In the realm of media and memories, the advent of digital technology has revolutionised how we capture and store moments. However, there exists a vast trove of nostalgia housed in older formats like VHS tapes, camcorder tapes, and even film reels. These aging relics, while precious in content, face an inevitable foe: time. The gradual decay of magnetic tape and the onset of mould pose significant threats to the preservation of cherished recordings. At PipeWolf Media, we understand the urgency of transferring these tapes before they deteriorate beyond repair.

The Threat of Deterioration

VHS tapes, in particular, are notorious for their vulnerability to deterioration. Over time, the magnetic particles that store video and audio information on the tape begin to degrade. Factors like humidity, temperature fluctuations, and even the quality of the storage environment can accelerate this process. As tapes age, they become brittle, leading to potential snapping or tearing during playback. Moreover, the signals encoded on the tapes can weaken, resulting in distorted audio and video quality. Imagine trying to relive a wedding, a child’s first steps, or a family reunion only to find the images obscured by static and noise.

The Menace of Mould

Beyond the natural degradation of materials, another peril looms: mould. Mould spores are omnipresent and given the right conditions – moisture and darkness – they can swiftly destroy tapes. Mould not only damages the physical structure of tapes but also renders them unplayable. The fuzzy white or greenish patches that appear on tapes are not just unsightly; they represent irreversible damage to the magnetic surface. Attempting to play a mould-infested tape can lead to further spread of spores and exacerbate the deterioration, potentially ruining the tape beyond recovery.

Why Cleanliness Matters

Cleaning tapes affected by mould is a delicate yet essential process. At PipeWolf Media, our expertise in tape restoration includes meticulous cleaning methods designed to remove mould without compromising the integrity of the recordings. By carefully removing mould spores and any debris, we can restore tapes to a condition where they can be safely transferred to digital formats. This not only salvages the content but also ensures that future generations can experience these precious memories in their original quality.

Preserving for Posterity

Preserving memories goes beyond mere nostalgia; it is about safeguarding a tangible link to our past. Whether it’s a childhood birthday party captured on a camcorder tape, or a graduation ceremony immortalized on VHS, these recordings hold immense sentimental value. Transferring them to digital formats not only protects them from physical decay but also makes them accessible in today’s digital age. Imagine being able to effortlessly share these moments with loved ones, regardless of the technological advancements of the future.

Conclusion

In a world where technology evolves at a breakneck pace, it’s easy to overlook the importance of preserving our analogue past. However, at PipeWolf Media, we recognise the significance of every tape, reel, and memory entrusted to us. Our commitment to quality restoration and digital transfer ensures that your cherished recordings can stand the test of time – free from the ravages of deterioration and mould. Don’t wait until it’s too late; safeguard your memories today and entrust them to the experts who understand the art and science of preserving the past for the future.

Fill out our client form to start the process of getting your VHS tapes transferred to digital. 

The post Preserving Memories: Why Transferring VHS and Other Tapes is Crucial appeared first on PipeWolf Media.

In today’s digital landscape, on-camera interviews are powerful tools for communicating ideas and connecting with audiences. As videographers, we understand the importance of not only capturing compelling footage but also ensuring interviewees feel confident and prepared. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or new to on-camera experiences, here’s a comprehensive guide to help you shine during your next on-camera interview.

1. Dressing Professionally for On-Camera Success

First impressions matter on camera, but it’s also important that you feel comfortable. Solid colours that complement your surroundings and lighting are always a safe choice. Blues, greys, and neutrals work well and convey professionalism. Dress comfortably yet smartly to exude confidence during your interview.

Try to avoid any jewellery that will rattle or chime while you talk. We also recommend avoiding strapless tops or dresses – they have a way of dropping out of shot on close up angles.

2. Script and Question Preparation for Seamless Delivery

There’s a fine line between helpful preparation and over-preparation for an interview. If you rehearse too much, and lock yourself into pre-written responses, you may come across robotic on camera – and it can be obvious that you’re trying to remember responses to questions rather than answering them in the moment. On the flip side, a lack of preparation can mean responses lack detail and you forget to mention key points.

We recommend familiarising yourself with the interview topic and potential questions. Make notes on what you’d like to include in your responses. Rehearse your script to maintain a natural flow, avoiding memorisation. Understand key points to deliver your message effectively and authentically, and then pop it all away on the day. Have your notes in your bag in case you get stuck, but don’t be too worried if you give a difference response to what you originally prepared.

When speaking on camera – the interviewers audio will usually be removed in the final edit, so you’ll need to respond in statements rather than answers. For example, if the question is ‘How long have you been working in your current role’ the response should be ‘I’ve been working in my current role for 4 years’ rather than just responding with ‘4 years’.

3. Techniques to Relax and Perform Confidently

Nerves before an interview are natural. Practice deep breathing exercises and visualisation techniques to stay calm. Relax your body through light stretching or movement. A composed demeanour enhances your on-camera presence and engagement.

Remember – all the mistakes, the bloopers, the ‘lets do it again’ moments will never see the light of day. Editing is your friend! Trust our video production team – we’ll edit everything to make you look and sound great.

4. Mindful On-Camera Presence for Connection

Maintain eye contact with the interviewer or camera lens to establish a personal connection with your audience. Pick one or the other to focus on – but don’t let your eye dart from the camera to the interviewer – otherwise you’ll look suss! Speak clearly and at a moderate pace to convey your message effectively. Embrace any mistakes with grace and continue confidently.

Top Tips for On-Camera Success:

Authenticity Matters: Audiences connect with genuine personalities. Let your passion for the topic shine through naturally.

Engage Actively: Listen attentively to interview questions and respond thoughtfully. This creates dynamic and engaging conversations.

Seek Feedback: Review practice footage to refine your on-camera presence. Constructive criticism enhances your performance.

Stay Adaptable: Embrace unexpected changes or questions with composure and flexibility. Preparation fosters spontaneity without losing focus.

Final Thoughts

Mastering on-camera interviews requires preparation, confidence, and adaptability. As videographers committed to capturing compelling narratives, we aim to empower individuals to share their stories effectively. Follow these tips—from wardrobe choices to relaxation techniques—to ensure your on-camera presence is polished, professional, and engaging. Embrace each interview as an opportunity to connect authentically with your audience and leave a lasting impression.

Preparation and practice are your allies in mastering on-camera interviews. Whether addressing a global audience or a niche community, your ability to convey authenticity and expertise will resonate. Ready to elevate your on-camera presence? Let’s capture your story together with confidence and impact.

Contact PipeWolf Media to discuss how we can help you excel in your next on-camera interview. Let’s create compelling content that captivates your audience and enhances your brand presence.

The post Mastering Your On-Camera Interview: A Videographer’s Guide for Success appeared first on PipeWolf Media.

I always say that, as a rule of thumb, for every hour you spend filming you’ll spend five editing the footage…so if you’ve been reading about our Sydney filming marathon you can only imagine the Everest of editing that our team has been tackling.

Video Editing – Getting Those Jobs Done

No matter who the client is or what the video content involves, our video editing and video production work follows the same process. We film, edit, send the client a draft video, receive changes, make the changes, and then send the final video files to the client.

Sometimes that is a really quick process, with clients revising the draft videos straight away and receiving changes that same day – other times it can be weeks or even months, especially for larger companies where lots of departments need to review the project.

Getting a job out when you’ve had it pending in the system for weeks, waiting for changes, finally receiving them, and closing the editing sequence for the last time is a wonderful feeling.

This week we managed to get a few jobs across the line:

1. We edited an interview with Fiona Campbell, Manager Cycling Strategy at City of Sydney.
   We recorded the interview remotely and edited the 30-min video together with separate video files, photos, slides, and text. Long form video production, like this one, takes a lot of time in reviewing, tweaking, and polishing. It’s deceptive because it feels like there’s not a lot happening other than an onscreen conversation but editing long videos always takes more time and effort that you’d think.
2. We also edited footage provided by an organisation who are hosting an online conference. They arranged for several presenters to record themselves delivering their presentations, we received all their files and then crafted the footage into a webinar video.

Working with footage that was captured in a variety of locations, with different lighting and camera quality means a lot of technical video editing and tweaking. Dave was able to replace the backgrounds on some of the speaker’s footage and inserted all the relevant slides and onscreen elements to help the webinar flow smoothly.

3. We finished editing a wedding! It takes around 80-hours to edit a wedding, so when we finish one it’s always cause for celebration. Connor was able to edit the Raw Edit which is a documentary style video of the full ceremony, speeches, and formal parts of the reception.

Raw Edit videos usually go for around 1.5 – 2 hours – they’re long and complex to edit. We film with five cameras and three audio recording devices – the first step is to sync all that footage up, next it’s switching between camera angles ensuring we provide the viewer with the best coverage of the event at all times, then we need to level all the audio – some people speak softly into microphones while others have booming voices that need to be lowered. Finally, we colour the footage. Our five cameras include three different camera models and two different camera brands – it’s a huge job to colour the footage so that everything looks and feels as though it was filmed with the one video camera.

For a trainee video editor, completing a Raw Edit is a huge accomplishment – Connor did an amazing job and really helped move the project forward while Dave was filming in Sydney.

Fyona cut up over 10-hours of video footage to create the highlights video. The editing process for a wedding is the same process we use to create corporate videos such as event highlights and event promotional videos.

We comb through all the footage, cutting up the usable footage and discarding the rest. We’ll then watching through speeches and formalities, selecting the best sound bites that will work on their own within a highlights video. Finding the music can be like walking into quicksand – an endless search to find the perfect song, beat and vibe.

Once all those elements are selected, we can start to assemble the video, level the audio, and finally colour it.

4. A corporate video we worked on for another videographer had two revisions built into the package but after only one round of changes they were happy with the end result and asked for the final video files to be sent through.

It feels like all our hard work has really paid off when the changes are short and sharp. We invite our clients to provide feedback on any aspect of the video when they are providing instructions for changes, from the music to the colouring, the shot selection to the pace of the edit, everything is negotiable at that stage in the process – but 90% of our clients have very minimal changes.

We see this as a testament to the preparation and groundwork we put into each project before we even hit record. Understanding the project scope, what the client wants, and their overall brand helps us to hit that bullseye, or close to that bullseye, straight away for them.

We also edited three podcasts, finished two promo videos, and have sent off the first draft for an event highlights video. We’re nearly finished another wedding edit and will start the next wedding today.

Live Streaming Sporting Games

Despite a few cancelled games due to rain, we have been live streaming local football matched each weekend. We’re often filming in Figtree or Dapto but we do get booked to live stream games all around the Illawarra.

It’s been a great experience learning how to live stream sports games. It’s different to the other live streaming work we do. When we live stream a funeral, for example, we set up multiple cameras, do live switching between different camera angles and audio feeds.

When live streaming sporting games we use one camera and follow the game closely – it’s fast and our camera operators need to be on the ball (figuratively and literally) the entire time.

Filming and Camera Operator Adventures

Dave has still been busy filming in Sydney, mainly ‘camera operator for hire’ type work but a little of our own client work too.

He’s filmed more educational content with NSW Health in North Sydney, and Connor joined Dave earlier this week to film client testimonials for a design agency in Parramatta. It was a face-paced four-hour shoot with multiple people speaking on camera and lots of filming locations.

Today Dave is filming more property walkthrough videos in Sydney – starting in Hornsby before heading to Baulkham Hills.

Scanning Photos

We’ve been transferring plenty of VHS, VHSc, MiniDV and Hi8 tapes this week. Over the long weekend Fyona scanned 190 photo slides for a client. It’s amazing the high resolution and quality our scanner can achieve.

Fyona is currently working on a 40^th Birthday photo slideshow for a client. She’s scanned 143 photos and will now set them to music to create a fun presentation for the party.

Video Production in 2022

It’s often said that one of the biggest threats a company or business can face is growth – and we’ve really felt that in 2022. In our 5-years of PipeWolf Media this is one of the most challenging – we’ve expanded our team, had staff changeovers, lost work due to having Covid, felt the hesitation in Australia opening up again after lockdowns and local businesses finding the confidence to start engaging video production companies again.

Finally, it feels like we’re starting to see that glow on the horizon after a dark night with work becoming more regular and our wonderful trainees, Kirra and Connor, become more established in their roles.

We’re looking forward to a busier conference and event season in the second half of 2022 and fingers crossed we’ll secure many of the amazing projects we’ve been quoting on in the past few weeks.

The post Video Editing – Getting Those Jobs Done appeared first on PipeWolf Media.

Here’s a rundown of what the PipeWolf team have been up to recently:

Filming A Tech Company

On Thursday 26 May Dave filmed a 6-hour live event for a tech company in Waterloo. This was one of the many camera operator jobs we have booked at the moment which means we were filming for another video production company.

It’s always tough not being able to show off the great footage that Dave captures. Event videography is challenging – you need to be able to move quickly and record fantastic footage and audio on the go.

It’s important to ensure you’ve packed all the essential camera, audio and lighting gear that you need – you only have minutes to set up to film an interview or capture a vox pox before the next formality in the event starts.

Event videography is fun through – the time goes really fast and the real bonus, there’s always great food!

In Front of The Camera

We are really comfortable behind the camera but occasionally we have to be on camera – giving us a fresh sense of empathy for our video production clients!

Being on camera can be really daunting – especially when you’re being interviewed and there are no scripts.

Fyona was interviewed by WIN News about a recent Airbnb listing for the upcoming UCI Road World Championships in Wollongong later this year.

We had a great chat with the camera operator – it’s rare for us to be able to see other videographers or camera operators work – so when we do there’s plenty to talk about.

Dave also drove down to Shellharbour to pick up a VHS order that needs to be digitally transferred. About 90% of our media transfer orders are dropped off and picked up from our Berkeley office, but we do also offer a home pick up/drop off service from Thirroul to Shellharbour.

Wedding Videography

When we first started PipeWolf Media one of the best pieces of advice we got was to separate our weddings from our corporate videography work – so we created PipeWolf Media for all our business video production and PipeWolf Weddings for all the wedding videography.

It’s been a good move from a marketing point of view – there’s still a bit of a stigma in the corporate world around wedding videographers – people almost smirk when they ask if we film weddings.

The thing is wedding videography is bloody hard work! It’s tough to capture all the audio from the day, the vows, and speeches, you have to run multiple cameras at the same time to film everything, especially when guests are moving around.

They’re long days, but the editing is even longer. Pouring through 10-hours of footage to put a fun, dynamic and engaging 8-min highlight film together is a true art form.

Thanks to Covid – we’re filming all the weddings we booked back in 2019 this year.

We filmed the first part of Lauren + Tyler’s wedding in November 2021 in Kiama – but some family couldn’t make it back from overseas, so they had a mini-wedding in May, this time in Fairy Meadow, which we filmed.

The venue was low light but thankfully our Sony cameras still work well in low light situations. It was Connors first time filming a wedding – this 2 hour mini-wedding was a good trial wedding before we start capturing 10-hour weddings again towards the end of the year.

Video Testimonials

One of the most powerful marketing tools a company can use it a professional video testimonial. We headed up to Sydney last week and spent half a day in the office of a company that specialised in AI and custom application development. We filmed one of their clients, a large retail company with over 5000 stores world-wide, sharing their experiences and results after implementing the technology solutions into their POS and online systems.

One thing that makes a testimonial video so great is that you can show the product or service in action via the cut-away footage (or b-roll) – but when the product is computer code that’s installed on a server for the customers POS algorithm – and nothing can be shows publicly it’s challenging to shoot relevant b-roll. Thankfully we were able to rope in a few generous office workers and create some team-meeting shots that have worked really well into the final edit.

Funeral Live Stream in Thirroul

We live streamed another funeral last week – this time in Thirroul. It was such a windy day – at times it felt like the old church room was fighting to stay attached to the building.

The lighting inside the catholic church was really dim, but we were able to capture a clean crisp image of the service. This funeral had family and friends taking part in the service which meant lots of cuts between our two-camera set up allowing us to smoothly transition between people speaking behind the podium or lighting candles near the casket.

Despite the wind, our internet bonding technology allowed us to stream the entire funeral service without a single glitch – live streaming is always stressful because no matter how great you shoot the live event, if the internet isn’t playing along, your live stream is dead.

School Filming in Sydney

On Thursday Dave headed back up to Sydney, out to Prestons this time, filming an in-school workshop where a large road transport company was delivering a program to a local high school.

Live filming like this requires Dave, as a camera operator, to watch and listen closely – anticipating who is going to speak next or when people are going to move. You can’t interrupt the event and ask them to do something again because you missed it! You have to stay on the ball and filming everything as it’s unfolding in real time.

Darling Harbour, The Museum of Contemporary Art and Gerringong Public School

What does Darling Harbour, The Museum of Contemporary Art and Gerringong Public School have in common? That’s all the places our team worked on Friday.

In the morning Dave drove to Darling Harbour to film a charity and NAIDOC week event at a Thai restaurant in the Harbourside Plaza at Darling Harbour. The filming included capturing interviews, b-roll and people presenting on camera.

Later that day Connor and Dave met up at The Rocks and headed to the Museum of Contemporary Art to capture an Italian National Day event – the brief was to capture all of the event presentations in full, the audio from the speeches, and enough footage to make two separate event highlight videos – each designed for different brands an audiences.

With Vivid providing a colourful backdrop over Circular Quay the event videography was a huge success.

Meanwhile, Fyona and Kirra packed up the outdoor cinema set up and headed down to Gerringong Public School to set the cinema up for their P&C Fundraising event.

It was a cool June night but thankfully not too cold – under an hour Fyona and Kirra were able to get the entire cinema set up and ready to go – great news for the 200-300 parents and kids who turned up to watch the movie.

Video Editing

While Dave has been out filming nearly every single day for the past two weeks, the rest of the team have been editing their little hearts out. As a rule-of-thumb, every hour of filming it approximately 5-hours of editing.

We finished editing the Birdblack Design walkthrough videos for two properties plus a handful of social media videos and Instagram reel videos.

We create a highlights edit for a wedding celebrant that we worked with in November last year. It’s tough for wedding celebrants to get great footage of themselves and what they offer during the ceremony – so whenever we capture a wedding we offer a celebrant-edit video package which has been a really popular offering.

We finished the Micromobility Conference promo videos for their upcoming Micromobility Conference in November this year, which we’ll also be filming and live streaming.

We’re working on a round of changes for some educational videos we shot at feedlots in northern NSW late last year – it’s been a big project wrangling the 16-hours of filming (and even more footage across both cameras) down to 7 videos but we’re nearly there.

We transferred a handful of audio cassettes on our new audio cassette player (very rare to get new tech to use for our media transfers!).

Plus we’re still editing two weddings, a funeral video for a client, making changes to a rental walk through video and, finally, starting to edit all of the content we captured last week.

The post Darling Harbour, The Museum of Contemporary Art and Gerringong Public School appeared first on PipeWolf Media.

It’s simple to download video files via Dropbox Transfer but there are a couple of steps to follow when opening your Dropbox Transfer link on a desktop computer.

If you recieve a Dropbox Transfer link, here’s how you use it to access your files:

Step 1: Click the link that has been emailed or sent to you.

Step 2: Click the blue ‘Download’ button at the bottom of the page.

Step 3: Open the ‘Downloads’ folder on your computer (it’s a default folder on your PC).

Step 4: The folder you just downloaded will have a little zip icon on it – right click on the folder and you’ll get a pop-up menu. Select ‘Extract all’.

Step 5: You should get a pop up box asking you where you’d like to save the files to on your computer. Click ‘Browse’ to choose the location. Then click ‘Extract’.

Step 6: You should see the folder now in the location you’ve selected – when you open it you should see the music files and you should be able to play them.

In summary, video files tend to be really large in size and usually sending them via email just isn’t an option.

There are a few common ways to share video files online, including Google Drive and Dropbox – but those options sometimes require the recipient to have a Google Drive or Dropbox account.

If you need any assistance accessing files via your Dropbox Transfer link give us a call – we’d love to help you out.

The post How To Download A Dropbox Transfer File appeared first on PipeWolf Media.

Maybe it’s because filming is so fast paced – you start every project off in a sprint and that then draws into a marathon before flipping back into a final sprint at the end.

Dave is filming in Sydney today – it’s the 6^th Sydney filming shoot in 18 days.

Although we are based in Wollongong, about half of our filming work, especially corporate filming, happens in Sydney – and this month has been no exception.

We film a wide range of projects, working with big companies in amazing locations but it’s often difficult to showcase our work because so much of Dave’s filming is for other brands or companies, sub-contracting for marketing and advertising agencies, other media or video production companies, photographers, and online learning developers.

Camera Operator For Hire

The camera operator or videographer for hire work that we do is something we especially love – it’s that fast paced rush all day and a quick file delivery at night – a satisfying feeling of uploading raw footage and wrapping a project up in a tight 24-hour package.

Another reason why our videography and video editing work is often tough to showcase is because around 70% of our own client work that we film isn’t designed to be shown publicly. It’s usually being created for internal use only, such as training videos, or it’s part of a product or paid-content strategy.

We also film and live stream private events such as funerals or weddings, which isn’t something we’d feel comfortable sharing on a public platform.

This week has been busy, on Monday Dave picked up a VCR that we’d hired out to a Sydney law firm in the CBD of the city. He then went across the bridge to film a training video for NSW Health at the NSW Health building in Chatswood. After that he headed to Horsby to capture a virtual tour walkthrough video for a not-for-profit company that provides accommodation for people living with disabilities.

Meanwhile, Kirra and Connor have been working in the office, editing a virtual tour walkthrough video, a series of videos for Birdblack Design, edited two pro-package podcasts and together we’ve transferred around 100 VHS tapes this week already.

Convert VHS to Digital

VHS tapes really have been a strong re-occurring theme for this week.

Our media transfers often emerge in patterns, we transfer a range of tapes including VHS, VHSc, MiniDV and Hi8 tapes and instead of getting a balanced cross-section of all those tape formats at all times, we seem to get them in waves, where it’s all Hi8 tapes and no MiniDV tapes, or like this week, where it’s all VHS and nothing else…

We were able to re-run some tapes that appeared to have glitches and get a flawless result in another VCR machine which is always satisfying.

Amongst the sea of VHS tapes there were a few Hi8 tapes – one Hi8 tape was stuck in it’s camcorder and would not budge – with the clients permission we were able to extract the tape but unfortunately that did mean dismantling the camcorder to get it out. Surprisingly the tape transferred really well. Sometimes if a tape has been stuck in a camera it’s stressed in parts and has trouble playing.

We also received 79 slides from a client via post. We were able to turn the whole job around within a day and deliver them to her digitally which she really appreciated.

Live Streaming

This year we’ve been live streaming more and more funerals – we usually get contacted by funeral homes to live stream funerals in catholic churches, and other locations where they’re arranging a service outside the funeral home, where they have their own live streaming equipment installed. We streamed a funeral last week with flawless coverage, thanks to our bonded internet, which is always a great feeling – especially when we know close family and friends are watching and can get the best possible online viewing experience.

A lot of videographers only use one static camera on a tripod to live stream funerals – but that can mean that the viewer misses parts of the service, or they’re distracted by the camera zooming in and out during the live stream.

We always use two cameras – one wide angle and a tight mid-shot. We plug both cameras into a switcher, allowing us to switch between each camera throughout the service, jumping onto the wide camera shot while the other camera re-focuses or moves around. This means our live streams look smooth, professional and there’s no distracting or jarring moments.

Video Consulting

Yesterday afternoon a client popped in for some video consulting – occasionally we help people solve video tech issues such as how to get videos off their phone or how to do simple video edits.

Learning video editing software can be really challenging – we’re always happy to have a chat and help out in any way that we can.

Video Editing

Recovering from the disruption of Covid and the lockdowns has felt more challenging this year than any other in a lot of ways. All of our 2019 weddings were moved to this year, which has added to our video editing schedule. We’re also very keen to get back to conference and event filming but it seems that a lot of the 2022 events are still happening online.

Overall things are going well – it’s been a huge learning curve training two trainees in videography and video editing – but so far, 2022 video production is looking bright.

The post Six Sydney filming shoot in 18 days appeared first on PipeWolf Media.

You’ll learn everything that’s involved with the editing side of video production. Working closely with other video editors and videographers you’ll gain valuable experience, skills, and knowledge. Each week you’ll learn on the job, and you’ll also be completing a Certificate IV in Screen and Media (or similar qualification).

As a Video Editor Trainee, you’ll learn how to edit:

• Videos
• Podcasts
• Audio recordings
• Virtual Tours

Gain experience working in a media team, producing a wide range of video and audio content. Your week will incorporate learning at TAFE/online learning and receiving hands-on, real-world industry training.

This full-time paid traineeship will best suit someone who has just left school, although that’s not a requirement. This is an entry-level position with a trainee award wage pay rate.

About PipeWolf Media

Established in 2017 PipeWolf Media has quickly grown and is now one of the Illawarra’s leading video production companies. Based in Wollongong NSW, PipeWolf Media specialise in film and audio production for local businesses and events in and around the Illawarra.

As a company, PipeWolf Media had two video production brands, PipeWolf Media and PipeWolf Weddings. PipeWolf Weddings creates dynamic, cutting-edge, and creative highlight reels, while PipeWolf Media focuses on corporate, marketing and long-form content.

PipeWolf Media is the perfect place to get your start in the video production industry – their small team offers room to flourish, learning through hands-on experience, in an environment with one-on-one training and mentorship.

To find out more about PipeWolf Media and PipeWolf Weddings visit www.pipewolfmedia.com and www.pipewolfweddings.com

 About You

• You are creative, some might even say quirky, with a deep love for art, design, and media.
• You’re somewhere between being computer literate and a tech-savvy nerd.
• A bit of a perfectionist you take pride in your attention to detail and your organisational skills.
• You love making things, you love creating videos. You have a passion for stories and the storytelling process.
• You are curious, keen to learn, excited about improving your skills.
• You are friendly, inclusive, and accepting of others.
• You work well within a team.
• You’re able to work self-directed and have great time management skills. You can work to deadlines and follow instructions.
• You’re a hard worker, you like to challenge yourself.

Also About You

• You’d rather edit videos than film them. You’re happy to keep crafting fantastic video and audio content in the office while others head out to film.
• You’re excited about working in a tight-knit media team based in Wollongong, where you will edit a wide range of corporate, social media and wedding content.

Beneficial skills (but not essential)

• Experience using Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe Audition and Adobe Creative Cloud
• Experience using DaVinci Resolve
• An aptitude for design

Role Overview

• Producing and editing footage for a wide range of videos including social media content, wedding and event highlights, long-form videos, promotional media, and online video content.
• Editing podcasts.
• Editing virtual tours (360° photographs).
• Working with graphics and animations.
• Video editing, colour grading and sound mixing.
• During your traineeship you’ll gain some experience in storyboarding, directing and video production, creating graphics/animations.
• You’ll be working from our PipeWolf Media office in Berkeley (near Wollongong) NSW. Your work hours will be 10am – 6pm, Monday – Friday.

Future Prospects

• Potential for full-time employment and further training upon completion of the traineeship.

Application checklist

• You must have the right to live and work in Australia.
• Please supply a minimum of two references.
• Pre-employment skills assessment/screening will occur.
• The position commences in January 2022.
• As part of your application, you must submit a 1-min video that highlights your video editing skill level. Applications submitted without a video will not be considered. The video can include stock footage, footage filmed by someone else or footage you’ve filmed. All editing must be by you. Editing can be done on any software platform – we are looking for storytelling ability and creative talent over technical skill – show us what you’ve got! Videos can be submitted via YouTube (send us the link), Dropbox or Google Drive (send us a share link rather than a folder invite).

This is a unique opportunity to join a growing company. If you are ready to learn, gain experience with a wide range of projects and looking for a creative role where you can shine, please forward your C.V with a covering letter, video editing portfolio (if you have one) and video submission to: fyona@pipewolfmedia.com

Applications close 30th November 2021

The post Video Editor Traineeship appeared first on PipeWolf Media.

These videos, and the below PDF, will give you a quick and easy-to-follow guide to show you how to set up and pack down an outdoor cinema in your backyard.

How To Set Up The Outdoor Cinema Up In Your Backyard

How To Pack Down The Outdoor Cinema Up In Your Backyard

How To Set Up and Pack Down The Outdoor Cinema Up In Your Backyard

Click here to download our Cinema Set Up and Pack Down Instructions PDF. This is best used after viewing the above videos.

If you have any questions about our DIY Outdoor Cinema Hire set up and pack down instructions please get in touch – we’d love to chat with you.

If you’d like to know more about our Outdoor Cinema Hire click here for information about our packages, FAQs and pricing.

Set Up Video Text:

This is Dave. He’s going to take us through how to set up our outdoor cinema. As you can see he’s selected a space that’s at least five meters wide, three meters deep and three and a half to four meters clearance above. You’ll need a large space like this to accommodate the screen size. We’re going to put down our tarp to protect the cinema from anything that could be on the ground. It’s a little bit windy today so we’re going to put some weights on it too. The next step is to get the frame of the cinema, lift it gently out of the tub and untangle it as much as you can to ensure that when it inflates it will go up smoothly. You want to put the white velcro parts at the front and then just try to get that triangle base towards the back. Then go to the back, above the fan, unzip and pull out the power cable, make sure you zip it back up otherwise when you turn the fan on all of the air will escape. Get the extension cord, plug onto end into the mains power, and plug the other end into a power board, because we’re going to also plug the speaker in here now there’s no on/off switch for the screen, so as soon as you plug it in it will start to inflate and as you can see you just need to guide it as it unfolds. Flip it back and we’re going to put the white screen into the frame this just velcros in. It’s best to start at the top and then do the sides go slow because you want it to be as straight and even as possible.

Be gentle as well we don’t want to get the screen dirty which is another reason why the tarp is helping in this situation. Once you get to the bottom you want to flip the inflatable screen up. Remember, it’s going to be a lot windier now it’s basically a massive sail, so you probably need someone to help you with this part. Once the air cinema is back up you want to use your guide ropes to secure the screen – so anchor them to whatever you can, if you don’t have anything to tie the giant screen’s guide ropes to you can use tent pegs – just drill into the grass. We also have extra guide ropes and extra tent pegs in case it’s a little bit windy. We’re just fixing up the bottom of the outdoor screen and now we’re going to put the speaker down it’s best at the front behind the screen – plug in a power extension cord for the speaker and just run it under the front of the cinema frame. Then there’s a power adapter for the speaker obviously a unique shape. All right then we’ve got our RCA to AUX cable so the red plug goes in the red spot the white plug goes in the white spot. This is how you adjust the volume, you can also adjust it on the device that you’re playing with – and this is the on/off switch. You don’t want to turn it on until everything is set up now we need to do the projector the first step is to connect it to power open the projector up and gently lift it out.

Find the power cable for the projector and plug it in. As you can see it just connects at the back here, now we’re going to put in an HDMI cable into the HDMI port this is how the video is going to get to the projector – We’re grabbing our HDMI audio extractor we also call this an HDMI splitter this box is going to take the video from your device and send the audio to the speaker and the video to the projectors. It’s very important to connect the HDMI cable from the projector into the splitter and then connect a micro USB cable in – we’re going to power this little box we have a phone charger in there and you know it’s working when the light turns on. Next, we’re getting the other end of the RCA to  AUX cable that’s plugged in the speaker and we’re plugging it into the splitter, as well this is an HDMI cable that is going to connect your device (the device you’ll play the movie from) to the splitter.

Now depending on what device you’re using will depend what adapter you need. This is a lightning adapter which is great for an iPhone or an iPad you simply connect it to your device and then put the HDMI cable into the other end.

If you have an android phone or another tablet this is a USBc adapter that will plug into most androids and tablets and then again you connect it to the HDMI cable which will plug your device into the projector and the speaker system if you have a MacBook this thunderbolt adapter should fit your computer it just clicks into the side and that will now get that plugged into the system a lot of game consoles and computers will just have an actual HDMI port in them and you don’t need an adapter you can connect the HDMI directly now we want to adjust the projector so that it’s pointing at the screen at the right angle you can adjust the arm at the front and the feet at the back, you can also put something underneath it like a book. We’re turning the projector on now and when it’s dark enough you’ll be able to adjust the settings so that it gets into focus at this point we can turn on your speaker and you should be able to hear audio and see the video playing and you’re ready to watch your movie.

Pack Down Video Text:

In this video, we’re going to take you through the pack up process for the backyard cinema. The first thing you want to do is turn off the projector because this will take a while to cool down and it can cool while we’re packing away the rest of the system.

Next, turn off the speaker and unplug all of the cords from the back, now we’re going to deflate the cinema this is going to take a while to come down so we want to do this early on as well. Undo the guide ropes and ensure all of the tent pegs are returned. You might need somebody to help you lay the cinema down. Gently remove the screen. The Velcro makes it easy to remove but we want to keep it clean and get it back in the bag as quickly as possible. When you unplug the backyard outdoor cinema it’s going to start to deflate straight away. Open up the zip at the back near the fan to let the air out faster and return the power cord in there so it’s safe and ready for the next use.

While that’s happening we’re going to unplug all of the electrical equipment and safely restore it back to the tub, make sure that you close the shutter on the projector to protect the lens everything needs to be re returned the way that it was originally stored. We’re going to put our HDMI audio extractor back in the box carefully with the micro USB cord that was in there and make sure that it’s all packed away for next time. Gently roll all of the leads just so they sit in the tub and nothing is broken or forced and make sure that everything that came out of the tub goes back into it. Next, we’re going to put the inflatable cinema back in the tub – you want to put the fan in first at the bottom and then just push the rest of the cinema in a little bit like you’re packing a sleeping bag, as you can see there’s still a little bit of air in the cinema so we’re just going to gently just massage that air out while we’re pushing it in and just be gentle not to rip anything.

Now we’re going to put the tarp away, if it has any dirt on it make sure that you shake it off before you fold it up.

Pack the projector away at the very end – open up the case and just gently place it inside, make sure that that lens is closed at the front and the front leg is put back in. Make sure that the clips are secured on the case so that when you pick it up nothing falls open. 

You can pack all of the power leads away with the extension cords ready for the cinema to be returned and that’s the completion of our pack up.

The post How to set up and pack down an outdoor cinema in your backyard appeared first on PipeWolf Media.

A still image, or a screenshot, is a capture of a frame in a video – essentially you’re taking a photo of the video. Still, images mean you can upload a custom thumbnail image for your video on YouTube or Facebook, you can use that image on social media to promo the video or to create a marketing campaign with consistent branding. It is important to keep in mind that screenshots or still images pulled from videos are great for web and digital use but may lose quality if you try to print them.

Let’s dive in – the first step is to find the video you’d like to take a screenshot of and pause it on the exact moment you’d like captured. Depending what video player you’re using you may need to make the video fullscreen and move the mouse so any controls or overlay text disappear.

We’re going to talk about how to take a screenshot of your video using Windows on a PC and then we’ll run through the steps if you’re using a Mac.

Windows

There are three ways to take a screenshot without downloading any additional software on Windows: PrtScr, Snipping Tool and Snip & Sketch.

PrtScr

This is a button on your keyboard, it will usually be located on the top left depending on the size of your keyboard. On some keyboards, it says ‘Print Screen’ and on others, it just says ‘PrtScr’.

Find the function button on your keyboard, usually labelled Fn, hold that down and click ‘PrtScr’ – this will copy the screenshot of your desktop to the clipboard but in order to do anything with it, you will need to open up an image editing app, such as Paint, and paste the image in with either Ctrl + V or what method the app you are using allows. This allows you to make minor adjustments such as cropping or drawing over the top. You will need to save the image from this application to have a copy.

Snipping Tool

Snipping Tool is one of the built-in applications of Windows that is used for screenshots and has been around since early versions of the operating system.

To access Snipping Tool, you can search for it or look through your applications by hitting the windows key.

Snipping Tool is our personal favourite way to get a screenshot on a PC – it’s quick, easy, and unlike PrtScr you can select exactly what you want to capture.

Once you are in the app you can use the drop down menus to select what mode you want to use out of Rectangular (draw a box around what you want), Window (captures the window), Fullscreen (captures everything across however many screens you have) and Free-Form (can draw any shape and will capture what is inside). You can also set a delay so that there is up to 5 seconds before the capture will be taken.

Then once you have set the mode and any delay you want, hitting the ‘New’ button will pause and slightly darken and change your cursor, click and drag your mouse to select what you want to be captured and release the mouse button to copy it into Snipping Tool. You also have the ability to draw over the image here but if you are happy with the image hit the save icon next to the delay option to bring up a window that will let you choose where to save the image and let you name it.

Snip & Sketch

Snip & Sketch is a newer built-in application and can be accessed by using the shortcut Windows Key + Shift + S. The four icons at the top allow you to change the capture mode and has the same options as Snipping Tool (Rectangular, Free Form, Window and Fullscreen. In order to set a delay on the screenshot, you will have to open the full app by opening the start menu and searching for it, and you will have the option of a 3 or 10-second delay.

When you select the mode you want, click and drag to choose the area you want to capture, this area will then be saved to the clipboard and a notification should pop up on the bottom right of your screen with a preview of the image and the words “Select here to mark up and share the image”, click on this notification to bring you to a window where you can edit your screenshot with several different pen tools (you can also adjust the ink colour and thickness with the small arrows under the tool icons) and a crop tool in case you need to trim the image down.

Once you are happy with the image use Ctrl + S or the save icon on the top right to open a window that lets you rename the image and choose where to save it.

Mac

Macs have several shortcuts that allow you to screenshot a video without downloading additional software that gives you various levels of control over the capture.

The first shortcut is Cmd + Shift + 3 which captures your entire screen and saves it automatically to the desktop as an image.

The second is Cmd + Shift + 4, which will change your cursor and allow you to create a box by clicking and dragging around the area you want to capture and release to save. After using the shortcut there are a few things you can do to further improve your screenshot before saving the image.

Press and release the space bar to change the capture mode to window capture and then click on a window to screenshot it.

Hold the spacebar after dragging your cursor to create a box but before releasing your mouse to allow you to reposition the capture box but keep the same dimensions.

Hold down the shift key after creating your capture box but before releasing the mouse to make adjustments to one edge of the capture box, this is the bottom edge of the box but you can adjust the right edge by letting go of shift and holding it down again without letting go of the mouse button, this will alternate between the bottom and right edges.

The third shortcut is Cmd + Shift + 5, which if you have a newer version of MacOS (Mojave or sooner) will bring up a small panel at the bottom of your screen with several buttons. The icons on this panel allow you to capture the entire screen, a single window, or a portion of the screen. It also allows you to change where it saves captures by default and to set a delay on the capture. This panel also includes the feature of being able to record either the entire screen or a specific selection of it with the icons in between the capture icons and the options menu.

BONUS shortcut, if you have a MacBook with a Touch Bar, you can use Cmd + Shift + 6 to capture what is currently on the Touch Bar.

If you have any questions about how to capture a still image or take a screenshot of your video please get in touch with us – we’d love to help.

The post How To Take A Screenshot / Still From Your Video On A Computer appeared first on PipeWolf Media.

A 360-degree online tour means viewers can move around and walk through each space, looking at each room from every angle, as if they were there in person.

Virtual tours are the perfect way to show buyers around a property from the comfort of their own home. They are more than a fad or a nice-to-have tool, they are becoming a solution that real estate agents cannot afford not to have.

Here are five reasons why you need to add a virtual tour to your online listings.

24/7 Access For Home Hunters Anywhere In The World

In our local area alone, there are hundreds of homes for sale. For potential buyers it takes time to see, evaluate, compare and consider all the homes they are interested in. Often buyers must wait until the weekend to be able to arrange to visit properties they like.

Technology has scientifically helped streamline this process over the last few years. Online solutions, such as virtual tours, allow buyers from all over the world to ‘visit’ homes anytime day or night from the comfort, and privacy, of their own home.

Virtual tours, virtual reality – this technology lets estate agents work more productively. It does not matter where in the world buyers live – a virtual tour helps showcase a property not only to long-distance buyers but also to buyers who have disabilities or mobility issues. This constant online access means agents can work with more clients at one time, processing more inquiries and make more sales.

Walk Through At Your Own Pace

Invite buyers to take their time and walk through each property at their own pace. There is nothing more engaging that a virtual tour and if a picture paints a thousand words then a virtual tour paints a million!

An online 360 virtual tour is the buyers first viewing, the intention isn’t to eliminate in-person viewings but to ensure when someone does request a ‘second’ viewing they are a qualified buyers, a person interested and already one step closer to signing on the dotted line.

Taking their time to walk through a virtual tour on your website means users will stay on your site longer, this is great for your SEO listings and gives buyers more time to emotionally connect with the space.

Unlike a video, a virtual tour allows the viewer to easily access any room at any time, backtrack or linger at their discretion. They can easily access the tour through their web browser or mobile device and control the pace and direction of the tour every step of the way.

Save Time and Money

A virtual tour will help you identify interested buyers, weed out time wasters, and contribute towards a greater conversion rate. A virtual tour helps the buyer create an emotional connection with the property – they can picture themselves living in the space, plan there they will put furniture and how it would feel to call that house home. When a buyer contacts you after already viewing a virtual tour it means they are familiar with the property, they have taken the time to have a good look around the they are genuinely interested. This entire process helps to eliminate people who are just browsing from ready-to-purchase buyers – if people are contacting you after seeing the virtual tour, they are interested in buying the house and you already have a higher chance of making the sale.

A more informed buyer will save themselves, and their real estate agent, valuable time by filtering out homes they are not interested in. Work with your buyers, give them the tools and information they need to explore each property as much as they can before they contact you. Let a cost-effective virtual tour do the heavy lifting for you.

It’s Still A New Frontier To Conquer

Virtual Tours are the latest and most credible way to promote properties that are for sale or rent but agencies can be slow adopters. Now is the time to get ahead of your competition.

With virtual tours still being a relatively new technology, real estate agencies are learning how to get the most out of virtual tours. If you jump in now and start using virtual tours on your website you can quickly become a leader in your area.

Give potential buyers all the information they need to make an informed decision about a property while they are on your website.

Present The Property The Way You Want It To Be

Virtual tours are cost-effective, and the production process is simple and straight forward. With that being said, there are lots of tips and tricks that will help ensure your virtual tour is giving viewers a great ‘walk-through’ experience.

When engaging a 360 photographer make sure they have a great 360 camera and can capture high-quality 360 photographers for your virtual tour. If the property is hard to see buyers may bounce off and move onto the next property.

Make sure the property is looking it’s best when the 360 photographer arrives to capture the virtual tour – each space should look both lived-in and inviting. You also want to arrange a time when the property will be flooded with natural light – so everything is bright and feel fresh.

A good 360 photographer will put themselves in the buyer’s shoes and shoot the tour as the buyer would walk through the space, stopping at interesting features, helping map out the flow of the tour.

Another great thing to remember is that the tour does not have to end at the fence line – is there a local park or feature you’d like to include? Use the virtual tour to highlight some of the neighbourhood charm.

A virtual tour, when used effectively, can go a long way toward showing the true nature, unique features and interesting aspects of your property to buyers.

Real estate is a competitive market – a market that is moving more and more online. Professional photos are great and floor plans are helpful, but nothing gives a buyer an immersive experience like a virtual tour they can self-pace and engage with at any time, from anywhere in the world.

Allow buyers to roam freely through properties, finding the ones they love the most so when they contact you, they are doing so with genuine interest.

The post 5 Reasons Why Every Real Estate Needs To Use Virtual Tours appeared first on PipeWolf Media.

There are a few solutions to solving this large file size problem – one simple way is to upload your video to Dropbox via the Dropbox app on your phone and then forward the link to the video via email or text for someone else to download directly.

We’ve put a few easy-to-follow steps together to help you upload your videos to Dropbox and send someone a link.

Step 1:

Record your video on your phone using the camera settings. Next you want to upload it to Dropbox.

If you don’t already have it on your phone, download the Dropbox app onto your phone. You can find the app by searching in the app store.

Step 2:

Open the app and sign in, if you don’t have an account follow the prompts to create one.

Step 3:

Once you’ve got your Dropbox account created and you’re logged in you want to create a folder that you can share with other people – this is the folder you’ll upload your video. Click on the plus ‘+’ symbol at the bottom of the screen – a pop up menu will appear – click ‘Create Folder’.

Step 4:

By default your new folder will be called New Folder – if you’d like to change it, click on ‘Folder Name’ – this will take you to a screen where you can name your folder. For this exercise we named our folder ‘Video Files’.

Step 5:

Now you need to click ‘Choose a Folder’ to pick where you’d like this folder to be saved on your Dropbox – you can save the folder in your main Dropbox desktop or as a sub-folder within another file. Once you’ve selected the folder location hit the ‘Create’ button at the top right of the screen and your new folder will be created.

Step 6:

Now it’s time to upload the video you’ve already recorded into the folder you’ve just made. Select ‘Upload Photos’ on the menu that appears within your new folder.

Step 7:

In your phone video/photo library select the video or videos you’d like to upload. Once you’ve selected it click ‘Next’ on the top right of the screen.

Step 8:

You’ll see the file name will have your video listed there and the upload location will be the folder you’ve just created. Now click ‘Upload’ and wait as the video file uploads. This may take awhile depending on the size of your video and your internet speed. You’ll notice a loading icon will show up on the video so you can see how fast the upload is progressing.

Step 9:

When the video has finished uploading click the three dots in the top right of the screen, a menu will appear – you want to select ‘Copy Link’ if you’d like to send the link of your folder to someone. You can also invite people to join your folder but in this case we’re going to select ‘Copy Link’.

Step 10:

Once you’ve copied the link your phone may give you sending options such as email, messages, social media etc – if not you can open the app you’d like to use to send the link through and paste it. Otherwise, in this case, we’re going to select ’email’ and when we do the email automatically populates with our link ready to send.

Step 11:

Enter the email address you’d like to send your email to and click the send arrow or button.

You’ve now uploaded a video from your phone onto Dropbox and created a link so the person you’ve sent it to can now play or download the video you’ve created.

If you need any assistance getting your videos from your phone onto Dropbox please contact us and we’ll give you a helping hand.

Looking for more Dropbox guides? Check out How To Upload Videos From Dropbox To Instagram And Make Them Look Awesome.

The post How to Upload Videos From Your Phone to Dropbox appeared first on PipeWolf Media.

• Live streaming is growing every day. One report, for example, shows that that “Live video grew by 93%, with an average viewing time of 26.4 minutes per session.”
• Streaming video accounts for over two-thirds of all internet traffic and is expected to jump to 82% by 2020
• Today, 47% of live streaming video viewers are watching more live video as compared to last year.
• More than 1 in 5 Facebook videos are Live and are watched three times longer than pre-recorded videos.
• 63% of people aged 18-34 have watched live content and 42% have created it, making this group the largest consumers and creators of live video.
• Millennials are most likely to watch live video on a smartphone (56%) or tablet (44%).
• 79% of marketers say live video facilitates a more authentic interaction with an audience.
• Live content on Facebook receives 10x more comments than regular videos.
• 80% of consumers prefer to watch live videos from a brand than read a blog.
• 67% of audiences who watched a live stream purchased a ticket to a similar event the next time it occurred.

Wondering how you could implement live streaming in your business, event or organisation? Get in touch – we’d love to have a chat with you.

The post 10 Live Streaming Statistics That Will Surprise You appeared first on PipeWolf Media.

Live streaming isn’t new, but it is growing. Live video is contributing to the worldwide usage of the internet more and more.

What Is Live Streaming?

Live streaming is like live television but on the internet. It’s the broadcasting of a real-time, live video to viewers online. With a smartphone or device, it’s easy to start live streaming – it can be as simple as clicking a button and saying hello to the world.

This technology helps you reach more users, it’s the evolved form of a radio announcement or loudspeaker in the streets only more targeted and global.

The fun thing about live streaming is that you can broadcast anything you’re doing in real-time around the world with instant delivery and no editing required.

Easy to access platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and YouTube make live streaming simple and affordable. Viewers can watch your live stream on their phones, tablets or desktop computers.

So, what are the benefits for your business or event when you start live streaming?

Cultivates Trust and Authenticity

Sending out an unedited, unfiltered video can seem reckless for a brand but it’s a great way to build trust and authenticity with your audience. It really adds that human element, a live stream gives your audience something real to relate to, it removes a layer or protection between your brand and customers and that’s something people love to experience. Raw, authentic communication is a powerful way to build trust.

Generate A Larger Audience

In the past events were restricted to a physical and geographical location – now, thanks to live streaming, you can literally host your event online, share content in real-time and make it accessible to a global audience. This means you can have more people engaging with your content than you would have had if you’d hired the biggest venue in town and filled it – now that’s something to think about.

A bigger audience means more potential customers, a larger response, a greater impact for your business.

Plus, live streaming invites people who wouldn’t have otherwise participated in your event, Q&A, forum or online video to get involved, ask questions and experience what you have to offer where if it was a physical event or meeting they may have been less likely to come along.

It’s Affordable and Reduces Costs

The kind of live stream you’re doing will influence what equipment and software you need – are you switching from camera to camera and aiming for that live TV feel or are you learning towards a more personal face to camera chat with your audience?

Either way live streaming is cost effective, affordable and often free.

You can start live streaming with nothing but a smart phone and a social media platform such as Facebook or YouTube.

Not only is live streaming easy on your bank account to run, it can also save money – you can host a conference or event online and save on venue hire, flights, catering, accommodation, security, insurance and much more.

Experience Real-Time Engagement with Your Audience

Live streaming gives you the opportunity to have a direct conversation with your audience and customers on the spot. A high-quality live stream can have the viewer feel like they’re sitting in the audience, not just watching from afar but participating in real time, in a real way.

It creates a sense of excitement – you can answer questions in real-time, respond to situations as they unfold and ask viewers to take instant action to what you’re saying. This interaction is seamless, fun and can generate loads of leads.

When you release a video online people will engage with it over a period of time but a live stream gathers all that interaction together and allows you to offer live support, instant updates, Q&A sessions and time sensitive information quickly and directly. This type of communication can be very engaging and encourages loads of interactions.

Engage With Your Audience Longer

Research tells us that online audiences will engage with most online videos for 1-2 minutes before they stop watching. This trend seems to change when people watch a live stream – with no clear streaming duration and in the knowledge they can’t skip forward, viewers will often engage for longer and be less likely to stop watching with the intention to come back.

Live Video Creates Urgency

Jumping on a live stream is like jumping on a moving train – delay too long and you’ll miss it. This is a powerful component of live streaming – your audience must come with you now. If you’re streaming video live for a one time only event or message, your stream becomes something people have to quickly engage with and that can create some great brand awareness among your fans and followers.

 It’s A Fast-Growing Industry

You may not realise it, but live streaming is one of the fastest growing industries today. Nearly all social media platforms now offer live video streaming capabilities.

With more and more global connection and social disruption (hello COVID19) live streaming is emerging as the solution that’s holding much of our communication together.

Live streaming is here to stay – it’s a powerful video marketing tool that’s engaging, affordable, interactive and easy to use.

If you’d like to know more about how you can use live streaming to invite the world or a selected online audience to your event or brand online get in touch – we’d love to work with you.

The post 7 Reasons Why You Need To Start Live Streaming appeared first on PipeWolf Media.

This morning the Prime Minister announced restrictions on gatherings of 100 or more people indoors – we understand this news is causing many churches and religious organisations in Australia to start moving their meetings to an online gathering.

Live streaming or pre-recording a service or sermon can be daunting, especially for organisations that haven’t explored online streaming before.

There are lots of questions to consider including what platform you should use, what equipment you need and technical capabilities to think about.

We’ve put together a quick guide to help you get started with your transition to live streaming  – we’re also available for online consultations, training on how to host your own live stream or we can even come to you to pre-record or live stream your services.

Simple Live Stream Set Up

1. Pick a space to do your live stream – be mindful of what’s in the background, what the lighting looks like and if there is any distracting background noise.
2. Set your camera up on a tripod.
3. Connect your camera to your PC using a USB capture card.
4. Connect audio.
5. Open ‘YouTube studio’ website, create a new stream then create a Facebook post with the new YouTube video link. Next copy the stream key.
6. Then start OBS (Open Broadcaster Software) and post in the stream key – this connects your live stream from your camera to OBS to YouTube or Facebook.
7. Start the live stream from OBS to begin sending your online stream data to YouTube.
8. Monitor your volumes and audio – it’s best to have another person monitoring the software and equipment while another person is in front of the camera.
9. When you’re ready, in YouTube click ‘Go Live’ when you’re ready to start the live stream.
10. When you’re ready to end the stream, you can simply stop it in YouTube.

Questions to consider for your live stream:

What Platform Should We Host Our Live Steam On?

The two easiest platforms to access and use are Facebook and YouTube but there are other options worth considering too.

There are lots of pro and con’s to using Facebook or YouTube for your live stream including who can access the stream, how easy they are to use and helping your viewers find the stream.

What Camera Equipment Do I Need For Live Streaming?

You can shoot a live stream on your mobile phone – this limits you in some ways but can be an affordable option and a good place to start.

There are also cameras specifically designed for live streaming such as the Mevo camera – there are pro’s and con’s to using a camera such as a Mevo – it’s affordable and more versatile than using your phone but it can also limit the production quality in some ways.

Using a DSLR or camcorder gives you more flexibility and will enhance the viewing and audio quality of your live stream. Using HDMI you can connect your camera directly to your computer to create a high powered webcam ready to broadcast your message online.

You’ll want to look at audio sources too – if you’re live streaming from your church or own venue you may be able to use your audio mixer to run the audio through and monitor.

In addition to the camera and audio you’ll need a tripod to place the camera on – depending what software you’re using you may be able to run multiple cameras and switch between them during the live stream.

How long you’re planning to live stream your church services for will also impact the kind of equipment you choose to use – if you’re planning to live stream long term, investing in the right equipment is worth considering.

Can Your Internet Connection Keep Up?

To maintain a consistent live stream, you need an internet connection that can maintain the quality – in situations where there are lots of people with mobile devices you may need to upgrade your internet capabilities to sustain the live stream.

There are lots of thing to consider when moving your message online. Video and live streaming can be a great solution when events, services and meetings start to be cancelled or downsized.

We’d love to chat with you about your live streaming goals and work with you to help you use the equipment you have, or purchase additional equipment within your budget, so you can achieve the live stream you need to keep getting your message out into the world.

If you have any questions or would like to have a chat about how we can work together to capture your live messages, please get in touch today.

The post How To Live Stream Your Church Service appeared first on PipeWolf Media.

According to statistics, videos drive engagement by 60%, compared to photos that drive only 40%. Apparently, to boost your engagement, you should probably grab that cam and start filming.

Understanding your Audience through your Videos

Let’s face it: your target audience may actually not become your actual audience. You can’t please everyone, but there’s a chance to nourish the interest of another group of people – which in turn can become your core audience in the long run. Alternatively, your target audience may not how you expect them to be. Assuming a group of people to like a style or an element can make your brand become inauspicious.

There are a lot of ways to track your audiences’ interests. If your page is primarily composed of videos, one of the guaranteed ways to strategise your way into knowing their interests is by observing Facebook insights for videos which can be found in the Posts tab of Page Insights, particularly in Post Types. Being aware of what type of posts provoke the most engagement can help assist you in deciphering what kind of content to create.

Facebook Insights: Things to Consider

Data analysis in Facebook analytics for video is like analysing a medical record. You need to be equipped with the right knowledge to translate data and transmute it to useful information that’s beneficial for your business. Here are things to consider when reading data off Facebook insights:

#1: Reach

Reach determines the number of people who saw your post. There are two types of reach: organic and paid. A paid campaign enables you to reach more people, however, it’s effectivity still boils down to how much you’ve converted to real customers.

The data resource can show you the overall range of your video across Facebook. Reach is particularly important in data reading because it generally shows the interest of your audience to the post. For instance, a high reach could mean your post was probably shared by several individuals.

#2: Average Percentage Completion

Average percentage completion shows you how long people have stayed to watch your video. Did they exit at 10 seconds? Did they watch until the end? The source of data that can be taken from this can tell you if your videos are too short or too long to watch. Nonetheless, the constant goal should always be a video that’s just short or long enough for your audience to finish because video platforms put videos on top of people’s timelines if it has longer watch time. This source of data is vital to video content creation because it enables you to determine the length of your future videos.

#3: Peak Live Viewers

Facebook live video analytics shows the highest number of people who watched during a live stream. How long was it before they tuned in? Knowing when your audience tunes in, particularly in a live stream, helps you measure what interested them, enabling you to repeat the same concept with slightly different elements in your future videos.

#4: Engagement

Ask any marketing enthusiast their mostly used KPI resource and they’d tell you the same thing: engagement. Engagement tells you how much interaction took place in a specific duration of posting, hence, giving your audience the feel of authenticity and relativity in your brand.

Reach and engagement are the topmost things to consider in reading and understanding your audience, and it’s important to realise that both are equally important when going through your analytics. Knowing your posts’ ability to incite engagement, especially, can tell you what actually gets people to talk about your posts and what gets people to share it with other users.

Wrap-up

Understanding your audience by measuring available data brought to you by Facebook insights can be an overwhelming process, especially for beginners, but it is definitely worth the time to learn. It also truly helps to have professionals guiding you along the way. One of the best experts you can tap is PipeWolf Media.

With our experience in videography, media transfers, virtual tours, podcast editing transcriptions, and live streaming, trust that we have the expertise in helping you understand your videos’ analytics and how you can utilise them for future content.

If you have questions regarding video marketing or Facebook analytics, you can always drop us a message by contacting us here.

The post The Importance of Facebook Analytics for Video appeared first on PipeWolf Media.

When watching videos online, you are not mindful of the fact that there are various cognitive processes activated in your brain. The complexity of these processes affect your memory, emotion, and perception, all induced by that meaningful clip you’re watching, whether it’s a tasty cooking video, your favourite vlog, or an advertisement that has successfully incorporated pressing social issues into its storyline.

What you think and perceive can determine whether you’ll finish the video, or better yet, if you’ll get excited enough about it to watch more. The role of visual perception in digital media platforms is really indispensable.

The role of psychology in digital marketing

Visual perception must be strategically employed in the aspect of digital marketing. One of the greatest challenges when it comes to digital marketing is how to sustain your audience for the purposes of interaction. Right now, there are ways to boost and expand your viewership such as with the use of videos targeted to reach specific or general audiences. And the secret to maximising your viewership is integrating the importance of psychology into digital media.

Aside from the compelling promise of using psychology in creating digital media, one aspect to consider is to add captions to video, which has been proven to optimise memory, emotional arousal, and perception, all of which lead to a more personalised experience. So how do captions really work?

Heightened emotions equals increased viewership

When creating content, American author Deepak Chopra stressed that it is important to place importance on one’s perception, cognition, thoughts, feelings, and personal relationships because all of these make up a projection of the viewer. This goes to show that viewers or customers tend to prefer content that suit their interests or preferences – something personal to them.

If the videos are more personal to the viewers, it will incite positive emotions and reactions that greatly affect the duration of viewership. Since there is a diversity in your audience, it is important that your videos are understandable. Given that 85 percent of Facebook users watch muted videos and some people have difficulty with reception due to differing accents, a great way to achieve this is to put captions to your video posted online. Captions help viewers understand videos and capture their senses expressed through heightened emotions and prolonged viewer duration.

Grounded engagements

The greatest goal of using videos is to increase your viewership and allow them to become acquainted with your products or services. To do this, it is important that your videos only include salient information. If there’s the last song syndrome for listening to music, viewers should experience last video syndrome, where the video keeps on replaying in their minds until their interest perseveres enough for their buying behaviour to positively change.

If you add captions to your video, it gets easier to follow the video, and this sets a levelled tone with your audience. Note, however, that there are those who prefer to turn off the captions, so you need to add closed captions to video as well. Through this, you maintain grounded engagements where you let your viewers feel that you are sensitive to their preferences and demands.

Some other mechanisms such as adding an auto caption to a video can give an impression that you are attuned to being inclusive especially for deaf viewers and those with audio problems.

You really can’t separate the influence of psychology in almost everything, even in establishing the importance of captions in videos. Captions not only simplify what is being conveyed but also give a grounded experience to the viewers. And since watching videos activate different brain activities, giving importance to the psychological nature of visual perception and communication certainly makes a difference!

There are definitely a lot of things to consider and take note of if you want to maximise the psychological aspect of video marketing. When it comes to this, it’s always best to leave it to the experts. As one of the leading production specialists our team at PipeWolf Media offers outstanding services in videography, media transfers, virtual tours, podcast editing transcriptions, and live streaming.

The post Why Putting Captions On Your Videos Is Important! appeared first on PipeWolf Media.

This is how people are hooked nowadays. You need to become strategic in presenting what feeds their interests and preferences. If you want to actively engage with them, you need to make a version of a universe that will give them the spectacle of wonder until they totally set their eyes on the target: your promotional videos and images, your services and products, and ultimately, your brand.

In this expanding universe, there are ways to ensure that you become relevant and engaging. Live streaming, as many companies have been capitalising on, is used on social media platforms. However, it’s not enough to just use it without being aware of how to manage it effectively and strategically. And there are live streaming services that are willing to professionally do the job for you.

But, why must you choose live streaming your events in the first place?

Trust the risky ways

It has been proven that live streaming events is effective in reaching a huge crowd regardless of their demographics and geographical locations. Aside from a secured number of audience, there’s an implied filtering system in live streaming: those who are watching really care or are curious about your brand. With this, you are given the leverage to maximise engagements and tailor fit ways to get your audience more involved.

Companies like Buzzfeed, Target, and The Home Depot have successfully used the power of live-streaming. Even these well-established companies trust this relatively risky option. To mitigate such risks, there are film and audio specialists such as PipeWolf Media that can expertly accommodate your live streaming needs.

If your brand is still emerging, make sure to be unpredictable and exciting. Viewers always prefer raw, odd, and playful content. So, refrain from being monotone and linear. Travel along untaken paths. Become exploratory and don’t be afraid of taking the risky routes.

Level off with audience

Being challenged with a variety of audiences, especially during a free live stream, you need to give extra effort in making sure that you level off with them. By being responsive to their sensible needs and active engagements during live streaming events, the audience feels that they’re connected and part of the event.

Undeniably, the nature of audiences are visual and social. They want organic, even candid engagements with other viewers and actors within the event. Apart from being visually appealing to them, you take away that barrier that content usually has and allow them to enter the screens of their devices and indulge their craving for interaction.

Reuse content creatively

Another benefit from live streaming events is the ability to reuse the produced video content and package it creatively to make short clips, publication materials, and other content-worthy media. This is an advantage that can be utilised by companies to intensify their marketing strategies. Things like positive viewers’ reactions, suggestions, and shared photos and videos can be utilised for your advantage.

Setting up a live stream doesn’t always generate a great amount of attendance and guarantee active engagements with the audience. A strategy must be employed and being creative is a must. As they say, success in numbers may be significant but what happens right after is more crucial. So, don’t forget to leave a mark!

In order to successfully leave that mark, you have to know the right way to set up your live streaming event with the help of professionals. PipeWolf Media is an expert video production company with considerable experience in live streaming. Send us a message today and let’s discuss how we can maximise live streaming for your brand.

The post Why Livestreaming Makes Your Events More Impactful appeared first on PipeWolf Media.

With over 100 million photos and videos uploaded on the platform daily, Instagram account analytics experts consider the site to be a strong tool for business enterprises. In addition to that, 80% of all Instagram users follow a business profile. That’s roughly 800 million people!

Merely posting various content on the site will not allow you to take full advantage of its potential. You need to evaluate your content, especially videos, so that you can optimise it for future content using Instagram insights and other useful tools.

Here are important Instagram video analytics areas that you could use to power up the ability of your videos in expanding the reach and engagement of your brand.

Get to know your target audience

The key to success with Instagram marketing is to determine what your customers want to see, what they’re interested in knowing about, and what they need to buy.

Using Instagram video analytics such as Instagram Insights will help you get acquainted with your audience’s specific demographics, age group, gender, and location. This will enable you to develop the right and appropriate video content for your brand.

Should your videos focus on more inspiring-stories type of material? Does your audience want a little humour in the video content? Are immersive videos their preference?

These questions can surely be answered if you use tools to uncover what your audience wants to see on your business page on Instagram.

Create content based on the data gathered

Through the utilisation of Instagram analytics, you can use the information you received in creating the content that your audience likes.

If you want to know what hashtags your target audience are interested in, you can use Keyhole (keyhole.com). Keyhole has an intricate hashtag analytics tool that provides real-time updates on how your posts are performing and what the trending hashtags are.

Instagram Insights can also provide data on how you should create your future content. With Insights’ ability to determine the types of people interacting with your business page, you can develop age-specific or gender-specific videos to amp up your audience’s interest.

Time is gold

This old saying is true for Instagram video analytics tools, too. Even if you have created content that screams gold, you won’t be able to gauge if it will match your target audience’s online activity unless you use various tools to determine the right time to post your videos.

For the best post timing, you can use the very useful Minter.io. This online software enables you to view the Instagram traffic that your business page receives through a visually-appealing and easy-to-understand layout.

Being able to upload your videos at the best time equates to a greater chance of achieving a surefire trend that’s good for your profile’s engagement and reach.

Using these insights will help you get on the right track with your video content. Utilise these to achieve better engagement and reach of your business profile.

PipeWolf Media is a Wollongong based business that specialises in videography, virtual tours, live streaming, media transfers, and podcast editing subscriptions. Contact us to find out more about how you can maximise Instagram for your business.

The post The Importance of Instagram Analytics For Video appeared first on PipeWolf Media.

Given the rise of content creators, it is important to be updated on the statistics regarding your viewers’ behaviour through the use of YouTube analytics. Utilising analytics vastly improves your consciousness on what videos have successfully reached your target audience. And if the expected views are not achieved, it is easier for you to improve your videos.

The available innovations in using social media have made interactions more personalised and grounded based on the needs of the audiences. So, what other benefits can you reap in using Youtube analytics as a content creator?

Grasp on actual statistics

Having actual data on hand is a perfect guide in telling how far you’ve come. As a content creator, data is gold for you. You’ll be able to know what segment of the videos are not effective and inadequately engaging. Understanding statistics from comprehensive Youtube channel analytics and YouTube video analytics give you the power to align your content to the needs of your audience.

As they say, there is strength in numbers. And this mantra is also applicable to content creators if the statistics are handled properly.

Effective content creation

At present, helpful tips to become effective in content creation are available almost anywhere. Things like developing a sustainable video production flow, coming with an unpredictable hook, and adding screens to promote your other videos can help you build strong viewership. But aside from sustaining an audience, YouTube analytics can also be a source of motivation to produce quality content.

Since people prefer content that jives with their preferences and interests, the use of YouTube channel analytics and video analytics can help you become adept with viewers’ behaviour, pattern of engagements, and even their personalities. And there are also available companies that can help keep a record of your viewers such as PipeWolf Media.

Increased marketing rate

The world of content creation has evolved from being a mere hobby of sharing your life updates with others into integrating marketing for the purpose of promoting and selling services, products, and brands. To guide you in the process of determining whether your content is effective in marketing, there are Youtube analytics app to make it convenient for you. Aside from the apps, there are Youtube analytics tools that you can navigate to understand your stats.

With the available data, it becomes easier to keep track of your progress not only in the aspect of viewership, but also regarding the effectivity of your marketing strategies based on viewers’ reactions, responses, and suggestions regarding the brands you’re promoting. Utilising your data the right way is the key to increasing your marketing rate.

When the data is used right, anything is possible. Youtube analytics can be your compass toward improving your content and marketing more effectively. Before you focus on influencing the behaviour of your viewers, it’s essential to check whether your promotions are sensible enough and if they are well-integrated into your video marketing.

If you need help in understanding YouTube analytics and how you can make use of the data for improving your content, PipeWolf Media is a message away. With our expertise in videography, virtual tours, live streaming, media transfers, and podcast editing subscriptions, trust us to be your guide as you make the most of YouTube and videos for your brand.

The post How YouTube Analytics Helps Content Creators Boost Reach appeared first on PipeWolf Media.

As part of our team you’ll work on a wide range of exciting projects including commercial videos, live events, weddings, podcasts, virtual tours, creative and corporate productions.

It’s essential that you:

• Have experience with video production including shooting, editing, sound and lighting
• Have experience using Adobe Premiere Pro
• Are able to follow direction and meet deadlines
• Have a professional approach to your work
• Have strong communication skills
• Have the ability to work across multiple edits at once

Bonus points if you:

• Have your own videography gear
• Have your own laptop/computer with Adobe Premiere Pro
• Have a drivers license
• Experience using After Effects

Contract work will be paid per project and you can work from home.
Casual work will be paid per hour and you’d work at PipeWolf Media in West Wollongong.
Applicants must be eligible to work in Australia.

These positions would suit a junior or mid-level videographer who is available mid-week and on weekends.

We want to hear about you and your passion for videography. Send your applications via email and tell us about yourself – we’re looking for the right type of person, not just a qualification. Attach your portfolio/website/previous work along with your CV, a list of any videography equipment you have (cameras, laptop, editing software, audio etc) and if you’d be interested in contract or casual work – send your email to Fyona – fyona@pipewolfmedia.com

Applications close 29th October 2019.

The post We’re Looking For New Videographers To Join Our Team appeared first on PipeWolf Media.

Congratulations on your decision to showcase your business online with a Google Street View virtual tour. This 360° online tour is going to be a great way to give viewers a virtual walk through of your facilities, layout, dimensions, décor and location. The goal of the virtual tour is to maximize your space’s attributes and to really show it off.

Getting your location ready for a professional virtual tour is important – these 360° photos will be on your website, Google Maps and Google My Business – available for viewing 24/7 – so a little time spent getting everything ready before the tour will pay off.

Remember – the camera will pick up EVERYTHING!

There are no blind spots in a virtual tour – when we place our 360° camera in a room is sees the entire room from every angle.

Walk through your own property – imagine you’re seeing it all for the first time, or you can even take it a step further and ask a friend to walk through for you – what aspects grab your attention? Pay attention to those areas so you can highlight them in your virtual tour.

What are some areas you’re not so proud of? What makes you cringe a little? What are the parts you just mentally blank out, but a new visitor will spot straight away?

These are the areas you’ll want to really focus on decluttering, cleaning and tidying up.

Our 360° camera takes 360° photographs – which aren’t the same format as standard photos – that means no Photoshop when it comes to editing tours. This is why getting your space looking it’s best before our photographer arrives is the best way to ensure you get the best tour of your business.

Ensure your virtual tour makes a great first impression – every property is different so not all of the below tips may apply to your business, but this list will help you create your own to-do list as you prepare for your virtual tour.

Is Your Business Verified on Google Maps?

This might not be the first thing you think of when preparing for a virtual tour for your Google My Business, but it’s an important one. We can’t upload your virtual tour unless you have a verified listing on Google Maps.

Not sure if your business is verified? Let us know and we’ll take a closer look at it with you.

Virtual Tours Love Early Mornings

We always recommend having your virtual tour shot early in the morning, before your business opens. This will ensure your property is flooded with lovely natural light but you won’t have people in your shots.

Things to Think of for Outside

Virtual tours tend to start outside and walk the viewer through the front door and into the property – so that’s a great place to start preparing.

Grab a broom and sweep out the front, straighten the door mat, remove old half-peeled of daggy stickers on your shop front window – may even get the windows cleaned!

Our Outdoor Checklist:

• Clear away all rubbish, debris and tidy the area.
• Make sure there aren’t any cars parked out the front or in the drive away.
• Clean the windows.
• Spruce up the garden, mow the lawn, trim any dead trees or plants.
• Nicely arrange any outdoor furniture of signage.
• Remove any unwanted signage (for sale signs for example).
• Move those wheelie bins out of sight.

Inspire Preparation Tips

Pay attention to the small details – remember the camera picks up everything and so will your viewers. If you have a cleaning company who regularly cleans your property it might be an idea to book your tour the morning after they clean.

Stage your property – arrange décor so it’s visually appealing. Hang wall art, straighten lamp shades. Arrange everything so it’s nice and presentable. Avoid seasonal decorations like Christmas lights or Halloween decorations – anything that will date your tour.

Our Indoor Checklist:

• Put papers and anything with private information away.
• Remove clutter and tidy up shelves.
• Move excess furniture out of rooms – create clean, open spaces.
• Replace any light bulbs that aren’t working.
• Clear and clean all counter and desktops.
• If you have a kitchen ensure dishes are put away, sink is clear, sponges and tea towels are out of sight.
• You may want to remove things stuck to the fridge and magnets.
• Empty or hide bins.
• Close the toilet lid.
• Turn on all the lights before the photographer arrives.
• Turn off all fans before the photographer arrives.
• Open all window blinds/curtains.
• Hide family pictures and personal items you don’t want in the tour.
• Ensure any awards, trophies, endorsements you’d like included in the tour are on display.
• Signage is well presented and up to date.
• Straighten couch pillows.
• Turn computer monitors and TV’s off and hide remote controls.
• Clear white boards
• Hide cords and wires – this may require some things to be unplugged and tucked away during the photo shoot.
• Dust, clean, straighten and tidy each room.
• If your business is a restaurant you may want to have the tables set and even some meals on a central table.
• Don’t forget to prepare hallways and connecting spaces – it’s a tour, not a photo session, so we do need to also photograph the route from room to room, not just the rooms themselves.

Should I Have Customers and Staff in The Tour?

We tend to recommend that you don’t have any people in your tour as anyone photographed in the tour will have their faces blurred out anyway and if people are moving around it can look untidy – in saying that some businesses or industries may benefit from having people in their tour – ultimately it’s up to you and how you’d like to present your business.

Final Walk Through

Finally, walk through your property before the photo shoot – give it a final review. Stand in the middle of each room and slowly look around – if you can see something, then so will our cameras. Be thorough and check every last detail before the shoot.

Now you have your virtual tour checklist you’re ready to book your tour – contact us to arrange a time for our Google street view photographer to photograph your property.

The post How to prepare for your Google virtual tour appeared first on PipeWolf Media.

YouTube is a great, easy and free way to get your videos online – here are a few simple steps to get you started on uploading your videos to YouTube.

Please keep in mind these screenshots and instructions are based on uploading your videos from a computer but if you’re using a mobile device the steps will roughly be the same.

Step 1:

Head to https://www.youtube.com/ – you’ll notice the Sign In button on the top right of the home page. Click it to get started.

Step 2:

A login box will pop up asking you to sign in. You can login with your Google login and password. If you don’t have one you can create an account. 

Step 3:

Once you’ve logged in you’ll notice a little camera icon on the top right of the screen. It looks like this: . 

Step 4:

Click the camera icon and select Upload video from the drop down menu.

Step 5:

Before you start uploading your video you’ll need to choose which privacy setting for that particular video.

Every video can have it’s own privacy setting.

So what do they each mean?

A Private video can be viewed by you and you alone – you can’t share it with anyone. It’s 100% private and for your eyes only.

An Unlisted video can only be viewed by the people you send the URL link (video link) to – no link, no viewing. For the people who have the video link it will feel like a public video, and you can use the link to share the video online, on your website or social media – but the video isn’t public. It won’t appear on your public channel, on YouTube or Google searches.

A Public video is, you guessed it, public! It will pop up in searches, it’s there for the world to see.

Step 6:

Select the video you’d like to upload from your computer. You’ll need to know where the video is saved on your computer and use the prompts to navigate to that folder. Bonus Tip: you can also import a video from Google Photos.

Step 7:

Once you’ve selected your video it will automatically start to upload to YouTube. While it’s uploading you can edit both the basic information and the advanced settings of the video. In general the upload time required for each video will depend on the length of the video and your internet speed.

Step 7:

Once you’ve updated all the information on your video you can click Publish to finish uploading a public video to YouTube. If your video had a Private or Unlisted privacy setting you’ll see a Done button instead.

Keep in mind that your public video won’t be live until you’ve clicked Publish.

How To Edit An Uploaded Video:

Step 1:

Congratulations – your video is now live on YouTube. If you’d like to make further edits or select a new thumbnail image (video cover image) for your video go to your YouTube Studio.

Then click Videos on the left hand side of the screen.

Step 2:

Once you’re in your YouTube Studio you can click on the title of the video you’d like to edit – this will take you though to the editing screen with all the settings and information you can adjust.

Step 3:

To add a custom thumbnail scroll down and select the Custom thumbnail button – navigate on your computer to the image you’d like to upload as your thumbnail.

Step 4:

Once you’ve made the changes you’d like to make click Save.

How To Delete An Uploaded Video:

Step 1:

If you’d like to delete a video simply go back into YouTube Studio and hover over the video you’d like to delete.

Step 2:

When you hover over the video you’ll see three dots appear – click the three dots and select Delete from the drop down menu.

How To Customize Your Channel

Step 1:

If you’d like to adjust where your video sits on your channel home page click on Your Channel by selecting your icon on the top right corner.

Click Customize Channel

Step 2:

To edit your home channel home page for returning subscribers or new visitors hover and select the pencil icon.

Then click Edit and select a video from your uploaded video to be featured – then click Save and Done.

Now your videos are uploaded onto YouTube and sitting on your channel just the way you want them.

If you have any other questions about how to get the most out of your videos on YouTube please get in touch. We’d love to chat with you.

The post How To Upload A Video To YouTube appeared first on PipeWolf Media.

If you haven’t jumped on board the video train as yet, maybe it’s time to reconsider – because video isn’t going anywhere, in fact, it’s continuing to grow like crazy.

There are a few ways that you can take advantage of video marketing, these include:

• • Vlogs
  • Interviews
  • Tutorials
  • Presentations
  • Product demos
  • Product reviews
  • Video testimonials
  • Live streams
  • Video ads

So what are the benefits of video marketing and how can it help your business? We get asked this question a lot at PipeWolf Media, here are our top answers:

Builds Trust With Your Audience

The magic of video is that you can physically talk about or showcase your products, services and knowledge through video content, this builds trust with your audience. You are able to clearly and easily convey the features and benefits with this visual format. Trust is one of the biggest reasons why consumers will buy, or not buy from you.

Boosts Conversions and Sales

Another benefit of video marketing with product videos is that they are a leading driver of conversions and sales (put up your hand if you want more sales!) Using video to answer questions about features, benefits, shipping and returns, can greatly turn a browser into a buyer. Unlike images and written content, they can see your offering, as if it was placed right there in front of them.

Great ROI

Adding a video strategy to your marketing mix is also good ROI. There are lots of options when it comes to creating your own videos. Users will forgive quality as long as the content is good. You can create a business video on a low budget, with tools that are right at your fingertips like your smartphone. It’s all about getting your message out there and maximising what you have without the big production budget. (Bonus Tip – If you’re after a budget friendly professional video to get your video marketing started check out our Introduce Your Business in 60 Seconds videography package.)

Google Likes Videos Too!

Increased time spent on your site by online visitors is something search engines like Google love. Video content can provide this for your website and business. Users spend more time viewing this form of information which builds trust and tells search engines that your site has great content.

Cater To Mobile Users

Mobile continues to outgrow desktop use each and every day. For this reason, video works well for those who are on the go. The opportunity to grow your video audience keeps getting bigger and bigger. It can also be a great tool for learning, as it’s super easy and quick to consume compared to reading the exact same information.

It’s Good For Socials Too

Social media platforms are constantly bringing out new features – this includes ways to share video content. Having a video strategy on these channels allows you to release content on a regular basis that can be shared and appreciated. Remember to be channel agnostic – each platform has its own format and audience type so play to this with your videos.

It’s Time To Get Cracking!

Storytelling is more important than ever. Users don’t want to be sold to, they want to understand how you can solve their problems.

If you need some extra support with creating video for your business, get in touch with the specialists at PipeWolf Media today. We offer different video services to suit your needs and budget.

The post Why Video Marketing Works For Business appeared first on PipeWolf Media.

Delivering a speech or message to an audience may be nerve-wracking enough, but confidently and energetically giving that speech straight down the barrel of a camera lens has to feel like one of the most unnatural ways to communicate with people.

There are lots of ways to give script prompts to yourself from cue cards to memory aids but it’s hard to beat a teleprompter. When filming a video where you’re speaking directly to camera you want to avoid the smallest shift in eye-line. If your eyes are darting ever so slightly from on camera to off camera it will be really noticeable to your audience.

This is where teleprompters are great – they’re a simple tool that’s placed in front of a camera lens. The teleprompter will slowly scroll through your script at reading pace. The teleprompter has a special type of glass which means it can be placed in front of the camera, you can see the text on it, but the camera can’t. This allows you to read your script while staring directly into the camera without even realising it.

It’s an awesome device because you can connect directly with your audience by reading your script directly into the camera – but it also takes practice to ensure you look and sound natural.

Here are a few of our top tips to help you sail through your next teleprompter read.

Practice Until You Know Your Script Inside Out

A teleprompter is really there to prompt you – if you’re reading your script from the teleprompter for the first time it will really sound like you’re reading it…and that’s not super engaging for video.

You don’t need to memorise your script word for word, but you do need to have a clear idea of what it says and have your key talking points locked down in your memory.

The best way to practice reading your script is to rehearse it out-loud. Listen to how it sounds, have an idea of pace and master all of those pronunciations.

You want to write your script in a way that sounds natural to the people who are watching your video. During your rehearsal you might realise something doesn’t quite sound right – that’s ok, change it.

Another great thing about teleprompters is that they use software that allows you to make changes to the script during filming. Need a word changed or an extra space? Something added or re-worked? No problem – you can change things as needed on the go.

Rehearse With The Teleprompter

If you arrive early to your shoot, while the videographers are still setting up, there will be time for you and the teleprompter to squeeze in some one-on-one practice time. We really recommend this – it will take some time to get the font size and scrolling speed adjusted just for you and your script plus knowing the script is one thing, reading it as it scrolls up the teleprompter is another.

When using a teleprompter you want to adjust the scrolling speed to suit your talking pace. Often it’s a good idea to wait until the text has scrolled towards the top of the screen before you start reading – this helps reduce lags and awkward waiting-for-the-teleprompter to catch up moments.

Your script may need to be formatted into smaller chunks, this is something you’ll realise as you practice, you may need to insert some extra breaks here and there to help things move smoothly.

The great thing about video is that everything can be edited. If you make a mistake during filming don’t worry – just pause and start again.

Bullet Points VS Word for Word

After practicing your script, you might feel like you just need some bullet points on the teleprompter to guide you or you might feel more comfortable having your entire script word for word scrolling up on the teleprompter.

There are arguments for and against having your entire script on the teleprompter – at the end of the day it really is a personal preference and it also depends on the kind of video you’re creating.

The idea behind only using bullet points is that there’s less on the teleprompter which may be a little less overwhelming for the presenter. It also helps you avoid looking and sounding like your reading – which is the big danger in using the teleprompter.

Using bullet points helps you reference important key messages but also requires you to use your own words and speak naturally.

A great way to make a decision for yourself is to write your key messages down and outline a script, practice it, and then give yourself some dot points – if you’re able to still hit those key messages with just the dot points prompting you then maybe that’s all you need for the filming day.

If you’re more of a word-for-word kind of person that’s great – you’ll love working with a teleprompter, just make sure you practice lots before filming day.

Your Script Is Only Part of The Equation

Now you’re comfortable with your talking points and how to use a teleprompter you want to focus on your overall on-camera presentation.

We recommend you read our blog about preparing to be on camera.

Some key things to keep in mind are:

Keep your energy high – the more enthusiastic you are the better you’ll connect with your video audience. Use your hands, be confident, let people see how passionate you are.

Smile and make eye contact with the camera – remember, even though you can’t see them, you’re talking directly to people. Make them feel like you’re talking directly to them.

If you’re looking for some extra support with your next filming project, get in touch with the experts at PipeWolf Media today.

The post Tips For Reading From A Teleprompter appeared first on PipeWolf Media.

That’s actually a great question because as important as looking good and feeling good is there are some fashion choices that aren’t camera friendly. Before you plan your on-camera outfit here are a few things you’ll need to know.

Avoid Clothes With Patterns

Steer clear of any clothing with stripes, busy or repetitive patterns. Patterns like a checkered shirt create an annoying effect called moiré. It basically looks like a weird psychedelic effect in the video and unfortunately, it’s next to impossible to edit out.

Solid Colours Are Your Friend

So what are the best colours to wear on camera? Solid colours are always the safest option for filming. You may want to check with your videographer if you’re planning to wear solid white or black – if you wear a white shirt on a white backdrop you may look a little washed out.

As a rule of thumb, the camera loves colour that pop, you can’t really go wrong with a lovely shade of blue or a rich purple/brown.

Avoid Green

If you’re being filmed in front of a green-screen, you’ll want to avoid wearing any green.

A green-screen is a filming process where someone is filmed in front of a green background and in the editing process the colour green is removed and replaced with another image or video footage.

This means if you are wearing green, that will also be replaced with the image or video footage – you’ll essentially look like a floating head.

When being filmed in front of a green-screen you also want to avoid highly reflective accessories such as chrome, shiny jewellery, polished wood, very polished shoes, reflective props and glass as they could pick up a green reflection.

Finally, it’s also best to minimise frizzy or find strands of lose hair when filming with a green-screen.

Bring Options

It can be a good idea to bring some options along with you to your filming shoot – just in case what you’ve picked isn’t working on camera or a microphone can’t be clipped to it.

Remember, this is a video to reflect your business and your brand, so it’s a good idea to avoid clothing with brand names or big logos. You also want to make sure your clothing is freshly ironed and stain free.

Jewellery and Accessories

As Coco Chanel would say, less is always more when it comes to jewellery and accessories on camera. When selecting your jewellery and accessories for your video ask yourself if anything, you’re planning to wear will distract your viewers from the message you want to communicate in your video. We don’t just mean distract them visually – how much noise does your jewellery make? You don’t want your amazing script to be overshadowed by the jingle of your bangle or the tinkle of your earrings.

Make Up

Make up is important for video because it helps reduce shine on your face. The lights used for filming are bright and they can reflect a lot on your face, especially your forehead.

It’s best to use make up that doesn’t have any sunscreen in it – that will just make your skin shine even more!

As a minimum you want to wear a layer of face powder to reduce the shine on your skin. You may not be keen on the thought of wearing makeup, but it’s important that you do – especially for men – it will make amazing difference to your final video.

Final Tips

Think about your skin and hair. Don’t get sunburnt before filming, ensure you’re well rested and there’s no dark circles under your eyes and remember to book a hair appointment before your filming so you’re looking fresh and ready for your on-camera debut.

Think about the fabric you’re planning to wear, is it noisy to move around in? Will it rustle and make noise which the microphones could pick up?

Do you have a belt, waistband or pocket a microphone battery pack could be placed into?

Confidence Is Key

More important that how you look is how you feel.

Make sure you feel good in your filming outfit. Do you feel comfortable? Do you feel like yourself?

If you don’t feel good, you won’t relax and that will really come through in your final video.

Have fun with your wardrobe choices, wear something bold and fun that makes you feel confident.

There’s a lot we can do to make your video amazing but the one thing we can’t edit in is confidence.

If you’d like to know more about how to get yourself ready for filming check out our blog about everything you need to know before your filming day.

The post What To Wear For Your Filming appeared first on PipeWolf Media.

Needless to say, being on camera is usually the part of the process that causes our amazing clients the most anxiety and stress.

There’s no need to worry though, with PipeWolf Media you’re in safe hands. We completely understand the million and one reasons why stepping in front of the camera can be overwhelming.

Whether you’re preparing to be interviewed on camera, deliver a scripted message, speak straight from the heart or give an on-camera demonstration these easy-to-follow tips and tricks will help you feel like a rockstar in front of the camera.

Practice Makes Perfect

Script or no script, you want to be very clear in your mind what key messages you’re trying to convey while you’re speaking to the camera. After all, this video will be representing your business and brand – we want to make sure it’s hitting all your marketing bullseyes.

If you’re planning to read from a script during the filming, practice reading that script out-loud over and over until it sounds natural – like you’re speaking off the top of your head.

If the script doesn’t sound like you then change it. Some words and phrases that might pop on paper can sound stilted when spoken aloud. Don’t worry if you need to tweak things so they flow with your natural speaking rhythms.

Your aim isn’t to memorise your script but to familiarise yourself with the key points until you feel comfortable with what words and phrases need particular emphasis and inflection. It will be obvious if you’re reading the words for the first time in the video. It will also be obvious if you’re trying to recite a script line by line from memory.

You want to feel relaxed with the script so when you’re talking in the video it feels like you’re sharing your key points off the cuff. This will allow you to even ad-lib a little during filming which will make you sound and feel less scripted in the final video.

Reading aloud will also help you pace the script and give you time to master any difficult pronunciations.

Practicing in front of the mirror or in front of family and friends can also be great, but we especially recommend you film yourself on your phone and listen to how your script or interview responses sound – this is really helpful for understanding how your energy is coming across on camera.

We know, we know – no one likes seeing themselves on camera – but watching yourself back will be the most valuable education. The more you practice the more you’ll look and feel comfortable in front of the camera. We can always pick the people who regularly film Instagram stories or Facebook live videos – like most things practice makes perfect and people who regularly film themselves on social media are much more confident and engaging when they are filmed for their professional videos.

Sit Up Straight

Feel like you’re back at school? There’s no slouching allowed once the cameras are rolling because everything is exaggerated when you’re on screen – if you’re sitting you want to sit up straight on the edge of your chair. Don’t allow your back to touch the back of the chair. If you’re on a couch don’t sink back into it, sit up perched on the edge. It might not feel like the most relaxing way to sit but sitting up straight will help you look interested, engaged and give you energy when you’re talking.

If you get too comfortable and start slouching, you can look frumpy and disengaged…and no one wants a frumpy, disengaged video.

Talk With Your Hands

True story, nearly every time we film someone, they’ll comment on how they need to stop moving their hands. Actually, the opposite is true – you need to move your hands more. Hand gestures are a powerful communication tool. They bring energy, convey passion and engage the viewer.

Our tip when it comes to talking with your hands is to keep your elbows bend around your mid-section. This way your hands will be between your waist and shoulders – in the shot but not taking over the show.

Smile – The Camera Loves You

Another great benefit you’ll receive when you film yourself practicing before your video shoot is that you’ll realise you don’t smile nearly as much as you think you do.

Smiling will let your audience know that you’re excited and enjoy talking with them. Smile before you start talking and at the end. It sounds simple but it’s actually one of the most difficult things for people to remember once the cameras are rolling.

Video loves a natural, warm, genuine smile – but it’s tough to keep that smile going once you start talking. So while you’re talking try to speak through a smile. This will help you to keep smiling with your eyes – keep your gaze warm, relaxed and natural when looking at the camera.

When you’ve finished saying what you have to say hold your smile and look directly into the camera – the best way to end any video is with a smile.

Eye Contact

One of the best pieces of advice we have come across about how to maintain eye contact while being on camera is to look at the cameras as you would your dog (or cat if you’re team feline). This will help you to keep your eyes smiling and focused.

Don’t be afraid of the camera lens, it’s not nearly as scary as it looks. Look at the lens like you would look into the eyes of a pet you love. Maintain eye contact, avoid glancing off set or allowing your eyes to dart around.

Blink naturally, hold a warm gaze and engage with your audience.

Maintain A High Energy

When you’re practicing what you’re going to say on camera you’ll not only realise that you don’t smile as much as you thought you did, you’ll also realise your energy isn’t coming through as much as you thought it would be.

There’s some sort of strange Bermuda Triangle that energy seems to get lost in once the cameras are rolling.

As Diana Goodwin says, “Make sure to be very high energy and speak with a lot of intonation, more than you would do in a normal conversation. You may think you are overdoing it, but on camera, it does not look that way at all. If in doubt, use your phone to film yourself first, and when you play it back, you will see that your high energy works well on film.”

You may feel silly during filming, but you’ll look like a pro on camera.

Often you’ll need to overdo it. Imagine you’re presenting your script to kids, overemphasise, enunciate, be one notch more animated that you normally would be.

It’s actually the best rule of thumb really, if you don’t feel a bit silly and unnatural, your energy may not be high enough. We’re not suggesting you be fake either, rather let your passion shine through and step into the natural enthusiasm you have for your topic – and let that take over even if you feel a little silly in the process.

Be Healthy and Well Rested

It’s hard to bring a lot of energy if you’re sick, jet lagged or sleep deprived.

Before your filming make sure you’re feeling good. Be well rested, drink plenty of water, have a good breakfast but don’t eat just before you get on camera as digesting food can make you feel sluggish.

Remember, It’s Not About You

This is a bit of a strange point really seeing as you’re the one who is going to be on camera. But when you think about it, the video you’re making isn’t really about you, it’s about your message. You’re sharing information with your audience.

If you’re feeling self-conscious about smiling at the lens as if it’s a dog you love and delivering your script with an energy level that would rival the Wiggles remember people won’t know how far out of your comfort zone you’re feeling – they’re tuning in to hear what you have to say.

Ready, Set, Action!

You’re all set to take your video production to the next level!

You’re not going to get everything right the first time you step in front of the camera, but that’s ok. The good news is that when you’re working with a professional videographer like PipeWolf Media you have someone with you every step of the way to help coach and guide you. We promise we’ll have you feeling relaxed and having fun in no time at all. And if you mess up it really doesn’t matter – we’ll just give it another crack.

If you have any other questions you’d like answered before your filming like what to wear or tips on reading from a teleprompter check out our other blogs or give us a call – we’re always happy to chat.

The post How To Prepare To Be On Camera appeared first on PipeWolf Media.

Ironically, if your physical business can’t be found in a virtual world your customers might not be able to find you in real life.
Google virtual tours allows you to showcase your business online, giving users a 360° insider view.

In this post, we look at the importance of having Google virtual tours for business and how you can add this to your online presence.

How does it work?

A virtual tour is a view of your business which can appear on Google Search, Google My Business, Google+ and Google Maps.

A Google Trusted provider like PipeWolf Media can take 360° photographs which are then linked together to let the user to virtually ‘walk’ around and become completely immersed in your space.

Once these are uploaded to the Google platforms, users can navigate through the tour by simply clicking on ‘hot spots’ on the 360° photo. Sounds pretty cool right!? Go ahead, try it out for yourself:

What are the virtual tour benefits?

The benefits might be more rewarding that you’d first think. A virtual tour of your business allows you to capture website traffic, giving you improved online exposure in the search results.

You can also easily embed your virtual tour on your website. This means that no matter the time of day, or location, potential customers can see and find you.

There will always be competitors – online and offline. So what better way to stand out from the crowd then to showcase your business in a way that other businesses are not? Adding this to your marketing mix could be the difference between getting that customer or missing out because your competitor is doing a better job or yielding their products and services to their needs.

An astounding 97% of customers now search for local businesses online. You want to be there, like their own personal super hero – showing up exactly when they need you, and providing the information they want to make a purchase choice.

Local Businesses often don’t understand the importance of Local SEO (Search Engine Optimization). As results from an SEO campaign are not always black and white and usually take a minimum of 3 months to see the needle begin to move, many are not utilising this channel in their digital strategy.

Why follow when you can lead! Take advantage of your opportunity and position yourself by having a presence in the local pack. (What’s a local pack? It’s the top three results you get when you Google a local business, see below for an example.)

Is there a particular type of business that virtual tours are ideal for?

Great question and one we are asked quite often! A 360° virtual tour will be a great asset for many businesses including:

● Shops
● Restaurants
● Cafes
● Gyms
● Venues
● Universities
● Airbnb and holiday rental accommodation
● Showrooms
● Clubs
● Presentations and live events
● Concerts and music events
● Trade shows and exhibitions
● Corporate functions
● Real estate
● Tourism
● Property development

From small to large businesses and everything in between, this is an effective way to present
your business online and showcase your offerings clearly so consumers can make an informed
decision just by finding you online.

What are the Google virtual tour costs?

A Google Virtual tour cost can start from as little as $275.00. When compared to other
marketing options, this one comes in as being very affordable for most businesses.

We have created different package options to suit your needs, and that of your customers.

For more information about these, check out our 360º photography packages.

Get 360° ready!

Having 360° virtual tours as part of your marketing mix can yield positive results without having
to make a large investment of your time and money.

It’s an added layer of trust for users as they can physically see who you are and what you
provide.

So what are you waiting for? Make it a goal for your business this year. If you need any further
information on how to get started, the team at PipeWolf Media are here to help. Get in
touch with us today and let’s get you 360° ready.

The post Why is Having Google Virtual Tours for Business Important? appeared first on PipeWolf Media.

How long have you been saying you need to sort those video tapes out and get your analog memories digitized so you can share them with the next generation?

Thanks to VHS video tapes, the 80’s and 90’s are not gone – years of footage, embarrassing fashion statements, childhood Christmases, school play performances and family weddings are trapped in your old home movies waiting to be rescued.

Plus, let’s face it – VHS tapes also take up a lot of room, they’re tricky to store and it’s next to impossible to find a VCR player to even watch them on these days.

But you need to stop procrastinating and jump onto converting your VHS home movies to digital before it’s too late.

You May Be Running Out of Time

VHS videos don’t last forever – they were never designed to be a long-term storage for your movies. Even if they are boxed up and stored carefully, they will still deteriorate over time.

Technology, like VHS videos, that uses magnetic strips isn’t as durable as you may think.

The life expectancy of a VHS tape varies from one tape to the next, but they have been found to start deteriorating from as early as 5-10 years and tapes over 10 years old may deteriorate more rapidly.

So, if you recorded a home movie in the 90’s it may already be too late to convert that film to digital.

Great storage and a good quality video tape may slow the deterioration process down, but most home storage systems expose tapes to dust which can lead to mould and other destructive elements.

So why don’t VHS video tapes last?

Magnetic Media Crisis

Analog videos, or Video Home System (VHS) tapes deteriorate when the magnetic layer on the tape loses its magnetism over time which causes the video on the tape to become unplayable.

All VHS tapes use magnetic charge to store video, image and audio data on the tape. The thing is, over time, this magnetic charge weakens which then impacts the picture and sound quality when the tape is played.

This also means you don’t want to store your video tapes near magnets or things with magnets in them, such as speakers. Storing your VHS tape, with its magnetic layer, next to a magnet may damage or destroy it.

Moisture + Mould

This is something we see a lot. You wouldn’t think an innocent looking VHS tape could be a breeding ground for mould (yuck).

Mould is a big deal – once it’s in the video tape there’s not much that can be done to save it.

A little mould, a tiny little bit, could be cleaned off the tape but if it’s not caught in time it will spread and once that happens it’s all over red rover.

Unfortunately a old movie tape with mould can’t be converted to digital because you can’t even risk trying to play a tape once it has mould – the mould could spread to the VCR player and then onto other tapes played, potentially destroying every tape played in that player.

Making Copies

If you’d like to share your VHS home movies with your family copying VHS to VHS isn’t the best way to go about it. When you copy a VHS video onto another VHS tape you lose a little quality each time – whereas copying videos from DVD’s or USB’s doesn’t lower the quality of the video each time.

Extreme Temperature

Think about where you’re storing your VHS video tapes – does it get hot there? How about in summer? Extreme temperature changes can cause serious damage to your tapes, such as warping the magnetic ribbon making it tricky to play the tape and causing the tape inside the VHS to stick together.

Broken or Detached Tape

You may need to cast your mind back a little, but a VHS video has two reels of tape which are being watched and rewound, watched and rewound over and over again. This can make the tape fragile over time and it can even snap or become detached from the casing. This can be repaired by a professional but it’s something you want to avoid if you can by transferring your tapes sooner rather than later.

Convert Your Home Movies to Digital Before It’s Too Late

At the end of the day your memories are too valuable to leave laying around on an old VHS video tapes. If you want to treasure them and keep them save you need to convert them to digital, so you can copy, back up and share them with your loved ones.

PipeWolf Media can transfer your VHS video tapes to a digital format, such as MP4, so you can watch them again and again, save them on your computer, upload them to YouTube or Facebook and, most of all, keep them safe to enjoy for years to come.

For more information check out our media transfer prices and contact us to book in your VHS transfer.

The post Transfer Your VHS Video Tapes to Digital Before Your Home Movies Become Unwatchable appeared first on PipeWolf Media.

Prepare to feel like a tech genius with these simple steps to help you upload a video you’ve received via a Dropbox link to your Instagram account.

Step 1:

Download the Dropbox app onto your phone. Ugh – we know – downloading apps you don’t usually use is the worst but it will make this process way easier and way less techie.

Step 2:   

Open your email (or text message or Messenger message or whatever you received the link in) and click on the Dropbox link.

The link should automatically open up in your Dropbox app. If it doesn’t then hold your finger on the link until this menu pops up and select ‘Open in Dropbox’:

Step 3:

Once you’re opened your link in Dropbox your screen should look something like this:

Next click on the video you want to download and it should look something like this:
(Side note, if you’re downloading multiple videos so you can post multiple videos at once, ensue you download them in the order they appear in your folder – left to right, top row first)

Then click those three little magical dots in the top right hand corner (…) and select ‘Export’ from the pop up menu.

After you click ‘Export’ you’ll get another pop up menu (assuming your on an iPhone – I’m sure all the android users have a similar menu option) – select ‘Save Video’ – this will save the video to the camera roll on your phone.

If you are just downloading one video then you can move onto Step 4. If you are downloading multiple videos then click on the link at the top left corner to go back to the main folder, select the next video and repeat the process until you’re downloaded all of the videos in order.

Step 4:

Whoo – you’re nearly there. Now the video will be saved on your camera roll – just like any other video you have recorded yourself via your phone. Not only is your video now ready to be uploaded to Instagram – you could also upload it to Facebook, YouTube, Messenger etc just like you would with any other video on your phone.

Now open Instagram and create a new post.

If you are posting a single video skip down to the relevant instructions.

IF YOU ARE POSTING A MULTIPLE VIDEOS:

Click the ‘+’ sign in Instagram to create a new post. Now select your first video from your photo library – remember your photo library shows you the videos with the first one you downloaded as the lowest on the screen – so if you downloaded 4 videos – the 4th on the right is your first video. Select the video and this is THE MOST IMPORTANT STEP – once your video is selected tap the double arrow icon in the left under the video:

Once you have resized the first video – you can then select the multiple post icon:

And select the videos you want to post – in order you want them to be seen:

Then click ‘Next’. All of our videos are already colored so you don’t need to add a filter – just click ‘Next again:

Now you’ll arrive at the ‘New Post’ page. We’ve found when posting multiple videos adding a caption pre-posting slows down the upload process. You’re better off having your caption written separately and then adding it once the videos are posted. You do want to add your location and tag anyone before you post through as you can’t edit these after the post is live. Start by clicking ‘Add Location’ if you would like to add a location to your post:

Then tag anyone you’d like tagged in your post by clicking ‘Tag People’:

Now you’re ready to upload your videos. Click ‘Share’ – keep in mind uploading multiple videos will take longer than uploading a single video.

Once the video is uploaded select the video:

Then click the three dots (…) on the top right to edit:

Click ‘Edit’ and type or copy/paste your caption:

Click ‘Done’ and voila! You’ve done it – you’ve posted multiple videos in one post to your followers.

IF YOU ARE POSTING A SINGLE VIDEO:

Select your video from your photo library – and this is THE MOST IMPORTANT STEP – select your video and tap the double arrow icon in the left under the video:

This will resize the frame of your post so your entire video can be viewed and nothing will be cropped out.

Then press ‘Next’ and select ‘Cover’ at the bottom of the next screen – here you can scoot along the video timeline and pick the cover photo you’d like to appear on your post.

With our videos there’s no need to add a filter or trim because we’ve already colour corrected your film and set it up for Instagram.

Step 5:

Voila! You’ve done it – you’ve got your video from Dropbox to Instagram and you’ve set it all up to look gorgeous and awesome.

Now all you need to do is write your caption and post to all of your followers.

If you need any assistance getting your videos to look this good on Instagram please contact us and we’ll give you a helping hand.

The post How To Upload Videos From Dropbox To Instagram And Make Them Look Awesome appeared first on PipeWolf Media.

In 2018, video marketing reached a new high as more small to medium businesses understood the power of placing their teams in front of the camera to interact and engage their audience. According to analysts, this trend is set to increase in 2019 and the years to come.

If you’re looking to cultivate a higher level of trust, enhance your engagement with your customers and ultimately increase your conversions then you absolutely need video on your website.

Here are a few reasons why you should consider including video in your marketing strategy.

1. Consumers Respond Better to Video

Why is this?

Video replicates face-to-face communication

Video replicates a face-to-face in-person connection that humans consider essential in order to establish trust. People like to see faces. They consider them to be a vital component in building strong relationships.

People also like to see body language, the expression of personality, feelings, and reactions. It helps complete the visual storytelling picture and cultivates an emotional connection that allows a message to be understood beyond the gut level.

Video stimulates both visual and auditory senses. Unlike plain text which relies on a combination of specific words and visual cues i.e. emojis to bring about the desired effect, video brings together movement and noise – two aspects that our brains are highly sensitive to.

According to research, our brains have evolved to respond quickly to a combination of motion, image, and sound. This is a trait passed down from our cave-dwelling ancestors that ensured their survival. It’s therefore not surprising that a whopping 90 percent of the information that enters the brain is visual and this information is processed 60,000 times faster than written copy.

This means that by choosing to include video content on your business website you ensure your prospects will be hooked and stay longer on the site. They will also be able to retain more of the information they receive. The more memorable the content, the greater the likelihood your prospects will take action.

2. Videos increase sales

Studies indicate that around 81 percent of customers who watched a brand’s video were convinced to make a purchase and that 76 percent of businesses that incorporated videos not only benefited from increased traffic but also increased their sales.

Similarly, some studies have found that including a short video, with a strong call-to-action in landing pages can turn these pages into lead generating machines. If you have lots of traffic (or even low traffic) to your website embedding a short video is a highly effective way of compelling people to take action. In some cases, the conversion rates are as high as 80 percent!

In addition, if you have any complex products such as software you can also increase business sales by using a video to build enthusiasm and demonstrate how the product can make your customers’ lives better.

3. Video content is easily shareable

Did you know that the share rate of videos is 1200 percent higher than both text and links combined? In addition, more than 60 percent of website visitors will opt to skip the text and watch a video if it is available. This is regardless of whether it is a product video, corporate video, app video, testimonial video or even explainer animation video. This makes video marketing a super powerful tool for any small to medium business that seeks to engage its audience, boost its traffic and increase its conversions.

Whether you’re selling a product, offering a service, or just creating a bond, video marketing is what you need to take your business to the next level. Customers want to feel like they know you before they can take any action. When done correctly, video marketing creates this feeling.

Get in touch to discuss how we can work together to create a website video for your business.

The post Does My Business Website Need Video? appeared first on PipeWolf Media.

Because podcast production can be simple, quick and low-cost, it’s easy for solo producers with something to say or share to find people who have been looking for exactly their information, their message or their story. Indeed, your podcast can be the best way to find and talk to ‘your people’ – whomever they are!

Let’s look at what you need in order to start (or improve) your podcast.

What is your podcast niche?

Like starting a blog, starting a podcast is relatively easy. Also like blogging, if you just start podcasting without prep or plan, you’re going to be speaking to an empty hall. The first part of launching your podcast is precisely define what you will and won’t talk about. Sure, you might have a general topic in mind – it could be accounting, high fashion, renewable energy, the Oscars, geopolitical analysis, whatever – but it’s what you do within your segment that matters.

Simply, you need to answer this question as perfectly as you can:

What will my audience rely on me for?

Just because you own the podcast doesn’t mean you can rabbit on about anything you like – at least not if you want to get, build and keep a listenership. Which you do.

Who are your competitors, peers and friends?

There are already millions of podcasts out there. In your intended field there will be people putting out stuff that largely matches your message (e.g. all Doctor Who fancasts are going to be largely pro-Doctor Who) while others will be diametrically opposed. For example, a podcast about hedge fund management may talk about the same current events as a podcast on socialist politics, but may well come to rather different conclusions.
In formulating your answers to ‘What will my audience rely on me for?’ it is vital to listen to other podcasts that are already in your field. As well as getting stacks of ideas, you’ll also soon see:

● Who is already out there
● What they’re doing
● How well they’re doing it
● What they’re not doing.

You’ll also pick up a lot of advice. Most podcasters do a bit of housekeeping chat about how their channel is going at either the start or end of each episode. Pay attention to this!

Where are you going to host your podcasts?

It’s all well and good to know what you’re going to talk about and how to record it, but distributing your podcast is perhaps even more important. Literally, how are people going to find and get your content?
Sure, a direct download from your own site or via email is one way, but your reach is going to be pretty small. That’s why getting your podcast properly hosted somewhere means you can begin distributing it to its maximum audience.
There are various free ways to host a podcast; however, as with all things online, it generally goes that the more professional you want to be the more features you’ll have to pay for. Here are some great platforms:

● Listen Notes offers a widest variety of podcast topics
● Stitcher offers some of the best search features and hosts some of the world’s most popular podcasts
● SoundCloud offers free and paid hosting options and lets you distribute your podcast via RSS. Easy to link to on social media too
● Podbean offers various levels, starting from a limited free option on up to paying for maximum features.
● Podomatic is easy to use and suits beginners but can give enough functionality for heavy users
● Whooshkaa is a great platform if you want to monetize your podcast
● iTunes is the most popular and has the largest reach though can be tricky to use

How will you actually make your podcasts?

The big gap in this article so far has been the recording, editing and production of your podcasts. You can do this all yourself. Many of the small podcasts get acceptable result from the grassroots approach.
However, if yours is to be a podcast that needs or deserves the professional touch, then your best bet is to seek the tailored advice of a company like PipeWolf Media. We will be able to advise you on every aspect of professional podcast production.

Make your podcast stand out, professionally

No, not all podcasts are created equal. Because it is easy to make a slap-up podcast there is a lot of ‘noise’ at the low end. The people who don’t put much into their podcasts and don’t get much out greatly outnumber those who do things ‘right’. Yet, almost as a complementary rule, the audience figures of those who do things ‘right’ greatly exceed the figures of the ad hoc podcasters.

If you are still reading this article, chances are you are interested in doing things right. So, get in contact with a professional digital media production company to find out what you don’t know. Once you’re armed with knowledge, you’ll know how to separate your podcast from the pack.

The post How Do I Create My Own Podcast? appeared first on PipeWolf Media.

As you’ve probably already discovered, one of the most convenient ways to record a podcast is over Skype, FaceTime, Zoom or a good old-fashioned phone call. It’s a great way to capture awesome content and get people from all over the world into your ‘studio’ but it can also be tricky to ensure you record high quality audio.

We ran some experiments to show you what a difference some tweaks to your set up can make.

Our first call took place via Skype. We kept the set up simple, using only our in-built microphone and speakers on our MacBooks.

In this recording we wanted to give an example of some common mistakes people make.

We were both sitting in large rooms with tiled floors. Dave was in our office with the door closed while Fyona was sitting in an open plan lounge/dining room, which is great if you want the sound to bounce around, plus the windows were open which allowed all the outside noise to filter in.

Finding the right space to record your podcast can be deceiving – the space Fyona was in would have been great for a face to face conversation, it felt quiet and peaceful but microphones and software such as Skype are designed to search for audio – so when you’re not speaking they will ‘look’ for any sound they can and tune into that, picking up all sorts of things your natural hearing would automatically filter out.

We recorded the conversation through Dave’s MacBook. At the time of writing this article you can record Skype calls through Skype for Business but not through standard Skype so we used a third-party software, ‘Call Recorder for Skype’, to record the conversation.

You can trial ‘Call Recorder for Skype’ for free, however, it only works if you’re using a Mac and not PC. They also have another software which records Facetime. At the time of writing this article you can purchase ‘Call Recorder for Skype’ for $AUD39.95.

If you want to record a Skype call on your PC you can use a third-party software called ‘Pamela For Skype’.

You can listen to our conversation here:

Hear all that fuzzy noise? That’s the mic looking for sound to record.

You can reduce this by changing your settings in Skype:

But all the audio enhancing in the world can’t compensate for a great original recording.

For our second call, we used Zoom. Like Skype, Zoom is a free video conference platform. One key difference is that Zoom allows video and audio recording in the program.

This time we changed our set up slightly. We still called each other through our MacBooks but this time Dave used a USB microphone and headphones and Fyona used her Apple headphones with the inbuilt mic in the cord.

One thing we especially like about Zoom, is that you can save the files onto an external hard drive and you can save separate files for each person in the conversation which comes in very handy when you’re editing your audio. Zoom also can record the call on both Mac and PC.

Our biggest change was the set up. Fyona moved from the large room to the laundry which was much smaller and had towels spread around the room and hanging above her. Not the most glamorous looking set up but it made a HUGE difference to the audio.

Click here to listen to the raw, unedited recording for yourself:

To sum up our experiment, our top tips to get the best audio recording are:

• Set yourself up in a small room with curtains drawn, windows closed and as much noise as possible eliminated. The more material in the room the better, so you ideally want a small room with carpet and curtains. If you have a walk-in wardrobe you can use you’ve hit the jackpot.
• Use headphones with an in-built mic or any other microphone and headphone combination to capture a clear sound.
• If you’re using Skype change your settings so the mic doesn’t search for sound.
• If you want to record the conversation we recommend Zoom over Skype – the file format is hard to beat.
• In regards to equipment, we use the following:

Laptop (MacBook Air)

PC (Dell)

Behringer C-1 Microphone

Steinberg UR12 USB Interface to (This converts XLR to USB)

XLR cable

Desk Mic Stand

Pop Filter

Philips Headphones

Apple Headphones

Steinberg UR12 USB Interface to (This converts XLR to USB)

Pop Filter

Behringer C-1 Microphone and Desk Mic Stand

Philips Headphones

We hope these tips help you get the most out of your audio recording. If you have any questions or would like more information please get in touch.

Once you’ve recorded your audio we’d love to edit it for you. Check out our Podcast Editing Subscriptions and sign up to start your subscription today.

Happy podcasting!

The post How To Improve Your Podcast Recording appeared first on PipeWolf Media.

And because it’s done this, the average amount of time and attention people can devote to what’s crossing their screens gets lower and lower – we’re basically all turning into goldfish with Alzheimer’s. It’s important to pay attention to this fact because these people, scrolling at lighting speed through their social media feeds, are your business’s target market too.

So, how do you reach and engage them? By making it easy. And the easiest way for your social followers to absorb your message: video.

Getting your video marketing right means higher engagement plus more followers, shares and click-throughs. You might even score the holy grail of digital marketing: viral content.

PipeWolf Media creates the social videos you need.

People pay attention to content that is engaging. People pay attention to content that meets them more than half way. A text update with a nice picture and a link back to your blog doesn’t work anymore. If you need to connect, you need video.

There’s more to it than just holding your phone up and talking. Different formats, lengths, aspect ratios and posting strategies all play a part in creating social media videos that will cut through on:

• Instagram
• Facebook
• Snapchat
• LinkedIn

This is where PipeWolf Media comes in.

We’ve created a range of videography packages and video production subscriptions specifically designed to meet all your social video needs.

With our skills in social media strategy, video direction, script writing, editing and post-production we enable your business to speak to and attract followers through expert sound, vision, music and messaging.

Social media video is already happening … in a big way.

The social media video revolution has more than begun, it’s already maturing. Here are some stats, because everyone loves stats:

• 10 billion videos are watched on Snapchat every day
• 45% of people watch more than an hour of Facebook or YouTube videos a week. (HubSpot, 2016)
• One-third of online activity is spent watching video.

If you’re not already making and posting videos on your social media presences, now is the time to start. If you are making and posting social media videos, now is the time to get better at it.

Call PipeWolf Media because making videos is what we do all day, every day – and we love it.

The post Social Media Video Production appeared first on PipeWolf Media.