welcome video
Ballet Video Engages New Students
Jan 30th
Being married to a dancer, I have learned a lot about dance by osmosis. (I also used to play piano for dance classes, but that was in another life.) Since Geiger Classic Ballet Academy is the premiere dance school in the region, I thought they deserved an educational video that was also a promotional video that showed people how exceptional they are. I was lucky enough to get the assistance of Kirsten Haglund, Miss America 2008, who feels that she owes a lot of her success to the Academy and its founder, Mary Geiger. (She studied there for several years). This mini-documentary video features interviews with Kirsten, Mary Geiger, a dance student and her father who all give their unique perspective on what the academy has to offer. It’s a great compliment to the articles, information and pictures on the dance school’s website.
A Simple, Effective Homepage Video can do Wonders
Jan 25th
When visiting a website for the first time, it’s nice to have the option to view a short intro video or welcome video. Even if you don’t click on it during your first visit, chances are you will eventually get curious and give it a look. If the homepage video is simple, informative and to the point, you might even watch the whole thing. Here is a great example of a personal welcome video that adds a lot to the site. A short from-the-heart statement like this one will reach more viewers than pictures and text ever could, especially for a non-profit website with a clear purpose. And you don’t have to be Miss America to pull it off! Notice that Kirsten Haglund (Miss America 2008) speaks without a script because it is her own website and foundation and she knows exactly what she wants to say. And even though she is an amazing public speaker and a delight to watch, the slides and photos on the left side of the screen add a lot to the experience. A homepage video like this one is relatively inexpensive to produce and can make just about any homepage more interesting and professional.
Taking Chances with your Promo Video
Feb 14th
I told Kevin and Rob of Affordable Website Specialists that I would produce a new homepage video for them, featuring their unique father-son web design partnership, if they would take a chance and really let me have some fun with it. Turns out they’re the ones who had the fun. If you watch this video and see how much material they cover, you’ll probably be shocked when you see the total duration is only one minute and thirteen seconds. (Warning: do not try this at home.) Syncing the on-camera narration, voice-over, music, stills, videos, screen shots, etc. into a coherent and very short story is no easy trick. But then, these guys are no ordinary web designers. For instance, can you see the spinning logos on their shirts in the final shot? Check it out.