Digital Shoebox

Tips, stories, and video in today's changing world.
March 30, 2021 In Social Video, The Business of Video By DigitalShoebox

Timelapse Storytelling

What it is about time lapse that keeps up captivated?   There is one video that plays in my mind when I think of time lapse. It was shot in 2013, from a construction site in Calgary, Alberta. The new National Music Centre was under construction, and a camera was mounted at the site. This is not uncommon on construction sites. Cameras are in use to capture the evolution of the development and also as a form of security. No one could have anticipated what this camera at the NMC would film. After several days of rain, the city of Calgary experienced the worst...

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December 1, 2020 In The Business of Video By DigitalShoebox

Maintaining the story on silent mode

Your video needs to tell the same story no matter how it's viewed Here's an important lesson: your video should tell the same story whether it's played with or without sound. It's the b-roll footage - the video shots that fill in the blanks or add visual interest to a talking head interview - that plays a critical role here. Our brains are not built to process visual and audio at the same time. Evidence of that can be found in our daily lives: bits of conversations missed when our attention was on our phone or the attention-grabbing silence of a...

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October 6, 2020 In Social Video, The Business of Video By DigitalShoebox

Building my Audience on YouTube

A little more than a year ago, I made the conscious decision to start creating How-To videos on YouTube. I never could have anticipated what would happen to the Digital Shoebox channel.   My goal was to be helpful to my clients, offering them guidance for editing and filming videos, sharing my video marketing expertise and showing them how to maximize their YouTube channels. Some of the videos were scripted and I filmed them with my proper gear and lighting. For others, especially the videos that were demonstrating a skill, I simply used screen recording software. Sometimes I would add my face...

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May 7, 2020 In The Business of Video By DigitalShoebox

Getting the close up from a distance

The way I do business has not changed at all, it's the volume of business that has been turned on its ear. I went from a fully booked March, April and May to 2 shoots. One was an industrial shoot, so I was in a vast warehouse where it was easy to keep my distance. The other was a medical shoot where I was required to wash my hands the minute I entered the building, mask up, set up and stand back. I did not enjoy the mask at all and I gained a new perspective on our health care workers...

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October 10, 2019 In The Business of Video, They like me, they really really like me By DigitalShoebox

On the road with a woman who hears voices. From the dead.

Earlier this spring, I spent three days on the road with Jennie Ogilvie. Jennie is a spiritual medium, which is a benign way to say she talks to dead people. I've always been on the fence about this, straddled between wanting to believe and rolling my eyes. I also believe in following your gut (though I don't always listen -  ask me about my first marriage), which is how Jennie and I ended up filming a pilot. FOR A TV SERIES!!! Jennie and I were loosely connected via our respective networks. When she popped into my WomenTalk circle, I felt compelled to reach out, so...

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July 5, 2019 In The Business of Video, Video Marketing Tips By DigitalShoebox

Starting with strategy: Why you need a plan for video marketing

Effective video starts with a plan It may be tempting to just create some video, throw it up on YouTube and wait for the people to come, but the reality is there are thousands of videos competing for views. Every business owner has heard the phrase "Say yes, then figure out the how".  While you can have success with that approach for basic business transactions, when it comes to video, you need to have a clear plan. You can't just wing it when it comes to video content. Planning extends beyond the scripts, the shoot location and what you're going to wear. You...

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May 10, 2019 In They like me, they really really like me By DigitalShoebox

How the movie theatre survives

Movie theatres should have died five years ago. The price for a family of four was no longer reasonable, the concession cost more than admittance, and you had to arrive at least 45 minutes prior to show start so you weren't stuck with seats in the front row. The floors were always sticky and gross, battle lines were drawn over arm rests, and you had to contort your body or hug your popcorn bag while trying not to spill your drink as you rose to let someone pass. Why did we tolerate this nonsense? It's simple. Going to the movies was an experience,...

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March 24, 2019 In The Business of Video, Video Marketing Tips By DigitalShoebox

It’s never just a potato chip – A marketing story

I'm a sucker for anything new, especially in the CPG (consumer packaged goods) category. My 12-year-old son opened this container of Wavy Pringles and took some out. He handed one to me and I just stared at it for a minute, until I started smiling. You see a potato chip with ridges. I see a whole story. A young man is new to the Pringles production line, just starting his first full-time job. His job is repetitive and his mind wanders over the course of the day - planning the weekend, thinking about the love of his life, dreaming about the new car...

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March 15, 2019 In The Business of Video, Video Marketing Tips By DigitalShoebox

5 PRODUCTION TIPS TO ENSURE YOUR VIDEO ALIGNS WITH YOUR BRAND

Whether or not you have entered into the world of creating video for your business, there are some steps you can take that will ensure every video you produce going forward aligns with your brand styling. You need to squash down that desire to just get some video done and throw it out into the world. Video needs to be done with purpose, intent and professionalism, even if you have a restrictive budget. Whatever road you take with video, pro or do-it-yourself, its role is to elevate your brand. Logo Your logo is like a famous brand of hot sauce and yes,...

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March 12, 2019 In They like me, they really really like me By DigitalShoebox

Life without the web: A resource guide for anyone under 35

Today, the World Wide Web is 30 years old. Two and a half decades of evolution since computer users were first able to use their phone lines (landline for those who have never had one) to connect remotely to a bulletin board or a newsgroup (an early version of a forum). Life moves much faster now, and for the better. Everything is accessible, searchable, shareable. When the internet began spreading it's fingers in 1989, people were ready. The lavish excess of the 80s demanded that we have the latest of anything, but we were also on the verge of a...

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