Bringing Brands to Life!

I'm pleased to share with you two fun and neat interviews I recently gave. I hope you'll find a gem or two you can use in your future projects...on screen, or off.

First Interview...

I had a fabulous, live podcast interview with Wayne Hurlbert on his Blog Business Success radio show. You can catch more of Wayne on his blog, Blog Business World.

Wayne's cast of interviewees is quite remarkable and I am totally thrilled to be one of them! Take a moment to see who's there...you'll be amazed.

We covered a lot of ground in one hour. Here's just a sampling of what we covered...

• Can employees be good storytellers?

• Is there a middle ground for company films in-between YouTube and expense commercials?

• Are messages from companies becoming more inspirational?

• Is film and storytelling compatible with branding products and services?

• What companies, industries, services are best suited for video?

• How can a professional director make a difference in quality and messaging?

• Most business people come across unnatural on-camera leaving poor impressions. How can this be overcome?

• How can on-camera interviews be captured more naturally and effectively?

• Can a corporate video present a brand in a way the consumer wants to see and hear it without coming across sounding like a "controlled" message?

Second Interview...

When I got an invitation for an interview from media strategist/PR guru Geoff Livingston over at Livingston Communications and The Buzz Bin, I didn't hesitate for a second!

I met Geoff at Blogger Social 2008 and we hit off quickly. (Of course, he had a video camera in hand...that might have had something to do with hitting it off...right, Geoff?)

Geoff's book, "Now is Gone," is an excellent introduction to the benefits of media for executives, entrepreneurs, etc.

Geoff's interview covered different subjects from Wayne, which is great. Here's what you can find...

• Many people think creating compelling video is easy. How long did it take me to become confident in my directing skills?

• What do I think of the flood of amateur videos; both corporate and personal?

• What are some of my personal favorite projects?

• What is the key to successful Internet video creation?

• What are some of my favorite sites, besides YouTube?

• Do I think network television is a dying media form?

• What's next for me?

Thanks, Wayne and Geoff, for caring about my work and spreading the word! I hope it inspires and challenges your community to think differently about the role authentic video stories and mini-documentaries play within a company.

---Tom

2 Interviews with Corporate Filmmaker Thomas Clifford