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Welcome to the Duchin Productions Blog
Video Special Effects using PowerPoint
We frequently encourage clients to use programs like PowerPoint and Keynote to help get their ideas across. One of our longtime friends and clients, Sargent Production Services was tasked to go one step further. He was asked to produce a video but use Keynote slides and animations as a substitute for traditional video animation. The presenter, Dr. Woodie Flowers is an advanced user of Keynote (Apple’s version of PowerPoint) and is the mastermind behind the project. Not many people would attempt something this challenging but in theory,...
read moreChoosing a background for your next video shoot.
An important thing to consider for any video shoot is the background choice. Not every location has an ideal room for shooting so in many instances, we create a background. Once we learn about a project, we try to determine what the background should be and then see if it exists at the shoot location. Unfortunately, even if the perfect spot is available, it might be near an area that is too noisy or not big enough to fit all the equipment. Not every project has the budget to bring in a set decorator to “prop” a location, so it’s important to...
read moreDonate $100 to a great non-profit and get your logo on a racing motorcycle.
Many people know that Duchin Productions owner Jay Duchin is also a trustee of the Children’s Center for Communication/Beverly School for the Deaf. It’s a non-profit school that serves children ages birth to 22 with hearing and communications disorders. On August 25th and 26th, he’ll be racing the The Ascutney Mountain Hillclimb. Every business that donate $100 or more to the CCC/BSD before August 15th will and get their company logo on his competition motorcycle. Simply send an email along with your company logo to...
read moreVideo Production Safety and Preparation
We’ve been fortunate to have shot in some pretty interesting places. The photo shows owner Jay Duchin 60 feet in the air shooting inside a dark and dusty warehouse. Not everyone is comfortableworking on top of a swaying, open air platform tethered to a steel bar. When faced with challenging location environments, it’s really important to let the crew know exactly what they can expect. Most crew members are prepared for seasonal cold or heat, but might be thrown off by a shoot in a walk-in freezer in the middle of August. The following is a...
read moreQR codes for Video
We always suggest adding QR codes to the end of videos but did you know how flexible they are?
read moreProud to be working with the Beverly School for the Deaf
Duchin Productions supports numerous local and national non-profit organizations, and we’re proud to announce we’re now assisting the Beverly School for the Deaf and the Children’s Center for Communication. The school has a special connection to Duchin Productions’ owner, Jay Duchin because his grandfather Abe Sterman volunteered and donated to the school throughout his life. Recently, the organization began using video to assist the students with education and physical and mental development. We saw a great opportunity to become...
read moreHow long should a video be?
You can read all over the internet that videos should NEVER be longer than two or three minutes. When we get asked the same question, our response is “a video needs to be as long as it needs to be,” length should be the last thing on your mind. There’s no doubt that most videos are about three minutes long since that tends to be the limit of many people’s attention. Consider for a moment your own video viewing experiences. You’ll think nothing about sitting through a two hour movie but a two hour presentation streaming on the web is...
read moreQR Codes in videos
QR (Quick Response) codes are those funny square boxes you can find on all kinds of product. Invented back in the early 1990’s, they were initially used for inventory tracking. Companies are now using them for a wider range of applications including eCoupons and entertainment specials. In 2011, Duchin Productions started adding them to the end of videos. The codes can be programed to translate a variety of data such as contact information or websites. We recommend that businesses create a custom landing page on their website for these...
read moreMake your videos Timeless
Make your videos Timeless! One of our goals is to create videos that get used for years and years. The following tips will hopefully give you ideas to extend the shelf life of all your content. 1. Avoid “dating” references in favor of “recently” or “a while ago.” When you refer to specific dates, the content will quickly become out of date. Keeping an ear out for non-specific time frames will allow you to keep your content up as long as you want it there. 2. Similarly, remove holiday decorations from backgrounds. Someone watching...
read moreMaking Videos without Video.
We frequently get calls from people wanting to do videos on a limited budget. The following example shows how creative use of still photography and Photoshopped graphics can make really decent video. The key to doing this well is having a great script. A script to us is like the foundation of a house. If you have a weak or poorly designed foundation, it will weaken the entire structure of the home. Always think of the viewer/customer first and make they’ll get value from what you’re...
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