can I contact throughout the video production process?" As is true in all forms of film and television production, video content creation is all about collaboration. This requires communication. If you have a question, you should be able to call someone and get an answer. If you have a concern, you should be able to contact someone and have it addressed.

Beyond that, you'll also want to make sure that any video production company you're looking at does indeed offer the services you had in mind. If you don't have access to post-production capabilities or have no interest in handling that yourself, you want a full service company who can step in and handle everything. You don't want someone who will just leave you with a great deal of raw footage that will then need extensive work to get ready for public consumption.

Make The Final Decision

As you work through every step in this process, you should be able to cross one or even multiple potential video production companies off your list. After you've had the time to meet with each one and ask all relevant questions, you won't necessarily have a final decision to make. In many ways, you'll have whittled your list down to the point where the decision will largely be made for you.

Still, just remember that you need to pick a video production company that has creativity and passion, that understands what you are trying to do and why it is important, and that has the capabilities to make it happen. At that point, go with the company that is prepared to act as a true partner in every sense of the term.

At TV Pro Gear, we offer a wide array of video production services for clients to choose from depending on their needs. In addition to our creativity, passion, experience, and technology, we also offer access to resources like our 1632 Stage + Post facility , allowing us to handle virtually all aspects of your production in-house. This puts us in the best possible position to bring your vision of your production to life in the most efficient way possible, all while staying within your budget.

If you'd like to find out more information about how to choose the right video production company, or if you'd just like to discuss your upcoming project with someone in more detail, please contact the team at TV Pro Gear today .

Film vs Video vs Digital Media: What's The Difference?

Wed, 19 Apr 2023 15:14:29 GMT

The Evolution of Film, Video, and Digital Media

Film stock and cameras date back well over 120 years. They capture a series of images that, when played back at 120 frames per second, create motion pictures. Unlike other formats, once the film is exposed it cannot be "reused." Because of that, the more you shoot, the more expensive a project is.

Video cameras originally stored content on some type of tape-based format - either Beta, VHS, or a digital tape like MiniDV. Footage shot using a video camera was commonly edited on tape as well, unless it was transferred into a digital format at which point it could be edited in a non-linear fashion on a computer.

Digital media typically refers to recordings that are stored on something like a hard drive as opposed to any type of physical disc, tape, or film stock. Both the audio and video are broken down into digital information, so literally everything about that which is captured can be manipulated.

Video Production vs Film Production: What is the Difference?

One of the major differences between video production and film production comes down to lighting. Film stock simply absorbs light differently than the sensor in a video camera. You could shoot the same sequence in both formats, and you would need to light the film camera one way and the video camera in an entirely different way, even if you're trying to get them both to look the same.

Likewise, film is traditionally reserved these days for narratives like movies or some TV shows. Video is used to capture things like sporting events or other things that might be happening live.

Benefits of Hiring Video Production Professionals

By far, the biggest benefit of hiring video production professionals has to do with how they can leverage all the benefits inherent in your desired format to your advantage.

Working with film is difficult, for example - you need to take into consideration the quality of the film stock, the lighting requirements for each stock, and more. All of these technical aspects are important, but they can also potentially make it more difficult to tell the story you want to. Production professionals can handle all of this on your behalf, so you can focus on the narrative.

The same is true of video production professionals. They can handle all the technical elements surrounding the event that you're trying to capture (or the story you're trying to tell if you're shooting a narrative on video) like lighting , sound, blocking, and more, so you can devote the majority of your attention on bringing your entire vision to life as opposed to looking purely at those technical aspects.

At TV Pro Gear, we offer our professional video production services to clients in a wide range of different industries. In addition to our expertise, we also offer access to resources you may not otherwise have - like our stage and post-production facilities.

If you'd like to find out more information about film vs video vs digital media, or if you'd just like to discuss your next project with a team of professionals, please contact TV Pro Gear today.

Building a Brand: Use Video Branding To Increase Brand Awareness

Fri, 14 Apr 2023 14:38:48 GMT

If you had to make a list of some of the most invaluable assets that any business has, the overall strength of your brand would undoubtedly be right at the top. But how do you build a brand that is stronger than that of your competitors? Why is it so important to do so in the first place? How does video content play a part in this? The answers to questions like these require you to keep a few key things in mind.

What is Video Marketing?

At its core, video marketing is a type of integrated marketing strategy that is used to promote a business, its products, and its services. Essentially, it is the natural evolution of the traditional advertisements that many of us grew up with in places like newspapers. With video marketing, you can engage your audience in a more compelling and interactive way, making it a powerful tool for building brand awareness and driving conversions.

One of the things that makes video marketing so great is that it isn't just an ideal opportunity to establish a connection with potential new customers. It can also be a perfect way to reaffirm your relationships with your existing ones, too. Video marketing (and the format in general) is nothing if not versatile, meaning that a properly designed video as a part of a larger strategy can accomplish a number of different things depending on your needs.

This includes but is certainly not limited to goals like:

Building a legitimate rapport with your target audience - one where they start to see your content as more than just an "ad," but rather something that they actively look forward to engaging with.

Promoting both your existing products and services and building up anticipation for new ones that may be on the horizon.

You can create "How To" videos and other types of educational content to help customers get the most value out of the products and services they're purchasing for you.

And more!

All of this goes a long way towards capturing the attention of people in a way they won't soon be able to look away from. Not only does that drive sales, but it also raises brand awareness as well - something that is far more crucial to your long-term success than a lot of people realize.

What is Brand Awareness?

Brand awareness is somewhat of a complicated topic, but the idea at the center of it all is straightforward. Brand awareness is a term used to describe someone's ability to recognize your brand in virtually any context, sometimes by colors or logos alone, through the types of content that you're putting out into the world like video.

If you want to better understand this idea in action, look no farther than one of the most recognizable brands in the world: Apple. At this point, if someone is holding an iPhone, you don't have to ask them what type of phone it is. You know it's an iPhone and who made it from a quick glance. The same is true if you see a MacBook, or if you come across an Apple ad online that only features a stark white background, a new electronics device, and that classic logo.

Apple has spent decades building up brand awareness to great effect and their brand iconography has achieved something of an iconic status as a result.

To even get anywhere close to that status, people must first know that your brand exists in the first place. Keep in mind that this is about more than just educating people as to what you do, or even just a simple "call and response" scenario. It's about conveying the emotions and values that are attached to your business. It's about teaching people what you do and why it should matter so much in their lives. It's a lot of effort, to be sure - but it's also an investment in the foundation of your business that will pay dividends in more ways than one.

Why is Brand Awareness Important?

Obviously, the number one reason why brand awareness is so important has to do with the idea that if you want people to purchase your products and services, they need to know that you're out there to begin with.

Indeed, this is one of the major goals of marketing in general. As more people become familiar with you, more people are therefore likely to check out what you have to offer. At that point, it becomes a simple numbers game. As one number increases, so does the other.

But even going beyond that, brand awareness is also crucial because it has quickly become one of the major competitive advantages that businesses have in the modern era. Consider the fact that:

81% of people say that they need to trust a brand before they'll even consider making a purchase from it.

Achieving this level of branding consistency has the potential to increase revenue by as much as 20% in some situations.

As people begin to become aware of and love your brand, loyalty increases. This has a positive impact on not only word of mouth (meaning you'll naturally start to generate more customers), but also someone's willingness to pay more money for the value they're receiving as well.

From that perspective, building brand awareness becomes a major cornerstone of your efforts to both generate more revenue and separate your business from your competitors at the exact same time.

Why is Video Marketing Important?

Video marketing is important because the format itself is hugely desirable by consumers. In fact, one recent study indicated that 54% of people say that they actively want to see more video content from the brands they enjoy and purchase from.

In a larger sense, professionally produced video content is so important because it's an engaging way to connect with your audience. Having a visual element in the content you create is always paramount, but you also want it to be an active experience. Even a well-worded blog post with images won't have the same impact as a great-looking video, even if both pieces of content are conveying the same information.

The more you're able to engage with your audience, the easier it will be to build trust. That helps to improve metrics like click-through rates and conversions. It even helps boost your SEO (search engine optimization).

How to Build Brand Awareness With Video

Building brand awareness with video is something that you can do in a few different ways. In addition to aesthetically pleasing, traditional online video ads for your products and services, you could also choose to experiment with a concept like influencer endorsements.

This is where you partner with an influencer who is relevant to the people you're trying to reach and have them record a video using your product or service or engaging with your brand in some way. In brief, influencers already have the ear of your new potential clients. Their trusted word becomes a direct reflection of your branded imaging. This way, your brand gets exposed to their audience and hopefully some of their fans become your customers.

Social sharing is also incredibly important, particularly on sites like Facebook and Twitter. You still want to engage with a professional video production team to create high quality content, but these pieces tend to be shorter, so they are easily shared.

Customer testimonials are also a terrific use of the video format. Instead of having someone write about their experience with your brand, they can tell their story themselves. Others can see the look on their face or hear the tone in their voice when they talk about what a meaningful impression you've made, which is what makes this use of video so compelling.

Answering questions or holding informative interviews with experts is also a great use of video marketing within the context of building brand awareness. By offering something of legitimate value (information) without necessarily expecting anything in return, you again help spread the word about your brand in a way that both establishes you as an authority and builds trust as well.

At TV Pro Gear, we fully understand just how important building brand awareness is to the overall success of your organization. It's not about making an impact once - it's about using creativity, talent, and passion to create the type of impression in an audience that people won't soon forget.

We help you do this through the production of high quality, professional video content. We provide access to the resources that you likely don't have access to on your own, like our stage and even our extensive post-production facilities. We also offer Flypacks that are designed to offer everything needed to effectively shoot, broadcast, and even stream live events like sports, conferences, concerts, and more.

All told, we can handle the professional video production - and the building of brand awareness that comes with it - on your behalf so that you can get back to running your organization, precisely the way it should be.

If you're interested in finding out more information about the various ways in which you can use video to increase brand awareness, or if you'd like to discuss our extensive professional video production capabilities in a bit more detail, please don't hesitate to contact TV Pro Gear today .

What is UGC? The Power of User-Generated Content

Tue, 14 Mar 2023 15:56:20 GMT

If it's beginning to feel like you're drowning in a world of content online, you're not imagining things. According to one recent study, in 2022 alone roughly 82% of all global Internet traffic was attributed to video streaming and downloads. Things have gotten to the point where the average Internet user spends about six hours and 48 minutes every week watching videos on their computer or smartphone.

It's no surprise that more content is being created than ever. People have an insatiable urge for it and both brands and the larger professional video production industry have certainly taken notice. But at a certain point, creating all that content yourself can feel like an insurmountable task - a goal that keeps getting harder and harder to complete. One option to go with to help with this is to enlist the help of a team of professionals like those at TV Pro Gear to help. You can also leverage user-generated content (UGC) , but due to its somewhat unpredictable nature it does require you to keep a number of essential things in mind along the way.

Introduction to User-Generated Content (UGC)

At its core, user-generated content is exactly what it sounds like - original, branded content that is created not by a business, but by its own users and customers.

It can come in many different forms depending on the goal of the content creator. Sometimes a brand might host a contest to encourage users to send in videos of them using a specific product in unique and creative ways. We see user-generated content a lot in the world of podcasts, where fans will take it upon themselves to host a weekly show dissecting the latest episode of their favorite program. User-generated content can come by way of images, reviews, product testimonials, and especially videos. They are often shared on social media channels like Facebook and Twitter, and on other outlets like official websites as well.

Thanks to the fact that most people now carry smartphones with powerful cameras around with them all day long, user-generated content is everywhere. Millennials - meaning those over the age of 25 - tend to make up the biggest segment, having generated over 70% of all UGC to date. Things have gotten to the point where it is estimated that 25% of all search results for some of the biggest brands on the planet now link to user-generated content of some kind.

The Power of UGC in Marketing and Advertising

Naturally, this has had a major impact on marketing and advertising in particular. It all stems from the fact that 90% of consumers all say that "authenticity" is one of the most important qualities that they look for when choosing a brand to support. Even though this is already a high number, it's even more impressive when you consider that it is up from 86% just a few years prior in 2017.

Another recent study indicated that 93% of all professional marketers agree that consumers tend to trust user-generated content - meaning videos that are being created by "real" people - more than first-party content created by brands. This, coupled with the fact that 79% of people say that user-generated content "highly impacts" their purchasing decisions, all feed back into this same larger idea.

In a lot of ways, think about user-generated content as the modern day version of the classic "word of mouth" in marketing and advertising. People have long-lost their patience for traditional advertising in the strictest sense of the term, to the point where most people ignore the paid ads on search engines like Google entirely. They've even begun wary of a cold, impersonal experience on various social media channels when dealing directly with brands, too.

But people will always trust other people , which is why user-generated content is having such a big impact on the marketing and advertising industries. Millennials in particular say that they trust UGC 50% more than other types of content. This also helps to explain why even ads that feature user-generated content tend to get click-through rates that is four times higher than traditional ads, all while seeing a 50% reduction in the cost-per-click as well.

If a brand is to be successful, it must create a legitimate relationship with its target audience built on trust. User-generated content goes a long way towards accomplishing precisely that, albeit in a slightly indirect way for obvious reasons.

Challenges and Limitations of UGC

Of course, that's not to say that there aren't challenges and various limitations associated with user-generated content, because there are. This is a big part of the reason why content created by brands directly will never truly go away. It gives new meaning to the phrase "never put all of your eggs in one basket."

One major challenge of UGC has to do with the general unpredictable nature of Internet users in general. For the sake of example, let's say that you launch one campaign where users send in their own videos using your product or embracing your service for an opportunity to win a prize. It's a great success and helps generate higher engagement and huge numbers of new customers.

Then, you try it again... and you don't get anywhere near the type of traction you did the first time. Maybe there was another, similar campaign that was running at the same time that took away all the attention from you. Maybe there was some major world event, causing your online activities to get lost in the news cycle. Perhaps people just weren't interested in whatever prize they were competing for a chance to win.

Regardless, if you'd just assumed that the initial success was easily repeatable, you'd find yourself scrambling to quickly come up with some other avenue to generate the quarterly results that you were after. Remember that UGC does take a lot of effort to create - it's just that the entire burden is being placed on the users, not the business. Sometimes, they just won't be motivated to participate in the numbers you'd hoped and there isn't much you can do to change that.

Along the same lines, a poorly executed user-generated campaign could potentially do more harm than good. If you encourage people to create videos using and interacting with a product that they don't end up actually liking (or worse, outright hate), the negative word-of-mouth will quickly grow beyond your control. The same is true if you encourage people to leave video reviews and your product doesn't work as intended. Not only could it hurt the sales of that particular product, but it may also harm your business' overall conversions as well. This is why you need to think through UGC campaigns in every bit as much detail as you would anything else.

Finally, don't forget that you ultimately can't control what types of content the users are generating once the process has begun in earnest. One example of this is people creating videos with complaints or leaving reviews about issues that are entirely unrelated to the product itself. Perhaps it was a simple issue with people using the product incorrectly or not understanding the directions. Maybe they were shipped the wrong product through no fault of the manufacturer. Either way, that content is now out there on the Internet for anyone to see, and it could become permanently associated with a business.

Likewise, while this is rare, sometimes user-generated content can be created by people with views or values that are very different from that which you are trying to project with your brand. At best that content would then be seen as untrustworthy and at worst it could potentially be outright offensive to many - either way, that stigma is now associated with your business.

Real-Life Examples of UGC Success

One great example of a successful UGC campaign took the form of Pringles' popular "Personalized Music Videos" campaign . After interacting with Pringles' branded chatbot on Facebook Messenger, fans would then download a dedicated app and create music video content that featured various Pringles products. It was an opportunity for people to express their love of Pringles through creativity and music.

The grand prize for the best video that was eventually selected was a trip to the famous Ibiza Rocks festival.

Another example of what UGC can help you accomplish comes by way of Apple's "Shot on iPhone" campaign . Every year, Apple releases a new wildly popular series of iPhones to the market. For the last several years, the breakout feature has been the camera. It has advanced to the point where Apple has begun to claim that it now offers the same quality that a professional-grade camera can in terms of both still photography and video production, and they launched a successful UGC campaign in order to prove it.

It's a campaign that has been taking place every year since 2014. The 10 winning user-generated entries, all of which were shot on that year's latest iPhone release, get celebrated in a gallery on Apple Newsroom, get featured on the Apple homepage, and get shared by official Apple accounts on social media. Sometimes they even appear in various other digital campaigns, on billboards, and at Apple Store locations across the country.

It's an admittedly simple idea that never fails to get the word out about how much Apple's iPhone camera is improving year-over-year. When your camera has gotten so good that parts of Hollywood feature films like "The Avengers" are being shot on it , it's naturally to want to spread that message to as many potential buyers as possible.

The Future of UGC and its Impact on the Professional Video Production Industry

In the end, UGC certainly has its place - particularly in terms of marketing and advertising. Having said that, it isn't necessarily a replacement for hiring a professional video production company for most brands. This is especially true for many of the reasons outlined above.

UGC removes control of the narrative that a brand may be trying to convey. Once that UGC is out into the world, it's easy for it to take on a life of its own. Likewise, while these types of videos can sometimes go viral, they will almost always lack the quality and professionalism that an experienced team of professionals can offer. They will also typically be created with consumer-grade equipment as opposed to high-end gear .

At TV Pro Gear, we have the talent, the creativity, and the expertise needed to bring your video content to life. In addition to traditional content, we also have experience with live event shooting and streaming as well . Not only that, but we also offer access to resources that most brands otherwise wouldn't have - with our stage and post-production facilities being two prime examples.

We also offer TV Pro Gear Flypacks that are designed to make sure you have everything you need to shoot, broadcast, and stream events like sports, conferences, concerts, and everything in between.

If you'd like to find out more information about the awesome power of user-generated content and the major positive impact that it can have on your business, or if you'd just like to talk about your video production needs with an expert in a bit more detail, please don't hesitate to contact the team at TV Pro Gear today .

TV Set Design – Physical and Virtual Set Design

Mon, 13 Feb 2023 21:50:05 GMT

At TV Pro Gear, we understand that there is no "one size fits all" approach to television production . Sometimes, a modest physical set will be more than enough to bring your vision to life . In other situations, what you can't create in reality must then be built virtually. That's why TV set design is so essential. It's intricate in a wide range of different ways, all of which are more than worth exploring.

Physical TV Sets - Pros & Cons

Physical TV sets are great because they are, in a word, "real." There's a legitimate physical element to them that you can feel as a viewer that adds authenticity to the entire presentation.

The obvious disadvantage of that is that physical sets must be built. That costs money in terms of materials , resources, employee effort, and time.

Virtual TV Sets - Pros & Cons

Virtual TV sets have emerged in recent years as a viable alternative to physical ones. Think of a green screen as the primary example of this. Actors stand in front of a green screen and the background of the shot can be replaced with virtually anything you want, putting them in nearly any location. These days, many companies have started using massive LED walls for largely the same effect. They have incredibly high resolutions and are more "immersive," allowing actors to blend more naturally into the background.

At TV Pro Gear, we use a technology called Unreal Engine and a keying software called Ultimatte 12 (Black Magic Design) to help make virtual TV sets that look and feel like the set itself is really there.

The major advantage of this is that it is far less expensive than building a physical set. It also expands the possibilities of what you're able to accomplish with the resources you have. If you were trying to make a science fiction movie and could only use physical sets, your lack of resources might hurt the viewer's experience in terms of believability. If you had a virtual set, however, there's no limit to what you could design - anything you can create in a computer can be recreated in reality.

Hybrid TV Sets - Pros & Cons

Obviously, hybrid TV sets offer a sort of "best of both worlds" scenario. You get the authenticity of having physical sets for actors and actresses to interact with, while also getting the potentially limitless possibilities that can only be created virtually.

The disadvantage to this approach is that it is likely the most expensive - especially for organizations like educational institutions, legislative bodies, churches, and others of that nature. But in terms of the quality of the finished product, it still has a significant amount to offer.

At TV Pro Gear, we have the skills and the talent to handle all of your set design needs - both virtual and physical in nature. Regardless of what your vision is, we have the equipment and the resources necessary to make it a reality - precisely the way it should be.

If you'd like to find out more information about the intricacies of TV set design, or if you have a project coming up that you'd like to talk to someone about in a bit more detail, please don't hesitate to contact TV Pro Gear today.

Visual Storytelling: How To Tell a Story Through Video

Wed, 25 Jan 2023 20:34:11 GMT

Video can be a huge asset when it comes to visual storytelling as it can help encapsulate and provide a visual aid to those minor, yet essential details within a story.

Whether your story portrays a narrative feature film, documentary, commercial or something completely out of the ordinary, at the heart of it all is a strong story that can be used to make deeper and more meaningful connections with people.

Videos can bring stories to life in a way that simple words on a page cannot. If you're a filmmaker, video editor, or someone else who works with the medium on a daily basis, it's imperative to learn how to tell a story through video. Doing so can not just captivate your audience , but it can also leave the type of lasting impression that most people won't soon forget.

Develop a Clear Narrative and Structure For Your Story

You may have noticed a trend in the videos you watch. Characters tend to be very consistent in their look and personality. Not only does it help with visual storytelling, but it also helps us connect to the character’s persona. When developing your characters, think about what their voice sounds like, how they walk, how they talk, how their friends would describe them, their emotional responses…who they are.

It’s important to know your characters inside and out before you begin filming so that you can incorporate these characteristics into your video story. Taking the time to fully develop your characters can make an impact on how your audience connects with them and the story.

Although character development may not be the focal point of advertisements and commercials, we have seen companies use a main protagonist time and time again to feature alongside their brand name or product. Developing the main characters helps their audience leave that lasting impression they set out to achieve.

The Role of Visuals in Conveying Emotion

Another essential practice of visual storytelling is leaning into the role that visuals play, particularly when it comes to conveying emotion.

Once you master properly executing conveying emotions, the greater the chances your audience will respond to your call to action or film. Some techniques you can use to express emotions are framing, lighting and color .

You can definitely evoke emotions through dialogue and character expression, but you can take it one step further by properly framing your scenes. You can use a close up static shot of a character’s face or a panning shot to give the audience a larger perspective of what’s going on. The use of low angles to suggest the character in frame is of importance or some superiority, high angles showcasing inferiority, point of views to show what the character is experiencing, dutch angles to give a sense that something is off are all great ways to enhance your story.

Lighting and color can also reinforce the emotions you’re trying to convey. Choosing between low or high contrast lighting or the various lighting angles can provide different emotional expressions.

Along with using the various lighting techniques, you can also use different hues to set the tone of the scene. This can be represented through objects or clothing within the frame and through color grading the entire video with warmer or colder hues. Some examples of color and the emotions they represent are:

Red - passion, love, lust, rage, anger
Blue - sadness, peace, security
Purple - tranquility, mystery, wealth, fantasy
Green - nature, healing, health, envy, immaturity, corruption, and disgust

How To Use Sound, Music, and Dialogue To Drive Engagement

Although you can tell a compelling story with visuals alone, sound, music and dialogue can be great assets to your production .

Think back to the last great action scene that you saw in a Hollywood movie that you loved. That epic orchestral soundtrack. The sound effects that make you feel like you're in the scene along with the main character. The overall mood set by the cinematic shots. That great dialogue that really helps you understand the characters and what their motivations are.

When taken together, it's easy to see how all of these elements blend into something much more powerful than any one of them could be on their own. It's a much more engaging, gripping experience. They're also things that the video medium can do collectively that virtually no other medium can match.

The Importance of Editing For A Compelling Product

When it comes to movies in particular, they say that everything is essentially "written" three times. Once on the page, in the form of a screenplay. Then again during the filming process where things naturally evolve and change. Then a final time in the editing room, where all of those aforementioned elements are finally brought together to form a cohesive, compelling whole.

For every scene that you edit, return to the "why" of it all. What emotions were you trying to convey? What was the original intention? What information do people need to know? If a scene isn't working, maybe it's because certain story beats are taking too long. In that case, faster cutting can help speed up the pace. Or, a moment speeds by too quickly and an audience doesn't have enough time to properly digest what they've just learned. In that case, utilizing longer shots and takes can help slow things down in a way that is beneficial to the original intention.

Especially in the world of video marketing, editing is crucial to preserve the original intention of the piece. It helps make sure that the finished product is as close to what your original vision was as possible.

Tips For Incorporating Immersive Elements

One of the biggest tips for incorporating immersive elements involves your willingness to think outside the box. People won't pay attention to a commercial that looks like every other ad they've ever seen. It's likely that they'll quickly forget it altogether. But if you present things in a way that people have never seen before - incorporating elements like interesting music, unique graphics, storyline and more - suddenly they're much more likely to hear what you have to say.

Interactivity is another strength of the video format, especially on the Internet. The classic example of this is a streaming live Q&A session - one where questions can be taken not only by people in the room, but by the audience watching at home. Suddenly, all participants are on an active playing field and everyone is engaged across the board.

In terms of video marketing, you also always want to include a call-to-action (CTA) at the end informing someone as to what step they should take next. Whether it's visiting your website, picking up the phone and giving you a call, or coming into your physical location doesn't matter - it keeps the relationship going long after the video itself has ended.

At TV Pro Gear, we're experts in visual storytelling and know how to harness the power of the video to your advantage. In addition to being storytellers ourselves, we can also help with all aspects of production - from creating a budget to principal photography to editing and beyond.

We have all of the equipment and production elements needed for all your live video production, film production and post production needs. Talk to us today about touring our brand new soundstage and post production facility… 1632 Stage + Post , where the only limits are your imagination!

If you'd like to find out more information about how to tell a story through video, or if you'd like to discuss your video production needs with someone in more detail, contact the team at TV Pro Gear today .

What Is Video Production: The Three Stages

Mon, 09 Jan 2023 22:44:44 GMT

When it comes to video production for your film, commercial, concert , sporting event, corporate video or similar type of content, one of the most critical things to understand is that there are a number of different elements at play. Success doesn't just come down to the equipment that you have, the crew that is helping you, or the combined experience of those individuals that are available - it's a combination of all of these things that will help bring your commercial, or corporate video, or other types of visual-based collateral to life.

Pre-Production

Pre-production, as the name suggests, is the part of the process where you and your team members carefully plan out everything that will happen with the actual film, television, or live event shoot moving forward.

Typically, this begins with a script. Based on what the script requires in terms of locations, actors, props, and other materials, you can create a budget and begin to procure those things to make sure that they're ready for the actual production stage .

Obviously, in the case of something like a live event , there will be no "script" in the strictest sense of the term. But pre-production is still necessary to try to plan out the event as much as possible, all so that you know exactly what you need to cover it accurately and capture it for all-time on film or digital video.

There is also something called the “run of show” that lays out when the hosts will talk, along with other factors like when the next act comes on, and more.

There will be no “script,” but there can be a short list and materials that lay out exactly when hosts will be speaking or when certain moments will happen. This is why pre-production is crucial to answering any questions and troubleshooting any potential issues.

This is also the part of the process where crew members will be hired. All of those cameras, lights, and other types of equipment certainly aren't going to operate themselves. They need trained people to utilize them to your full advantage. During pre-production on something like a live event you'll consider how many cameras you need, how many operators are required, and which other crew members should be on-hand to make sure that things go off without a hitch.

Advice for the Planning Stage

By far, one of the biggest elements that can help guarantee success in the planning stage of any production comes down to communication.

Every crew member in every department (lighting, sound, etc.) needs to be fully aware of exactly what is expected to take place. They need to understand the job that they're being asked to do - not just as an individual, but also in terms of how that contributes to the larger whole. People who are hired will specialize in the job they are hired for. They will know what they are doing and what they are expected to do. They can be informed on the particular show, but generally they will know their job because that’s what they are being hired for.

Therefore, pre-production is the part of the filmmaking process where questions are answered and problems are solved. You try to anticipate as best you can what issues might arise on the day of the actual shoot, all so that you can have a potential solution available before you actually need to use it. You make sure that everyone understands exactly what tasks they need to perform.

This is also part of the process where technical considerations will be made. A big example of that would involve a production that is intended for online streaming. Especially if the event in question is to be captured and broadcast live, there must be resources in place that will function perfectly throughout the day. You need cameras that will feed audio and video into a mixing board, which will condense everything into a single signal that is then ready to broadcast live onto the Internet. Having an engineer on-site is also important to make sure that everything is running smoothly, which we make a priority of at TV Pro Gear. Having an engineer on-site is actually a requirement for TV Pro Gear.

All of this is important to tackle now, especially when it comes to getting a better understanding of the overall budget of your production. Remember that absolutely every element - both onscreen and off - has a dollar value attached to it. If you are shooting a narrative scene with two actors in a room with a table and chairs, you need to A) find the appropriate room that meets the intention of the script, B) hire two actors, and C) secure the table, chairs, and other necessary props. All of that costs money, in addition to the money you'll be paying for equipment rentals, crew salaries, etc.

Therefore, you need to go over everything now so that you can get an accurate idea of exactly what needs to be spent in order to bring your vision to life.

There's an old saying that reminds us how "a chain is only as strong as its weakest link." Pre-production is the phase of video production where you reaffirm that each link in the chain is as strong as it can possibly be.

Production

Production is the term used to describe the actual "shooting" part of any film or television shoot. If you're trying to bring a feature film to life, this is when you go through and shoot things scene by scene. If you're concerned about live event shooting, this is when the actual event takes place - the one that you're trying to capture in a way that captivates your potential audience members.

The mechanics of this phase of the process will obviously vary depending on which type of production you're talking about. When it comes to a live event shoot, presumably you're talking about something that will only happen once. Someone will give a speech in public, a band will play an entire set from start to finish, etc. A significant part of what you are attempting to capture is the spontaneity of something that is happening live, therefore you need to make sure that all the resources are in place to help you do precisely that.

Advice for Production

One of the most important things to keep in mind during the production phase of any project is that "Murphy's Law" can and often does apply. That is to say, "whatever can go wrong, will go wrong" - so you need to make sure that you have backup plans in place to avoid any unnecessary delays or compromises of your vision.

In terms of live event production, you may have decided during pre-production that you need five cameras to accurately capture the action - and on the day, one of them is suddenly unavailable. How are you going to adapt and make sure that you still get the footage you need? You should also have an extra camera or two for backup purposes, which is a best practice that TV Pro Gear always follows.

Or, if you're filming a commercial or short film, you may have had your heart set on one particular prop or location that is suddenly no longer accessible. How are you going to make adjustments while still keeping everything in line with what your original intentions were?

These are the types of questions that you need to be prepared to answer. A big part of any successful film production does come down to someone's ability to solve problems, after all.

Beyond that, the actual production phase of any shoot should go relatively smoothly. If you've already put in the necessary preparation - meaning that you've budgeted, you've set your schedule, you have the right people in key positions, and you have all (or most) of the necessary equipment available, you shouldn't run into too many issues. This is all a significant part of the reason why pre-production is so important - it helps to proactively ward off any problems so that when you get to production, you're ready for absolutely anything that happens both in front of and behind the camera.

Post-Production

Post-production is the part of the process where everything coalesces into a finished product. The exception to this is live event filming, as the "event" itself has already happened. If you're streaming something live over the Internet, you don't have much to do in the way of editing, for example. The event has already happened and that footage is already out there. Pre-production was the phase where you made sure you had everything you needed to offer a streaming feed that accurately represented everything that was happening in the moment.

Even though a live event has already happened, there is still editing involved live as a director or technical director switches from one camera to another. Likewise, sometimes an event is filmed live but is not broadcast live. That footage will need to be cleaned up, color corrected, etc. Last year, TV Pro Gear filmed Nora Jones on top of the Empire State Building live but that footage was color corrected before it was released.

When it comes to something like a commercial shoot, a short film, a narrative feature, or something of similar nature, this is the phase where a lot of the "heavy lifting" is performed. All of that footage that you captured needs to be assembled into something that again accurately reflects your original vision. If you shoot multiple takes of a single scene, you'll need to watch each one to decide which is best and which will have the biggest impact with your audience. If audio wasn't captured exactly as you'd hoped, you'll need to bring actors back for ADR (additional dialog recording).

Things like color correction also happen during post-production - you want to make sure that all shots within a single scene look consistent in terms of color depth and temperature.

For anything other than an event that has been live streamed over the Internet, post-production is also the phase where you'll decide what format the finished product will take. Once all the footage is assembled and has been edited to your liking, you will decide what types of digital files are necessary, whether your content will be making its debut on physical media, etc. All of this needs to be carefully considered so that your target audience can view your content in precisely the way that you originally intended. Some of these decisions need to be made ahead of time, like what format you’re shooting in, so that you know what needs to happen in camera before shooting.

Advice For Post-Production

There's an industry saying that reaffirms the idea that films are essentially written three times - once as a script, once during production, and again during post-production. That is to say, with a bit of effort and creativity, you can help your finished product really "come alive" during post-production. Even if you had to make certain compromises while shooting, it's still critical for you to keep this in mind. Post-production isn't merely a technical phase - it's absolutely as creatively-driven as the other two.

All of this ultimately underlines the importance of hiring the right production company partner to handle the three stages of video production and absolutely every element in between. There are a lot of different factors that must be considered to guarantee a successful shoot - which means that there is unfortunately a lot that can go wrong. Equipment must be rented. Crew members who are ideal for their intended positions need to be hired. Locations and/or studio space needs to be secured. The list goes on and on.

Rather than spending so much time worrying about the logistical elements of the shoot, you instead always have the option of hiring a team of professionals to take up that burden on your behalf.

In the end, everything outlined above is why the answer to the question "what is video production?" is admittedly complicated. There are various stages necessary to see a concept through from the initial idea phase to a polished, finished product. But they're all invaluable for various reasons and once you understand that, you'll begin to see why video production is so essential in the first place.

At TV Pro Gear, we offer a wide range of video production services that are designed to meet your needs. Regardless of what your production budget is or what your goals happen to be, we have the capabilities to meet your needs and exceed your expectations - precisely the way it should be. We also offer access to various Flypacks that come complete with all the resources you need to pull off a high quality production of your own, all while offering the insight and expertise you need to bring your vision into reality in the most cost-effective way possible.

If you'd like to find out more information about the various stages of video production and how they can help your business, or if you'd just like to discuss your own situation with someone in a bit more specificity, please don't delay - contact us today.

Cellular Bonding in Video Production: What It Is and Why It Matters

Tue, 29 Nov 2022 22:04:41 GMT

When you're talking about something as inherently fluid as a live video shoot, it's important not to leave anything to chance. Chief among these factors is your Internet connectivity, which is how your event will ultimately be broadcast to the world. To that end, one of the most important types of tech used at this level of production is called cellular bonding - something that brings with it a wide range of different benefits, all of which are worth exploring.

What is Cellular Bonding?

Cellular bonding is a specific type of technology that is used to take the various 3G, 4G, and LTE mobile networks in existence and combine them into a unified Internet connection. All told, it's a way to make sure that a production team has the solid, reliable, consistent Internet connection they need to avoid delays in terms of streaming and other matters.

Why is Cellular Bonding Used for Live Streaming?

Cellular bonding is used for live streaming mainly to increase the reliability of your ability to broadcast. Especially when you're talking about larger productions, there is a wide range of different audio and video feeds that need to be accounted for. In addition to shooting from remote locations, there will also be live shot scenarios that change rapidly, particularly in a situation like a news broadcast. Cellular bonding helps make it possible for production teams to bring all of that information together and send it out into the world, all while acting as a more cost-effective alternative to an expensive production truck.

How is Cellular Bonding Used in Live Video Production

As stated, cellular bonding is used to bring these various mobile connectivity sources together, allowing them to act as something stronger and more reliable as a whole than any one of them could on their own. With cellular bonding, it is possible to stream from remote locations - including multiple at the same time - without worrying about interruptions that could cause a disturbance in the feed that people are watching at home.

At TV Pro Gear, we understand how important it is to make sure that your next live shoot goes off without an issue - which is why we offer a wide range of video production services for you to choose from depending on your needs. Our team has experience in not only sports production but also concerts, eSports, conferences, red-carpet events, and more - all of which we can leverage to your advantage.

Additionally, we also offer Custom Video Flypacks that are designed with exactly this type of live shooting and streaming in mind. Packages range from a 1-Wide Flypack to a 3-Wide Option, all of which can be fully customized to make sure that your event looks and sounds exactly as it should.

If you'd like to find out more information about cellular bonding and how it matters in terms of live streaming, or if you'd just like to discuss your next big shoot with someone in more detail, please don't hesitate to contact TV Pro Gear today.

Stage Lighting Basics | Tips For Live Event Lighting

Tue, 29 Nov 2022 21:00:47 GMT

When it comes to lighting, one of the critical things to keep in mind is that not all environments are created equally. Case in point: stage lighting. If you're trying to properly light a live event so that the performance itself is the star and that no element of the production is distracting, there are a number of important things you'll need to keep in mind.

Best Lighting Fixtures for Live Events Production

An efficient type of lighting fixture for live event production is called a clamp light. They're inexpensive, but their major benefit is that they are versatile - they can be easily mounted in a number of ways so that you can quickly change setups without limiting the event itself.

Other options include an Ellipsoidal, which is typically used as a front light to focus either a sharp or soft beam on the subject depending on your preferences. Fresnels are also common, which are great for bringing up the overall lightness in an environment so that you can fill in shadows in a way that isn't distracting.

Band Stage Lighting Techniques

One of the most important things to keep in mind when it comes to band stage lighting involves the fact that the event you're capturing is ultimately spontaneous in nature. This means that lighting needs to be as equally distributed as possible. If a musician wants to walk from one end of the stage to the other, you can't afford to have them in and out of the light source as they do.

As a rule of thumb, it's a good idea to have at least one light source devoted to each band member or other person on stage, with another two light sources on the left and right of the stage to create the fullest effect for the duration of the event.

What is Three-Point Lighting?

A three-point lighting system, as the term suggests, is one that uses lights in three distinct positions in order to adequately light a subject. The key light is the primary light source, the fill light is used to eliminate any shadows, and the backlight creates a rim of light around the subject. This helps create as much depth as possible in the image.

At TV Pro Gear, we have the crew, the equipment, and the experience necessary to make sure that your next live production goes off without a hitch. In addition to live event lighting, we also offer a wide range of different video production services for you to choose from depending on your needs. In addition to our Custom Video Flypacks , we also offer sound stage rental solutions and more.

If you'd like to find out more information about all the best tips that you can use to make sure that your event lighting looks exactly the way you want it, or if you just want to go over your own needs with someone in a bit more specificity, please don't delay - contact the team at TV Pro Gear today.

Audio Visual Concert Equipment for Live Performances

Mon, 28 Nov 2022 22:13:49 GMT

Truly, there is something special about the magic and spontaneity of live performances. Whether you're talking about a concert, or some similar type of show, there's nothing quite like getting together with countless people and feeding off of everyone's energy in the same place at the same time.

When it comes to recording those live performances, there are a number of critical things you'll want to keep in mind to make sure that everything is as successful as it can be. Chief among these is your audio and visual equipment list. You can't stop the show to swap out a microphone or get a new camera into position, so you need to make sure that everything is ready ahead of time for the absolute best results.

Camera Options

Obviously, one of the most important types of equipment that you'll be dealing with during the recording of live performances comes down to your cameras - of which there are a few options available.

First, keep in mind that you'll need multiple cameras to make sure that everything is accurately captured. One camera will likely remain fixed in a wide position so that you can see the entire stage. At least one other camera (but ideally more) will then move between various points of the stage during the performance. You can then cut between these multiple angles to make sure that nobody misses a minute of the action.

One great option to that end is the JVC KY100 . It offers high video quality at a low budget and is perfect for streaming live events in particular. Another option available to you is the JVC-HM250U - it's inherently portable and is great for getting those tight, high quality shots, even if action is taking place on stage that you can't necessarily predict or have full control over at the moment.

Switchers

When it comes to capturing a live performance in particular, one piece of equipment you don't want to be without is a switcher.

An AV switcher takes audio and video from multiple inputs and sends them all to a single output. If you were recording a band, for example, every member would likely have a microphone during the performance. You'd have multiple cameras covering the action from various angles. All of that information is then fed into the switcher, bringing it all together as a single piece of content that people can then watch and enjoy.

Mixing Boards & Microphones

Another key type of equipment that you'll need for your live performance comes by way of a mixing board. This lets you set sound levels to precisely where they need to be to accurately capture what is going on with the performance itself.

Mixing boards will have features like equalization (EQ) and tone adjustments to help make sure that no matter what is happening, the sound is top-notch.

Along the same lies you'll also need various microphones to help record and transmit the audio to the audience in question. Some of the most popular types of microphone options available for live performances include but are not limited to ones like dynamic microphones, condenser microphones, drum microphones, and wireless microphones.

How To Deliver an Excellent Live Performance

One key to delivering an excellent live performance involves the understanding that you're not trying to control the performance - you're trying to capture it exactly as it plays out. What you want to do is recreate the experience that people would have if they were right there in the room with you. Once you get all of your equipment setup, you need to step back and let the events unfold. Consider yourself more of a documentarian to that end.

Finally, one of the most important ways to deliver an excellent live performance involves making sure that you've broken down all production costs ahead of time so that you can develop a budget to account for all variables during the proceedings.

Even going beyond the costs to put together the event itself, you need a dedicated budget for the whole affair. That means taking into consideration costs associated with what is going on in front of the camera and, most critically, what is going on behind it.

Everything from locations to props to performers to necessary stage equipment would be in the former category, while the aforementioned equipment like mixing boards, microphones, cameras and more would be in the latter. Those cameras, for example, won't just cost money to rent - you also need to pay crew members to operate them. The same is true for sound recording equipment and lighting equipment, among other factors.

The key is to arm yourself with as much actionable information as possible going into the event so that there is less to worry about on the big day. If you've thought everything through, you know what you need to capture the shots you want with few potential obstacles to overcome. At that point, you'll be able to focus less on the mechanics of the production itself and can let an incredible live event unfold right before your eyes (and the eyes of viewers everywhere), which is exactly how it should be.

In the end delivering an excellent live performance isn't nearly as complicated as some fear it might be - provided that you have the right equipment at your side. To that end, Custom Video Flypacks from TV Pro Gear have you covered.

Our Custom Video Flypacks are designed for both live event shooting and streaming - from sporting events to concerts to conferences and more. They include cameras, tripods, switchers, recorders, amplifiers, battery backups and everything else you need to make sure that your next live event performance goes off without a hitch.

If you'd like to find out more information about the audio and visual equipment you'll need for your next live performance or concert, or if you'd just like to talk to someone about the specifics of your own situation in a bit more detail, please don't hesitate to contact TV Pro Gear today .

How To Stream City Council Meeting: A Complete Guide

Tue, 25 Oct 2022 15:30:20 GMT

One of the key things to understand about live-streaming is that no two events are created equally. Everything needs to be accounted for in its own way, from the number of people in attendance to the venue to the actual goal of the event itself and more. Fully capturing a city council meeting and presenting it so that people can feel like they're actually in the room is certainly no exception. It's especially important these days as more people want to be involved in their local community activities than ever.

There's also a matter of legality. In many areas it's a local, state, or even federal mandate to have these meetings captured. On the plus side, you can also have it live on your municipality's website as well.

Therefore, if you want to successfully live stream council meeting events in your area, there are a few key things to keep in mind.

Why are City Council Meetings Streamed Live?

Generally speaking, city council meetings are streamed live for a myriad of different reasons, including the aforementioned legality of it all. The people who live in an area have a right to know what the people who are supposed to be representing them are doing and what decisions are being made. Beyond that, many of them have to do with the essential goal of involving as many people in the community as you can when making decisions that impact everyone.

In most situations, a city council meeting will take place on a specific date in a predetermined place that is open to the public. In the vast majority of situations, the location will be the city council chambers (unless such a place doesn't actually exist). It will also be on a regular schedule communicated well in advance - like every Tuesday or every other week, for example.

But just because someone can't make it doesn't mean that they can't remain informed. Examples include people who may be out of town when the meeting is taking place, or elderly people who may not have reliable transportation. Live-streaming is a great way to include these people while the meeting is still going on, rather than informing them after the fact as to what has occurred.

Not only that, but the COVID-19 pandemic showed the importance of virtual events of all types - city council meetings included. There was a period at the height of the pandemic when a very limited number of people were allowed to be in one room in a public place at a time. That would have limited the maximum capacity of such meetings, if they were allowed to take place at all. With a live-streamed city council meeting, everyone could still participate without exposing themselves to a potentially dangerous situation.

Equipment for City Council Live Streams

When it comes to putting together a successful live stream of a city council meeting, there are a few key types of equipment you'll want to have access to.

Obviously, quality PTZ cameras are essential. No, a city council meeting isn't necessarily known for fast-paced activity like you would find at a sporting event, but video quality is still very important. People watching at home, especially those on slower Internet connections, need to be able to clearly see who is speaking, and they must be able to take in any visual materials like charts or graphs that are displayed. At a bare minimum, a 1080p HD resolution camera is necessary, even if the quality of the stream ends up getting downgraded on the viewer's end.

Equally important is the type of equipment that you'll be using to record sound. You'll want to have one microphone for each city council member who will be present, especially if there will be back-and-forth discussions involved. City council members will already have microphones setup even if they're just designed for community members, yes - but if you can use mics that will wirelessly feed audio back to your own recording equipment (or tap into the audio feed from the mics that are already present), you'll get far better audio as a result.

Most city council chambers are equipped with gooseneck microphones. TV Pro Gear performs these installations and has done so for many cities in California. We help many municipalities create the infrastructure necessary to record these meetings, including cabling installation and everything needed to send recordings to cable stations, too.

Note that especially if you're shooting on a mobile device like an iPhone or iPad, you want to make sure that you have external audio equipment to record everything properly. The onboard microphones alone will not get the job done.

All of this audio and video information will feed into a mixing board which, when configured properly, makes sure it all goes out over the Internet exactly as intended.

After that, you'll want to make sure that lighting equipment is taken care of. Typically, this is done when the city council chambers are designed.

City Council Live Stream Options

Next, you'll want to choose your streaming service of choice to actually get the city council meeting footage out into the world.

There are many ways you can do this depending on your preferences. Services like YouTube and even Twitch allow you to stream live. You could also stream live on Facebook or even Instagram (or both at the same time) to leverage social media. Some platforms also allow you to embed the video feed directly on the city's website for the convenience of everyone. Try to find a solution you're comfortable with where people at home can watch on their computers or mobile devices without needing to download anything extra on their end.

Keep in mind that this video feed will also have to go out to cable companies in the area so that people watching on television can see it, too.

Regardless, once all of your equipment is set up in the room, make sure that your software is configured properly before you proceed. The goal is to have the best live stream that you can without needing to stop the meeting due to interruption.

Video System Installation with TV Pro Gear

At TV Pro Gear, we offer a wide range of video system installation solutions for you to choose from depending on your needs. We've worked with everyone from small businesses to local municipalities to television stations and more, all to make sure that they have access to the equipment and the expertise they need to mount the production they have in mind. TV Pro Gear won't just handle the production of live-streaming for city council meetings - we also handle the installation of all necessary equipment and assets, too.

If you'd like to find out more information about how you can effectively stream a city council meeting in your area, or if you're just eager to talk to a professional in more detail so that you can get started, please don't delay - contact TV Pro Gear today.

How to Create a Video Production Budget

Wed, 19 Oct 2022 19:37:53 GMT

One of the most important elements associated with any film or video production comes down to its budget.

A budget is more than just a series of line items on a balance sheet. It's essentially a breakdown of the work that is going to be done and how a team of people are supposed to realistically pay for it. That's why getting a proper budget in place before production begins is paramount. Getting to that point isn't necessarily difficult, but it does depend on you keeping a few critical things in mind.

Why is Video Quality So Important?

Whether you're talking about a commercial, a narrative film or television show, a live event or something else entirely - what you're really talking about is a visual medium.

Film and television depend on two main elements to create the desired response in people - the way something looks and the way something sounds. If video quality is inherently lacking, a finished product will start to look amateurish in a way that is off-putting to most people. That isn't how you effectively sell something in a commercial, and it certainly isn't how you create the emotional response people are looking for when it comes to a narrative.

A lot of (proverbial) blood, sweat and tears go into any production and the finished product should always be taken seriously. Lower quality video prevents that from happening, blurring the line between "professional production" and "amateur video shot on a consumer-grade camera or smartphone" in a way that you can't afford to deal with.

Not only that, but the reverse is also true. The better something looks, the more people will respond to it positively. They will assume a project is more "professional" or had a bigger budget than it truly did, allowing you to maximize your return on investment as much as possible.

These days, it's possible to capture incredible video quality in stunning detail with relatively inexpensive cameras - if you know how to operate them, that is.

A Breakdown of Video Production Costs

When it comes to video production , everything has a cost. These expenses are commonly separated into two different categories: everything unfolding in front of the camera and everything necessary behind the camera.

In terms of what is taking place in front of the camera, understand that absolutely everything you see and hear has a dollar value attached to it. If a scene in the script says something even as simple as "A male character in a green shirt walks across a room and picks up a book from a table" can be broken down into the following costs:

You need a male actor, whom you will assumedly be paying.
They're wearing a green shirt, which will need to be purchased.
They're in a room, which means you have to find an indoor location to shoot in, which will also cost money.
That room needs to have a table if it doesn't already (a potential additional expense).
You will also need to find the book to be used as a prop.
If there is any music playing, that will either need to be recorded or licensed for use.

With that, one seemingly straightforward sentence turns into multiple unique costs. Then, this process must be repeated for every scene throughout the entirety of the script. Set dressing, vehicles, etc. - it all must be budgeted.

Of course, you won't be paying actors and actresses for each individual scene - you'll be paying them once. But the same principle applies.

Then, you have the behind the camera costs - meaning crew and special equipment. While live event coverage like sporting events or conferences likely won't have a script (meaning you can eliminate some of those expenses above), you'll still need experienced crew members and special equipment to cover it all. That means not just cameras but sound recording equipment, lighting equipment, etc.

When to Hire a Production Company or Freelancer

Ultimately, the decision whether to hire a production company or freelancer will probably be influenced by budget more than any other factor.

Again, even "modest" productions have a lot of elements and associated expenses to account for. Equipment needs to be rented. Crew members need to be hired to operate those assets. Studio space needs to be secured. The list goes on and on.

When the financial (and especially the time) cost of putting this all together yourself becomes too much, hiring a production company or freelancer is absolutely the way to go. Not only do they bring experience to the project that you and your colleagues may lack, but they also probably have at least a few of the aforementioned resources, too.

Many production companies like TV Pro Gear offer access to their own camera and sound equipment, studio space, and even crew members. That way, you can maximize your budget predictably and still enjoy all the other advantages of hiring a production company or freelancer as well.

At TV Pro Gear, we pride ourselves on our ability to bring a unique approach to every production we handle , making sure that everything is executed flawlessly and to your liking. Not only does our passionate team have years of combined experience in live-streaming events, film, and television, but we've also done commercials, concerts , corporate videos, and more.

The logistics of live video production can quickly start to feel unwieldy, because there are a lot of "moving parts" that need to be accounted for. That's why we work directly with clients to understand their vision and what we need to do to help bring it to life - that way, they can focus less on the mechanics and more on what shape the finished product will take, exactly as it should be.

If you'd like to find out more about how to create a video production budget, or if you'd just like to discuss your film production needs with a team of passionate experts in a more personal way, please don't hesitate to contact the team at TV Pro Gear today.

Robotic Camera vs Human Camera Operators: Which Is Best for Video Production?

Mon, 10 Oct 2022 21:54:51 GMT

If you want a clear-cut example of how fast technology continues to advance, look no farther than film and television production .

These days, many productions use the types of robotic cameras that would have been unthinkable even as recently as a decade ago. Of course, this certainly invites the question - which is better for a particular project, a robotic camera or a human camera operator? Are robotic cameras better because they're newer or do humans still have something to offer? The answers to questions like those require you to keep a few important things in mind.

Pros & Cons of Using a Robotic Camera

One of the biggest advantages of a robotic camera has to do with making the most of certain environmental limitations you may be dealing with.

Case in point: space limitations. Sometimes, you'll be shooting in an environment that just isn't very big - meaning that you'll only be able to get a certain number of crew members in there during a take. A camera is already large, and it will only eat up even more real estate once you add a human operator and any other piece of equipment like a Steadicam they might be using.

In those situations, robotic cameras would not only help save space, but they could also get into positions and capture angles that would be literally impossible with a human operator.

Another benefit to using robotic cameras is that their movements are consistent in a way that a human camera operator's aren't. By virtue of the fact that a human operator is exactly that - human - no two takes will look 100% identical. Maybe they move in a slightly different way from one attempt to the next, or they're starting from a slightly different position. This isn't necessarily bad, but when you compare footage you'll be able to tell.

Robotic cameras, on the other hand, can be programmed to move consistently that is 100% repeatable. Sometimes this will be exactly what your project calls for.

Perhaps the biggest potential con of robotic cameras has to do with the learning curve that they are known for. They still need to be programmed in a way that allows them to properly react, especially when it comes to live programming. A live, human camera operator has experience in the types of equipment they have been using for years - therefore, they may have a chance to excel in a situation that demands spontaneity in a way that robotic cameras haven't necessarily perfected quite yet.

Pros & Cons of Human Camera Operators

Along those lines, the biggest pro of human camera operators has to do with the experience they bring with them. Over the course of a seasoned professional's career they will have been in a huge number of environments and situations. Many have "seen it all" and they've faced major challenges on productions before, and they know how to solve them. A robotic camera brings none of this intuition with it - it simply does as it's told.

Of course, logically speaking a human camera operator can be difficult for those reasons outlined above including spatial considerations. In terms of the budget of a production, a human camera operator also represents another salary that needs to be paid. Once the initial investment has been made to purchase or rent robotic cameras, you don't have to keep paying them.

Which is Best for Video Production?

Ultimately, the decision about whether to use robotic cameras versus human camera operators will come down to what, exactly, you're trying to accomplish with your project.

There will be times when, for various reasons, you'll want a bit of an "old school" feel to the footage you're capturing. Maybe you're shooting an event, and you want a "fly on the wall" perspective to help people feel like they're really there. Perhaps you're shooting a documentary and are striving for as much verisimilitude as possible. In those events, the "human" element that human camera operators bring with them can really add to what you're going for - even if only on a subconscious level.

In many other situations, however, the benefits that only robotic cameras can give you would be the way to go. This is especially true if you're shooting a fast-paced event like a sports game where precision is of paramount importance. Robotic cameras will be able to give you that sense of place and stability in a unique and visually interesting way, making it the perfect choice for such an occasion. Robotic cameras are also great for live events with a lot of unpredictable action - they'll likely have a better shot at fully capturing something unexpected than a human camera operator could (through no fault of their own, of course).

Overall, you need to consider what the project requires for maximum impact before making a decision. Only by understanding what your end goal happens to be for the look and feel of something, and why it's so important, will you be able to select the resources that will help you bring it all to life.

At TV Pro Gear, we offer a wide range of differen t video production services f or you to choose from depending on your needs. You have a vision for a piece of work, and we have the skills, th e equipment , a nd the passion to help bring it to life in as much vivid detail as possible. With expertise in sports production, concert production, eSports, conferences, broadcast television, red carpet events and more, we want to help you succeed in any and all ways that we can.

If you'd like to find out more information about robotic cameras and human camera operators and which is best for video production, or if you'd just like to talk about your ideas for your next big project with someone in greater specificity, please don't delay - contact the team at TV Pro Gear today.

CMAC Unveils State-of-the-Art Production Vehicle

Mon, 03 Jan 2022 22:55:27 GMT

Andy Maisner, president of TV Pro Gear, inside the CMAC's
new High Definition Mobile Production Vehicle.

Source: BusinessStreetOnline.com

FRESNO – Members of the Community Media Access Collaborative in downtown Fresno, along with others, got a good look at the organization’s new High-Definition Mobile Production Vehicle, the only one of its kind in the area, Thursday evening.

Inside of the vehicle is what is known as a flypack , a box that holds all the electronics of a TV studio. It is more powerful than CMAC’s studio housed in its downtown Fresno building with similar quality, said Andy Maisner, president of TV Pro Gear, the company that produced the

“That’s a really unique thing about our design, and it can be removed in five minutes,” Maisner said. The flypack has six channels of instant replay and slow motion options with eight recorders, including a built-in Internet recorder for live streaming to the Internet. It boasts a sophisticated intercom, with electronic virtual sets (for instance a sports stadium, church or concert hall). The vehicle also holds Panasonic 2.2 megapixel cameras, which are connected to a fiber system that can go far away on a fiber camera cable. The cable carries power to the camera, intercom, time code, and return video. A separate box in the back of the truck holds items like the video cameras, cable reels, headphones, microphones and tripods.

“So with only two boxes you can shoot a sporting event anywhere in the world,” Maisner said. TV Pro Gear has built 12 flypacks in the past two years for companies in various countries, including NBC. CMAC members can check the new mobile production studio out similar to checking out pieces of equipment within the company’s downtown Fresno location, for an extra fee.

Jerry Lee, executive director of CMAC, said the choice to go with TV Pro Gear to put together the vehicle was an easy one.

“All of the bids came back comparable, but they had such a marvelous track record that we went with them, and we are very happy with the outcome,” Lee said.

TV Pro Gear is Building a 32' Video Truck for GISL TV4 in Trinidad

Mon, 03 Jan 2022 22:08:19 GMT

GISL TV4 truck before and after paint job - drivers side

TV Pro Gear is in the process of building a 32’ video truck for GISL (Government Information Services Limited) TV4 in Trinidad. Pictured is the chassis ready for painting. Notice the rivet-less body construction. This method insures no leaks or squeaks. In addition, the smooth finish looks a lot better going down the road.

When completed in early November of 2014, the truck will have six Ikegami cameras, a two channel Chyron title/graphics generator, six channels of instant replay and a 52’ microwave mast with an HD Sidewinder camera on it. A For-A HVS 390 24-input switcher with two mix/effects busses is used with a 64x64 Utah Scientific router.

Gerling and Associates is building the rack ready truck according to CAD drawings supplied by TV Pro Gear. As Andrew Maisner, the President of TV Pro Gear informs, “We are employing a unique layout for this truck that features control consoles butted up against the walls that pull out on stainless steel tracks for service. Using this new method, we effectively get an additional 110 square feet of working space.”

Notice how the door cutouts are on the opposite side. That is because this is a right hand drive vehicle to comply with Trinidad where they drive on the left side of the road.

TV Pro Gear designs and builds television stations, production facilities, video trucks and Flypaks™ for companies all over the world. Recent clients include Comcast, AT&T, Bloomberg, NBC, FOX, and the City of Manhattan Beach.

GISL TV4 truck before and after paint job - passenger side

Live Streaming Cookbook

Thu, 25 Feb 2021 21:40:04 GMT

We live in a world of screens. On the move, people are accompanied by their smartphones, tablets and laptops almost everywhere they go. In the home, they spend hours in front of their PCs, gaming consoles, streaming media devices and smart TVs.

We live in a world of screens. On the move, people are accompanied by their smartphones, tablets and laptops almost everywhere they go. In the home, they spend hours in front of their PCs, gaming consoles, streaming media devices and smart TVs.

And, today, most enjoy fast broadband connections. As a result, people are consuming more live streamed video than ever. Sports. Entertainment. Events. News. Now, anyone with an idea for a show can take it to a global stage. For video pros, the advantages of live streaming are clear—they can:

Connect viewers to content they wouldn’t usually be able to access
Gain access to a far wider global audience for their productions
Enhance their primary shows with valuable extra content
Generate revenue through increased viewership, advertising and sponsorship opportunities

In this cookbook, we’re going to cover the common live streaming scenarios our customers face every day. From here, we’ll give you sample recipes for the equipment you’ll need to make the move into live streaming as well as tips for setting up your productions. (If you would like to learn more about the actual process of live streaming, simply download our whitepaper How to Stream Live Video.)

Get Started.

There are of course countless kit combinations suitable for live streaming. In fact, you may already own or have access to much of what you’ll need. But the following kit lists should at least give you a place to start.

Sound Recording

Thu, 25 Feb 2021 21:40:02 GMT

In my forty plus years of making films, television shows and commercials, I have found more bad soundmen than any other craft. You even hear poor sound on major motion pictures. Bad sound is worse than bad picture. If the picture is a little soft or framed poorly, you can still follow what is happening. If the sound is unintelligible, you’ve lost your audience completely. However, getting good sound is not all that difficult.

In my forty plus years of making films, television shows and commercials, I have found more bad soundmen than any other craft. You even hear poor sound on major motion pictures. Bad sound is worse than bad picture. If the picture is a little soft or framed poorly, you can still follow what is happening. If the sound is unintelligible, you’ve lost your audience completely. However, getting good sound is not all that difficult.

Five Rules for Good Sound

Pick the right microphone for the scene taking into consideration the ambient noise.
Place the microphone the appropriate distance to get the right audio perspective.
Play back each take to make sure it was recorded properly.
Don’t trust your sound man to decide if the audio is “good enough”.
There is very little that can be done in post to fix poor sound quality.

There are two types of microphones: Dynamic and Condenser

Dynamic microphones are less expensive, do not require an external power source, are robust and often weatherproof. The fidelity of dynamic microphone is not as good as a condenser microphone. However, dynamic microphones are often used by reporters. Shure SM58, Sennheiser MD46 and EV RE50 are all good examples of handheld Dynamic microphones.

Condenser microphones are more expensive, require a power supply and have a larger dynamic range. Most lavaliere microphones, studio microphones and high end dialogue recording microphone are condenser type.

Microphones are designed to have different pickup patterns

Omni-directional microphones pick up in a 360-degree pattern. These are great to use in environments where there is very little ambient nois e – or conversely where the desired sound source is very loud compared to the ambient sound. For example, an omnidirectional microphone is ideal for recording a Philharmonic Orchestra.

C ardioid microphones are designed to pick up the sound in front of the microphone and reject sound coming from the sides and back. That is why these microphones are also referred to as Unidirectional. Handheld Cardioid microphones are ideal for use by reporters and during interviews.

For the ultimate ambient noise rejection, soundmen use Shot Gun microphones. They are also called Super Cardioid, Hyper-Cardioid or Shotgun microphones. They are usually attached to a boom pole that is held over the heads of the actors out of camera range. They are almost exclusively used for recording dialogue. The Sennheiser MKH-416 is the most popular shotgun microphone.

Perspective: Use your brain. Get it right.

Every microphone has an ideal pickup range. A lavaliere microphone is design to be mounted chest level less than one foot from the talent. A shotgun microphone is designed to get optimum sound from about 2 to 4 feet. Generally speaking, the closer the shot, the closer the microphone should be to the person being recorded.

If you shoot a wide shot and use lavaliere microphones on the talent, the audio will have too little presence to sound natural. Use a shotgun just out of camera range. Conversely, it you are in a close up shot of two lovers speaking to each other intimately and you use a shotgun microphone from six feet away, you will ruin the scene because the audio won’t have the intimacy of the scene requires.

Sometimes you need to microphone the talent two ways. For example, in a medium shot, I like the talent to be wearing lavaliere -microphones which I record on channel 1. On channel 2, I record the audio from a shotgun microphone. That way I can mix them together to get just the right amount of presence.

But wait, it get’s better! Generally speaking all scenes should start with a wide shot and be moving closer and closer until you get to the climax or end of the scene. So by using both lavaliere and shotgun microphones you can alter the mix in post to get the precise presence you require. When the scene is in a wide shot you will be using the sound from the shotgun microphone. As the scene moves into a medium shot, you will use both the shotgun and the lavaliere microphone to get the right presence. At the end of the shot, when you are in close, you will be using the sound from the lavaliere microphones (or from the shotgun if it has moved in close on the actors.

Echo is not your friend

It’s real simple. You can add echo in post-production. You cannot get rid of it. High levels of echo render most audio unintelligible. However, if you are shooting a scene that is taking place in a large marble room, lack of echo would be unnatural. Even so, you should do everything possible to reduce the echo to a minimum.

Guess what? There is no echo outside (unless you are a canyon or some weird surrounding). So if you are shooting indoors against a green screen that will have the background replaced by an exterior image or a small room, you better find everyway possible to eliminate echo. Invest in a lot of furniture blankets!

Audio Recording Levels

Before you start recording, run a sound test and watch the meters on the camera to insure that they are not low and not too high. To low will result in noise and hiss. Too high results in audio distortion. If you are using an audio mixer, monitor the levels at both the mixer and on the camera.

Summary

Know how to choose the appropriate microphone for the content being shot.
Put the microphone in the right place to get the right perspective
Watch out for echo
Monitor your audio recording levels

There you have it. 42 years of my experience nicely wrapped up into just a few paragraphs. Follow my advice. Don’t let yourself be a victim to the bad sound boogie.

Video Editing Room Design

Thu, 25 Feb 2021 21:40:01 GMT

A properly designed video editing room will result in edited masters that look and sound better.

A properly designed video editing room will result in edited masters that look and sound better. The following areas must be considered when designing an edit bay:

Equipment choices
Ergonomics
Acoustics
Lighting

Equipment Choices

What equipment will be required is very dependent upon what is being edited. For example, a feature film being shot digitally for theatrical release requires different monitoring and storage than a documentary shot in HD for distribution on television. Similarly, a weekly reality show requires different gear than an edit bay designed for commercial post-production. Of course, a television station doing multiple news broadcasts daily will require a whole different set of equipment.

In short, what is being shot and how much finished content must be delivered daily or weekly will determine what equipment and how much equipment will be required.

Ergonomics

Edit sessions often run long. A properly designed editing console with ergonomic site lines will reduce fatigue resulting in cleaner, more creative content. The edit console needs to be big enough to accommodate the equipment the editor will require. Ideally, it should be height adjustable. Also, the monitors should be each to adjust the height and angle. A comfortable chair, such as the ones available form Human Scale, is also essential.

Acoustics

During a post production session, the editor will be making many judgments about the sound track. Sometimes, picking which take to use will be determined by which take has the best sound. If the room is acoustically incorrect, it may be emphasizing or suppressing certain frequencies. This, of course, can lead to bad choices. Ideally, a TV Pro Gear engineer will specify dimensions and materials that will result in an acoustically neutral room with a large “sweet spot”. Where a room already exists, we can apply acoustic treatments to mitigate bad room characteristics. The reader may want to read our “Primer for Studio Acoustics” to get a deeper understanding of room acoustics.

In addition, careful attention must be made when choosing what speakers to use. At TV Pro Gear, we most often recommend Genelec 8020B speakers mounted at ear height. These speakers are designed to be listened to from about five feet away – they are called “near field monitors”.

Lighting

The video editor will also be making color adjustments to the video. The color temperature of most professional monitors is 5600 degrees Kelvin. Therefore, it is important to have room lighting that is also 5600K. We recommend special focusable 5600K LED lights that can be dimmed without change the color temperature. Of course, it is critical to make sure that the lights do not shine on the monitors or into the editor’s face. Choice of colors for the walls, console surfaces, carpets and furniture should be varying shades of grey. To insure the monitors are accurately displaying the video, they must be carefully calibrated by an engineer The monitors are adjusted for brightness, contrast, color balance and saturation.

Summary

Following the above rules will greatly increase the odds that you will have a perfectly edited video ready for distribution. In addition, you will have happier editors resulting in lower employee turnover.

How to Insure You Send Out the Highest Quality Video Stream

Thu, 25 Feb 2021 21:39:57 GMT

Of course video and audio quality are always important no matter what the form of content distribution. However, achieving the highest possible quality when streaming video to the Internet is demanding. There are a few things you need to know to make your stream as good as possible.

Of course video and audio quality are always important no matter what the form of content distribution. However, achieving the highest possible quality when streaming video to the Internet is demanding. There are a few things you need to know to make your stream as good as possible.

First of all, bandwidth is a limiting factor

Viewers with fast connections to the Internet will have sharper images and smoother motion than viewers with slower Internet connections. While you cannot control your viewers’ connection to the Internet, there are things you can do that will ensure that they get they best image quality possible given the speed of their connection.

Video must be compressed in order to transmit it over the Internet

All else equal, the more compression, the worse the image looks. But if the video is not compressed enough, it will not playback smoothly. So, it is always a compromise. Some images compress better than others. Compression works by describing a frame of video as a stream of 1’s and 0’s. Since the next frame is likely to be very similar to the preceding frame, the compression device (encoder) does something like this, “the next frame is the same as the last frame except for these differences”.

Rule #1: Reduce the amount of panning and zooming for better compression

As you can imagine, a video in which the camera is constantly panning, tilting or zooming cannot be compressed as well as a static shot because there is so much difference from frame to frame. Also, a talking head can be compressed better than a shot of a basketball game where everyone is running around within the frame.

Rule #2: Shoot with professional broadcast quality cameras

Cheap cameras put out images that have more grain. Grain is also called video noise. If you think about it, that noise is constantly changing from frame to frame, thus it will not compress as well. Also, low light can result in an image with more grain. High-end cameras require less light for a full exposure. Hence, video from high quality cameras compresses better.

Rule #3: When it comes to encoders, you get what you pay for

If you are shooting an event with multiple cameras, they will feed into a switcher. The live cut output of the switcher will go into an Internet encoder. This device takes the real-time images, analyses them and applies a compression algorithm to them. The most common algorithm in use today is MPEG4 h.264. Uncompressed video runs at 168 million bits of information per second. It must be compressed to as little as 1 million bits per second. So a lot of information processing is going on at ultra high speeds. The do this requires an Internet encoder with a lot of horsepower (well actually is procession power as horses are not used for encoding). TV Pro Gear helped build the encoding center used to stream NFL/NBC football. We also helped build the streaming center used for the last Winter Olympics. Here is what we learned. Cheap encoders aren’t good. Good encoders aren’t cheap.

Acoustical Design For Stages, Control Rooms, Video Editing Rooms & More

Thu, 25 Feb 2021 21:39:56 GMT

Whether you are planning to build a new studio from the ground up or doing an upgrade, proper lighting design is essential. Office, stage and post-production rooms each have different requirements.

Learn how sound works, how to prevent sound leakage between rooms, and acoustical properties overview.

Sound In the Real World

In nature, surfaces are very irregular with very few parallel surfaces for sound to reflect back and forth. So, the sound we hear outdoors is natural, without echoes and does not emphasize one frequency over another. Indoors, rooms reflect sound. The amount of sound reflected is determined by the shape and size of the room as well as the surfaces of the walls, floor and ceiling. Imagine you are in a large empty room with the floor and walls made of marble. These hard surfaces will reflect sound and create echoes.

On the other hand, if you were in a very small room with thick carpet, an acoustic tile ceiling and lots of furniture to break up the sound waves, the room would be echo free. In fact, it would sound similar to sound outside.

It is very easy to add echo and reverberation. Unfortunately, it is almost impossible to remove it. A correctly designed room should not emphasize or inhibit any frequencies. Therefore, stages should be designed to be as non-reflective (dead) as possible. That way, during post-production, the correct amount of reverberation can be added so that the sound is natural.

Control and editing rooms need to be non-reflective so that the sound that is heard is the same as what is being recorded or played back.

There are two areas of acoustical concern when designing video production facilities: the acoustical properties of the rooms and sound leakage between rooms.

Preventing Sound Leakage Between Rooms

There are three methods to prevent sound leakage: absorption, mass and sound transmission avoidance. Sound transmits through the walls, floor and ceiling. Using staggered 2X4 studs within the walls nailed to 2X6 base plates is the standard way to insure that two adjoining walls do not have any common surfaces. The 2X6 base plates need to have a rubber gasket between the floor plate and the concrete floor. R19 insulation is inserted between the studs. Cutting groves in the concrete floor between the rooms also reduces transmission.

The walls need to have two layers of 5/8” drywall attached to both sides of the wall. This gives mass to the wall to help absorb high and low frequencies. The ceiling should be built in the same manner as the walls. HVAC ducts need to be installed with noise traps. Larger than normal ducts deliver adequate airflow at a lower velocity – thus reducing noise from the HVAC.

Acoustical Properties Within the Editing and Control Rooms

Poorly designed rooms result in poor sound that can be too dead or so reflective they become echo chambers. A well-designed control room will:

Not emphasize any particular frequency. In other words it will have a flat response.
Have a large “sweet spot” for stereo imaging. In other words, the stereo sound will not change much as the operators move from side to side.
Not have any dead spots.
Not reflect sound off the walls causing echoes.

These goals are achieved in two ways: correct room proportions and sound treatments on the walls. Below are the rules for correct room proportions:

No two wall dimensions shall be divisible into each out. For example a 10’ by 10’ room would be horrible. If the ceiling was 10’ high, it would be even worse. The room would cause “standing wave reflections” resulting in “wave cancellations”. This would be experienced as dead zones with muddy, dull sound. A 10 X 20 room would be almost as bad. A 9X17 room would be good as there is no whole number that can divide into them. Likewise an 11’ by 15’ is acceptable. One must also factor in the height of the room. For example, a 12’ wide by 17’ length by 9’ high would be bad because the 12’ width and the 9’ height can be divided by 3
No wall should be parallel in any plane. In other words, the walls should be tilted 2 or 3 degrees from each other top to bottom and left to right. The same goes for the floor and ceiling.
The classic live end/dead end room is ideal. By this, we mean that one end of the room should have hard surfaces while the other end of the room should have soft sound absorbing surfaces (bass trap).
Near the front of the room, the left and right wall’s should have “Helmholtz Resonators”. They are large pieces of pegboard with holes drilled into them to breakup sound waves.
The ceiling should angle downward from the front of the room at approximately 15° for 1/3 of the distance of the total length of the room. It then should angle upwards at about 10° degrees for the last 2/3 of the length of the room.

Next we address wall treatments. Wall treatments are used to inhibit sound reflections and to trap low frequencies. Of course, one must be careful to not apply too many inhibitors, as the room can become dead and muddy sounding. Generally we construct the front of the room with hard surfaces to project the sound from the speakers towards the rear of the room.

At the rear of the room we have materials that trap sound so that it is not reflected back into the room creating noise cancellation. This is called a “Base Trap”. Along the sidewalls we apply acoustic foam sporadically.

Summary

Proper stage and control room design is 70% science and 30% art. Incorporating the fundamentals of proper design as specified in this article adds to the cost of building the rooms. However, correcting bad acoustics as a result of building a poorly designed room is way more expensive. That is why anyone planning to build a new stage or control room should hire an experienced designer who understands acoustic fundamentals.

Lighting Design

Thu, 25 Feb 2021 21:39:55 GMT

Whether you are planning to build a new studio from the ground up or doing an upgrade, proper lighting design is essential. Office, stage and post-production rooms each have different requirements.

Whether you are planning to build a new studio from the ground up or doing an upgrade, proper lighting design is essential. Office, stage , and post-production rooms each have different requirements.

Office lighting needs to take into account exterior/ambient light. Dimmable LED lights are most often specified to lower electricity and HVAC costs.

Post-production rooms require special dimmable LED lights that match the color temperature of the monitors. Placement is crucial so that they do not cause glare on the monitors.

Stage lighting is determined by what is to be shot. Generally, stage lights fall into four categories:

H MI Lights

These are very high output daylight balance lights mostly used for theatrical/dramatic productions. They are efficient but run hot and are costly.

Tungsten Lights

Tungsten lights are the least costly fixtures and provide a big variety of “looks” form soft to hard. However, they are power hungry, run hot and the expensive lamps need to be replaced often. Also, they require expensive dimmers and change color temperature when dimmed. More and more, they are being replaced by fluorescent and LED.

Fluorescent Lights

Fluorescent studio lights use special lamps that come in both 3200k and 5600k. They use about 1/10th of the electricity of Tungsten lights thus reducing electricity and air conditioning costs. On the other hand, they cost three or four times as much as Tungsten to purchase. Generally, fluorescent lights provide a softer light that is ideal for news, talk shows or situation comedy’s. They are not very good for dramatic shows as they don’t cause sharp shadows.

LED Lights

LED lights are rapidly becoming the light of choice. They use very little power, put out no heat and can be made to be soft or hard light. The fact that they can be dimmed without changing color temperature is a great bonus. Other LED lights can be purchase that have a knob the lets the lighting director choose the color temperature so he can get just the effect he wants. The purchase cost of these LED lights is very high. However, the extremely long lamp life combined with the saving on electricity and HVAC justifies the expense in the long run.

I n addition to the lights, a lighting grid or truss will be required on which to hang the lights. Usually built on 4 foot centers, it is important to calculate the load bearing ability of the ceiling it is attached to. The amount of power that is required and the distribution of that power must be calculated and designed. This chore is handled by our Emmy winning lighting designer working in conjunction with our engineers.

What's the future of your history?

Thu, 25 Feb 2021 21:39:54 GMT

Despite air conditioning and humidity controls, as soon as a tape hits the shelf its starts to deteriorate. The useful life of tape is hard to predict. For some tapes it may already be too late. Others may need restoration in order to retrieve the content.

The Problem

Despite air conditioning and humidity controls, as soon as a tape hits the shelf its starts to deteriorate. The useful life of tape is hard to predict. For some tapes it may already be too late. Others may need restoration in order to retrieve the content.

The Solution

Convert the tapes to a high-density LTO Data Cartridge and store a perfect copy on the Cloud. Once converted, your tapes can be transcoded to any format in existence and even to formats not yet envisioned. Your tapes are double protected against damage or obsolescence.

Make It Better

Old tapes are often grainy, incorrectly exposed and have bits of emulsion flaking off resulting in dropouts. Older tapes may also suffer from low resolution. During the archiving process we apply digital grain reduction, exposure correction, color correction, drop-out compensation and image sharpening filters. The result is a digital image far superior to the original. This is accomplished using equipment from Front Porch Digital – the same equipment being used by the Smithsonian and the Library of Congress. There simply is no better way to protect and improve your tapes.

Your Tapes Never Leave Your Facility

Many clients do not want to have their priceless master tapes removed from their facility. TV Pro Gear’s Archive-Flypak™ system is operated by our staff at your location. Your priceless tapes never have to leave your premises. Up to five hundred tapes can be converted each day.

Make Your Tapes More Searchable and Sellable

Part of our conversion process includes creating a low-resolution proxy image of your video files. These proxy images are cross-referenced with a database describing the content of the tape. They are then searchable using any Internet browser such as Safari, Internet Explorer or Firefox.

Who Do You Trust

TV Pro Gear has been building video systems for fourteen years for companies such as NBC, AT&T, Comcast and Time Warner. Front Porch Digital is a manufacturer of video archiving software and hardware being used by ABC, the United Nations and The Arts and Entertainment Network.

Detailed Description of the tape restoration and archiving process

Step 1: Tape Transfer

Heat-treat the tape to unstick emulsion so it can be played without damaging it.
Clean the tape using a special machine manufactured by Front Porch Digital.
Copy the tape from a highly calibrated video player to a high performance computer hard drive

Step 2: Evaluate the tape using special software from Front Porch Digital.

Does it have dropouts (little black speckles)
Is it noisy (looks like a grainy image)
Is the resolution low (soft blurry image)
Is the exposure right (image is too dark or too light)
Are the colors faded or off (washed out or sepia toned)
If originally transferred from film, are there scratches

Step 3: Tape correction. Using special software and computers, a highly trained artist/technician applies the following:

DOC – Drop Out Compensation
DNR – Digital Noise Reduction
DSF – Digital Sharpening Filter
DEC – Digital Exposure/Contrast Compensation
DCC – Digital Color Compensation (hue and saturation)
DSC – Digital Scratch Correction

Step 4: Archive the restored video file. There are several choices here:

Copy the file to a tape that is the same format as the original
Copy the file to a more modern tape format (i.e from Beta to Digital Beta)
Copy the file to an LTO-5 tape for long-term storage
Copy the file to your video server
Copy the file to a Cloud Server for off-site safety (co-location)

Coming Soon - Currently Under Development - On-Line Access Options

During the process, it is possible to make a low-resolution proxy image of the footage that will be usable in a searchable database using a browser like Firefox or Safari. This video database can be encrypted so that only authorize people can view it. It can be protected so that viewers cannot copy it without additional authorization.

In order to facilitate the search-ability of the database, all pertinent information is entered into a proprietary computer program including but not limited to:

Original Recording Date
Producer/Director/Cameraman
Owner of the tape
Who is in the tape
Location of the recording
Content description
Length
Original format of the tape

During the process of copying the tape into the computer for processing, speech to text software makes an automatic log of what was said on the tape. In addition, facial recognition software automatically logs in who said what. The information is added to the file as “metadata”. This greatly increases the accuracy of later searches. For example, a viewer could query the database to show “all footage of Ronald Regan with Margret Thatcher in December of 1978”. Then a display on the computer of Picture Icons could be clicked on to play the clips.

If you have valuable tapes please call us so we can schedule an appointment to discuss the best way of protecting your assets and creating new ways to monetize their value.

Contact TV Pro Gear at (818) 246-7100 for addition information.

TV Pro Gear Rocks the Tour Link Conference

Fri, 26 Jan 2018 17:52:19 GMT

Showing off our new Sprinter Van & HD Flypack

Palm Desert, CA January 2018 - Last week, TV Pro Gear exhibited at the Tour Link conference in the J.W. Marriot - Palm Desert. We had a chance to show off our new Sprinter van and HD Flypack to the concert touring industry. Production managers, crew, and support staff for some of the biggest tours in the country were there to see the latest innovations in the industry.

TV Pro Gear displayed our flypack, proving to them that a forty-foot production truck is not necessary when you have access to our turnkey system. They appreciated the enormous technical capabilities, yet compact size of our equipment.

To support the Tour Link staff, we filmed a presentation by former Secret Service agents discussing security at concerts. In addition we filmed their Top Dog Award ceremony, hosted by legend Rocko Reedy (U2’s larger then life tour manager). Katy Perry even made an appearance via Skype. The show was a success and a fun way to wrap up the week. Now we are looking forward to NAB in April.

TV Pro Gear Introduces 4K Carbon Fiber Flypak™ at NAB 2015

Sat, 04 Apr 2015 19:53:34 GMT

Las Vegas, NV - April 2015 - TV Pro Gear recently designed and engineered two new Flypaks™ to showcase at the National Association of Broadcasters trade show held in Las Vegas. The new systems (called Generation-5) employ carbon fiber and a unique suspension systems built into the wheels for better protection against shocks. The Gen-5 system has 15% more rack space yet they are lighter, smaller with improved better ergonomics.

Andrew Maisner, President of TV Pro Gear stated, “This design took 18 months to perfect. There was a tremendous amount of CAD work prior to building multiple prototypes to get everything just perfect. We had to learn new skills like how to work with carbon fiber and rare earth magnets before we could finalize the design.” TV Pro Gear has filed several patent applications to protect the many new features.

HD Ross Open Platform Compliant Carbon Fiber Sprinter/Flypak™:

Ross Carbonite 24-Input 2 M/E Switcher
Ross XPression Graphics/Title Generator
Ross Blackstorm Multi-Channel Video Server
Ross 64X64 Video and Audio Router
Ross Open Gear Frame with 10 Converters
Panasonic AK-HC3800 Cameras on SMPTE Fiber
Fujinon XA20X8.5 Zoom Lenses with 2X Extenders
AJA Ki Pro Rack Recorders (4)
EVS Nano 4 Channel Instant Replay
Midas 40-Input Digital Mixer
Sennheiser Wireless Microphones (3)
Clear-Com 6-Channels or Wired and Wireless Intercom
Clear-Com IFB 4-Channels both Wired and Wireless

4K Multi-Camera Flypak™ features:

4K Multi-Camera Flypak features:
Blackmagic 4K Ursa Cameras (6)
Blackmagic 4K 24-Input 2 M/E Switcher
Blackmagic 4K Hyperdeck Studio Pro Recorders (5)
Blackmagic 4K Router 40 Inputs by 40 Outputs
Blackmagic 4K Waveform Monitor and Vectorscope
Blackmagic 4K Audio Monitoring with Display
TV Pro Gear 4K UFO (URSA Fiber Adaptor)
Behringer 40-Input Digital Mixer with Lexicon EFX
Sennheiser Wireless Microphones (4)
Clear-Com 6-Channel Intercom with IFB
Libec Carbon Fiber Tripods and Dolly Wheels

About TV Pro Gear: TV Pro Gear designs and builds television stations, production facilities, video trucks and flypacks™ for companies all over the world. Recent clients include Comcast, AT&T, Bloomberg, NBC, FOX, and the City of Manhattan Beach. TV Pro Gear has recently engineered and built OB trucks for Nigeria and Trinidad.

TV Pro Gear Has Completed The GISL TV4 Video Production Truck

Fri, 06 Feb 2015 20:53:09 GMT

Glendale, CA February 2015 - TV Pro Gear has completed building a 35 foot video production truck for GISL TV4 located in Trinidad. Built on a Gerling & Associates rivet free box, the smooth exterior is ideal for branding and wrapping.

The International chassis was special ordered for right hand drive.

A 56’ pneumatic mast equipped with a Vislink microwave transmitter also features an HD Sidewinder PTZ camera with a 36X zoom lens. With the mast elevated, the view is truly panoramic.

The 12KW diesel generator enables shooting in even the most remote locations.

In order to raise a mast 56’ in the air, it is crucial that the vehicle be absolutely level. A massive computer controlled hydraulic leveling system was installed to precisely level the 28,000-pound vehicle.

Because Trinidad experiences approximately 40 inches of rain annually, electric awnings extend out twelve feet. Computer controlled, the awnings automatically retract if wind exceeds a pre-determined velocity.

Massive duel HVAC units were installed with a plenum ceiling to deal with the hot humid weather found in the tropics.

The truck is equipped for both concerts, news and sports production. It features:

Ikegami HDK55 Cameras on SMPTE Lemo Fiber
Panasonic AW-HE120 PTZ robotic cameras
For-A HVS390 Switcher with two Mix/Effects banks
Black Magic Hyperdeck SSD Recorders
Newtek 3Play425 6-Channel Instant Replay
Chyron Dual Channel Lex3 Title/Graphics Generator
Clearcom wired and wireless Intercom (6-channels)
Tektronix 8000 Sync and Test Signal Generator with GPS
Midas 40 Channel Digital Audio Mixer

In the past, video trucks required a dedicated “machine room” to house the switcher, recorders, routers, title generator and replay system. However, due to the continuing process of miniaturization, equipment is getting smaller and smaller. Because of this, TV Pro Gear was able to install all of the equipment in half-racks underneath the operator consoles. The consoles are on stainless steel roller-bearings tracks that easily pull out from the wall for installation and service. By doing this, TV Pro Gear has achieved that same effective working area in a 35’ truck that previously was only available with a 40+ foot truck. This savings in overall length was critical because the roads in Trinidad cannot accommodate 40’ trucks.

Government Information Services Limited (GISL) was established in 2006 as a state owned limited liability company to provide greater flexibility and transparency in communicating government information in a ‘real time’ information environment. GISL is the principle agent for the efficient management and dissemination of relevant and trusted government information; it provides marketing and communications consultancy services to Government Ministries and Agencies and implements and facilitates media production and broadcasting.

TV Pro Gear Flypack Shoots Pre-Game Super Bowl Footage

Sun, 01 Feb 2015 20:19:40 GMT

Glendale, AZ-February 2015 — Silver Chalice Networks and 120 Sports rented TV Pro Gear’s newest Flypack to shoot interviews with players and coaches. The footage was used for Super Bowl XLIX pregame shows. The Flypack was equipped with six Panasonic AK-HC3800 Cameras, a For-A HVS390 Switcher, AJA Ki Pro Recorders and a Clear-Com Wireless Intercom.

Silver Chalice’s Technical Operations Manager, Scott Sutter states, “I decided to use TV Pro Gear because of how easy TV Pro Gear was to work with. They understood our needs and we came to an agreement on a price that fit within our budget.”

All of the pregame content can be viewed on 120sports.com and on the 120 app available on the apple app store or on the Google play store. Viewers can watch the programs anytime, as the content is available on-demand. 120 Sports is also LIVE 12 hours per day, 7-9am CST, 11am-1pm CST, and 5pm-1am CST.

About TV Pro Gear: TV Pro Gear designs and builds television stations, production facilities, video trucks and Flypacks™ for companies all over the world. Recent clients include Comcast, AT&T, Bloomberg, NBC, FOX, and the City of Manhattan Beach. TV Pro Gear has recently engineered trucks for Nigeria and Trinidad.

TV Pro Gear Streams Brave Frontier LIVE at Comic Con New York 2014

Sat, 11 Oct 2014 20:36:44 GMT

New York, NY - October 2014 - TV Pro Gear partnered with east coast company: Flypack NEW YORK, to record and stream live the new Brave Frontier game. The 9th annual New York Comic Con was held at the Javits Center October 9th-12th.

Flypack NEW YORK provided the 3-Wide Flypak™ and 3 Camera setup designed by TV Pro Gear engineers. Fans who could not attend the show were able to view the Twitch live stream gameplay of Brave Frontier with Twitch influencer, Justin Flynn via www.twitch.tv/nycc. Comic Con New York attracted over 151,000 attendees and is the East Coast’s biggest and most exciting popular culture convention.

TV Pro Gear’s Flypak™ shoots SMPTE Award Ceremony & Presentation of Lifetime Achievement Award to George Lucas

Fri, 03 Oct 2014 19:52:43 GMT

Hollywood, CA October 2014 — TV Pro Gear was one of the sponsors that participated in the SMPTE (Society of Motion Pictures & Television Engineers) 2014 Annual Conference & Exhibition. This prestigious event took place at the Loews Hollywood Hotel on October 20-23rd 2014. TV Pro Gear used their most advanced Flypak™ to record the SMPTE Honors & Awards Ceremony where George Lucas received SMPTE’s Lifetime Achievement award.

SMPTE Board of Governors, John Maizels, directed the Honors & Awards Ceremony. “Using TV Pro Gear’s Flypak™ was a very interesting experience. Every time I asked for a new requirement, it was easily accomplished. The extra coms was no problem, the audio, no problem. Working with the TV Pro Gear crew was actually a delight”.

The new Flypak™ is equipped with six of Panasonic’s AK-HC3800 cameras, a For-A 24-input Switcher with 2 Mix/Effects Banks, a 2-Channel Chyron Graffiti title/graphic generator and a six-channel 3Play-440 instant replay/slow motion system from Newtek.

About TV Pro Gear: TV Pro Gear designs and builds television stations, production facilities, video trucks and Flypaks ™ for companies all over the world. Recent clients include Comcast, AT&T, Bloomberg, NBC, FOX, and the city of Manhattan Beach. TV Pro Gear is currently building a video production truck for GISL in Trinidad.

TV Pro Gear Connects with Chinese Film & Television Markets

Mon, 15 Sep 2014 20:10:47 GMT

Los Angeles, CA - September 2014 — TV Pro Gear was hired to shoot the first UCFTI (U.S. China Film & Television Industry) Expo held at the Los Angeles Convention Center on September 15th and 16th. The purpose of the event was for the American and Chinese filmmakers, film financiers and film distributors to explore cross-border production and distribution.

Mayor Eric Garcetti was there to kick off the event with a speech denoting how much our cultures have in common.

In addition, TV Pro Gear exhibited a large booth at the event, which has already resulted in attracting new Chinese clients who want to shoot in California using TV Pro Gear’s video trucks, stage and flypaks. The CEO of UCFTI, Bianca Chen, stated, “ We are in the midst of growth of China’s film and television industy—which makes this an important moment for US and Chinese industry leaders to work together in their respective markets. UCFTI Expo was created to bridge the gap between the two countries and provide opportunity to foster business relationships.”

About TV Pro Gear: TV Pro Gear designs and builds television stations, production facilities, video trucks and Flypaks™ for companies all over the world. Recent clients include Comcast, AT&T, Bloomberg, NBC, FOX, and the city of Manhattan Beach. TV Pro Gear is currently building a video production truck for GISL in Trinidad.

TV Pro Gear Covers 11th Annual Ultimate Dodgeball Championship

Fri, 08 Aug 2014 21:28:56 GMT

Las Vegas, NV - August 8, 2014 - Action Television hired TV Pro Gear to shoot the 11th Annual Dodgeball Championship. The event was shot and streamed live from the Sky Zone Indoor Trampoline Park located in Las Vegas. Action Television is a Denver based online video syndication company.

Footage from the event is now being cut into five half-hour episodes that will air on Fox Sports Net in November. The show will also air on Root Sports, Sunshine Network and MSG. The shows will reach 90+ million households across the US.

TV Pro Gear utilized one of their Sprinter/Flypacks equipped with seven Panasonic cameras and six channels of Instant Replay/Slow-Motion. The event was streamed live in HD through TV Pro Gear’s Viewcast H.264 encoder. This is the same unit used for the Olympics and NFL football.

This is the third year that Action Television has hired TV Pro Gear to shoot and stream the championship event. Producer, Michael Billingsley stated, “We keep hiring TV Pro Gear because they never fail to provide the extreme quality we demand”.

About TV Pro Gear: TV Pro Gear has video production trucks and Flypacks in Los Angeles and New York that are available with or without crews. A third unit is under construction and will be based in Denver. The systems are used to shoot sports, concerts, conferences and religious services.

In addition, TV Pro Gear designs and builds video trucks and television stations for companies such as Bloomberg, AT&T, NBC and the US Navy.

TV Pro Gear Streams the 2014 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance LIVE!

Sun, 03 Aug 2014 20:29:59 GMT

Pebble Beach, CA – August, 2014 — TV Pro Gear was hired by Mind Over Eye and Infinity Automobiles to shoot the 2014 Concours d’Elegance at Pebble Beach, California. The sold-out event was attended by over ten- thousand visitors and seen by thousands more online thanks to TV Pro Gear’s ultra high quality and ultra reliable Flypak™.

The 2014 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance showcased 216 cars and motorcycles, 35 of which came from outside of the United States. The event also raised $1,677,445 for charity, bringing total charitable donations from the Concours to more than $19 million over time.

This year, tickets were $550 a piece—if you were lucky enough to “win” the right to buy one in the February lottery, which sold out of the 4,000 available in 90 minutes. Another 1,000 were distributed among the 30 sponsors, who use the event to wine and dine their best customers.

$422.5 million in collector cars were sold at the weekend event in Pebble Beach.

2014 marks another record Monterey weekend and yet another dizzying benchmark for the collector-car market, which has been steadily and rapidly escalating without pause for the last few years and in particular the last eight months. Sales across the six auction houses that sold vehicles during the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance last weekend totaled $422.5 million, a 27% increase over last year’s sales, which in turn had been a 14% increase over 2012 sales.

http://www.pebblebeachconcours.net

Andrew Maisner Interview from the 2014 Cine Gear LA Expo

Thu, 03 Apr 2014 21:44:28 GMT

Andy Maisner, president of TV Pro Gear, inside TV Pro Gear's
High Definition Mobile Production Vehicle.

An interview from the 2014 Cine Gear LA Expo at Paramount Studios with Andrew Maisner of TV Pro Gear, a company that specializes in the design, engineering and assembly of television stations and mobile video production systems. In this interview Andrew shows us one of their Mercedes sprinter vans that has been converted for live event productions using their 2-Wide Broadcast Flypack.

Inside each van is one of our Flypacks. You can shoot inside the van or remove it to places a truck can not get access to. They are optimized for different types of shoots. The 2-Wide Broadcast Flypack is available with up to six cameras, instant replay, title generator and internet encoder.

TV Pro Gear’s 2-Wide Broadcast Flypack can be specified with Sony, Panasonic or JVC cameras. Robotic cameras are also available. The cameras are connected to the Flypack by multi-core or optional fiber optic cable. Customers choose from a variety of tapeless recording formats including AJA Ki Pro, Black Magic SSD or Sony XD-Cam. TV Pro Gear 2-Wide Broadcast Flypacks are available with 8 to 12 Input For-A or Panasonic one M/E switchers featuring mix/wipes, multiple luminance and chroma keyers, and PIP. Title/Graphics generators are available from Chyron, Ross or Harris. One or two channels are provided depending on requirements.All formats of both standard and high definition can be input or outputted – including component, composite, SDI, HDMI and DVI. All TV Pro Gear Flypaks are menu switchable between 1080i and 720p. They can even shoot in PAL and NTSC if required.

Source: ProductionHub.com

tv-pro-gear-design

What Is a Soundstage? Filming on a Soundstage

What is a Soundstage?

Essential Features of a Sound Stage

How to Choose the Right Sound Stage Rental Space

Guide To Building a Corporate Video Studio

Benefits of Building an In-House Corporate Video Production Studio

Cost-Effective

Complete Control Over Production

Quick Content Turnaround Times

Consistent Branding

Confidentiality

7 Steps for Building a Corporate Video Studio

1. Identify Your Space

2. Plan Your Layout

3. Procure Your Equipment

4. Set Up Your Studio

5. Set up Training Programs for Your Team

6. Maintain and Upgrade Your Studio

7. Review and Consistently Improve Your Production Quality

Video Production Equipment

Your Camera

Tripods & Mounting Equipment

Lighting

Lenses

Audio Equipment

Microphones

Audio Mixers

Headphones

Soundproofing

Audio Editing Software

Audio Interfaces

All About Backdrops

Recording and Streaming

Concluding Thoughts

How To Choose The Right Video Production Company

What Is a Production Company in Film?

What Does a Video Production Company Do?

How to Choose the Right Video Production Company

Create a Clear Content Brief with a Clear Aim

How to Set a Budget

Create a List of Companies to Compare

Questions to Ask a Video Production Company

Make The Final Decision

Film vs Video vs Digital Media: What's The Difference?

The Evolution of Film, Video, and Digital Media

Video Production vs Film Production: What is the Difference?

Benefits of Hiring Video Production Professionals

Building a Brand: Use Video Branding To Increase Brand Awareness

What is Video Marketing?

This includes but is certainly not limited to goals like:

What is Brand Awareness?

Why is Brand Awareness Important?

But even going beyond that, brand awareness is also crucial because it has quickly become one of the major competitive advantages that businesses have in the modern era. Consider the fact that:

Why is Video Marketing Important?

How to Build Brand Awareness With Video ﻿

What is UGC? The Power of User-Generated Content

Introduction to User-Generated Content (UGC)

The Power of UGC in Marketing and Advertising

Challenges and Limitations of UGC

Real-Life Examples of UGC Success

The Future of UGC and its Impact on the Professional Video Production Industry

TV Set Design – Physical and Virtual Set Design

Physical TV Sets - Pros & Cons

Virtual TV Sets - Pros & Cons

Hybrid TV Sets - Pros & Cons

Visual Storytelling: How To Tell a Story Through Video

Develop a Clear Narrative and Structure For Your Story

How To Use Sound, Music, and Dialogue To Drive Engagement

The Importance of Editing For A Compelling Product

Tips For Incorporating Immersive Elements

What Is Video Production: The Three Stages

Pre-Production

Advice for the Planning Stage

Production

Advice for Production

Post-Production

Advice For Post-Production

Cellular Bonding in Video Production: What It Is and Why It Matters

What is Cellular Bonding?

How to Build Brand Awareness With Video

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