Imagine this.

You're thinking about building a new home. You decide to send an email to a general contractor. You write a note that goes something like this...

"I'd like to have a new home built. How much would it cost to build a home with six rooms, two bathrooms, a small garage, and a nice yard? Please tell me how long will it take to build it. Thank you."

It's pretty likely you won't get a response that is helpful or accurate. And chances are it won't move your vision forward.

Believe it not, I've seen emails like this requesting how much a video project will cost. So have many other producers.

The simple solution, of course, is to pickup the phone and call a producer. Share your idea to see if your vision can be turned into an opportunity.

When it comes time to begin a new video project, a model worth considering comes from marketing expert and Fast Company writer, Nick Rice. Nick has a fabulous riff on determining the reality of an opportunity. Nick calls it "The Opportunity Framework."

Nick's framework has three components.

1. Determine if there is a real problem that needs to be solved.
2. Determine if there is an opportunity to move the project forward.
3. Determine if enough resources are available.

I think this is a great framework to quickly evaluate weather or not to move the conversation forward.

Send an email?

I've found most filmmakers love a good conversation :-)

---Tom

P.S. This post was inspired by another headline challenge from Brian Clark over at Copyblogger.

P.S.S. Brian's first headline challenge inspired "My 22 Best On-Camera Interviewing Tips Ever" also featured on LIfehacker.

One Email No Video Client Should Ever Write

In an earlier post, I mentioned the five temptations of every corporate video filmmaker.

This post will take a brief look at the five temptations from the perspective of a potential corporate video client.

1. Commodity? Story? It's Your Choice

Temptation: To turn your story into stuff.

• If you think about it, stories are living ideas. They can remain in consciousness for a very long time.

Your corporate story is no different.

Commit to capturing your corporate video story in a way that will survive the ups and downs of everyday business cycles. Imagine five years from now showing your story; will it will be as fresh and alive as the day you produced it? If not, it's time to re-think your message. (Making it last is what it's all about, right?)

2. Deadlines. You're Kidding, Right?

• Temptation: Sooner is better than later.

Not always. Sure deadlines are a part of life. But rushing into a project with a false deadline without understanding the complete picture can potentially weaken the power of your story. Providing realistic deadlines will serve your story well in the long run. (And a powerful story is what it's all about, right?)

3. Guess How Much I Have?

• Temptation: Let the producer guess what our budget is.

Thinking you'll save money by having a producer guess your budget is counter-productive to teamwork.

Entering a video project requires an incredibly high level of trust. Guessing games deteriorate that trust.

Engaging in open and honest conversations about budgeting will help a producer capture the best story for you, the best way. (Fiscal responsibility is what it's all about, right?)

4. Just the Facts, Please

• Temptation: Hide emotions.

If most boring videos can be attributed to a lack of emotions then it seems obvious that capturing emotions will create a more memorable film. Obvious, but rarely done.

For example, emotions can show themselves through:

• frustration

• passion

• overcoming obstacles

• leadership

• values

Capture your audience by capturing emotions. (Your audience is what it's all about, right?)

5. I Get to See the Questions Ahead of Time, Right?

• Temptation: Revealing questions to your heroes beforehand.

A good way for your hero or interviewee to freeze up on camera is to show them the questions ahead of time. Resist the temptation! Why?

By showing questions ahead of time, the brain immediately wants to memorize the answers. When it comes time to the actual filming, the hero can't get a sentence out. All the answers they memorized becomes a blur. Not good.

The secret to a perfect interview is to give your interviewee a few ideas about what you want them to share. From their heart. From their gut. (The heart is what it's all about, right?)

Remember...

A video story is exactly that.

A story. In video.

Which is what it's all about.......right? :-)

---Tom

5 Temptations of Every Corporate Video Client