Most of you probably already have at least one video sitting on your shelf, and if you don’t, you should. But what do you do with your video after the big rush of your nonprofit gala or the big reveal on your website? My simple answer — get it on air or on another website! Traditionally, nonprofits usually have PSA’s ( short 30 or 60 sec. spots that air on odd hours of the day) on local TV channels. That’s not the most exciting option, however, thanks to growth in media in Philadelphia, there are some low-cost or no cost options available that definitely have more zing and may add some variety to your audience.
PhillyCAM
Top on my list is a newer public access TV station that Philadelphia has long waited for — PhillyCAM. This station gives everyone in Philadelphia a place to share their stories and learn the craft of video making. Located in center city, it has a beautiful TV studio and allows members the opportunity to produce and air their own videos. All you have to do is join as an organization member, and believe me, they are very fair as their rates are based on your organization’s size. As a member, you will be able to air your video on their station, which is on Comcast, and also have it seen as video-on-demand on PhillyCAM’s website. It’s a great way to help get your message out there, and of course any mention of your organization on a website helps your SEO. As a bonus, they recently started their own nonprofit talk show which allows one or two members of your nonprofit to talk about your cause as well as any opportunities. So, doesn’t that just make your morning a little brighter? Read More
Be a Great Interview
If you work for a nonprofit, sooner or later you are going to be in front of the camera. Either the news will ask you for a comment at an event, or you or one of your corporate partners will want you to explain your cause for a video. The last thing you want to do is to be nervous, or worse yet, walk in dreading the interview. It just so happens that I had an amazing interview this past week; it was an interview where both of us shared stories like we were best friends — a true conversation. So, I thought it might be a good time to share my top five tips with my nonprofit video friends. So, keep an open mind and don’t be afraid to set up your own interview practice time with a friend or co-worker.
1. Memorizing = Disaster
Don’t ask for your questions ahead of time and do not attempt to write out responses to questions that you believe might be asked. Memorization will turn you into the most unfeeling robot, and since an interview is shot as a close-up, it will be apparent that the words are rehearsed and not from the heart. Trust that you know the answers, and if you don’t, there is nothing to worry about, as your interviewer only wants what you do know in the video anyway. No worries! Read More
You are probably wondering why we would shoot someone in front of a bright green backdrop, or green screen as it is called, for a nonprofit video. This technique is usually saved for movies with special effects. You may remember a long time ago when “The Invisible Man” was a TV series. You would laugh as a hat and a pair of gloves, sans body, would be seen moving around a room. This was accomplished by shooting the character in front of a solid screen of color, and later removing that color with editing software, just leaving the character visible. It’s called Chroma Key. Think of it like Photoshop where you want to “cut out” a head shot from its background. The beauty of this technique is that it allows you to put any background behind the image, creating a composite. So, in the case of the photo above, even though we were shooting Drexel’s extraordinary robot in Philly, by using a green screen we were able to composite the interior of a space ship, making it appear as though the robot was a member of a crew. What kind of nonprofit would want this type of video? One that was doing a spectacular space themed gala, of course!
