Professional Connections Day | Conflict Resolution

In the working world, conflicts are bond to arise.  Knowing how to deal with or prevent these conflicts can even determine whether or not someone or yourself can keep a job.  It has been said over and over again to preventing this from happening is communications and truth. 

Communications

Usually conflict  arises when no communication is used.  Or sometimes non-verbal communication is replaced by verbal communication.  This can cause disagreements and misunderstandings.  When a problem or disagreement arises, the best thing to do is communicate to a higher up the situation.  It is best to get things out in the open before things can potentially get worse.  It should be known that you should not skip you supervisor and go complain above him or her.  It is best to go to your immediate supervisor.  Also, it is common for a newer and younger employee to be rather quiet and never speak up.  This can lead to lots of problems so it is best to speak up.  

"You don't have to participate in every fight you are invited to"

Truth

It was mentioned that untrustworthiness can lead to someone getting fired.  An employee would rather you just tell the truth rather than lie to create a better story.  Even if the results are not as good.  

Professional Connections Day | Corporate Culture

As I may potentially enter the business world I am expected to adhere to the etiquette and customs of the corporate world.  However, it seems that each company tends to have its own culture that they follow.  It is important to know what culture you are comfortable with.  One way to know how a culture is right at the beginning is how your interview is treated. Do you have to wait long? Does anyone seem to care that you are waiting long? What kind of parking spots are marked closest to the office? The answer to these questions might tell you how approachable the manager is or how the office may run.  Here are a couple aspects I've learned in this session.

Credibility 
You want to make sure that your company is credible.  So how can you be sure that your company has credibility?  Credibility is based on honesty, integrity, and trust.  If a company isn't ethical or honest then it's credibility as a company is in great danger.  Other vendors, customers, or clients may not choose to do business with the company. Why should you care? Well first of all, you may be dealing with a failing company.  But, most importantly, your own integrity and credibility may be at stake.  Even if you leave a job at a company like this, your poor credibility may follow.

Adaptability
Even if your company is credible, the atmosphere and culture of the company can still be different than what you are used to in life or with another company.  It is important to be open-minded and able to adapt to whatever you may face. Especially with small business, this may come up often as the business owner usually determines this culture within the business.



  

Shepherd University Job Fair

After the CVC Job Fair (and a snow cancellation of the Shepherd Job Fair, the day finally came when I could explore some more potential careers. However, to be honest, the Shepherd Job Fair was rather disappointing. Not many worth while employers were present and the ones that I was interested in did not show up. Probably because of the snow date.  I was able to send in some resumes to those that did not show. Moving on, since the Shepherd University Job Fair experience will be similar to the CVC job fair, I would like to share some techniques I've learned about proper etiquette at job fairs.

Dress to Impress
The dress attire should include a shirt and tie with dress pants. I've been told that the best color to wear is a dark blue.  It is considered more professional. Also, women should not wear revealing clothing.

Watch the Odor
When traveling to the CVC Job Fair, I traveled with a friend who smoked.  He happened to need to smoke in the car on the way to the fair.  Not thinking, I entered the CVC Job Fair and the first thing the woman said at the front desk was "smells like you boys have been smoking". Embarrassing. Although we did get freshened up, it is very important that employers do not smell any smoke odor on you.  Also, any perfume or cologne use should be very mild and not too strong if any is used.

CVC Career Fair

After the hype up to the big day, the day of the CVC job fair finally came.  After the long journey to Frederick, we arrived at the hotel, got our name tags and information sheets, and then we were on our way.  There were a surprising amount of entry level jobs there.  Sadly, not many communication related jobs were there but it should be known that it is not required to have a career in your field out of college.  In fact, I know lots of people that are communication majors that are working in a field that has nothing to do with their field.  I was pleased that I got to talk to a representative from the Fish and Wildlife service because at the time I sent in a resume for the communications coordination at the Fish and Wildlife recruiting and training facility in Shepherdstown.  It was great to talk to this coordinator as it is always great to have a follow-up.  He promised that he would bring attention to my resume.  Although this did not pay off, I found a great connection for the future, resulting in a well worth trip.

Cultural Event - Career Information Day

After a wonderful and informative class about resumes and job interviews, our class was encouraged to attend an informational table in the Rams Den the following day.  Eager to hear more about the upcoming career fairs, I attended with lots of questions.

Should I expect great results from the Job Fair?
Yes.  It is always a great way to get your foot into the door.  This excited me as I am very eager to enter the job world.

Will the fact that I gradate in May deter employers?
This was my concern because I feel that employers will need someone right away rather than in May. (at the time, May wasn't as close)  Her answer was "Maybe" but it shouldn't deter me. As mentioned earlier, it is always great to get a foot in the door.  Anyways, it seems that most vendors in the job fair are already aware of this fact.

Comparing Promo Videos

Now that my video is complete, I would like to compare my newest video with an older promotion video I made in 2009.

This older video is what was featured on my website in 2009 and stayed there for a while.  It does not feature my newest cameras or any interview.  The audience was just supposed to watch my footage.  Also, a bigger issue was there was no natural audio in the background.




The newer video that was used for my capstone offers alot more than my previous video.  It features our new cameras too.  It has lots of examples of natural audio that we use in our wedding videos. This is important since it is our main impact in having an individual style. You will find in my new promotional video that crisp and clear audio is very important to us.
Moving on, you will see that the new video has video interviews unlike the older promotional video. This is much better and allows myself to better connect with the client.  

Final Capstone Post - Reflection

Well, it's all coming to an end.  My project has been presented, materials have been turned in, it's all wrapping up.  I would say a pretty successful end to my college career. Now is the time to kick back and reflect on what I have learned:

Details, nothing is unseen
Each one of my projects (not just in my capstone course) have came down to one thing: detail.  I've learned that the quickest way to determine whether is should be satisfied with a project is to ask myself "Is this good enough to put my name on?" "What is a potential employer going to think about this?" "Is there anything else I can do to make this better"  These questions are becoming a lot more important to me as I create my portfolio and realizing that employers are indeed going to be seeing these projects.

Document
It is a great idea to keep track of all of you accomplishments, ideas, projects, and anything worth bragging about.  These items will come in handy for job interviews, resumes, and portfolios. As I start entering the job world and filling job applications I now realize that employers really like numbers and statistics.  Something that can be measured, checked, and compared.

Enjoy Yourself
Love what you do and put your heart into it. You only produce the greatest results when you are having fun and loving what you are doing.

Whose Watching?

Perhaps the most important aspect of a promotional video would be the target audience.  Now, national statistics would be helpful. However, I feel that local statistics from my own experience would be just as helpful. It would also be helpful to know the economics of the area.  So we will know all three:

National Statistics
It is said that 2.3 million couples get married each year in the United States. The average age of a bride is 25 and the average age of a groom is 26. Also, 1/3 of each couple getting married are getting married for the second time.  I would say this is correct for each wedding that I have booked on average

Statistics by Experience
Even though the statistics above are accurate to the business I receive, the usual business that I get inquires about are much younger.  I just never receive their business because of pricing issues. I would say that locally, there are a lot more young couples getting married.

Where's the Most Money?
Most money and business that I receive is from the surrounding areas of West Virginia. Hagerstown, Winchester, and Frederick tend to have the funds to support a bigger wedding.  Even more wealthy areas surrounding are in D.C and Baltimore.

It should be stated that there is a great demand of wedding videographers in Morgantown, WV and the surrounding areas. There are almost zero videographers in the area.

Why Does it Matter?
These statistics matter because it can determine how you sell yourself. Perhaps it would be appropriate to advertise cheaper packages in areas with less wealth.

Setting Yourself Apart

When making a promotional video it should be noted that the main goal is not eliminating or downing the competition, rather it is about setting your company apart from the competition and letting the client decide whether we are right for them or not.  The wedding market has a lot of potential clients, plenty to go around. Now, I'm not saying that you should advertise for other companies. However, the style of my company should be the main concept of the video.  There are plenty of videography companies out there with lots of different styles to choose from.

Photography?
Now, in my video I stated "photos are great, but can you hear your vows with a photograph"  It should be known that this statement does not down or discourage clients from getting a wedding photographer.  Actually, a photographer is almost considered a requirement for weddings.  At this point I am just creating a demand by comparing myself to photographers. Actually, I have never filmed a wedding without a photographer present.

What is My Style?
Well, the promotional video explains in depth exactly what my style is, but my style is as follows:

• Special attention to audio in the ceremony
• Great storytelling with a non-linear story line.  We are not afraid of editing events out of order to better relate the events.
• When filming events, we like to be very in-depth in the clients day but still like to back off sometimes for privacy.

Interview Techniques

When creating my promotional video for Stevenson Productions, several times I used a video of myself talking to my clients and explaining our video process and style.  It turns out that several techniques can improve a video interview drastically. Also, that the situation and use of the video can shape these techniques.
When producing this video I ended up filming two takes of the interview.

Take One
In this take, I filmed in a small room with a blank wall. I used a boom microphone mounted on the top of the camera. I was positioned in front of a table with my hands on top looking at an angle away from the camera.

Whats Wrong with This Picture? (and sound)
A blank wall can be pretty boring.  In fact, the location itself is pretty boring.  Also, the location has no relation to the subject at hand.  Next, a boom microphone can sometimes be appropriate for live events when a better feed is not readily available.  Now, usually in interviews it is suggested that the subject does not look into the camera and rather it is preferred that the subject look at an angle away, as if looking at an interviewer.  However, is this appropriate for a promotion or commercial when there is a product being sold or when you are trying to sell yourself and gain trust with a potential client?

Take Two
In my second take, the location is in an editing room with lots of video switchers and computer monitors.  A lapel microphone is worn by myself and I am shown making eye contact with the camera.  I am sitting on a chair without a table in front of me. The lighting is significantly different with the background being darkened and only light on myself.

The End Result
A much better video.  The location is relevant to the video and more interesting.  The audio is much clearer which reflects the dialogue where I describe the importance of capturing audio.  The eye contact reassures our trust with the clients and engages the audience.  The lighting doesn't distract the audience and brings their eye to myself.

A Different Look at my Video

After reviewing my final project, both with myself and with my professors, I have learned a couple things about what can make a successful promotional video.

• First, I need to make a video that is attractive to any demographic and to anyone's tastes.  Previously, I used a music track that is very limited to anyone's taste. Although it was a popular song that many would recognize, it would be possible for many viewers to dislike the song. 
• Next, I need to use songs that are not distracting.  The same song mentioned above has very strong lyrics that had a tendency to distract the viewer from both the video and audio that is being presented as the main content.  
• In my video, I stated how great my audio is in my wedding videos.  Although the examples were well exemplified, the narration by myself was not.  The audio was poorly captured and needed to be boosted a little louder.  

It was great to get a different opinion for my video. I was glad to hear that visually, it was satisfactory. 

Capstone - Content

One more time I will review other wedding videographer's promotional videos and find inspiration. I came across an article titled "Why This is the Best Wedding Video Promo on the Planet". After reviewing the video below I came across the realization that this video style is definitely not what my video would look like.

 I am not looking for a flashy music video with high production value and a viral type script.  I believe that they set out to attract not only future brides and grooms but general people as well so that they can just receive views.  However, I feel that the content in the video is golden.  There are many points in the video that have been made that I have been planning on including in my video.

• Your wedding day is very busy and you need a wedding video to remember it.
• Do not rely on "Uncle Ray" to film the day
• Introduces the crew, even the editor. They make each member an individual. 
• Lists events of the wedding that you need to remember. This creates a demand.

It is interesting how they still include the bride and groom and it is still a interview styled video. I want my style of the video to be more serious but it still reflects a lot of aspects that I want to communicate.

Inspiration for Senior Capstone

My next step for my senior capstone is to research other videographer’s promotional videos.  I sometimes get strange looks whenever I tell people that I look at other wedding videographer’s work, but I tell people that it is for inspiration, not for stealing.  I never copy exact concepts or videos. 

Moving forward, the video I checked out was a wedding videographer that also does photography.  They are called “Blueberry Fusion”.  There promotional video can be found below:

Now there are aspects that I like from this video and there are some that I do not like.  I do like that the video is very playful but I cannot help but feel that the video becomes cheesy. In addition, it is obvious that it is scripted. I would like to mention that I plan on scripting some parts of my promotional video, but I do not want to use cheesy lines or humor to cover it up. I would like to present myself as a serious company.  Moving on, I do like that Blueberry Fusion demonstrates the difference between professional vendors and family members that some clients may choose instead: one of the biggest mistakes a bride and groom can do.

I learned from Blueberry Fusion’s video that it is important to show your specialty.  What sets you apart from the competition? For Blueberry Fusion, it is the fact that they are both wedding videographers and photographers.  And they demonstrate the advantages to this in their video. Now, I have to figure out what my specialty is…

"Competitive Promotional Strategies"

Before I even start considering how I should put together my project, I want to review my own business and how it stands with my competitors.  Mostly, how I structure my pricing and promotions.  After all, it is a PROMOTIONAL video.  So I checked out Chakravarthi Narasimhan's article: Competitive Promotional Strategies.  Now, most of this article contains lots of mathematical equations and honestly, situations that aren't that relevant to me.  However, the first part of the article contains some very useful and basic information that can help me shape my business plan and create a promotion that is most profitable and effective to get the audience that I am looking for.

Now I generally do offer promotional discounts every year around this time.  It usually involves me raising my prices but still offering the old prices if you reserve your date before the month of May. This usually proves to be effective but I never knew why.  Narasimhan claims that there are three tools for promotions: Advertising, Trade Promotions, and Consumer Promotions.  Overall, Promotional Discounts.  Now, I have discovered that the reason that why my yearly promotional discount is so effective is because it is wise to "fluctuate prices in order to include brand switchers".  There are two reasons why this is effective. First, there aren't generally brand switchers in my business, only new comers who know nothing about anyone else.  So, a price change can make a big difference when selling your self.  And second, it attracts both higher and lower class audiences. It's hard to believe but sometimes a higher price for a wedding vendor is advertising in itself.  Some people are looking for quality rather than a low price and sometimes that turns people off when they see a low price. A soon higher price will suggest that we still have the quality of a reliable business.  Having these constant price changes will attract a much wider range of audiences and will not turn off the higher class that can get me a pay check.


Article: http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/2352790uid=3739704&uid=2134&uid=4577523657&uid=2&uid=70&uid=3&uid=3739256&uid=60&uid=4577523647&purchasetype=article&accessType=none&sid=21101693542557&showMyJstorPss=false&seq=8&showAccess=false

Photo: http://www.webcommunicator.net/images/sitepicts/2010/photos/promotion.jpg

Capstone Introduction

Well it's finally here.  The course that I have been working for since my freshman year: Senior Capstone. But now it is time to ask myself what project I should do to well showcase my abilities.  Also, it should be something that I learn with, a project that I have not experienced before but would still be of use to me after I  graduate. After taking all of these into consideration, I have decided on a perfect project: A promotional video. I have no experience making a promotional video, except maybe a short one in my Advertising & Imagery course.  I would like to get some experience with advertisement and promotional videos since I see in future with a company that constantly makes commercials. Now, I have decided that what better to promote, than myself and my company: Stevenson Productions.  This will require lots of organization and editing as there are hundreds of hours of footage from previous jobs.  I am very excited about this project and I feel like it will be very beneficial to and my future career. Above is a link to just one of the many videos I plan on featuring in my promotional video.