Indianapolis Video Editing

Guerrilla filmmaking refers to a form of independent filmmaking characterized by low budgets, skeleton crews, and simple props using whatever is available.

Robert Rodriguez (Desperado, Sin City) made this term notorious by making the film El Mariachi for $7,000, before digital editing made filmmaking cheaper.

These techniques, chronicled in the journal Rebel Without a Crew, have been very useful in the world of web video production.

The 4 steps to Guerrilla Video Production

1. Plan ahead - know what you want and how to get it before you go in
2. Be flexible - anything can and will happen, but you got to keep moving
3. Bring only what you need - equipment is heavy and expensive, do you really need a second light?
4. Get what you need and get out - be efficient, time is money

An average shoot, for me, is about 1-2 hours.  I go in knowing exactly what video and sound I need.  I bring bare bones equipment and staff, usually just one other guy. When we leave a shoot, I have everything we need to put a story together, most of the time.

By doing this, the cost of online video production is decreased dramatically. 

The look, feel and cost of web video is different than standard video production.  Don't get left behind and get stuck paying for it.


Justin Gutwein

Tip #1: Don’t Shoot into Windows
Tip #2: Organic Storytelling
Tip #3: Don't Pick up the Sticks

It took less than a week for two of our videos from our video newsletter to rise to #2 and #3 in Google's video search for "Indianapolis video production"

Check it out for yourself.

I have to find out if our clients are having the same results or if they're even getting the full use out of Backlight and it's video SEO capabilities. As a video management system, it's such an easy tool to use and it's the perfect answer for so many internet marketers who are trying to figure out how to use video online.

("Backlight Tip" and "Clarian" are ours and the cool thing is if you click through to the actual video, it leads you to our blog)

You'll notice a few changes in Backlight designed to make it easier to manage video tags & ads, and layout links & images.  You'll see that the "Library" and "Ads" links have been removed from the main navigation.  You'll find new "Manage Ads" and "Manage Tags" buttons at the top of the videos section as well as "Manage Links" and "Manage Images" buttons at the the top of the layouts section.

Updated navigation:




These new placements make it easier to understand that tags and ads are used for videos while links and images are only used when building layouts.

Buttons at the top of the video page:


Another nice feature is that you can create/edit links and images when in builder mode.  This allow you to make on-the-fly changes as you are building layouts.

New option to manage links in builder mode:


Feel free to let us know what you think about the new changes.

I don't like surveys.  Seems like everyone is trying to get you to take them these days, I constantly get them from stores with my receipt - "go online and take our survey and get 10% off your next purchase".  Too much follow up for me, and not enough gratification - what are they doing with this survey data?  Is anyone actually listening?  Then there is my favorite - the call you at home at 6pm survey!  Sure, I'll answer a few questions while my children are screaming and dinner isn't even started yet!

BUT, I just saw a good example of a survey even I would probably complete... Bluelock's  CEO Mark Hill did a video thanking their clients for their support and asking them to tell them how they were doing and what they could improve upon.  This short video was a personal message and was inserted into a brief easy to complete form. I felt like Mark was personally asking me to fill it out....

This was EASY to do.  The video shoot took 15 mins, was edited quickly since it was a simple authentic video, and the online form was created by their Marketing associate using Formspring.  Now, the key is the follow up.  I want to know what you'all discovered from the survey!  Send me another video telling me the results - mention some specific things responders wrote and what you are doing to incorporate the feedback. Walker Information  also recently did a survey with a follow up video - what a great idea.  Because if I feel like you are paying attention -  next time you send out a survey, I'll be more likely to respond!

Those familiar with traditional video production might be surprised to know that we don't use scripts or storyboards here at Cantaloupe. These former staples are painfully time consuming and costly, not to mention they tend to reek "staged commercial."

So are scripts and storyboards still necessary? No. And this is part of the innovation the internet has brought to digital video production.

Traditionalists might wonder how then, do you plan a story with any predictable result? The answer is not in scripting and editing it's in the interview-style of shooting. We rely on the expertise and knowledge of your people, partners, and clients (indisputably the best people for telling your authentic story). They don't need to read a script to know what needs to be said. They have the script in their head, and they've rehearsed it a thousand times - that is every time they have talked to a prospect, explained to a friend what they do, helped a customer, or justified their reason for buying from you.

There is still planning involved, but it focuses on the indispensable components of the story rather than the details. It focuses on the core message, the key characters, the high-level talking points, the locations, the big take-away, and the vision. This is the essence of our story development process.

Scripting and storyboarding still has its place with tv shows, movies, and commercials, but when it comes to web video production where authenticity is expected and highly valued, scripting and storyboarding is just overkill.

Quite simply, online end users are expecting more and more to learn about business offerings and initiatives from within an entertaining format. I was closely watching my three kids "electronic" behavior on a rainy day which got me thinking about what they are going to expect from websites once they become your prospects.

While my 6-year-old tapped away on his new Nintendo DS I observed my daughter as she shot and edited together a video story covering the DiGregory Christmas including in depth interviews about my sons favorite "build your own volcano" gift. (A gift that was sure to be my least favorite based on clean up factor alone)

The other two observations that really caught me was how my 9-year-old and his pals were able to hook up their Nintendo DS' as controllers for our new Wii without even asking me - thank god! - as well as how my family later that evening played not just a board game but a board game that utilized an interactive DVD.

My point is this... since online end users are continually seeking the truth we all know commercials don't work over the internet because once they feel an inauthentic message they have the power to "turn it off." So, the ever increasing challenge - more importantly as my kids and everyone else their age slowly become your selling prospects - is to deliver peppered in marketing messages inside an entertaining format that makes it OK for this new breed of customers to sign up to receive on an ongoing basis.

I grabbed my bag from the baggage claim fair ride and for the second time in two weeks I found myself in Florida. This time around Justin and I were in Orlando for a software conference. We soaked up the sun as we shot client testimonials for a local software company. We sat down with a variety of people to hear of their software experiences and stories.

These stories were then flown back 900 miles to be edited down into concise, 90 second online videos. These videos will go beyond positive comments. They will communicate real life problems and solutions that were found through the company’s software. The videos are not scripted stories or text filled case studies. They will be respected professionals discussing their experiences with the company. Prospects will view these videos and see the sincerity, hear the enthusiasm and know if the software is for them.  

Cantaloupe spent 3 days in Florida, shot 17 testimonials and now a company has an arsenal of marketing videos.


- The Cameraman

As a person heavily involved in the marketing at Cantaloupe, I'm here to tell you that producing video magazines can actually be an easier (and in case I need to say it better) alternative to writing a bunch of text for your website.

Don't believe me? Well have you ever tried to write text for your website? Unless you're one of the fortunate few trained in writing copy, I'm sure you agree it's hard. It's hard to be both concise and precise with your online marketing message - not to mention, trying to be engaging.

What tone should I use? Does this accurately reflect what we do? Is this too long for anyone to even bother reading? Will this make sense to other people? Am I being too technical? Not technical enough? Does this stay true to our brand?

Now, if you're still thinking of traditional video production, then you're right, traditional video production is much more difficult than writing text. You essentially have to write the text (scripts)  AND find competent people to deliver the message exactly as you've written it.

However, when you talk about online video production, that is, the type of unscripted, serendipitous storytelling that Cantaloupe does, conveying what you do, what your people are like, and what your brand is suddenly becomes much easier. That's because you let the people around you - your colleagues, customers, partners, etc. - deliver your message in their own words. In essence, they shoulder some of the work.

Sound scary? It shouldn't be. These people are experts in your business, and their collective expression of your story and message will always be more accurate than your one, not to mention more authentic and believable.

The other thing that makes video easier than text is that you can call on Cantaloupe to provide the normally difficult aspects of video production (like story development, shooting, and editing).

I'll be the first to admit that video doesn't ALWAYS beat text, but next time you try to become the Hemingway of website copy, ask yourself if video might not be a better medium. It's easier and more cost effective than you might think.