24/02/2023
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Creative Lens Video
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Here at Creative Lens Video, we specialise in video content for individuals, start-ups, independents, small and medium-sized businesses.
11/11/2022
We had the pleasure of working with SALT Oakwood last night at their launch event.
Cocktails on tap - what more could you want?! 😍
21/01/2022
Our latest video is now live on the Grön Kafé website - gronkafe.co.uk
Lovely staff, amazing food and a really great outcome!
A special mention to Lucy Guest Marketing who's always a pleasure working with, and Chris Smith-Dunn who designed the website.
16/12/2021
When you ask the actress not to look straight at the camera and she just doesn't listen...
29/09/2021
We absolutely love getting great feedback from happy clients!
Thank you Rutley Clark Estate Agents for your raving review and testimonial:
“At Rutley Clark we pride ourselves on giving fantastic customer service and going above and beyond for all our clients. It was therefore very important to me to find someone who held the same values when looking for a company to create a property video for one of our homes.
You were professional and great at communicating throughout the process, and accommodated several ‘final’ amendments from both myself and the home owner! Palace Wood Farm is a very special home which needed a very special video to bring it to life for buyers and the final result did not disappoint. The video is stunning and really made the property stand out from the crowd and received many positive comments from all who saw it. Most importantly my client was delighted with it!
I have and will continue to recommend you and Creative Lens Video to anyone looking to showcase their business or products with video, confident they will be well looked after.
We absolutely loved working with you, and are ecstatic you love the end result!
24/09/2021
How do you feel about nicknames in personal branding?
Early on in the Creative Lens Video journey, I decided to use ‘Caroline’ as my name rather than ‘Caz’ as I worried it would seem less professional.
Recently I’ve had a change of heart as I’ve been known as Caz since I was young - even my parents call me Caz (unless I was in trouble and then the three-syllable name was used).
I’d love to know what people’s thoughts are!
Do you think:
A. There’s no place for nicknames in professional working relationships and/or personal branding
B. Nicknames could be used with partners after you’ve worked together for a while
C. Nicknames are fine from the very start of any connection
D. Other opinion (comment below)
21/09/2021
Making yourself noticeable as a freelancer when you don’t have a brick-and-mortar store and reliable foot traffic means this: you have to show off in different ways.
Website transactions are rapidly replacing high-street shopping, and plenty of freelancers make the mistake of seeing websites only as a selling tool - not a marketing one.
In reality, websites can create organic traffic through content creation. Video on your website helps:
1. Increase retention times
2. Inform in a fun, new way
3. Make content accessible
4. Boost your SERP rankings
5. Reduce bounce rates
If you’ve been looking for ways to convert more leads into sales, transforming the buying journey through your website could have a huge impact. Video marketing is a great way to create a user-interactive space, deliver valuable information to your customers, and show-off product demonstrations or service portfolios.
16/09/2021
The world is slowly becoming more accessible.
Wheelchair ramps. Gluten-free options at almost every shop and restaurant. Blue-badge parking. Hearing-aid zones.
Whilst we are definitely nowhere near perfect - disability access (or lack thereof) is a vital part of an ever-adapting world.
Lifts. Escalators. Stairs.
But what about our digital landscapes?
Last year, over 27.1 billion devices were connected to the internet. 300 hours of video are uploaded to YouTube every minute.
Barely any were accessible.
As the world’s transactions and job opportunities move online, we have the chance to include a new group of people, those often found at home rather than at the shops due to debilitating disabilities or barriers of communication.
Through subtitles, audio descriptions of visual information, transcripts, and sign language - we can work on making the internet inclusive for all.
If you regularly create video content - please consider adding subtitles to future videos. If you'd like to know more about how to make your videos accessible please feel free to send us a message, and we’d love to help.
14/09/2021
Creativity check-in!
If you’ve been in a slump for your marketing, here are 5 of my favourite effective - but simple - personal branding video content ideas that should be in any business owners’ arsenal. Not only will these help you entice your audience, but they will also help you impress them for great brand awareness.
- Answer FAQs
- Provide Industry Insight
- Film a Client Testimonial
- Share your Brand Story
- Reveal Product Info
On the surface, these are seemingly simple, obvious ideas - but when you start to break down the potential in each category, hundreds of videos can be created. Product information videos could include you unboxing supplies, showing your packing process, demonstrating your product, or even walking through the creation process. Providing industry insight could include you talking about learned experiences or adding your voice to current industry trends.
These tried-and-tested video tactics are designed to engage your audience, and establish yourself as an industry-leading professional; all through personal branding.
10/09/2021
It’s Swap Ideas Day!
The 10th of September is the nationally recognised Swap Ideas Day, and when you are a freelancer or creative - this is definitely something to celebrate.
As a result, I’m looking for a few extra minds to connect with over the next couple of weeks - please reach out, I’d love to learn about you and what you do.
#121
06/09/2021
Sound (and subtitles) in video content are incredibly important.
Not only can they help deliver information, but music is also an incredibly powerful tool for evoking an emotional response.
Think of those “feel good” moments where your favourite song comes on to the radio.
You just want to stop and dance.
For marketing videos, generating this kind of emotional response is key to retaining your audience's attention further into the footage.
For example, take a moment to watch this clip we shot for Vibes UK. Notice how the movement of the camera in time with the music truly emerges you into the experience, all to be topped off with the powerful roar at the end of the footage.
Memorable, right?
All sound for video content needs to be clear and without distractions, as sound effects are meant to add to your footage - not take away from it.
02/09/2021
If you don’t have an in-house marketing team, trying to get your brand out there can seem a little overwhelming. There’s so many things to consider: social media, email campaigns, websites…
Video content ticks each of these boxes.
Freelancers are a great addition to one-man bands or small-medium businesses, but do you know who makes the perfect team?
A videographer and a copywriter.
When you have a story to tell, a videographer and a copywriter can transform your marketing, spread the word, and draw new attention to your company.
Whilst a videographer sorts out the directing, shooting and editing, your copywriter will get to work on an enticing script, as well as sort your social media posts for a wonderful product launch, demonstration or review showcase.
Creative Lens Video is skilled at working closely with other freelancers for the perfect end result you’ve been dreaming of.
31/08/2021
One of the most typical questions we get asked is “What equipment do you have?”. We thought we’d provide a photo of some of the typical equipment we tend to bring with us on a shoot (though it varies depending on the video in question).
This was for a interview style video with B-Roll footage:
- Canon C100
- Panasonic GH5
- 2 x lenses
- Batteries batteries batteries!
- Battery chargers
- Shotgun mic
- Microphone stand & cable
- 2 x LED panel lights
- 1 x Softbox (for diffusing and creating a nice light distribution on subject)
- White balance card (for colour correction)
- (At least) 4 x SD cards
- Tripod stands
- DJI Ronin S Gimbal
Is there anything you’d like to know more about? 👀
27/08/2021
Busy brainstorming some ideas at the Creative Lens Video HQ today (home!). Although two of the team members were more focused on each other than on the work!! Lydia (Wrangling Words) and Freckle insist they were very productive 😋
25/08/2021
🙋 Service-based businesses! 🙋
It’s been a rough year for us all. If you’ve lost a few of your usual customers because of the pandemic and are looking for a new audience… have you considered video marketing?
Video footage makes a brilliant addition to your portfolio, and can also be used all over social media.
If you are a hairdresser, quick clips of your clean cuts can really showcase your skills.
If you are a makeup artist, interviews with your happy clients are a great addition to your website and booking forms.
Video content shows true authenticity, is a great and professional way to showcase your work, increases visibility online, and shows you are more than just a resume.
Why not impress new leads with artfully designed video marketing?
23/08/2021
What are some names in animation you recognise? Disney Pixar? 20th Century Fox?
There’s one more that should be on everyone’s pile: Emile Cohl.
In 1908, Emile revolutionised the film industry by creating the first-ever animated cartoon, titled “Fantasmagorie”.
Whilst only 1 minute and 17 seconds in length (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEAObel8yIE&t=21s), this one movie has given us the popular films we all know (and mostly) love: Frozen, Ice Age, Toy Story.
Computer technology has only improved the progress of animation… but where would we be without Emile, who took that first step?
20/08/2021
When you’re looking for the perfect videographer for your marketing content, the search can be difficult.
Not only do they need to work within your budget, but you might also have specific needs or requirements that’d help you choose one videographer over another.
We’re here to help you make a decision by pulling together some things to consider when choosing a videographer:
👉 Quality!
After all, every business deserves high-quality results from its investment. Videographers are experts in directing and editing content to provide a sleek “finishing touch”.
👉 Equipment!
If you’ve got specific ideas bouncing around, understanding what equipment a videographer has access to might change who you’d pick. For example, we’re always armed with lighting features to enhance our shoot - but this isn’t the case for every videographer.
👉 Showreels/Examples of Work!
Looking at your videographer’s portfolio is an absolute MUST. These should be publicly available for your perusal and give you key insight into the level of detail your videographer can produce. If you have to work hard to see video examples, then you’re talking to the wrong people.
👉 Specialisms!
Some videographers are specialised entirely in producing content for certain industries. Save your time (and theirs) by checking if they only offer certain services (e.g only work with manufacturing companies).
👉 Skills!
The likelihood is, if you're a busy business owner, you’d love for a videographer to come in and take control of your content ideas. All-rounders (like us) who offer consulting, directing, shooting, and editing will be able to produce the marketing materials of your dreams and the video you deserve.
18/08/2021
Whether you’ve invited a videographer to capture your event, or you’ve armed a staff member with a phone and the ‘record button’ - did you know there are some things you can do to improve the quality of your video and make filming way easier?
Here are our 3 favourite hacks to shooting a video:
1. Consider your lighting beforehand.
Whilst a lot of videographers come armed with their own lighting equipment, if you’ve agreed they are covering an event and they’ll be part of the “background” rather than running direct interviews - you could actually help them by choosing an event room with better lighting. Video cameras love natural and clear light.
2. Be aware of your surroundings.
Wind, sirens and construction noise in the background can pull your audience away from your marketing and instantly reduce the quality of all the hard work you’ve put into recording video footage.
3. Don’t overcomplicate things.
You might have tonnes of brilliant ideas, but sometimes a simple interview video or unboxing works absolute magic with your audience. When it comes to marketing, consistency is key, and running with trends can help you grow your engagement, just as much as being innovative can. Instead of overcomplicating your filming process, get prepared with a decent microphone, camera, and stand - then just start talking.
These simple hacks can make a huge difference on shooting day and will help you produce the video you’ve been dreaming of.
16/08/2021
One of Creative Len’s biggest inspirations is the critically acclaimed filmmaker and director, Guillermo Del Toro.
Whilst the projects he works on are certainly longer than our videos - there’s a lot we can take from his style.
He seems to have perfected the ability to tell stories, even in moments of complete silence.
His creativity and imagination are something to live up to, and in the long hours when we’re working on a project, it’s important to hold onto our dreams and remember why we love what we do.
Plus, it definitely helps that he’s also a huge fan of video games (just like us).
What isn’t there to love?
13/08/2021
Everybody’s work process is different, and especially for those in any creative sector. Our loud minds and bold ideas mean this: every project differs drastically!
However, there’s still some fundamental steps we take with each and every project, to not only make something unique and creative, but really nail the story the client wants to tell.
Step 1 - Research the company (or freelancer) we’ve got a meeting with.
Step 2 - Have the meeting. This involves asking about their branding/voice, target audience, goals as well as where they’d want to film and what their expectations are. We really want to present ourselves as approachable and build trust and openness with our clients, so, of course, we encourage any questions to be directed our way too.
Step 3 - Brainstorming. Sometimes ideas just leap out at us during the meeting and we know exactly how to present what the client is asking for, sometimes we go away - think on it and come back with the perfect idea. There’s a lot of work that goes into videography before we’ve even got the cameras out, and planning and brainstorming are hugely important for success in the later stages.
Step 4 - Preparing for the shoot. This is where we pack up our equipment, plan travel, and make sure we arrive promptly and raring to go.
Step 5 - Shoot time! This is the step that a lot of our clients will see as the main part of creating a video, but, secretly, so much goes into one video that we’ve still got work to do…
Step 6 - Compiling and editing the footage. Once we’ve got the footage, we get to work editing the video, both so clips are relevant and timely and so that the lighting balance and music “pull” are just right.
Step 7 - Creating thumbnails. We always present 3 thumbnail options along with our videos so our client can choose the one that’ll work best for their branding and business.
Step 8 - Video Reveal Day! On a day of our client’s choosing, we’re here to celebrate your new video alongside you.
So. That’s ours. What’s yours?
09/08/2021
Did anyone else have a weekend that stepped straight out of an apocolypse movie or was it just us?
We had so much fun at the shooting range with , where Creative Lens shot video footage as well as arrows!
Does anyone want to hazard a guess on how many bullseyes we hit? 🎯
06/08/2021
We’ve been filming some epic signs for a client of ours this morning, and we wanted to (quite literally) share the “Good Vibes” with you!
04/08/2021
Thumbnails are an incredibly powerful tool for driving traffic to your video content. When it comes to uploading your video, it’s vital you understand what works and what doesn’t work for your business.
Here are some general tips/rules of "thumb" that might help you choose a thumbnail next time you’re posting a video online:
1. Research shows there is a 14% increase in video clicks and retention time when the thumbnail has a happy, smiley, (perhaps familiar) face.
2. Branding and logo thumbnails are brilliant for companies that have already invested in generating strong brand loyalty.
3. Carefully selected thumbnails can give an overview of the video which is more likely to pull in your direct target audience.
4. Consumers like perfection - blurry or default thumbnails can be damaging to what might otherwise be a high-quality video.
5. Clickbait only frustrates video users, so make sure you are being accurate and honest with your thumbnail choice.
Whilst platforms like YouTube typically provide 3 default thumbnails, these can usually be questionable. YouTube’s algorithm randomly selects frames from throughout the video. These are likely to be harmful to your video, as, typically, you find that suggested thumbnails are blurry, out of focus as you move, or present someone with their mouth hanging open.
In order to make the most of thumbnails, you need to carefully research thumbnails.
When we submit videos at Creative Lens Videos, we always present 3 options: “personable” (happy, smiling faces), “demonstrative” (such as an edited freeze-frame overview of the video), and “official” (logo/branding) for our clients to pick from. Three commonly used thumbnails that see high success levels for driving traffic.
02/08/2021
There’s no doubt that social media marketing demands a lot from us. Video guidelines only make things more complicated, with content needing to:
1. Be at a 1280 x 720 resolution
2. Have an aspect ratio of 16:9 for landscape and 9:16 for portrait
3. Be less than 15 minutes (unless you want to wait hours for them to upload)
4. Saved as an MP4
5. Be less than 650MB (oh, and without negotiating on the quality)
Sounds like a lot to remember right? Then we bring in the fact that these rules are very general - and every social media platform has a preferred format, with different recommended video guidelines. It’s enough to make any marketer dizzy.
Luckily, at Creative Lens, it’s part of our job to know how to make videos match online specifications, so that you don’t have to worry about it.
We offer video editing services for that tricky footage that won’t upload, or can even film new content “from scratch” to make brilliant marketing communications for your clients that won’t go to waste.
If you’d like to know more, feel free to reach out to [email protected]
30/07/2021
Aren’t lightbulb moments the best?!
We had a wonderful call with a company based in Leeds who create neon signs, and needed some video for their marketing content. During the briefing, the ideas were flowing and now we’re brainstorming away.
The arrival of an exciting parcel today means our new project will soon be underway, with 5 signs to show off. We’re super excited to demonstrate our skills and strengths in order to produce an amazing end result.
29/07/2021
Video is great for internal communications.
If you’ve got a rapidly growing team expanding so fast that it’s impossible for you to introduce yourself to each employee, then video content for onboarding can make all the difference.
Staff like knowing who they are working for.
Video training is equally brilliant, as it allows you to take advantage of the three types of learning: auditory, visual, and kinesthetic.
👉 Auditory explanations are common in training features.
👉 Visual demonstrations and even subtitles can help your employees who need to see things to learn them.
👉 Step-by-step guides help kinesthetic staff stop and pause interactive videos in order to check things out for themselves and learn by trial, right alongside the video guidance.
If you’ve been needing to improve the quality or quantity of your internal communications - start by considering video content.
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Gron Kafe
Our latest video is now live on the Grön Kafé website - gronkafe.co.uk Lovely staff, amazing food and a really great outcome! A special mention to Lucy Guest Marketing who's always a pleasure working with, and Chris Smith-Dunn who designed the website. #video #marketing #content
When you ask the actress not to look straight at the camera and she just doesn't listen... #cuddletime #cutedogs #videography
Sound (and subtitles) in video content are incredibly important. Not only can they help deliver information, but music is also an incredibly powerful tool for evoking an emotional response. Think of those “feel good” moments where your favourite song comes on to the radio. You just want to stop and dance. For marketing videos, generating this kind of emotional response is key to retaining your audience's attention further into the footage. For example, take a moment to watch this clip we shot for @Neon Vibes UK. Notice how the movement of the camera in time with the music truly emerges you into the experience, all to be topped off with the powerful roar at the end of the footage. Memorable, right? All sound for video content needs to be clear and without distractions, as sound effects are meant to add to your footage - not take away from it. #VideoMarketing #SoundQuality #VideoContent #VideoAdvertising #ProductDemonstration
Personal branding is about telling your authentic story. It allows you to: 👉 Create real connections with your audience 👉 Be more recognisable 👉 Leverage your network 👉 Increase brand loyalty It’s universally recognised that people prefer interacting with people rather than robots (or, in this case, faceless corporations). Take Bill Gates, for example, who has 55.5 million followers on Twitter compared to Microsoft’s 9 million. Or take a look at our very own example of Karen from the wonderful @forestcraftandplay demonstrating what goes into her boxes (see below). Putting yourself at the forefront of your business by producing great content on social media about your industry can actually help with the success of your brand. People who feel connected to you are more likely to support your work and make purchases - even if they hadn’t previously been interested. The power of personal branding is undeniable. Realign yourself with your brand values, and let your business thrive off of your successes. #videography #socialmediamarketing #personalbranding #video #videocontent
🎉 VIDEO REVEAL! 🎉 We had so much fun covering @JollyAllotment’s Reconnection Gathering and learning about the benefits of looking after your gut whilst enjoying delightful, delicious food cooked over a fire. We’re excited to reveal this video of the wonderful event they put together. If you’ve been looking to build meaningful connections and take some time off for some TLC - we highly recommend checking them out. In fact, they have another event this Friday! If you need great branding and promotional videos, then we recommend you come to us 😉 #videographer #video #videocontent #branding #videomarketing #guthealth #wellbeing #fitness
Did you know that 64% of your audience are more likely to buy a product online after watching a promotional or marketing video, rather than image-based posts or social media adverts? Why not have the best of all worlds by incorporating video into your content creation? ✅ Improve your visual storytelling ✅ Educate and inform customers ✅ Engage with your mobile ‘scrollers’ ✅ Improve your click-through rate and lead generation ✅ Boost your social media reach #videomarketing #video #marketing #visualstorytelling #leadgeneration
Whitley Neill | Gin Bottle Tester | Product Video
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