Does social networking "help" videomakers? « Videomaker Community Forums

Tom Skowronski
Staff

For anyone who has ready my blog posts, you know that facebook & twitter are not my friends. So I was wondering, is there anything that these 2 specific sites have offered any of you as far as so called "help" with your videos?

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tskowronski@videomaker.com
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Posted 2 years ago #
jkidder
Member

If you think about it, sites like Youtube are basically a social network, especially for the "vlogging" type of folks. You could also think of viral videos as the "internet celebrities" of this social network. Star Wars Kid is the Tila Tequilla of Youtube!

Get the Flash Video

Posted 2 years ago #
Tom Skowronski
Staff

YouTube is basically trailer tube now days. And I would say the Twitter has no advantage to video producers unless they feel the need to, uh Tweet about every minute of the production:
11:42AM "Just turned Camera on..."
11:43AM "Just pressed record..."
11:47AM "Was goin to press stop, but didn't since it was a good take..."

May be in Hollywood it'd be more useful:
11:41AM "Just yelled at Christian Bale to move the light..."
11:43AM "Christian Bale just got mad and told me to get out of his scene..."
12:32PM "Just got done crying...."
12:41PM "Just pressed record..."
12:43PM "Was goin to press stop, but didn't since it was a good take..."

Posted 2 years ago #
zoobie
Member

ha ha...

teen sites...or maybe even tweens...harry potter and star wars fans...vampires...lmao

so funny, you can't make this stuff up...nobody would belive you if you did

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Posted 2 years ago #
TheDVshow
Member

Facebook, Twitter - it's like walking into a room filled with video professionals ready to help, give a suggestion, collaborate, network, share tips and ideas. Digital interaction at it's best.

My world has expanded with social media

Posted 2 years ago #
birdcat
Moderator

As with any other tool, it depends on how you use it.

If you are looking for jobs, that's a tough one. However, if you are looking to gain insight or answers to technical questions, there is gold to be mined there (this forum is essentially social networking for those interested in video).

I have gotten many ideas from others who posted on YouTube, Vimeo, etc... and fraternize with some of the worlds best videographers/producers/editors on places like FaceBook and LinkedIn including Charlie Fulton (congrats again Charlie), Chuck Peters, D. Eric Franks, Douglas Spotted Eagle and many more.

Bruce Paul
7Squared Productions
http://www.7squared.com

Posted 2 years ago #
TDedmonSBP
Member

yeah It certainly makes a difference how you use them. I have been on Facebook since its inception back in '04 and have been able to keep in touch with old friends that way, but i have also sold items in the marketplace, bought things in the marketplace, and had auditions through the video function. So I have used FB for both personal and professional means, and I can tell you that the premise is there, you just have to know how to make it work for you.

As for Twitter, I have an account, but I only use it to post company-related info (none of that, "I just ate a taco and now I have to poop." kind of stuff.), and it works well for me because I can put the window up on my webpage so that visitors can see what is going on with me/the company even if they don't have time to read the latest blog post.

Posted 2 years ago #
Tom Skowronski
Staff

I have played with Facebook a bit, and I understand being interconnected through social networks. I guess my main focus here is understanding how twitter can help a video producer. And I am still not sure where the money and knowledge will be or can be made by a video enthusiast there. Staying interconnected through social networks makes sense and is a very good thing and a clear benefit... But tweets?!?! How does that benefit a director?

oh... here you go:

Get the Flash Video

Posted 2 years ago #
EarlC
Moderator

The most frustrating aspects of Facebook and Twitter, for me, are the endless mundane minutae they post, frequently repetitively and continuous, the silly and meaningless drinks, farms, gifts, song and photo contests on FB. I get frustrated with a whole page of shotgunned posts on Twitter by the same person, none of them with any really usefull content.

On the other hand, I can make FB's overzealous posters go away without unfriending them, and I can always unfollow similar culprits on Twitter. I can bar, block or ban the sexually explicit or teaser content followers after checking them out and finding no merit to their participation in my areas of interest. I can communicate with the good and GREAT ones, posting hints, lucky finds on the web and responses to others having questions regarding something I might know something about.

It is, after all, "SOCIAL" and I have options where like in real and physical social environs/events I don't HAVE to talk or listen to people I don't want. I do, however, peruse the conversations, follow the various posts and gleen a bit of information, knowledge and understanding from them occasionally. This makes my mid-morning, mid-afternoon and midnight visits to FB and Twitter worth the time I spend there.

Not to mention what Birdcat said about Videomaker and other related forums essentially being social sites themselves, just better usually, and more in-depth concentrations of video-specific subject matter.

Posted 2 years ago #
TheDVshow
Member

Twitter, Facebook, ie: social media is just another marketing tool.

In the real world marketers use billboards, magazines, newspaper, radio, books, business cards, expos, events, etc. to get the word out about a product or service. On the internet, social media sites take the place of all that due to the fact that old school media distribution is being ignored. Why?

Social media allows you to interact with your customer

Social media allows you to becoming a familiar face or brand

Social media establishes trust

THAT us what social media is all about.

Constantly "Tweeting" about your every day activity is NOT a good use of the tools.

Work it. Use it.

Posted 2 years ago #
EarlC
Moderator

Like them, and use them both - prefer Twitter over the fluff most of the people on my FB elect to post about.

Posted 2 years ago #
Tom Skowronski
Staff

right, yet again I feel that social networking is definitly a value and for a business as it is a way to interact with the customer... However how does Twitter accomplish this? How can consistant tweets add value to a business or a director? That is the main question that I would like to see answered because to me, Twitter is not social networking.

Posted 2 years ago #
TDedmonSBP
Member

I set myself apart from my competitors by means of customer service. I knew that my equipment wouldn't be able to compete in every situation, and my experience may not hold up against some of the more established companies in the area. One of the key ways of accomplishing good CS is by making the customer feel apart of the process in every turn (for me, at least), and so I consistently post and update a company blog that focusses only on the operation and projects of the business. Sometimes I can't always get around to posting a full blog entry about a day of shooting, location, etc. So I have put a Twitter widget on the blog page of my website that I can update from my phone and it allows me to keep my clients aware of my activities in those times between blog posts. I am very careful not to post anything other than professional and business-related "tweets" because like was said earlier, "I just had a taco now I'm going to take a shower." - doesn't accomplish anything. I feel as though it's just a way to make the client or potential client feel more connected to me and the business.

Posted 2 years ago #
birdcat
Moderator

Ok - So Trae has found the distinction between a tool and a distraction! This is good thing.

Same for YouTube - Far too many videos of screaming adolescents with inane garbage find their way to the site - But I also use the site to keep clients aware of their video's progress, or to have something easily accessible so they can choose which piece of royalty free music or background meets their needs.

Things work well when you use a tool as a tool - But when it becomes abused (taco/shower thing) it loses (IMHO) some of it's validity or lustre.

Posted 2 years ago #
Tom Skowronski
Staff

Right, to me I still wouldn't consider Twitter social networking. It feels different to me and well, pointless.

Posted 2 years ago #