Making Great Video Stories Part 1 - The Process Video

The number one way to start telling a good story is to pick a good story to tell.  Sounds simple?  Not all stories lend themselves to video. The first test of whether a video is merited for any story is -- is this a visual story?

To tell the truth, I'm not a huge fan of much of the video I see on the web.  Just because you're talking into a camera and telling me what you think -- doesn't necessarily create compelling video story making. I mean if you are George Clooney or ScarJo, I'll watch anything.  But if you're not...

STICK WITH PROCESS

Show me a process.  Show me how things work.  Show me a cycle from begining to end.  Layer the details along side the process and your information is easily digested.

Recently, I with Wheelhouse pitched to The Daily (the iPad only newspaper) a story of a street artist in New York City who paints the most unbelievable Renaissance style chalk drawings on the sidewalk.  I've passed his drawings for years walking around town and always wondered who he was.  

VIDEO ENHANCES THE STORY WHEN YOU CAN SEE A PROGRESSION

I looked up Hani, the sidewalk artist, on the web and sure enough he had a website with clippings of articles done on him in the New Yorker, The New York Times, The Daily News and others.  Was it a bad idea to do a profile on him since others had already discovered him?  I don't think so.  To me, what was missing was a video that showed him working from beginning to end - how he creates these sidewalk masterpieces.

The editor at The Daily liked the idea and we set out to tell his story.

SHOW THE PROCESS WHILE TELLING THE STORY

I knew I wanted the visuals to drive the story so I made sure that I could capture Hani completing a portrait in 8 hours.  

We picked a subject (Madonna and Child) that he could finish in that time.

I taped him with an unmanned HDSLR camera shooting a frame every 30 seconds.  I also filmed him with a separate camera for about 6 hours doing various time-lapses on specific parts of the drawing so that we could see the drawing build over time.  We also captured B-roll of Hani interacting with pedestrians, setting up, and walking away.

The process of him making a portrait was the perfect B-roll to play over his interview.  In the interview, he told us where he was from, what motivates him, his dreams, and what his paintings mean.

A much easier production would have been to interview him and show his collection of stills of past works. Hani had a treasure trove of stills of his recent work. But that would have been BORING. Easier. But dull.Show the process.

Here's a link to the finished video:

The $4.95 Solution To Make Your Videos Better

“It’s Too Bad. And I Don’t Mean It’s Too Bad Like ‘Screw ’Em.’”.

The link above takes you to a picture of Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein and article about him from the July 24, 2011 edition of New York Magazine.

You don't have to read the article, but I did like how Mr. Blankfein is allowing powder to be put on his balding head and face before the TV camera rolls.  

Scenario:  A company pays good money to record their executives speak on camera. They rent a crew, HD camera, lights, and director.  The talent comes in and declines powder to wipe the shine off his face.  The rough cut comes in and everyone wonders why the executive looks so shiny/oily/sweaty.

A little powder goes a long way so don't forget to bring it to your shoots.  I generally use Clairol CoverGirl translucent powders.  They come in a host of shades -- so to be prepared -- I bring a fair, medium, tan and dark powder with me at all times.

I use wedges to apply it and throw them out when the shoot is done.  

Lately, I've had a more than a few male executives to decline wanting to use powder on their face.  We all have a little shine and the bright lights pointed at your face just make it all that more noticeable.  
 

In some cases when people don't want powder, I'll use oil cleaning wipes that have no odor but do a pretty good job in getting off the shine.  Most men have no qualms about using them.  I carry all of this in a toiletries bag and it's the first thing I pack for any shoot.

Lesson: Get the shine off for better looking video.
 

Working With Kids And Animals...

The old saying that working with kids and animals on the set can be hazardous was not the case on this recent Wheelhouse trailer we did for Random House Children's Books.  Thanks to Tad, the author, Lee the publisher, Linda and Scott, the clients and my creative team.

What Makes Someone Watchable

Watch Young Adult fiction writer Gary Paulsen in this interview Wheelhouse and I did for Random House Children's Books.  He has a great face for video, for sure.  But what makes him immensely watchable is his intelligence.  Some people I could listen to and watch for hours.  Mr. Paulsen is one of them.  Documentary film makers, here's a subject worth finding, tracking down and getting on film.

What makes someone watchable? View in 720P for best results.

If I Had To Make A Web Marketing Video Today

If I had to make a web marketing video today, I would think in terms of concrete images and language

I would think about sound as a hook to keep you attentive.

I would think a about a surprise that you'll want to wait for.

I would think about giving you choices.

I would leave you wanting more...


Photo Credit: //www.flickr.com/photos/onkel_wart/ / CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

What's A Philtrum And Why It Matters To Your Video

That thing between your nose and your mouth is called a philtrum.  If you know that you get extra whip cream on your dessert tonight.  

A friend asked what a philtrum was good for on Facebook and got 17 responses.  One response  quoted the wikidoc.org definition of a philtrum:

"The philtrum allows humans to express a much larger range of lip motions than would otherwise be possible, which enhances vocal and non-verbal communication."

So what does this have to do with your video?  

When you're taping someone, you're going to express more from your subjects if you shoot them in a close up.  Don't be afraid to show their philtrum! The philtrum rocks!

If you are doing an interview, 99% of the time a subject's face will be the most interesting thing in the shot.  Not the wall.  Not their shirt.  Not the view outside.

Take a look at these videos of Seth Godin.  If you had to pick one that is more intimate, more penetrating, and more interesting which one would it be? I'm not talking about the content here.

Sure, content plays a role, and yes the content that Nic Askew is trying to get from Seth requires more intimacy...  In general, though, the biggest mistake I see from non-professionals in their interview video is not going close enough.

The Key To Good Video: Mess With Expectations

Many times, but not all, the difference between what is interesting and what is boring in any media is that the good stuff plays with your expectations.

You think things will go one way and you're surprised when it goes down a different road that is so ingenious that you just have to sit up and take notice.

You can help your storytelling by creating an expectation with genre and then tweaking it or turning it on its head. 

I've posted this video before that has a wonderful surprise in the middle but at the start it looks like a "This is another white text on black background" video.

Nearly ten million hits later it's easy to see why this alarmingly simple video has reached viral nirvana.
 

*   *   *

The hardest thing we do as video producers is to create video pieces that are original.  Everything has been done with budgets far larger then what you have. 

But, there is usually a way to go that will make people hold their mouse in check and not click to something else. 

Recently, Wheelhouse (I am a Principal) was hired to promote a new book.

I asked the client what kind of storytelling did she like.  Not just from her company but any company.  She showed me this.

I like it too.  Why?  The story telling is simple and there's a surprise.  You don't expect the nice shot of Bermuda (or where ever it is) to be a landing pad for dripping blood.  The video plays with your expectations of a television ad for something incredibly relaxing.

With that in mind, we pitched and produced this piece for a new murder mystery.

How do you set expectations and then turn them upside down?

image credit: //www.flickr.com/photos/moirabot/ / CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

What Do People Remember After The Video Ends?

On a recent talking heads video, I wanted the composition of the frame and the image to tell as much of a story as what people in the video were saying.

Words make or break your story.  Images burn in a memory.

What Do Chris Brogan And Michael Caine Have In Common?

The answer is Chris Brogan* and Michael Caine both know how to relate to the camera.

Both see the camera as their best friend.  

I've been enjoying Brogan's   series because he's been doing a great job of speaking candidly about what it takes to be success.  I feel like he's talking to me.  Can't see the clip, click here.

As someone who works with non professionals, talking into a camera can be daunting because it's so easy to forget that you're talking to someone behind that cold piece of glass in the camera. (He could have adjusted for the sun coming in through the window - but that's a different post).

Brogan is a great communicator.  I like that he doesn't shout like Gary Vaynerchuk (yes, Gary's a passionate fellow, http://tv.winelibrary.com/). But Brogan is just as passionate and more effective, I think, because he reveals to us who he is. 
We all can be good communicators on camera if we follow some simple rules that I've gleaned from Michael Cain's Acting in Film DVD (there's a book too but the DVD actully shows Caine and some students in action).

From Caine's Video:

• Don't Move. Tics, winking, big gestures. You don't need them. Your best friend is two inches away.
• Confide. If the camera is your best friend, treat him like your best friend.
• And here's a funny one. Eyes are the most important thing. Make sure the camera can see yours. "If you have blond eyelashes and you're in a movie you might as well be in a radio play," says Caine who wears mascara when he performs on camera. Here's a clip from the DVD:

If you want to see more, get the video at workingartsvideo.com/sales.php. There's a 30% off coupon code available.  Disclosure: I've helped the publisher of Working Arts Library post on YouTube and was paid earlier this year to direct market these titles to Theater Professors and University libraries.
 
*Chris Brogan is the co-writer of Trust Agents (a current NY Times bestseller) and his blog, chrisbrogan.com is ranked #1 by Advertising Age's list of most influential marketing blogs.
 
What do you think of Brogan's communication skills?

Get The Perfect Shot: 10 Checklist Items For Your Next Video Shoot

No matter how many times you go out to shoot something, it's a good idea to review these basics. After doing over 200 shoots - these are the basic pre-pro tips I use again and again.

1. Know the right way into the building. Many city buildings have loading docks that are not the same address as the office. You can lose a half hour in NYC in the morning if your van is unloading in the front entrance but needs to load in the back
2. Have an idea before you go on what the location looks like.  All windows? Prepare for it.  Blah conference rooms?  Suggest something in a heavy traffic area that shows the life of the surroundings.  As long as the camera can see what's going on - viewers are forgiving about extraneous sounds like phone ringing other office chatter
3. Have some wheels. If you're moving from location to location it's a good idea to get a magliner that doubles as way to transport your equipment and also a cart for audio or monitoring.  It's expensive but if you're really into doing this - you'll want one.
4. Find an interview location that isn't up against a white wall.
5. Bring some make-up.  You just want to get the shine off their forehead, nose and cheeks. I use CoverGirl Outlast Pressed Powder, Translucent Light.  Make sure you have a variety of skin tone colors.  Bring some Cosmetic Wedge to smooth out the powder and throw them out once you use them.  I also always carry hair spray, combs, and Oil Wipes.
6. If you're doing interviews - know the questions cold.  It's disconcerting to the interviewee to always be looking down at your questions.  Know them well enough so that you're just using them as back up.  Also, the better you know the questions the more likely you'll be able to veer off and ask a follow up.  Sometimes you'll find a nugget by just listening and taking the conversation where ever it goes.
7. If you're hiring a real production crew make sure there's access to coffee and a bagel for the crew before you get to location - your crew will appreciate it.
8. Give the talent some water to have during the interview.  In my experience, 20% of people have dry mouth or start coughing.
9. Bring extra tape or extra digital storage cards.
10. Check your tape before the interviewee leaves.  Trust me. It's a good idea.

What are your pre-production tips? Share them with us. 

image credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/andreannegermain/ / CC BY 2.0

The Secret To Looking Great While Video Blogging

Here are a couple tips from some trial and error with my laptop's video camera.  Sure, it's easy to flick it on and start speaking, but if you make a few tweaks - you might actually look good.

In a nutshell, here are the tips:

• Use a light source behind the camera
• diffuse that light source
• Raise your laptop so that the camera is looking down or at least at eye level with you

Using YouTube Annotations

Using Annotations in YouTube an easy way to highlight important points in your video.

It's great for underlining takeaways and to do's.  Or, have fun with them and undercut what is being said on screen like when Woody Allen used subtitles in Annie Hall.

You create the annotations after you have uploaded your video to YouTube.  There's a really simple editor that you can use to make thought bubbles, text in boxes, or links to share other URLs in YouTube.

Check out this simple one that I made.

Title: A Blogger At Work

Music: Kevin Macleod

Another example that I wrote about a few weeks ago is here.

A short how to video about Annotations is here.

Happy annotating!

4 Mistakes Video Bloggers Make And How You Can Avoid Them

Here are four Video Blogging mistakes I see all the time and what you can do to avoid them.

1. Mistake: your background isn't doing anything for you.  Don't set up in front of a grey wall. Or a brick wall. Or any kind of blank wall.
   
   Of course you can use white, grey, or black wall as an advantage. But you need good lighting to do that. Most V Bloggers don't use lighting so I counsel to just stay away from this: 

This looks better. Hey, who is this guy?  Note, I'm not using my laptop camera. 

Instead I have a mini DV camera (Canon HV30) perched slightly above me.  You'll see that the walls are creating interesting angles. The chair to the left breaks up the white wall and that the splash of blue on the wall helps enormously:
 

2. Mistake: your shots have you centered up in the frame.  Think about negative space. You will look stronger in the frame if you don't appear bullseye in the center of the frame all the time. 

This guy is centered up. We get bored of even 2 minutes of this.
 

This person is against a black background but he's lit well so it's OK.

This video can be seen here: http://www.viddler.com/explore/AdventCreative/videos/2/

3. Mistake: you stick to a medium shot. In the following example, two of my social media gods, David Meerman Scott shoots a video of Chris Brogan with his Flip Mino.

David chooses to let the camera hang on a medium shot.  Two problems with this.  In video, only the face is expressive.  While Brogan has a nice chest and cool Sopranos-like shirt on. It doesn't provide the viewer with any information.  

The eyes, the mouth... focus on that.  Also, note all the head room above Chris' head.  Close that up.

4. Mistake: No Editing.  It's easier to hit record spew out what you're going to say in a medium shot and then post.  But that would be like writing a rant and not putting in paragraph marks or punctuation.  

Editing takes time to master.  iMovie has made their program pretty much worthless.  So try ScreenFlow, Final Cut Express or Adobe Premiere. Lynda.com has some great tutorials on Final Cut.

I haven't checked out the editing capabilities of the iPhone yet but it looks (just from the ad) like they are basing it on their iMovie platform. Yuck.  

Look what a little editing does here (and a mix of settings):

11 Posts From Around The Web To Motivate Your Blogging

Blogging can be a treadmill.  I always have a little dread after writing what I think is a good post.  Have you ever said to yourself, "What will I do next?" 

When I am stuck, I turn to these 11 posts and bloggers to help me get an idea going, give me confidence, or just push me to blog another day.
 

1. 45 Blog Post Ideas That Always Generate Buzz - Adam Singer
   I kid Adam that this post of his is my "playbook."  But time and time again, I've looked to this list as a guide to create buzz worthy content.  Adam also writes on inspiration and his body of work here helped me and countless others to start a blog of my own.
    
2. How To Write Fast - Problogger
   Darren Rowse is a prolific and talented blogger.  His first 3 steps out of the 5 here are sometimes all I need to get my mind in the right frame of mind.
    
3. 31 Blog Post Ideas for Small Businesses - Mark Hayward
   We don't blog in a vacuum. Most of us are expert at something and make a living from it.  This list helps you to see all the content that is out there at your job - ready to mined.
    
4. My Best Advice About Blogging - Chris Brogan
   Chris has archived his best "how to blog" posts in one category.  In these eleven great posts, there is always something to get my mind racing. One line always resonates, "Pretend you are the reader.  Is this worth their time?"
    
5. The Secret of the Web (hint: it's a virtue) - Seth Godin
   I re-read this post when I want to quit blogging.  One of Godin's most popular posts, it's a nice reminder that if you keep plugging away - you will outlast the other guys.  And win. 
    
6. My Gift To You - Hurry, Offer Ends Soon - Danny Brown
   I have a tendency to get serious when I blog. We all do. We want to have that "expert" voice.  I have to remind myself that communicating can come in all forms.  In this post, Danny Brown shows that humor can be just as effective to get your point across.  It just so happens that this is one of Danny's most widely read posts as well.
    
7. How To Write Headlines That Work - Copyblogger
   Sometimes a great headline is all I need to start the writing juices flowing.  
    
8. Alltop
   Alltop is an online Magazine Rack of popular subjects.  Type in the subject of your niche and in seconds hundreds of blogs and news sites will appear with up to the hour updated material. Great for taking the pulse of what is happening right now in your field.
    
9. My Social Media System - John Jantsch  
   Ever wonder why great ideas come to you in the shower or while driving? It's because muscle memory is doing all the work and your brain is free to dream.  This post is one way to make your social media automatic - so your brain can be freed up to do way more important things. When I'm wasting too much time on the computer and not being productive, John's post reminds me to automate.
    
10. Viral Marketing Review: Using and Identifying Design Patterns - Ship's Biscuit
    I like how this post aims to be exhaustive.  I'm sure it gets tons of hits a day because the thinking is clear and they make great points.  The post is about deconstructing what a lot of people are trying to do on the web right now: have a viral hit.  If it's not in your niche, I think you can still admire how they found as many examples as they could to define what constitutes a viral ad.
     
11. Sasha Dichter's Blog
    Reading someone else's blog that has nothing to do with your niche is sometimes the best way to be inspired. There are thousands out there. As the Director of Business Development at the Acumen Fund, Sasha works in a completely different world than me. However, Sasha's on my motivation list because I really like the way he brings his every day life and observations into his posts.  
    
    Let me know what posts motivate you...

Cross Genre Dressing

What if you took a Martin Scorsese movie and made it a musical?
You would get New York, New York.

What if Hitchcock really wanted to make a movie like Otto Preminger?
You would get The Paradine Case.

And what if Dirty Dancing was directed by David Lynch.  You would get this: 

All I Really Know (About Social Media) I Learned Being A Production Assistant (PA)

William Goldman in his must-read classic book Adventures in the Screen Trade (available@amazon), wrote that for everyone presently working on a movie, "that film is really about their next film."  I like to to sum up that sentiment by saying "Every day is an audition day."

There are many parallels to starting out in social media (SM) with starting out in Film and TV.

Starting at the bottom in Television or Film means being a Production Assistant (better known as a PA). PA's are asked to set up lunch, block off shooting areas known as "lock downs", sleep in cars overnight so that nobody will park on the street where a production vehicle has to go the next day. Not the most glamorous job in the world.  But just like the star of the movie, the producer, the set decorator, the PA's ultimate job is to get another PA job when their current job ends.

Of course the PA (also at the same time) must acquire enough skills and good fortune to become something else in the production world.  So while it looks like anyone can do it, a good PA has to be excellent in their tasks at hand, thinking about getting their next PA job and, simultaneously, figuring out how to rise above being a PA.

Here are some ways that PA's and also Social Media newbies can get ahead:

• PA: Be early. Nothing says that you are ready for a 6:00 am call than by being there at 5:45.
  SM: Get your posts out first thing Monday morning like Adam Singer does. While others play all weekend, he works and has a post that everyone tweets out on a slow first day of the week.
   
• PA: Be positive. Everyone knows you're at the bottom. But you can't help smiling. It's infectious.
  SM: If someone gives you feedback, thank them and wish them well. People like to be associated with optimism.
   
• PA: Bring a pen, a pad, a sharpie and small knife - keep in your pocket. Producers and crew members are constantly opening things up and writing things down. Your job is to be a resource and to get to know said people.
  SM: Inform people on Twitter by tweeting out helpful resources with whom you have absolutely no associations.  On your blog, aggregate content like Seth Godin likes to do every now and then. Again your job is to be a resource. People will notice.
   
• PA: Pay attention. You learn by watching. Ask questions if you don't understand something, but not too many. 
  SM: Read bloggers who have a following like  Darren Rowse, Maki, Skellie and new ones like Danny Brown and Tim Jahn. Ask a meaningful question on a comment page. They will write back because they started out as a beginner just like you. Don't abuse it. You don't want to be the stalker guy.
   
• PA: Don't let anyone see you eat. If you're constantly wandering off to the craft service table and stuffing donuts - what do you think that says about you.  Yes, you will need to eat. But do it quickly and surreptitiously. 
  SM: Don't let them see you sweat. If you haven't written a post in a while, don't blog with a apology about how busy you are. Just pick up your old routine and keep to it.
   
• PA: Don't talk out of turn. Unfortunately the workings of a set are highly hierarchical. Whatever you do, don't (the smaller the set the more important this is) don't make a suggestion to anyone unless they have asked you. 
  SM: Be careful what you say in comment fields. If you have a strong comment to a post, back it up with facts or interesting analogies. A bad reputation travels fast especially with twitter around.  
   
• PA: Don't bore people about your side DV projects. Today is a work day. If everyone goes out to the bar afterward, then there's an opportunity. 
  SM: Don't bore the twitter community with tweets about giving your dog a shampoo.  Another big peeve: folks that tweet out lyrics that are playing on Pandora or the radio. OK, you like Lionel Ritchie - we get it.
   
• PA: Offer good ideas on your given tasks.  If you have a way that is quicker, saves money, or makes clean up easier... by all means talk to your hiring producer.
  SM: Again your job is to make other people's lives richer through stories, analogies, jokes, and information. Accomplish this and you will be Tweeted out immediately.
   
• PA: Being on set can be a waiting game. Don't do the crossword puzzle. Or do email, texting etc. If there is time to lean - there is time to clean.  (You can tell I worked in a college cafeteria). Pick up stuff off the floor, tie up the garbage bag and put a new one in, wrap cable, sweep, place marks on the floor for actors and equipment if no one else is doing it, then, remember at night to clean up those marks.
  SM: Don't obsess over your stats or how many subscribers you have or how many followers you have.  Your focus should be creating exceptional content.
   
• PA: Offer to make a coffee run. You will get mad props for this.
  SM: Find a funny video that no one knows about. Tweet it out. 
   
• PA: If you break something, offer to pay for it - even partially. Things happen on a set. There is usually insurance but most producers want to see some sort of responsibility being claimed when things go awry. Sometimes the offer is the most important thing.
  SM: Sometimes nothing seems to work. No one Re Tweets your Tweets. No one is seeing your best stuff on your blog.  Do something different. Go deeper into a subject. Write a post that is contrary to what every one is saying. Ask for help. 
   
• PA: Get everyone's email.  You never know who on the crew will hear about the next job.  By getting everyone's email you can blast them your contact info the next day and tell them what an honor it was to work with them.  
  SM: Send out a newsletter based on your blog posts. Paul Dunay does a nice one based on his blog. I met him once. His email newsletter came the next day. Give him your email one time and you'll see his newsletter forever.
   
• PA: Hand out your card at the end of the day. Make out a business card with your contact info and that you are a PA. But put your aspiration on there, too.  Just to plant the seed. For instance: Production Assistant & Assistant Location Scout.
  SM: LinkedIn is great for telling people who you are. It's also great for telling people what you wantto be. Chris Brogan shares this strategy here.
   
• PA: Hand out your card at the beginning of the day. No one on a set does this. It's a ballsy move, but if you're great that day it will be remembered. Think different and see how it goes.
  SM: Write your very first post. Mention some bloggers that influenced you. Email it out to them with a nice note. Who knows, you might find a mentor.
   
• PA: The day after the job is done, check in with the person who hired you. Thank them for the work. Something tells me you will get called again.
  SM: After a great blog post that gets lots of sneezes and tweets. Don't rest. That last post was about your next one. Make your next piece even better.  Something tells me you'll start developing an audience that looks forward to what you have to offer.

Am I The Only One Who Still Loves A Newspaper?

You can wax all you want about how the newspaper is on life support. Why the 'net is sooo much of a better way to read the today's news. And how the business model of a physical newspaper is dead.

Seth Godin makes his argument that 98% of the paper will not be missed.  Adam Singer agrees with him.

I will miss papers.  

Just like the great record albums of the 60's and 70's where the artist was building an argument through a collection of 10 or 12 songs, a daily newspaper is a combination of stories, ads and editorial that present a specific frame of the day's events. The total sum of the paper makes a much more powerful statement than one or two articles hyperlinked in Google news.

Yes, it is inefficient. Yes, it's not great for the environment. Yes, no one is buying ads, but I just can't say goodbye.

Here are 8 reasons why I always want the New York Times and your hometown newspaper to be in print:

1. The paper delivered to my door every day feels like a daily gift. A dedicated team of writers and editors have packaged a way to understand the world with me in mind. 
   They've done all this homework and I'm the beneficiary. The same information on the internet doesn't get me excited in the same way.
2. In its totality, my paper represents something to be conquered.  There is a satisfaction of reading and finishing the paper that is just not the same on the web.
3. I can't read a whole paper on line. In fact, the idea of it is absurd. People skim on the internet. The majority of web readers don't have the patience to read detailed articles for a long stretch of time.  Bloggers know this instinctively and find their most viral posts are ones that are a numbered list.  It's a drag to read on a lcd screen. It makes you tired. Eyestrain.  For me - relaxation is having a coffee and bagel on Saturday morning with the paper.  I could stay in that chair for four hours.
4. I'm resisting subscribing to the Times with a Kindle.  The first thing in the morning I want to touch is paper not plastic.
5. The newspaper is a window to finding your bliss. I have to thank my parents for being broke when I grew up (well maybe not but memory plays tricks on you). We didn't go out much. One of our treats was buying the Sunday NY Times on Saturday night.  I ran to the corner to get the paper. I brought it home and tore into the Arts & Leisure section (it didn't read as such a flack rag back then).  Of course with a whole night ahead, I read the other sections too (with less fervor).  I didn't skim. I read the whole thing. As a ten year old, reading the Sunday Times was a liberal arts education in itself.
6. It's portable. I can read it on the subway, at breakfast, and at night wi-fi or no wi-fi.
7. It covers my head when it rains.  Can a Kindle do that?
8. Yes, I love that everything is digital and can be searched in a nanosecond. But when I read a paper - it's an immersive experience that has been un-matched for me in the digital world.  And, yes, I am lucky to call the New York Times my home town paper.

11 Sure Fire Ways To Get More Hits On Your Blog

image credit: illetirres

Just starting out blogging and you're kind of bummed no one has come to see what you've done?

I've learned a few things in the past 6 months that can really help you get more hits on your blogging site. Let me know if they work for you.

As always - generating an audience for your blog - is not something that can be done overnight.
It takes sustained work day in and day out.  The people with the most traffic get that way because they are persistent in making great content and are as tenacious in their marketing.

Make interesting comments on other people's sites. Instead of the obvious "Another great post Mr. Brogan!" say something that adds to the conversation in a meaningful way or disagrees with the post and back that up with some cogent thinking.  Readers will be impressed and will want to know more. You'll also impress the blogger you are commenting on and a relationship may ensue.

• Use Trackbacks on the most popular blogs.  I've made a point of writing posts that bounce off well trafficked bloggers like Seth Godin.  Seth does a great service to bloggers on his squidoo page. He lists his most popular posts of the last 2 years. 
  • I wrote a post that trackbacked to his #1 most popular post.  I've been getting a steady stream of visitors off of Godin's site not once in a while but daily.
• Use Facebook to post your links automatically through RSS.  Most of us have 100+ friends on FB.  Use them.  As a status update, ask friends to read your post . You'll be surprised at how many will take a read.
• Use LinkedIn. I'm assuming you have a LinkedIn profile. If you don't - run and get one. LinkedIn got very blog friendly recently.  I can't tell you how many people are finding me on LinkedIn using the new blog link application. Thank you Reid Hoffman. It was a great idea. 
• Use your email signature to show your contact info and your blog address. But have a landing page for your blog. My landing page is my About page. If I just put the URL of the home page of the blog - I could have a post up there that isn't my absolute best.  Also, a landing site usually will get the reader to click on to another page of the blog.  So now instead of a guaranteed one hit - you've got a shot for two or more.
• I've started suggesting particular posts for people when I write them an email.
  So, here in an email where I was checking in on a prospective client - my signature looks like this:
  -- 
  Christopher Ming Ryan
  Wheelhouse Communications, LLC
  www.wheelhousecommunications.com
  (O) 914-787-XXXX Ext. 112
  (C) 917-834-XXXX
  
  Blog: http://christophermingryan.typepad.com/thewaywewatch
  This post selected especially for Paul Winston: http://tinyurl.com/65ugz4
   
• Use Twitter.  Follow. Get Followed. Listen. Then, very tenderly, suggest in a Direct Message to a popular blogger (whose stuff you know well) that she should take a look at your post because it was inspired by something they wrote or you know that the subject matter is dear to them.
  • If you ask politely that person will respond and tweet out the link to their thousands of followers (if they like it). 
• Poke fun at leading bloggers. You've got to be spot on. But sometimes a little satire goes a long way. This post was one of my most viral.
• Ask a few novice bloggers to start a Stumbleupon circle.  Let's say there are five of you.
  Each of you get a stumbleupon account and when you read something that moves you in any way put a review of it on Stumbleupon. You'll see increased traffic immediately.
• Take one or two of your best posts and start a Stumbleupon campaign.  This service is kind of cheating. You are buying hits.  You can buy a hit for 5 cents a piece. You can spend as little as a dollar a day but I suggest you do minimally $2.50 a day.  The hits you get are all fleeting. They won't subscribe to your blog. They won't surf around your blog.
  But if a few readers give you positive feedback (and you see what kind of feedback your posts receive) the more Stumbleupon will throw your post organically out into the system (without charge).  Again, you won't get a sustained audience with this technique but you will get a good idea if your material impacts a reader.  A detailed post about this is here by the great Darren Rowse.
• Connect with well known bloggers. There's nothing better than getting an email from a complete stranger saying, "Your writing gave me motivation to start my own blog." You'll get at least a click and then some sustained link luv when you strike a chord with a future great post.

Try these out. Let me know what works for you.

25 Films To See Before You Die

Know my favorite films and you will know me.  Tell me if you agree with these or what you think should be on this list.  These are all American films - so don't dis me 'cause there's no Antonioni!

You'll see that I have 5 musicals on the list. Why? Because the rules of the musical are so difficult to do well. How do you get people to sing out loud? And, if they do sing can you still make a film with dark overtones?

1. The Cameraman (1928) Buster Keaton knew better than Chaplin how film worked as a medium.  Some of the best movies are about the act of watching or making of movies.  
   This one belongs in that category.
2. 42nd Street (1933) Busby Berkely is still being quoted today.  He had the brains to put the camera just about everywhere. And he had one goal: to top himself.
3. The Lady Eve (1941) Preston Sturges could do no wrong when he was in the zone in from 1940 - 1944.  No one does dialog like this anymore. Juno got close.
4. Casablanca (1942) Just another picture made by the Hollywood studio system. But this one endures. Why? There's a clue in the song that Sam plays, "It's still the same old story - a fight for love and glory - a tale of do or die."  If your movie doesn't doesn't do that - it's not a memorable movie. Lesson to screenwriters:  Be audacious and go to the end of the line - do or die.
5. To Be or Not To Be (1942) If only to appreciate Jack Benny and the great Carole Lombard - this is a farce perfectly realized. 
6. It's a Wonderful Life (1946) You've seen it, right?  If you haven't - take someone you love. Sure, it's a happy ending but there's a lot of darkness too.
7. My Darling Clementine (1946) Henry Fonda was never better.  A well paced film. Perfect scenes that start in the middle. The dialog is forgotten afterwards but the images linger.
   
                                             *****
8. Streetcar Named Desire (1951) Elia Kazan directed the Broadway show and this film. He doesn't try to cinema-ize the film. He knows this is a showcase for Brando and Vivien Leigh (his favorite actress - he told me himself!).  Brando's performance changed film acting forever. Raw. Real. Effeminate but virile.
9. Anatomy of A Murder. (1959) One of Otto Preminger's best.  The objective camera.  As a TV producer, I can't imagine doing any shoot without getting "coverage." The amazing thing is that Preminger never had to shoot coverage. All the information was in his compositions and tracking shots.
10.  Pyscho (1960) Always experimenting this guy, Hitchcock.  "I know, I'll kill off the star in the first reel!"
11.  The Apartment (1960) I love this screenplay. So economical.  Nothing extraneous.  Fred McMurray doing a great "banality of evil" riff.
12. West Side Story (1961)/The Sound of Music (1965) Basically the same movie - not in terms of content - but in form.  Robert Wise directed with an editor's mind. He was Orson Welles' editor for years.  See how the edits work so damn well.
13. 2001 (1968) Just so you know what people are talking about when they talk about the apes and the monolith.  And, there is no better match dissolve then when that bone flies up.  Dave?
14. Planet of the Apes (1968) One of the best ending shots of all time.  Bonus: Best use of a leather vest on an ape.
    
                                              *****
15. McCabe and Mrs. Miller (1971)
    Robert Altman makes a western and sets it in a brothel. Strange, genre-bending, cynical, and dark.  No one would ever make this movie today. 'Tis a pity.
16. Cabaret (1972) Bob Fosse adapted the stage play perfectly. From the first song - he broke the rules and made the songs of the cabaret the back drop not the main event. 
17. The Conversation (1974) Coppola's favorite movie.  Harry Caul is a voyeur and is slightly nauseated with himself.  Sounds like a modern movie goer to me.
18. Jaws (1975) I was scared to swim in a pool after I saw in this in East Hampton, LI on opening night in the 70's.  It changed the big movie opening weekend forever. 
19. New York New York (1977) Imagine if Mean Streets was a musical.  A real genre stretcher. Fascinating failure and worth watching.  A blend of artifice and reality.
20. Manhattan (1979) Woody Allen is funny. Duh.  But see how his technique of long takes and beautiful compositions (with Gordon Willis' superb cinematography) wax the lane to make us hear those one liners so well.  
    
                                              *****
21. Raging Bull (1980) You just keep asking...How did they (Scorcese, DeNiro, Pesci, Chapman and Schoonmaker) do this?
22. Pennies from Heaven (1981) Herbert Ross put everything he knew about movies, musicals, and song and dance into this film and turned it all upside down. Christopher Walken is the scene stealer.
23. Tootsie (1982) Another great screenplay.  It's all about subtext and not being "on the nose" with dialogue... Last line (from memory): "You know that blue dress that you look great in? (pause) Can I borrow it?"
    
                                              *****
24. Boogie Nights (1997) The first half of this film is pure genius and maybe that was the point of this film as well.  Great second acts in Hollywood are rare.
25. Citizen Kane, Chinatown, Apocalypse Now, Rear Window, Pulp Fiction, Network - Your pick!

The Ten Best Movies Ever...

This week the NY Times ran a blog post by Stanley Fish entitled The 10 Best American Movies. To date, seven hundred thirty three people took the time to comment. 

Some web readers agreed with Mr. Fish but most chided him for his selections.  His absence of Citizen Kane and the The Godfather movies coupled with his inclusion of Groundhog Day was a blow too deep for many to keep silent.

These types of Best Ever lists are always subjective. You can't fault Mr. Fish for thinking the best movies were made in that golden yesteryear of his youth. Eight of his films were made in the 40's and 50's. Movies may have the most impact on us when we are young...

But what I object to most is his explanations for liking these films are almost exclusively based on plot and the screen performance of the actors.  

Everyone likes a good yarn and a truthful performance... The art of film, though, is in the hands of the director and how he or she employs the tools of cinema: composition, camera movement, editing, music...  

These tools allow the viewer to see movies through a character's eyes (Rear Window) or let us be a more objective witness (Anatomy of a Murder). 

In the coming year I hope to share more about the formal side of film and how our video marketing work can benefit from the tools of cinema. 

In the meantime, rent or buy the two films mentioned above and tell me what you think about them - but tell me how you think the form is working in concert with the content.