DVD Video Letters

[EarlC]

Offer services producing DVD Video Letters for Cash Flow, http://www.eccomeecgo.blogspot.com

[Aspyrider]

Girlfriend and I did this a couple years ago, made a video letter. It wasn’t for money – just for fun but we sent out several. I can tell you this, that DVD is still being watched. It has been copied and sent to family that may not have gotten one, friends of friends and such. We sent out 25, there are well over 100 now drifting between family & friends worldwide.

Many people still don’t have the internet, or they have email but don’t understand the rest. But they sure know how to pop in a dvd. 😉 Family will dig it out from time to time and watch it again.

The copies started as soon as family received theirs. We didn’t care, after all that was its purpose, to be viewed by family & friends. And viewed it has. Even by some folks we don’t know. 🙂

Great article EC!

J.

[Anonymous]

This is a good idea and adds another branch to a video business.

Similar to this, last yearI sent out a video Christmas cardto all my friends & family instead of the usual paper cards. (I was never a fan of sending cards out in the mailbut I would get them from friends and family, and felt irresponsible for not doing the same). So the video Christmas card went out and EVERYONE loved it and talked about it endlessly. It wasn’t a major production – just a personal message from me and my son, some green screening, some time lapse, yada yada and about75 secondslong.

Anyhow, I believe this could fall under the same category of services as Earl mentions and could be a market for such.

[EarlC]

Absolutely. In my blog I have written about video greeting cards. On another blog I was told that these “ideas” were about “five years long in the tooth,” that there were/are more “efficient” ways to communicate today – blogs, e-mail, etc.

I pointed out that certainly there are more efficient, as well as less intimate and personal, ways to communicate, but that the purpose of the DVD Video Letter, and as you mention, holiday cards on video, personal, direct and intimate greetings (not to mention the worth/value of actually being willing to take the time/money and make the effort to do so) is what gives value and purpose to this approach.

I figure that the responder was correct in that the “idea” is long in the tooth, but not because it is an old and outdated approach in and of itself, but because sadly in this day and age people do not often take the time to communicate in a more personal/intimate way. Many have lost touch with the value of hand-written letters, post cards, personal phone calls and DVD video letters/greeting cards, opting for impersonal tweets, facebook updates, e-mails and blogs.

Not to mention that, like Jay noted, not everyone is “connected” but there are always the phone, written messages and now we can all market DVD video letters – an idea that could well become contemporary instead of being out of date.

Thanks for responding, Hogwild – what a name 🙂 – and check out the other articles at http://www.eccomeecgo.blogspot.com

[Anonymous]

I “lurke” on here quite a bit but do not post much. As for my name, it is partly derivitive of my last name, and I use the same screen name at most sites for uniformity I guess. I think it’s unique.

As you’re saying, I think the personal touch with the video letters/cards can be sucessful if marketedcorrectlyI don’t think any of us would get rich from this one idea, but if you have a video production business and the economy is tight, that means you should bemarketing your company in as many was as possible to stay afloat. Gotta think outside the box.

I have read several of your blogs and find them all interesting and useful ideas for additional income. Again, do what you gotta do to make a dollar. It’s like in my “full time” job (which is not video), I am a jack of all trades (electrical, pneumatic, hydraulic, bulk conveying, predictive maint technologies, etc) BUTI’M A MASTER OFNONE. I’m a firm believer of learning or doing as much as I can be exposed to (within reason) to keep myself most marketable.

By the way… one idea I’ve kind of been looking for some info for is doing some freelance news coverage or as I’ve seen it called on a reality tv show “news stinger”. Do you have any experience or info you can share with us? I live in a small town, so again it would not be a full time gig, but I’vecome across several ocassions that could be used for news stories (car fires as they happen, car wrecks, flooding and storm issues) I guess my questions are…

1. How do you go about selling newsfootage to local stations

2. Are therepricing structers in place? (other than what the localstation determines)- I understand that this will depend on the news event and such

3. How do you best protect yourself when selling your tapes? (contracts, sell rights in full, royalties, whatever)

4. and many more questions I will probably think of later, but this is just to get the ball rolling…

[EarlC]

Interesting. Actually, I am probably in a unique position to do an article on this – 30 year veteran journalist, newspaper reporter, editor, assistant publisher, publisher and owner.

While my experience is more specifically based on working with photo/article contributors (stringers is term I am most familiar with), I have sold some video footage and photos outside my mast head, and will do a bit of research to update for today’s information. Thanks for the suggestion.

I will say two things, well three, right now:

Newspaper/magazine “people” are a bit self centered, selfish and often unwilling to go “outside the staff” for news

While sources, resources and “stringers” are often budgeted for, it isn’t much and is one of the lowest-paying “gigs” part time or otherwise a person can pursue

Murder, rape, robbery, hostage situations, fires, major accidents, plane crashes, riots, Rodney King, and presidential assassination (Zapgruder – sp?) can and have made for dramatic and money-making films/stories, but the chances of getting something are only heightened by two things – being in the right place at the right time, or being SO dedicated to the effort that you develop a heightened sense for events of worth, or you do a LOT of scanner dogging. Events of high magnitude and exclusivity lend themselves to being offered for bid to publications/stations willing to do so, but you will almost certainly need legal counsel to prevent some serious trickery many news outlets are capable of attempting to screw you out of your footage or eyewitness account. OR, misleading you regarding its potential value.

[Anonymous]

Great! I look forward to reading your article. I understand that being in the right place at the right time or religiously monitoring a scanner are probably the best ways to get coverage of an event. My interest lies in the “being at the right place at the right time” arena as I have been carrying my camera around with me quite regularly and was looking for an avenue to get the video seen, maybe make a buck, and not get manipulated by a local news station. I have no interest in having a scanner glued to my side and accident chasing at nights or weekends. Any light you shed on the subject will be most welcome.

[birdcat]

Interesting. Actually, I am probably in a unique position to do an article on this – 30 year veteran journalist, newspaper reporter, editor, assistant publisher, publisher and owner. While my experience is more specifically based on working with photo/article contributors (stringers is term I am most familiar with), I have sold some video footage and photos outside my mast head, and will do a bit of research to update for today’s information. Thanks for the suggestion. I will say two things, well three, right now: Newspaper/magazine “people” are a bit self centered, selfish and often unwilling to go “outside the staff” for news While sources, resources and “stringers” are often budgeted for, it isn’t much and is one of the lowest-paying “gigs” part time or otherwise a person can pursue Murder, rape, robbery, hostage situations, fires, major accidents, plane crashes, riots, Rodney King, and presidential assassination (Zapgruder – sp?) can and have made for dramatic and money-making films/stories, but the chances of getting something are only heightened by two things – being in the right place at the right time, or being SO dedicated to the effort that you develop a heightened sense for events of worth, or you do a LOT of scanner dogging. Events of high magnitude and exclusivity lend themselves to being offered for bid to publications/stations willing to do so, but you will almost certainly need legal counsel to prevent some serious trickery many news outlets are capable of attempting to screw you out of your footage or eyewitness account. OR, misleading you regarding its potential value.

Many years ago (in a prior life) I was a copy boy for the AP (trying to get into the photo dept thru tha back door) – I had a couple of stringer assignments (after I got a shot of a jumper that wound up on the front page of many papers)- Not much $$$ (even for that jumper shot.

Just remember – If it bleeds – it leads!

[Anonymous]

Just remember – If it bleeds – it leads!

That made me laugh out loud

[Author]

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