What's The Future of Your Video News Delivery?

London, UK--Since the inception of TV news other than a switch to color, the use and abuse of the green screen technology and live on scene live broadcasting not much has changed over five decades. 

Suddenly we have the Internet, cheap quality video cameras and big changes are rocking the world of video news delivery. 

Television news management miscreants often took great delight in making their talent that left or were jettisoned just disappear. No goodbyes, no thank you, just nothing.  

That left viewers to wonder where about the fate of those once familiar faces. Now thanks to Facebook and Twitter that vile practice has ended for good.  That along those bogus non-compete contracts preventing reporter from moving to nearby stations are gone.  

However sadly the shrinking TV news audience has cost countless jobs and made reporters in too many markets eligible for food stamps. Making a living as a television journalist seems more challenging than ever. 

The speed and quantity of news delivery today is unprecedented however the quality has faltered.  The explosion of quality video devices has at least provided a somewhat unfiltered and often unflattering view of our world.  

Even the best video is lacking watchability without creative editing and clever, well written voice overs. 

Will the population ever learn the proper and incredibly easy way to shoot, edit and publish acceptable news stories with their cell phones? Most will not but many are learning the art well. 

Unlike days in the past we no longer have to wait for news crews gather their equipment, travel to, set up and begin to cover breaking news events.  Anyone already there with a smartphone, the ability and the desire can begin on the spot reporting.  Getting content video broadcast live on platforms such as Youtube, Ustream, Livestream and Periscope is a snap. Alerting your potential viewers on Twitter and Facebook is a must. 

The only seemingly slow issue to get resolved is funneling the revenue for the content to the creator's pockets. Additionally those that publish their exciting content must also learn about promotion.

Anyone with a modern smart phone has the most important tool to report news.  After that comes photography skill, storytelling ability and effective use of editing software such as iMovie or Final Cut Pro X.  

Here is a one take video story I recently created in London about that giant Ferris Wheel called, The London Eye. Although not perfect, I simply wanted my viewers to get a sense of my experience visiting this iconic tourist attraction.  

This was all shot, edited and uploaded to YouTube on my iPhone 6 Plus.  Additionally, I used a Rode lavalier microphone and a selfie stick.

You better think of a good teaser hook to make people watch your video!

Los Angeles, CA—As a blogger and multimedia journalist I occasionally put up videos here on Crimefile News.

Currently time and lack of funding precludes me from putting up more video.  Getting people to watch your video no matter how good it is challenging.  You need to tease people with hot button words we’ve all seen. 

“You better watch this video before the censors take it down!”  “Watch Ms. X destroy so and so in this video!”  “Watch Mr. X meltdown under tense questioning!”   “This video will make you break out the tissues!”   Frankly these are getting very old.  They’ve been used and abused and I refuse to fall for them anymore.

The truth is that Internet viewers are incredibly impatient and loading videos for some can be a slow process.  When you add in that many videos turn out to be a disappointment that don't deliver on the promised hype you better be creative rather than deceptive.

Putting in the proper key words or meta tags in crucial.  Having an exciting thumbnail or start image is important. 

Videos need to be clear with great audio.  They need to be short and always leaving the viewer wanting more. 

There are other rules regarding multiple angles and static shots that were established in the past few decades.   Are those rules evolving? 

GoPro cameras are high definition cameras in a tiny waterproof package.  They are incredibly for point of view video and action shots.  They go where other cameras simply cant.  Additionally people don’t shy from them like they do the more noticeable cameras they are used to seeing. 

I’m no expert on video but I have played with the equipment since it became affordable 20 years ago.  It’s getting better and cheaper every day.

Viewers really don’t want junk.  They want to be taken somewhere away from their surroundings and dull lives.

I put up a video a few weeks ago at the largest gun show in the world in Las Vegas.  It’s called the SHOT Show.  The video is not about guns but rather how the show is set up and my actual experience in Sin City.

The video shows my experience from my own point of view.  I broke lots of established video rules. 

My intent was to show you what those few days were like through my eyes.  Yes, I shot this all on a GoPro Hero 3+ .  I edited the video on Final Cut Pro X.  Along with post production, unscripted voiceovers.   I also added some copyrighted music for the mood. 

My pals that love guns would want me to stop and spend time with the actual products but the video would be four days long.  This was really a SHOT Show teaser.  There is little substitute for actually attending this massive show. 

A sign of a successful video is that people think it was shorter than it actually was.  So ignore the time markers until after you’ve seen the video.  Then compare your time impression with the actual time of the video. 

I kept it simple reducing four days into minutes.  I’d like comments on the video. 

Vertical is Wrong!

The incredible Dutch film star  Carice Van Houten

Los Angeles, CA—I’m a life long photographer and I’m into video production these days in a big way.  The days of film cameras are over and the TV widescreen is here to stay.   We rarely hang portraits of vertical images on our walls anymore.  Why are people shooting video and stills vertically?

The images people post everyday on Facebook or their web pages are often breathtakingly beautiful.  We just have to remember what the media source will be to exhibit our art.  It’s increasingly rarely going to be vertical! 

Shooting vertical video is a waste of space.  Learn how to frame your shots for your TV screen.  It’s often better to put your subject on the right or left side of the frame rather than in the middle.  It also give you room to put fun graphics next to your subject. 

The stunning picture above is of my favorite actress Carice Van Houten.   Of course beautiful Carice looks great vertical, horizontal or even upside down!  But please try to keep her horizontal!

Maybe this video will help you!

IPhone and IPad Video Journalism is for You Too!

I don’t care where you live on this planet history is constantly being made.  You can either, observe and trust your memory or capture events forever on a quality camera. Trust me making videos pays!

I’m a believer in using the raw power of capturing moments that will otherwise be lost forever, especially when there is no discernible cost involved.  When in doubt I shoot video with the best camera I have available.

When it comes to video the rules are simple, hold the camera as still as possible, get as close as possible to your subject and let  every shot roll for at least 15 seconds.  Keep the camera rolling gathering more video not less!  Only use the zoom when you can’t come in for the close-up.  Tight zooming without a steady tripod increases camera shake dramatically and shaky video is trash.

Always shoot the video horizontal and never vertical.  Your video needs to conform with our wide screen TV sets.  

The other thing you need to do is ask questions to the subjects you're shooting on video.  Here is an example, you are shooting video of person being placed in the back seat of a police car.  You can quietly shoot the video or ask the suspect, why is he being arrested?  He may try to convince you his actions were justified or confess to a crime.  Whatever he says to you is always pure gold!  Keep them talking!  Smart cops won’t interfere with your questions because they know that the more a suspect talks the more they will incriminate themselves. 

Getting up close is the only way you can get good audio when using a camera’s on board microphone.  Trust me, you need good audio.  Professionals use wireless hand-held or Lavaliere clip on microphones kept close to the sound source.  You will be okay with you your on board microphone as long as you stay close as possible.

The latest versions of the IPhone and IPad come with amazing cameras for both still and video photography.  You can easily and professionally edit what you shoot in the $5.00 IMovie app.  IMovie even provides titling, music and sound effects you can add! It can be done on the IPhone but editing is much easier on the IPad or a laptop computer.

Always carrying a camera is like buying a 24/7 lottery ticket,  it can pay big bucks at any second!  Being in the right place at the right time and capturing video pays!  Media giants are waiting to write you a generous check for anything newsworthy. 

Over the last several years I have been paid handsomely for video I never expected would even seem interesting.   Video shots of historic moments like the Rodney King beating,  Kennedy assassination, Kent State Shooting, or celebrity missteps can sometimes bring you a six-figure check.  

You have the need to always carry a cell phone so when making that purchase why not make sure it has a topnotch little HD camera built in?

Practice deploying that camera quickly.  You don’t want to be fumbling when you could be capturing history and earning the price of that badly needed new car. 

Everyone should learn how to do a simple reporter’s package.   That is the typical TV news story that should not be longer than two minutes in length.  You shoot, edit and later add narration of an event.  Practice on a simple project like the building of a tree house or your kid’s first lemonade stand.  Don’t forget to interview your kids on camera!

Never give your video away for free just so you can see it on TV.  Don’t load it up on YouTube either unless you have exhausted efforts to sell what you have captured.   The media buyers will tell you what to do with the video and you will be precluded from revealing to others what you were paid. 

Below is the first test video I captured and edited on my new IPad.   I finished the job and up loaded it on YouTube in less than 15 minutes!  This exercise was done by me simply so I could become familiar with the IPad and IMovie app.   The sound is both natural and the added effects built in to the IMovie application. 

Here is a second IPad created video that shows what I had for lunch one day near Chicago.

Hate Mainstream Media Propaganda? Getting the Truth Out has Never Been Easier.

Los Angeles, CA—With the death of that young Internet giant Andrew Breitbart people are discovering what gave this genius the power and those financial rewards.

At a young age Breitbart began with two startup blogs, The Drudge Report and The Huffington Post taking them to incredible heights and readership. Those sites are user friendly, technical marvels that have all but destroyed TV news and mainstream paper publications. They began with the printed word, then soon added photographs and now there are significant amounts of quality video.

Those wonderful flat-panel TVs we own can now deliver Internet content that’s far more diverse and reliable than what CBS, NBC or ABC brought us. Unfortunately there are still not enough ordinary folks have the equipment and skills to deliver video content. That’s rapidly changing.

All that’s needed is someone with minimal skill, $5,000.00 worth of equipment and a decent broadband Internet connection. Now that really enables and facilitates democratization of a truly magical form of mass media. Yes, even you can do this.

Cameras are smaller, better and cheaper than ever. That creates vast opportunities to locate, document and expose government abuse and corruption. Government workers are in a position to see how billions of dollars are wasted and can pull a really tiny camera out, shoot it and and show the world once the video is uploaded.

Need training you say? There’s lots of it out there free on YouTube. There is hardly a piece of equipment in existence that someone has not created a tutorial to help you learn. There are schools that offer both classroom and on-line instruction such as the New York Video School.

Andrew Breitbart was a Conservative political bomb thrower that was either loved or hated. There was no middle ground with this icon. No matter your political beliefs you can learn from Breitbart’s accomplishments. Breitbart should be an inspiration to everyone that they too can have a voice.

If you want to avoid that political intrigue, conflict and discord you can help the world master skills that have benefitted you. Of course you can develop your skills as an entertainer too.

Age is a huge issue with the Internet since millions of older people don’t think they can learn. They’re dead wrong. They can overcome technophobia if they bother to try. They include too many doctors, lawyers and other educated professionals. They are our parents and we need to help them with this aspect.

Here is a video about video production equipment I put up a while ago...

Chicago Cop Bloggers are The Knights of The New Media.

Chicago, IL—Local government here had a solid lock on any information published. The criminal mob that runs the city somehow managed to turn the local media into City Hall lap dogs.

In the past seven years cops in the Windy City found their voice on the Internet. They have the freedom through the cloak of anonymity and can expose corruption, nasty rumors along with bad government.

These Knights of the New Media have shown little mercy as their own existence and exposure has grown dramatically in the last two years.

In the beginning local politicians did not understand blogs or Social Media’s impact. Their public relations professionals soon understood the ramifications of actions by the police bloggers.

The two most read police run blogs are Second City Cop and Detective Shaved Longcock. They both gained significant readership far beyond the ranks of Chicago cops.

A peek at SCC’s web counter on a slow Sunday, show 900 visitors per hour. With that kind of readership advertising pays well. However you won’t find a single ad.

The web counter of Shaved’s site is hidden but he (or she) boasts 10,000 visits per day.

Shaved recently exposed how city officials were snookered by a 15 year-old Hispanic gang-banger. The kid entered and won a contest to design the City’s Vehicle License window stickers. What the red-faced officials found out reading Shaved’s blog was there were street gang hand signals in the design. Shaved’s story went national and got the sticker design yanked.

Shaved pulls no punches on the issues or the culture of African-American and Hispanic crime. He’s unapologetic as he showcases the massive amount of violence committed against Chicago’s White population by these minorities.

News reporters have called Shaved’s site racist. The truth is the long covered up hate and racism is against Chicago’s White population, not the other way around. The Cook County jail has a staggering population of hateful, dangerous African-Americans and Hispanics.

I guess telling the truth about African-American hate and violence is racist to some people.

I also suspect that America’s Federal Thought Police will eventually end Internet Free Speech. Hopefully Americans will wage war against anyone tampering with the Constitution before that happens.

In the mean time city officials can count on getting exposed when they get caught with their pants down. City insiders are beginning to tip these guys off to shenanigans by the criminal mob running the city and county government.

The cop bloggers need is to get with technology and bring video to their sites. Of course that may endanger their anonymity along with their police careers and pensions.

I’d rather see these guys out in the open attending news conferences. These knights of the new media would have the courage to ask tough questions. They need to be out taking pictures, shooting and editing video.

The fact is it’s just a matter of time when mavericks like SCC and Shaved will have the video tools and its related knowhow. I think there may be some smart advertisers out there to fund these guys.

Shaved can be found here.

Second City Cop can be found here.

Newspapers Magazines and Journalists Must adapt to Video to Survive

Chicago, IL—The newsstand racks here like everywhere are starting to vanish. The IPad or Kindle Fire has already replaced our morning newspaper.

The new devices use text, photographs, audio and video. Broadband Internet is everywhere so publishers cannot afford not to begin adding significant amounts of video programing to their websites.

Print media was a one trick pony that has not been staying on the technology curve to keep their readers who are suddenly an audience.

The early forays into video were boring and hard to watch because print reporters were reading their stories to a camera. The right way is to get the video along with sound bites from newsmakers and mix in some narration. It’s far less complicated than it sounds.

Crisp clean video with great audio moves the story along. I should be ashamed that I’m too lazy to do this story only in print. Of course I’m not being paid for my time or I’d be delighted to do so.

Print media has come over to the web the printing press and typesetters have all but become extinct. Now they have no choice but to adapt.

The television news model was okay but lacked so much creativity. They dared not to experiment with what they felt was working for them. With terrific affordable equipment end editing software we should expect print media refugees to invent new and exciting ways to bring us our information.

Live broadcasts are cheap and easy. The only difficulty I see is to have their reporters learn personal grooming and to look sharp. They need not look like television news’ pretty boys and girls. They just have to display some energy as they report.

Yes there is a new learning curve. Journalists of today must know more than writing but shooting and editing and uploading video. There is the theater of good sounding voiceovers and the ability to simply relax on camera. It is either news organizations and their reporters learn or be left in the dirt.

Journalism is being replaced by broadcast journalism.

There still is a place for the printed word integrated with video and the web is the perfect home for this. We should welcome this change and so should every Webmaster, newspaper and magazine editor or corporate public relations department and educator.

The opportunities are beginning to surface for those that have the Knowhow. Assuming you already can write specialized training can be obtained at the New York Video School. They offer their course on line or in the classroom. Click here for NYVS.

The Social Media Video Explosion is Underway

Chicago, IL—It took a huge investment to experiment with television when it was invented in the early 1950s. What eventually evolved is amazing. Today we have color, wide screen and high definition video that's nothing short of incredible. None of us can escape the lush rich video screens that are absolutely everywhere.

The tools to make quality content are incredibly inexpensive today. It takes little effort these days to make watchable content. Incredible empowerment exists to get your message, product or story out to a worldwide audience. It pays to use the new high quality equipment that available and learn how to captivate your audience with quality content.

Google and the other search engines do a great job of directing people to your content by subject matter. You can sell a service, product or anything at all and the cost for the Internet space is free. Any business that’s not taking full advantage of the ability to put video content up as a marketing tool is losing clients and customers.

Until now all advertising had no specific target. We especially loathed advertising for things we don’t need or want. Television commercials are generally very annoying for that reason. Today any business can directly target people that need and consume what they’re selling. Your potential customers are looking for what you have to offer.

Bloggers that don't create video for their visitors and shortchanging them. It is so easy to embed video right into any blog.

People involved in high profile court cases have a unique opportunity today. They can actually put up a video documentary that shows their side of the story. I’ve found that the vast majority of jurors simply ignore judge’s admonishments to avoid media and the Internet. Instead the jurors go out of their way to get the whole story, not just what they hear in court. Like it or not, that’s reality. Using the Social Media to influence court cases is just in its infancy. What Nancy Grace does on television can be countered through watchable video content. Remember Google will bring those jurors you want to influence to your content. There are plenty of semi-retired TV news producers willing to help you create what you need.

An equipment investment of $5,000.00 and training such as that offered by the New York Video School you can create content like a pro.

Flying High in the Video Information Age

New York, NY--There’s a video visionary that has trained many in the changing world of newsgathering and filmmaking. Out of dire financial circumstances TV news organizations have had to do much more with so much less. With the help of amazing new video cameras, and that great Apple software program Final Cut Pro local TV news has avoided extinction.

The equipment necessary to make great visually pleasing video now cots a small fraction of what it used too. It used to take a bare minimum photographer, video editor and reporter along with hours to put together a single one minute-thirty second news story. There are of course the sound and lighting people and always, big advantages to having multi-camera shoots. However there are also lots of tricks that a single video journalist can do make his or her product look terrific.

Today it can be done well by one person. The days of reporters waiting for their turn in a video editing bay with an editor are over. A quiet place to sit with your MacBook Pro, voiceover microphone and headphones is all you need. Of course you need to spend some time learning how to make the magic from a real pro.

Michael Rosenblum is the founder of Rosenblum TV and the New York Video School. He has trained reporters and producers in video news gathering and editing to the chagrin of so many career video photographers and editors. Jobs in the news business have been threatened and the layoffs have hit nearly every market.

In the news business these days it’s not unusual to see photographers and even editors reporting on camera instead of staying behind it. The job descriptions are rapidly changing and they want everyone cross-trained for TV, and the breakout video Internet content providers.

The NYVS has trained in newsrooms across the country, United Nations workers and news organizations in Geneva. They certainly can train you too.

A close friend of mine is an American Airlines pilot who is rapidly approaching retirement. He is a comedian, actor, photographer, editor and producer. He built his own green screen studio and will not be idle when he gets his retirement walking papers. I know he will move forward with a vengeance having an excellent adventure all the way. He is now a student of the NYVS developing his skills for prime time.

Most of my blog visitors know of my TV background as an investigative producer but now I carry my TV studio in two bags. I will never stop learning to do the exciting things I love. My limitation is in blog promotion and funding needed to gather the material I think my visitors want.

Delta Airlines Captain John Roberts like my friend is gearing of for his second life as a filmmaker too. He’s off to a great start as a NYVS graduate and his travel perks he is about to launch a travel program to beat all others. Roberts is a pioneer and example for everyone.

Today anyone can use learned video skills that promote our own businesses or employer’s products and show the world those things you’re proud of doing.

Delta Airlines would be foolish not to simply underwrite Capt. Roberts and make sure his program is seen everywhere. Right now you can see some of his fine work on board Delta flights as your strapped in your seat waiting to arrive at you destination.

Sit back and watch some video magic:

Having Too Much Fun With My Video Making Toys

West Hollywood, CA—Sunday I went to the West Hollywood Book Fair to visit with my long time friend who is a former TV reporter who is now a true crime author. Camille Kimball has two spellbinding books out on sensational Phoenix Arizona crime stories you can learn about at www.camillekimball.com.

I would have videotaped their interesting panel discussion however they put this bunch with a floor to celling solid glass wall behind them on a really bright day. That made the lighting conditions impossible.

I did however put this unsavory looking bunch in a line-up figuring they may be wanted or hopefully at least the exciting books they are peddling.

Here are the Usual Suspects:

The Power of Video Production Skills

Los Angeles, CA—As television, magazines and newspapers completely reinvent themselves for the newer and more versatile webcasting platforms video has become more important than ever.

Every smartphone, IPad, or computer must be fed lots of exceptional video. There are screens in your pockets, cars as nearly every business displays large screens that are all demanding viewers.

Creation of video was always nearly impossible for anyone without the financial assets of a small nation. Today for a few thousand bucks and the discipline to learn the art of shooting, writing and editing you can create and control the content of what’s on some of those screens.

Today even the smallest of business need watchable and entertaining videos to showcase their products and services at least for their own websites.

Today every businessman or woman should be able to deliver a quality video presentation by a click of a mouse to any potential customer or client in the world. If they can’t do this they will forfeit their business to someone who can.

Crimefile Video is Undergoing a Makeover!

I get a lot of questions from fans of this blog about production on a shoestring budget. It’s not easy to take the time and commute to where the stories are and creating compelling content. At Crimefile News we are upgrading equipment so this is a great time to talk about this subject.

Today the costs are only a tiny fraction of what it took to accomplish decent video production even a decade ago. Better and cheaper equipment is available everywhere.

Costs:

Blogging software: Free
Camera: $150 to $4,000.00
Computer (MacBook Pro) $1,400.00
Video Editing Software: Final Cut Pro X: $300.00
Blue Snowball Microphone: $60.00
Camera LED light: $100.00
Tripod: $50.00
Training: Free via YouTube contributors.

You can be in business for less than $2,000.00 or go whole hog getting a great camera like my JVC GY-HM100U, extra lights and a couple of good quality wireless microphones and still stay under $5000.00 in equipment costs.

The goal here at Crimefile News is to give the special people that are my visitors the best I can.