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Determine the size of the production company you need: Although there are many factors that determine the cost of a video shoot (as explained later), the first consideration for staying in budget is the type and size of the production company.

Large production companies have multiple studios and sound stages, editing suites, and a sizeable staff. These are the people that television stations and Hollywood producers call on when they need a local production for television, cable, or film. They are very experienced and produce fantastic results, but a considerable price tag must accompany such overhead. Often they are unable to service small businesses because they cannot accommodate such small budgets, as they'd usually have plenty of calls and projects from clients with deep pockets keeping them busy.

The next step down is a medium full-time production company. Small and medium sized businesses are the core of their clientèle, so they are compelled to keep a video project as lean as possible, yet deliver the best possible quality for the money being paid. These production companies may have a small, single studio and editing suite, or they may work out of their home studio and rent a sound stage when the project calls for it. There may be one or two full time employees, and the rest are contract crew on a per-project basis. This helps translate into lower production costs for you.

The final category of video producers is part-time, weekend-only videographers. These producers have a camera, a computer and an inexperienced girlfriend helper. They can often underbid anyone else in town because they already have their full time job and any extra money on the side is fine with them. But their ability to understand corporate, commercial, and broadcast needs are limited, and often shows in the quality of their production.

Choosing a medium-sized, full time production company will give you the most bang for the buck. This is not to say that large companies intentionally price themselves out of range for small businesses, some may be very willing to work with you. It's just that a large production house will probably not be as eager and excited to earn your business for a $2000 project when they're used to getting calls for $20,000 jobs on average. You don’t need to directly interrogate each company about the size of their business. Look at their website and see examples of their clients…if they seem to favor Fortune 500 companies or feature films, then you can assume that they’re a large production company. Or if you see a 30,000 square foot facility with immaculate furnishings, you can deduce that the price tag they give you will be sizeable.

Compare company demo reels to see who can give the best quality for your budget. Once you’ve determined the size of the video company to use, then it’s time to compare demo reels among the companies in your price range. One of the main factors that will determine visual quality in the portfolios is the format the project was shot on. Video technology changes drastically every 4-7 years, and what was broadcast quality 15 years ago with $50,000 cameras can be achieved with a $3000 HDV camera today. The producer should match the video format with what provides the best noticeable quality for your budget.

There are many other factors that can determine the overall quality of a video production, but choosing the format is the foundation upon which many other costs are built upon. You have to ask yourself, “Will spending X amount of additional dollars on a higher-end format increase my response rate or accomplish my objectives better?” If you’re doing a TV spot, then quality is critical for that first impression. For an employee training video, immaculate image quality is probably not critical. That’s why it is the opinion of this author that the HDV format offers the best balance of quality and cost, for any type of video production. As you watch the demo reels and portfolios of various production companies, pay attention to not only the mere image quality, but also the lighting, camera movements, and audio quality. One way to practice this is while you’re watching TV at home. Instead of zipping past the commercials of the show you’ve tivo-ed, watch and focus on the details of how national commercials are shot. Notice the smooth diffused lighting, the track/dolly camera movements (i.e., not much zooming!), and the deep contrast with vivid colors. Even if your video project is not a commercial spot, you can train your eye to notice quality by comparing it with the standard.

Consider the professionalism and business practices of the company. After a budget is finalized, the producer should create a treatment (blueprint for the video) upon which your contract will be based. You should know ahead of time exactly what will be done, what equipment will be used, what crew will be hired, and how each scene will be storyboarded. Granted there is an element of creativity that will vary and not necessarily translate directly onto paper, but strive to have everything in writing so that there are no misunderstandings or faulty expectations. Consider the personality and professionalism of the salesman, the director, or producer you are working with. Do you sense that he understands your industry or is eager to learn about it? Does he provide valuable input without being pushy or cocky? There should be a free flow of input into the project from both sides, without any ego problems. These traits may seem trivial, but video producers can be a creative and finicky bunch that take their art very seriously. It is paramount to have not only a creative team, but one who puts your needs and goals above their own.

Why Didn't My Radio Commercial Work?

I’ve been in the business for over 25 years, and it usually takes me 2.5 seconds to identify someone from the bush league. I don’t even need to hear them read a script. Just tell me how much, or rather, how little they charge. Cheap rates are the first red flag.

The second red flag is the quality of the recording. These days, most talents will record in their home studio. It’s cheaper and more convenient, but the quality can definitely suffer. Here are a few common problems.

The volume might be too low, or certain words might be too loud and distorted (that’s called ‘clipping’). You might also hear cars passing by or a dog barking in the background. That should tell you that the recording was not made in a dedicated, soundproofed space. Building a sound booth can set you back thousands of dollars. Most beginners don’t have that much to invest.

If you happen to hear hissing, it’s usually the result of cheap gear or turning up volume settings too high. A hum on the recording is typically caused by a ground loop. It occurs when there is more than one ground connection path between two pieces of equipment. Pros know that. Amateurs have no idea and don’t know how to fix it.

A third indicator is bad microphone technique. How can you tell? You’ll hear popping plosives like P’s, B’s and T’s. You might also hear harsh and shrill S-sounds (so-called ‘sibilance’) that tickle your ear drum in an unpleasant way.

Tip-off number four is lack of vocal technique. An amateur might take very noticeable breaths. Breathing is such a natural thing; most of us aren’t even aware that we’re doing it. Being close to a mic enhances every single sound. Pros have practiced and mastered the ‘silent breath’.

Amateur recordings can also be filled with annoying lip smacks, mouth noises, clicks and crackles. Some of them can be edited out, but bad edits are a fifth sign of amateurism.

Sloppy articulation and incorrect pronunciation come in on number six. Some amateurs are rather lazy speakers, and their delivery will lack clarity, especially when they pick up the tempo. I’ve also heard beginners over articulate certain words, making them sound unnatural and contrived. A professional narrator will do her homework and will correctly pronounce words such as inaniloquent, rastaquouere or nudiustertian.

Poor or inappropriate delivery is clue number seven. You don’t want your serious documentary narrated by an overselling wannabee actor who has watched too many infomercials. Local radio show hosts give themselves away because they have cultivated an “announcer voice”. You’re listening for a crisp, natural delivery. Not for a news reader.

Number eight: the inability to interpret a script. Any text can be read in a million ways. A voice-over professional will always sound like he knows what he’s talking about (even if he doesn’t). An amateur will sound insecure, lost and untrustworthy.

A professional is flexible and appreciates and incorporates feedback fast without fussing. A pro can be coached. An amateur is afraid of criticism; is inflexible and needs a lot of hand-holding and training. What you might save in terms of money, you will inevitably lose in valuable time (not to mention the aggravation…).

Expert firefighter Red Adair once said:

Number ten is my personal favorite. You can always spot an amateur by the way certain questions are answered. A few examples:

You: “What kind of monitors do you have?”
Amateur: “What do you mean? I have an 18 inch flat screen Dell monitor”
(monitor is another name for loudspeaker)

You: “How did you stage your gain? Outside or inside the box?”
Amateur: “I don’t really perform on stage. Is there something to gain by doing that?”
(Gain staging means setting the volume levels)

You: “Newman recently came out with a ribbon shotgun microphone. It’s only $199! Should I buy it?”
Amateur: “Really? I didn’t know that! I thought Newman was a Seinfeld character.”
(The correct spelling is Neumann and it is pronounced “Noy-mahn”. There is no such thing as a ribbon shotgun microphone, and Neumanns never come that cheap).

HOME RUN
“You’re an Ace”, my videographer friend said. “Thanks for all these tips. You deserve a place in my Hall of Fame. How did you come up with all that stuff?”

“Oh, you know… I’ve been around the block a few times,” I replied. It’s not exactly rocket science. And as Yogi Berra once said:

Voice acting is 90% mental, the other half is physical.

Paul Strikwerda © 2010

How Much Does Radio Advertising Cost?

"How much does it cost to advertise on the radio?" This is the question I am asked every day. There is a lot of confusion out there about just how much radio advertising costs. With a little knowledge and understanding of how radio works, we can answer this question. Because bottom line… Just like the cost of a 5 star hotel room at the four seasons differs from "Moe's motel and eat". The costs of radio advertising vary greatly from station to station based on listenership. Effective radio advertising had two major components - "The Commercial" - The physical message itself and "The Radio Station" your commercials air on.

The Commercial

First, Let's explore the radio commercial itself. Before picking the radio station, you need to think about the message you are trying to convey to your target customer and what you want them to do. The key to the commercial is having a compelling call to action that drives your target customers to your business.

The radio commercial production industry is full of voice talents, radio personalities, DJ's and others, all claiming to create "radio commercials". Be very cautious here… If you want a truly professional sounding radio commercial - look for a radio advertising agency that has experience and a track record of successful ad campaigns. Not just some guy with a microphone who likes to talk. Anyone can create a radio ad, but not everyone can create a radio ad that is effective and drives customers to your business. Another red flag to watch out for are the "free radio commercials" created by the radio station if you advertise on their station. While free sounds great - free commercials are never based on strategy and are just one of several dozen commercials that have to be created by an overworked radio production person in a five minute window of time. Remember, you usually get what you pay for.

Professional radio commercial production agencies use solid, time tested formulas that maximize potential response. The talent is handpicked to best connect with the target customer and the production is based upon clear, quality, and easy to absorb audio messages.

So…what does the radio commercial production process cost? The good news here is - Not all that much, when consider the quality of the end product. The price for a commercial that utilizes one voice usually falls in to the price range of $300 to $500 per commercial. When you add more voices or "jingle singers" to a commercial, you can expect to pay more. Knowing these numbers can save you a lot of money if someone tries to charge you more for a commercial. I would be very skeptical of anyone charging less than this for a "professional" commercial. Meaning I would question just how "professional" the work is. What are you paying for? These costs cover development of a solid strategy, copy from experienced copywriters, performance by high caliber voice talents, and the highest quality production services.

The Radio Station

This is where the biggest questions come into play. Questions about rates, station prices, placement times, etc. Let's de-mystify what radio placement is all about.

A good radio commercial advertising agency will help you find a few key things -

* Finding the best radio stations in a market that match your customer's demographics (age, gender, income level, etc.) and psychographics (interests, beliefs, hobbies, personality traits, etc.). To match your message with.

* Finding the times of day that best reach your target customer on the specific stations.

* Selecting the top radio stations that most efficiently reach the highest potential QUALIFIED customers, the most times (defined as frequency), for the least amount of money. Here is how we determine what to spend on radio advertising costs. We explore the market you want to advertise in, we find the radio stations that have the best potential to reach your target customer (Based on the stations format Top40 and News/Talk and Soft Rock all reach very different demographics of people). We compare the latest ratings data on the radio stations that qualify to reach your target customers. This gives us a good idea of what stations will best reach your target customers.

Once we have determined what stations will most effectively reach your target customer, we negotiate a plan with the radio station based on your goals, expectations and budget. We have access to data that allows us to compare rates against historical figures to determine if a stations price is out of line or in-line with the market averages. We use every resource we can to get you the most for your money. What is the total cost? This honestly depends on the size of the market you wish to advertise in. Radio advertising rates can be as high as $200 per 30 spot in a top market like LA, or as low as $30 per 30 spot in Petoskey, MI.

By Marketing Guy

EVEN THE BEST OF THE BEST HAVE RECORDED AT HOME!

Don LaFontaine, arguably the most successful and famous voice-over actor, places high value on time management in the workplace. When he realized that his Voice of God project studio — where he records at least 10 sessions a day via ISDN lines — could run even more efficiently, he upgraded, incorporating the latest in audio and video technology. “I was having extreme difficulty doing simple things, like manufacture an MP3 to send off to a client or even using FTP,” says LaFontaine, who runs all of his voice-over sessions himself. “There were too many steps. I needed to streamline so that I could operate everything without having to step out of my voice studio.”

With George Whittam of ElDorado Recording in Los Angeles handling installation and MW Audio's Mike Warren, Danny Brant and Jimmy Church supplying the equipment, LaFontaine expanded to a computer-centered HD audio and video facility. He donated much of his old gear — Mackie 32×8 board, MOTU 2408 and Macintosh G3, among other items — to a school near his Los Feliz, Calif., home.

Don LaFontaine
photo: George Whitman

A converted electrical room in the bottom floor of LaFontaine's house serves as a 6×5-foot vocal booth; the control room is housed among a media storage area and machinery for other A/V equipment. To acoustically enhance the space, Whittam installed Auralex Elite Pro panels on the wall and bass traps between the wall and ceiling, and encased a noisy home-surveillance recorder inside a soundproof KK Audio Quiet Rack QR-16.

In place of his former setup, LaFontaine received a Mac G5 computer, Digidesign Pro Tools|HD1 with 192 I/O interface, and an Allen & Heath WZ20 mixing console, among other items. On the video side, Whittam installed a Gateway 6500D to run Avid Express Pro HD 5.2 software and Mojo hardware, Sony HVR M10U HDV deck and HVR Z1U HDV camcorder, and a Sharp LC-45GX6U 45-inch HD monitor, “one of the few LCDs available that can display the full 1,920-by-1,080 picture of HDV,” says Whittam. The video equipment exists mainly for LaFontaine's personal projects. “I like to shoot and edit film,” the studio owner says. “That's one of my hobbies. I also like to have the best toys, and since I can afford it, most of the time I'm very happy to get them.”

An iBook laptop, networked to the G5 via WiFi and Timbuktu Remote Desktop software, allows LaFontaine to control his audio operation from within the booth if need be. “Now I don't have to leave the room to change a level,” he says. But most of the time, the audio equipment stays on autopilot, with everything running through ISDN and the Telos Zephyr Express ISDN codec. “My agent will send me a fax at the end of the day telling me what I'm starting with the next day,” LaFontaine explains. “I come downstairs at the right time, pick another fax up off the machine that's got the copy on it, I hear the ‘beep-beep’ that the ISDN is hooked up and I go into the studio. The microphone is set at a certain level; everything is set so all I have to do is talk. It's pretty idiot-proof.” LaFontaine usually reads into a Manley tube mic, which runs into a Tube-Tech MEC-1A preamp. He records his vocals “flat,” with little to no compression, letting the clients add any necessary processing during the mix.

He has worked out of his own studio for nearly five years, and this new, streamlined setup makes it even easier to manage back-to-back network promos for such clients as Fox, CBS, NBC, TNT and Cartoon Network, as well as voice-over work for America's Most Wanted, Survivor, 24, World's Most Amazing Videos, Entertainment Tonight, The Insider and myriad film trailers.

Working via ISDN certainly enhances LaFontaine's productivity, though his previous modus operandi — traveling via chauffeured white limo from studio to studio — certainly did more for his celebrity image. “I might have had 12 or 13 different stops, which can get tiring at the end of the day,” he says. “It also takes up a lot of time, not to mention a lot of gas. Now it's very handy to just go downstairs, take a fax out of a machine and step into my little booth and do the session. It's really been a boon for anyone who does a bulk amount of announcing. But the real boon is for the talent in the outlying areas who aren't living in New York, Chicago or L.A. With ISDN, they can really make themselves available to those larger markets.”

By Heather Johnson

What Makes Voice Talent So Special?

You’ve heard him – That Guy with That Voice. The TV promo voice. He does announcements, commercials, advertising jingles. He sells Ginsu knives for Only $19.95 and warns you that the furniture special downtown is for Only One Day. Of course, it’s isn’t just one guy, but you know the type of voice I’m talking about. You may have even bought one or more of the products that you heard this type voice announce. You probably didn’t make fun of him, or at least you didn’t do it often, because you didn’t think about the voice. You thought about the product.

The first time you really gave that type of voice serious thought was when you discovered a need to make your own voiceover project. Maybe you have something to sell for Only $19.95. Maybe, you think, you should hire a guy like that to sell your product or make your announcement. Then you consider what he probably charges and wonder why you can’t make the announcement yourself. After all, it’s just talking, right? What’s so special about That Guy? After all, it sounds pretty easy. Anyone could do it, right?

A lot of people start thinking like that when money is involved. It’s difficult sometimes to spend money to make things just right. They don’t understand that skimping on the wrong things in the beginning can cause them to lose money in the end.

The first thing you have to consider when you are dangerously close to stumbling down that road is, it’s a professional’s job to make it look easy. That means they’re good at it. The problem is, if you don’t know a lot about voice acting, you’re probably not sure what it is, exactly, they’re good at. You probably haven’t given a lot of thought to the value of enunciating, timing and stage presence.

Enunciating is simply speaking clearly, pronouncing the words so that they can be understood, making each word distinct and not running things together. That’s harder than it sounds, because most people don’t enunciate. We don’t notice it on a day-to-day basis because we’re used to it. We know what all the jumbled-up sounds are, and when we aren’t sure, we can use facial cues or body language. It’s more difficult to do than it looks, and it is especially difficult to do quickly, which you may be faced with if you have a lot to say in a very limited amount of air time. An audience listening to a commercial can’t ask what you said if you aren’t speaking clearly.

Put that together with the fact that the voice actor has to remember his lines and deal with timing issues, and make it all sound natural while doing it, and you’ve got an incredibly complex skill at work here. Speaking is one thing, but speaking for profit should be left to the professionals.

By: Terry Daniel

Advertising in a Bad Economy

In a recession, the first dollars that a company usually cuts come from the advertising budget. Advertising in a recession is actually a smart business move to grow your business now and for the future.

McGraw-Hill Research conducted a study of U.S. recessions from 1980-1985. Out of the 600 business-to-business companies analyzed, the ones who continued to advertise during the 1981-1982 recession hit a 256-percent growth by 1985 over their competitors that eliminated or decreased spending.

American Business Press analyzed 143 companies during the economic downturn back in 1974 and 1975. Companies that advertised in those years saw the highest growth in sales and net income during the recession and the two years that followed.

The numbers aren't a fluke. They prove there's a reward for companies who are aggressive with their advertising efforts in a recession.

Here are even more reasons why you need to advertise your business in a bad economy:

Your Competition Won't
Most small businesses have a limited advertising budget. During a recession, it's easy to make up some of those dollars by holding back on advertising.

All that really does is open up the marketplace for that company's competitors. The presence the business has spent ad dollars on to build up is now an open field for the competitors that are willing to advertise.

Let's say you own an auto parts store. Consumers still need your company, no matter what the economy. Cars still break down. They still need windshield wipers and people will even buy those tree air fresheners. Your company can be the one the customer chooses because you've made your own presence known.

You Can Create a Long-Term Position for Your Business
Standing out in the marketplace is hard enough when you and your competition are battling it out in the ad world. As your competition cuts back on ad spending, your advertising can cut through that clutter.

Consumers may not be spending as much but they are still spending. If you're not the company they think of when they do spend, your sales will decrease. While your competition is cutting back, you have the chance to be the company consumers spend with now while gaining their future business as you continue to advertise in good times and bad.

To Establish an Advertising Contact
This is the perfect time to establish a relationship with the person you'll be doing business with at TV stations, radio stations, magazines, online, etc. An Account Executive can be your go-to contact to get your ads in prime placement, negotiate good deals on rates and even get extras thrown in for your ads.

You can also use this new relationship to further grow your business. Talk with the AE about sponsorships, advertising trades and partnering.

Get Better Deals on Advertising
This is where you can use your new advertising contact. Ad inventory still has to be sold. TV stations, radio stations and magazines still have budgets to make.

Now's a good time to get deals on your ad space. You can get more exposure through more ad placement and even freebies added into the mix. If you're trying to get airtime on TV, for example, a station might also offer online advertising on its website as part of the deal. Negotiations are easier for the advertiser in a recession.

You Can Speak Directly to Customers Looking for Bargains
Don't be afraid to address the bad economy in your advertising. Customers are looking for good deals. Some national advertisers are a prime example of this.

Travelocity aired a simple commercial to announce its Silver Lining Sale. In the first three seconds, you see the words, "We know times are tight."

Wal-Mart is running an effective ad campaign. The commercials don't say, "Hey, come on out. We've got electronics, clothes, sporting goods, prescriptions and more at a low cost." Instead, the ads focus on very specific items and how much you'll save over a year by purchasing these items directly from Wal-Mart. The world's largest retailer posted its best sales performance in nine months, with a 5.1-percent sales gain in February 2009 as a result.

Hyundai's ads touting the Assurance Plus program is another example of an advertiser that's not ignoring these tough economic times. In its ads, Hyundai announces its program that will pay your payment for three months if you lose your income. If you still can't pay after three months, take your car back to the dealership.

Is it an effective program? Hyundai has already seen a 4.9-percent sales gain as of March 2009 while Toyota is down 36-percent.

In a bad economy, there are many opportunities to expose your business to new customers that aren't always possible in a good economy. Every one of them can be explored to help you solidify your place in business and stand out from your competitors.

By: Apryl Duncan.

Internet Advertising Schemes to Avoid

During my two years on the Internet, I have tried many forms of advertising that have been less than successful. I am writing this article to all the “newbies” out there who flock to these forms of advertising because they are easy and free, and after these advertising methods have produced none of the desired results, they leave with a feeling that they have been scammed and that the Internet is not the virtual marketplace that everyone has raved about.

In reality, the Internet is the virtual marketplace of the future and is producing mind-boggling sales for the entrepreneurs who are pursuing effective advertising methods.

The first form of advertising that leaves the worst taste in my mouth is called FFA advertising (Free for All). In my opinion, FFA sites prey on “newbies”, promising that they will put their ad on thousands of websites, often supplying the newbies with automated software so they can accomplish this with one click of
the button.

Then their ad is placed on thousands of different FFA sites at one time. What they don’t tell you is that these pages your ad is placed on are never seen by the general public, because they aren’t listed in any search engines, directories, or any of the mainstream traffic locations.

To add insult to injury, while you’re using the automated software to place your ad on a thousand FFA pages, millions of other newbies are doing the same thing. There isn’t enough room on these FFA pages for all the incoming submissions, so your ad may be on these FFA pages for 30 minutes max, and is then dropped.

The real scam behind these FFA sites is that you have to provide your email address in order to submit to them. These email addresses are a free for all for whoever wants to use them. Your inbox is then bombarded with hundreds if not thousands of junk emails each day of people wanting you to join their opportunity.

The next advertising method that produces less than desired results is the surf for clicks programs. While these are not
half as bad as the FFA sites, they are about 99% ineffective.

Basically, the way the surf for clicks programs work is that you are required to view various websites for a short period of time, for every website that you view, you will earn a credit. If you look at ten websites and earn 10 credits, your website will in-turn be shown to someone else 10 times.

Let’s look at this surf for clicks logically. Who are youadvertising to? You are advertising to other network marketers
and Internet business owners. If they already have a business, then how many do you think will sign up for yours? What are they looking for? They are looking to get traffic, the same as you…they are NOT looking to sign up for another program or purchase a product.

You must understand that you need to put your opportunity in front of the general public. Where does 85% of all the Internet traffic come from? It comes from the Search Engines.

Getting a listing in the search engines is also “targeted traffic”. Meaning that someone has to input a keyword combination that is associated with your website, and when your site is displayed, its because your site is specifically
targeted to what they are looking for.

When this happens for you, you truly will be successful in your business.

By: Rebecca Gilbert