Ask Me Anything
Creating videos isn’t always easy. My clients and friends know I’m always ready to help answer questions or give advice, even if they’re not using Duchin Productions. Not every project requires the big camera and lights, sometimes I encourage people to give it a go themselves (when appropriate). But even the simplest cameras can be really confusing, never be shy about picking up the phone or sending a question over email. If for some reason I can’t answer the question, I’ll find someone who can. Struggling to get great audio or better video results with your iPhone? Then ask me...
read moreHumiliation for a great cause
Most of my LinkedIn connections only know me professionally as a video producer. On a personal note, I’m involved with a litany of causes to help people. This year, I’ve been able to combine my love of engineering and building with one of the organizations I support, however it does involve an extremely high level of embarrassment. This is my third year competing in the Big Brothers Big Sisters of New Hampshire Sprint. Now here’s the catch. Sneakers are not allowed. All entrants must wear stilettos with a minimum 3” heel height. My performance in past years has been pretty awful but...
read moreA logo is not a call to action!
If you’re really lucky, people may watch your video content to the very end. This is the time to encourage viewers to take the next steps whether it’s selling a product or inviting them to contact you for something specific. Ending with just a logo might help your branding, but it does nothing for customer engagement. We recommend all videos conclude with an active call-to-action. The phrase “for more information” doesn’t drive people to take the next step. Using wording like “contact us today” is a direct request for people to engage with you. We also encourage customers to use more than...
read moreChallenges of video recording in Anechoic chambers
It’s no secret that we love science and technology. On this particular day, we knew we’d be shooting some RFID technology but we didn’t know we’d have to shoot inside an Anechoic chamber. We’ll skip the details on what the room is and just tell you it’s really, really, really quiet inside. This particular room was filled with pointed foam acoustic tiles everywhere. This might not seem like too much of a problem until you consider lighting. Normally we have lots of flat floor to place our hot lights however this was far from the case. A combination of...
read moreThe glamour of shooting in exotic international locations
This is often the reality of our travel to far away places. We got the call to go to Morocco and shoot segments for a reporter covering the launch of a new Land Rover. We were only staying two days but we were excited to explore this mysterious destination. Our client flew us out first class and put us up at the finest hotels around. The reality was we had torrential rain each day. If you look closely, there’s a cat sleeping on the pillow of what should have been Jay’s outdoor patio. At least someone could enjoy the...
read moreShooting hand held video
The camera is as heavy as it looks. When you start to add on batteries, microphones, wireless receivers and other pieces, things quickly start to get heavy. For this particular project, going handheld was our only option for getting the shot. One of our biggest tricks in getting smooth, sharp handheld footage is to use a wide angle lens. The wider the lens, the more stable your shot will appear. This particular lens is one of Jay Duchin’s favorite. The lens alone costs over $8,000, which is more than some companies spend on their entire camera. Our investment in technology and...
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