The Power Of The Daily Huddle

Huddling on set before a scene ensures we’re all on the same page before rolling the camera.

A Daily Huddle is more important in managing a team than any meeting you’ll ever hold.

Why are meetings so prevalent in today’s corporate world? I’ve been in companies where meetings follow meetings followed by more meetings and before you know it the day is done. Not to mention one-hour meetings that stretch into three hours because either someone really likes to talk or we branch out into multiple topics that have nothing to do with the original meeting.

A powerful means of leadership, enhancing productivity and growing a cohesive team is the Daily Huddle.

Video Production: What's In The (Camera) Bag?

One question I seem to get more than any other is "What's in your camera bag?" From the first time a picture appeared with me filming on the road, folks have been asking what I'm carrying around on my back. Now I’m happy to share a typical setup for my camera bag. With this configuration, I can film interviews, documentary / docu-reality storytelling, training, travel and the like.

"Parasite" Wins Best Oscar. Edited on Final Cut Pro 7

In 2020 "Parasite" won the Academy Award for Best Picture. The film was masterfully edited using Final Cut Pro 7 which has not been available since 2010.

What IS Branded Storytelling?

A recurring question I receive is "What IS Branded Storytelling?" Is it just a commercial but more cinematic? Does it mean I don't talk about my brand directly?

Branded storytelling is all about making a connection to your potential customer. It's usually a long game, you don't make one video, tell one story and magically you've connected to an entirely new audience. One story might get that initial interest, but a body of stories can form an emotional connection to your brand and your product. Multiple storylines can attract multiple demographics.

Branded Storytelling: Setting Up Your Creative Infrastructure

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One of the most confusing and vexing areas for any company starting up an internal creative team is knowing what equipment to purchase. There are thousands of pieces of equipment and hundreds of recommendations on ‘what you need to buy.’ While every situation is different, here’s a basic primer on the types of equipment and how much you might spend to set up a basic two-person internal team.

Branded Storytelling: Hiring Your First Creative Team

Branding today is all about storytelling. And there's no better way to tell your story than through video.

With social media, you want to be putting out content every single day. Especially if you're a consumer product. But if you've never built a Creative Team or an Internal Creative Agency and you're thinking about starting one, well where do you begin? You start with Two.

Branding Videos - Start with Audio.

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Almost every time someone asks me for advice on getting started with video they always lead with 'what camera should I use?' or 'how do I make my smartphone camera look better.' Not one person has ever asked me how to make their audio sound better and that's honestly the most important aspect of creating good videos.

The "Right Tool" Might Be Your Brain, Not A Specific Camera

Filming “We Are: Brewton, Alabama” for Georgia-Pacific with dual Canon DSLRs and a super cheap Best Buy LED light. The high quality lenses are more important than the cameras themselves in making pretty picture.

Too often I hear from videographers and DPs that “the camera is just a tool, and if you want to shoot something correctly, you have to have the right tool for the job.” In some cases they are correct. When it comes to big budget episodic shows and films, bigger is often better.

But when it comes to digital storytelling and branding, it’s the creative use of the tools at hand that matter more than the ‘right tool.’

Experimenting with Vertical Video and IGTV

I began experimenting pretty much immediately after IGTV was launched and it's turning out to be quite a lot of fun, and challenging. As I mentioned in my first post, one of the biggest challenges is the lack of horizontal space for graphics and to showcase elements in the scene.

Quick Turnaround Project Completed: MLK50th. A Difficult Conversation

Well we finished one of the most difficult projects I have ever produced and we did it from concept to completion in just two weeks.

The task was to present a message that ‘it’s ok to have difficult discussions’ on race and social inequality framed around the 50th Anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. This was an almost terrifying assignment because not only did we have to honor the legacy and man who was Dr. King, I was going to be wading into difficult territory having people speak openly, on-camera, about race and social inequality in America. This coming only a month after a Super Bowl commercial turned into a PR fiasco when Dr. King's words and image were used to sell a product.

Filming completed for "We Are: Muskogee, Oklahoma." Episode 3 for GP.

Ringing cow bells for chili at the Chili Cookoff.

We're getting on a roll with these the "We Are" campaign having just come back from 3 days of filming in and around Muskogee, Oklahoma. "We Are:" is a 'moving the needle' campaign I designed for Georgia-Pacific. GP has amazing individuals all across this great land and "We Are:" aims to introduce them and the places they live, one small town at a time. Muskogee is the largest town we've visited so far with a population over 39,000 people.

Filming completed for "We Are: Palatka, Florida." Episode 2 of Georgia-Pacific image campign.

Simply stunning sunrise over the St. Johns River in Palatka Florida.

We just completed 3 days of filming in and around Palatka, Florida for the second episode of the Georgia-Pacific 'move the needle' campaign, "We Are:" Palatka is in the heart of Florida right along the St. Johns River. Quick fact, Palatka was the largest town in Florida right through the early 1900's because the river made it the center of commerce in the state.

Holiday Facebook Live with GP CEO Christian Fischer

We brought the iOgrapher out again today for a great Facebook Live chat with Georgia-Pacific CEO Christian Fischer hosting Major Bob Parker and wife Captain Kathy Parker from The Salvation Army Metro Atlanta's Angel Tree Program.

New Georgia-Pacific Storytelling launches with "We Are: Brewton, Alabama"

My new storytelling initiative for Georgia-Pacific was rolled out externally this week, "We Are: Brewton, Alabama." It's a few months later than originally planned, but forces beyond my control delayed the external release. But Episode 1 of the series featuring the incredible Glen Freeman is now live.

Taking the Dixie brand to VR by Working Backwards

Filming in the woods of North Georgia

In order to sell a product well, you need to understand the manufacturing process. The entire manufacturing process. GP Studios was tasked with creating an immersive experience to showcase how Dixie products are made to the internal sales teams. Originally it was planned to start with the papermaking process, however I proposed starting at the very beginning, in the forest. That segment introduced a vital message to the sales team, the sustainability of forests is first and foremost in everything Georgia-Pacific does. Sustainability is a buzzword that can be tossed around, but to visually be reminded that this is more than just a word, turned out to be a key takeaway from the presentation.

Sustainable Wood Forestry Messaging with Snake Chaps

“Folks, here’s the snake chaps, be sure to put them on so the rattlers don’t get you.” Now THERE’s a phrase I’ve never heard in my 25+ years of storytelling. And let me tell you, that phrase wakes you up in a hurry. Of course my response was, “I make these look good, don’t I?”

Georgia-Pacific is Tourney ready. Are you?

DP Brad Hinton showing off some moves in GP Studios.

One thing about taking on a new role at Georgia-Pacific… you hit the ground running. March Madness is such a fun part of American sports and we have tons of certified sports nuts working at GP. Our Social Media team was looking for some way to have a little fun with the basketball tournament. So I quickly sketched out a storyboard and hatched a plan with lead on our intranet to recruit ‘actors’ for the spot. This turned out to be so much fun.

Taking Control of Your Phone for Better Videography

iPhone 6s on the iOgrapher with a Wide Angle Lens and Shure LensHopper VP83 Shotgun Mic with Rode SC-4 Adapter.  Mounted on a JOBY GorillaPod SLR-Zoom — iPhone 6s on the iOgrapher with a Wide Angle Lens and Shure LensHopper VP83 Shotgun Mic with Rode SC-4 Adapter. Mounted on a JOBY GorillaPod SLR-Zoom

Prior to a recent cruise I picked up the iOgrapher for my iPhone 6. Having seen the product at NAB a few times, I knew it created a stable camera platform for the iPhone making the camera much more useable. I was more than impressed with the stability and ease of use of the system. In fact I shot a LOT more video than I originally intended on the cruise. While I was really happy with the with overall results, I felt that camera control and audio quality were lacking. The iPhone camera auto irises too much and the color temperature changes, sometimes at random. When the phone is mounted into the iOgrapher, the microphone is essentially blocked by the unit. So before my next trip, I knew I wanted to improve both areas.

Why I use Rampant Design Tools

No, I’m not a paid spokesperson for Rampant Design Tools. I just love their products and when they asked if I would create a video telling folks why I use them, well of course I said yes. Beyond the awesomeness of the products, there the awesomeness of Sean and Stefani Mullen. Real creatives who make wonderful tools for the rest of us.