Happy 2008! We thought this year we’d start right off the bat with a real winner…no, not another recipe for bread pudding, not even a recipe for our beloved Sun-Dried Tomato and Wasabi Dip. That dip kicks bread pudding’s butt! Instead our very favorite format for Audio/Video Scriptwriting. Let’s take a look.

There are 3 columns…one for the scene number, one for video, which is typically on the left side of the format, and one for audio, which is on the right side. The scene number is a crucial element in the script format. It’s the “map” for the client and the production company to refer to when they’re talking about various elements in the script. The scene number ensures that everyone is on the same page. Next is the video column. There we list all the visuals that you see. Those might include any talent or actors that are on camera, or the specific action that is taking place visually on the screen. On the corresponding audio side we list the audio that the viewer will hear when they see the visual. It’s all very simple…really!

So…that in a nutshell is the formula for a professional video script. It’s also the beginnings of a pretty effective HR video for Sexual Harassment…

It is Christmas Eve and time for one last quick post before the New Year. Instead of recipes for success for your next video…we’re going to delight you with an altogether different kind of recipe, a Holiday favorite of ours…bread pudding, with our own unique twist!

BRIGHT CIRCLE BREAD PUDDING

Ok, this is what you are going to need.

- 4 slices of crumbled buttered bread
- 2 cups of low-fat milk
- 3 eggs
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup raisins
- dash of cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup of crushed dates

How do I make this delectable treat?

Heat your oven to 350 degrees, and lightly butter a 2-quart baking dish. Place your crumbled bread in the dish. Now beat together your milk, eggs, sugar and salt. Pour the mixture over the bread, add a dash of cinnamon and gently stir in your raisins, dates and vanilla. Place the baking dish into a large pan of hot water, and bake for about 45-50 minutes. You’ll know it’s ready when it’s firm in the center. Enjoy!

Happy Holidays from the Bright Circle Team-

Disclaimer: We hope you like it, but please remember…we’re a motion media company, not acclaimed chefs!

About Bright Circle Inc.

Bright Circle is an Orlando based video production company that provides script to screen solutions. Bright Circle specializes in corporate video production and offers Final Cut Pro editing.

The other part of the equation in selecting a vendor is cost. How much is this video going to run? That’s never an easy question to answer. It’s kind of like buying a car; do you want a Hyundai or a BMW?

Adding options such as a lighting and grip truck, acting talent, 3d animation, and shooting with a Panasonic Varicam as well as purchasing stock footage will all be factors in driving up a budget. Those are services typical of a high-end project, with a high-end budget.

But say for instance, you don’t need those types of amenities; your project just needs to look professional, your message needs to be concise…well thought out and you want a nice clean look. What can you expect then? Each company has their own unique pricing structure. Sometimes overhead can play a factor. If a company has a nice office, a lot of new equipment and cutting edge technology…they need to pay for that somehow. Smaller companies don’t have the same amount of overhead and often times will produce higher quality work because they aren’t in the same rush…the same “numbers game” that most larger companies are confronted with. Smaller companies are more enticed, more prone to give better customer service in order to “win the business” and develop a relationship.

So next time you’re designated as the lead in selecting a video production vendor for your company’s quarterly project make your decision wisely. Check with colleagues, see if they have any recommendations, go online and research local video production companies. They should have a demo reel on their website, see if they have any clips of corporate work they have produced for past clients. If they do, call and ask to schedule an appointment. An appointment in person will give you more peace of mind about the company that you are dealing with…keep notes, and try to schedule at least two other appointments with their competition. Do your homework and make an informed decision. A decision that will pay dividends for your company…and you.

About Bright Circle, Inc.

Bright Circle is an Orlando digital media company offering comprehensive motion media services. Bright Circle provides camera crews for HD video production as well as seasoned producers for medical video projects.

So your supervisor wants to produce a video and you’ve been delegated as the lead for the project. To quote Homer Simpson, “Woo-hoo!” Well, maybe you’re not that excited. It’s understandable…where do you start? How do you make the right decision in handling the process? Do you risk trying to do it in-house? What about Spencer…you know Spencer…your Administrative Assistant’s cousin?

Even if Spence is in his 2nd year of film school, he might not be your best choice. Producing corporate video is a specialty, and not something to be taken lightly. There are a number of production companies that specialize in various genres: wedding and event production, deposition recording, local commercials, the list goes on. When making your calls, make sure you do your due diligence. Check and see if they have produced instructional videos before…can they write a script that is informative and compelling? Do they have the people skills needed to work with senior management? Do you sense that they realize that the workplace is actually that…a workplace, and not a “film set” to bark out orders, drink cappuccino and slow down progress?

Creativity is important too…it’s not about having an office with a cool design and magenta-colored walls. Real creativity comes into play when you’re faced with hard decisions and you have to think on your feet. When you have a company that can do that, hold onto them….

About Bright Circle, Inc.

Bright Circle is a Florida based media production company offering a full range of creative services. Bright Circle provides professional teams that offer support in convention video services, as well as commercial production.

Video today has changed. Big time. We’re in the midst of a digital revolution the kind mass media has never seen before. Opportunities abound and the only thing stopping us from taking advantage of said opportunities is a lack of imagination. Scary~

Social networking avenues such as MySpace and YouTube are phenomena’s. Companies are leveraging those sites to posture to the younger kin of the world and grab another slice of the pie. What’s the next big thing you ask? Hmmm, it’d be nice to know wouldn’t it? Maybe the Cherry Cheesecake Channel….imagine the possibilities!

But in the end it all comes back to telling your story. That’s the bottom line. If you don’t have a compelling story, it doesn’t matter how many bazillions of people you’re broadcasting to or niche casting to or streaming to or whatever….

So, what’s your story? Better yet…who’s telling it? Crafting a message is just that…a craft. Imagine a corporate quarterly message that spins the same cycle we have all heard in the past. “Profits are up, we need to tighten our chinstraps though in the 2nd quarter because there are some challenges ahead”….ho-hum. Now imagine a different message….a message that speaks from a company’s heart, (yes Virginia, companies do have hearts!) a message that portrays a company’s employees as trusted and dedicated to their job because they actually care about what they do. Yeah, I said care! How do I get that video instead???!!! It takes years of experience to ask the right questions and evoke the emotion, the gleam in a person’s eye when he or she talks about their company’s involvement in the community, or the pride that they take in doing a job well done.

As always…content is king, and always will be wherever it is being viewed.

Bright Circle is an Orlando Based Video Production company that offers a full range of media services. Bright Circle specializes in producing corporate video production.

The proverbial blank page. Daunting. Stark. Unwavering, unkind. A Casper white page that stares at you much like a statue stares at….hmmm, ok what do statues stare at? Is there a statute of limitations on statues that stare unwavering and unkind? Ok…maybe not. But…with a few words here, a few words there…something starts to happen. Thoughts begin to flow, sentences begin to formulate, spell checker kicks in, and alas a presence takes shape.

Videos often take the same route. We receive calls that start out something like this….”Hello, we got your name from (insert accountant’s next door neighbor’s 2nd cousin removed) and our company here in Orlando is interested in producing a video. We want to instruct our employees on a new product that we’ll be rolling out in the 3rd quarter, we also need to let them know of some internal changes that are coming and we want to pump up the sales team so that….”

Whoa…hold on there…you should have stopped at the first comma!

As video producers our responsibility at Bright Circle is to understand fully the objective of the video, and if need be…help narrow the focus. What is the video meant to accomplish? Who is the audience? What do you want the audience to do after viewing the program? To feel? To know? A video can’t be too many things. It cannot be everything to everyone. It can’t be an instructional tool to your employees, and at the same time a motivational device for your sales force. If it trys to, it will fail.

So getting back to that proverbial blank page….the best approach is to write one sentence. That one sentence will be the objective of your video. “This video will instruct our employees on a new product that will be rolled out in the 3rd quarter.” This keeps everything simple and everyone on the SAME page.

From there we go to work for you. We sit down with every client and make sure we understand the agenda and the inner-workings of the subject at hand. We turn that blank page into a script that informs and instructs and is easy to watch!

About Bright Circle, Inc.

Bright Circle is an Orlando Video Production firm that offers a host of media services. Bright Circle produces Christian video projects as well as corporate video presentations.

All companies start somewhere…whether it’s a basement, a garage, a laptop and a booth at Starbucks, or in our case the first blog entry on our first web site. It’s what dreams are made of. But not every dream comes true. That intersection where Idealism connects with the Bottom Line…you know the one we’re talking about…wow, what a bottleneck that is!

So, what is our dream…what do we want to attain? Bright Circle isn’t looking to take over the world. We don’t have any strategic buyouts planned in the 2nd quarter of 08. Our primary focus is you. It’s been our experience that very few businesses deliver on their word. Every day companies inundate all of us with claims of excellence, and most of all promises of superior customer service. How are we different?

We don’t make idle promises. We are a small company. We answer to you. The core of our company is delivering…treating your project as the most important project. Why? Because it is. Our existence as a company is dependent on one, and only one premise. That premise being, we deliver a quality product, on time…every time. As part of that equation, we return phone calls, we return e-mails, we return on your investment.

What can we do for you?

The Bright Circle Team-

Erik, Mark & Scott

About Bright Circle, Inc.

Bright Circle is an Orlando video production agency whose principals have a collective 80 years of experience. Bright Circle specializes in Christian video production and offers creative solutions for corporate video presentations.