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Connecting with your Audience through StoryTelling
F. Scott Kennedy

Connecting with your Audience through StoryTelling

Kennedy International is a leading video production company that can help you connect with your audience through the powerful medium of video storytelling. With the rise of social media and the growing popularity of video content, businesses and organizations need to have a strong video strategy to reach their target audience and share their message effectively.

Tell the Story of Your Brand

Video storytelling is a powerful tool that can help you connect with your audience on a deeper level. It allows you to create an emotional connection with your viewers and convey your message in a way that is engaging and memorable. Kennedy International specializes in creating compelling video stories that capture the essence of your brand and connect with your audience on an emotional level.

One of the key advantages of working with Kennedy International is their team of experienced and talented filmmakers. Whether you need a short promotional video or a longer documentary-style film, their team can create a video that tells your story in a unique, creative and memorable way. From the initial concept to the final edit, Kennedy International works closely with their clients to ensure that the video meets their needs, captures their vision and resonates with their audience.

Another advantage of working with Kennedy International is their comprehensive approach to video production. They offer a range of services including pre-production planning, scriptwriting, production, post-production, and distribution. This means that they can handle every aspect of the video production process, from start to finish, ensuring that your video is of the highest quality and reaches the right audience.

Kennedy International also ensures that your video is optimized for social media and other online platforms. With their expertise in digital marketing, they can help you get your video in front of your target audience through targeted advertising, social media promotion, and other online marketing strategies.

In today’s fast-paced and highly competitive business environment, video storytelling is an essential part of any successful marketing strategy. Whether you’re looking to promote a new product or service, share a compelling message, or engage with your audience in a meaningful way, Kennedy International can help you achieve your goals through the power of video storytelling. Contact us today to learn more about our services and how they can help you connect with your audience through video storytelling. scott@kennedyintstudios.net

The Importance of Sound Design In Video Production
F. Scott Kennedy

The Importance of Sound Design In Video Production

Video production has come a long way since the first films were created. Today, it’s not just enough to have great visuals, but also high-quality sound design is crucial to the success of any video production. Sound design is the process of creating and editing audio content for a film or video production. It’s also about enhancing the viewer’s experience of watching the production and making sure that the audio and video components are seamlessly integrated. Here are a few reasons why sound design is important:

  • Sound design creates emotional impact

Sound is a very powerful medium to evoke different emotions in the viewer or listener. By carefully selecting music, sound effects, and soundscapes, the sound designer creates an immersive audio environment that can significantly enhance the viewer’s emotional experience. Whether you want to evoke feelings of suspense, excitement, or nostalgia, the right sound design can make all the difference.

  • Sound design increases production value

The sound design is an important aspect of any film production. Whether it’s a short film or a big-budget blockbuster, the sound design can increase the production value of the project. Good audio quality, well-crafted soundscapes, and well-timed sound effects all contribute to making the film sound professional and polished. This is why, for events, a lot of companies invest in audio visual equipment hire. A corporate event management service can help in making your event come to life.

Example of Sound Design Creating a Mood

  • Sound design can fix audio problems

Sometimes, even the best sound recording can have problems. Maybe there’s too much background noise, or the audio is muffled or too low. In such cases, sound designers can fix these issues using various techniques such as noise reduction, EQ, and volume balancing. By editing and manipulating audio, they can create a smoother, more polished sound.

  • Sound design sets the tone

The sound designer’s job is to create an atmosphere or ambiance that helps the viewer connect with the story. They use their creative skills to craft a soundscape that complements the visuals and helps set the tone for the production. This can include anything from subtle sounds like footsteps or rustling leaves to more dramatic elements like explosions or gunfire.

  • Sound design helps tell the story

Sound design is an essential part of storytelling. It can be used to convey important information to the viewer, such as a character’s emotional state or to foreshadow an upcoming event. Sound can also be used to create a sense of location or to immerse the viewer in the story’s world.

In conclusion, sound design is a crucial component of any video production. It enhances the viewer’s experience, increases production value, fixes audio problems, sets the tone, and helps tell the story. Without sound design, even the best visuals can fall flat. So, the next time you watch a film or TV show, take a moment to appreciate the work of the sound designer and their contribution to the production.

Creating Effective Social Media Videos
F. Scott Kennedy

Creating Effective Social Media Videos

In today’s digital age, social media platforms have become a significant tool for businesses and individuals to promote their products or services, establish a brand identity, and appeal to their target audience. One of the most effective ways to do so is by creating social media videos that are engaging, authentic, and resonate with the audience. Here are some tips for creating effective social media videos:

  • Plan your story

Before diving into the production process, you need to have a clear idea of what you want to communicate. Start by identifying your message and defining your goals. What do you want your audience to take away from the video? What kind of emotions do you want to evoke? Create a storyboard or script to outline the flow of the video and the key elements you want to include.

  • Keep it short and sweet

Social media users are constantly scrolling through their feeds, so it’s essential to grab their attention quickly and keep them engaged. Aim for videos that are 1-2 minutes long and get straight to the point.

  • Tailor your content to the platform

Different social media platforms have different requirements and audience demographics. Make sure you optimize your video for the platform you’re posting on. For example, Instagram videos are usually shorter in length and need to capture attention quickly, while YouTube videos can be longer and may require more detailed storytelling. Get help from Social Media Agency Newcastle to know what works on various social media platforms.

  • Use high-quality visual and audio

A video that looks and sounds great will make a lasting impression on your audience. Use high-quality cameras, lighting, and sound equipment to ensure your video looks and sounds professional. Invest in a good microphone to improve the audio quality.

  • Tell an authentic story

People are attracted to videos that tell a story and evoke an emotional response. Use real people, stories, and experiences to create an authentic connection with your audience. Avoid using stock footage or generic music that doesn’t reflect your brand identity.

  • Add captions

Many social media users watch videos without sound, so it’s essential to include captions or subtitles to ensure the message is still conveyed. Captions also make your video accessible to viewers with hearing impairments.

  • Include a call-to-action

Finally, don’t forget to include a call-to-action at the end of your video. This could be directing the viewer to your website, asking them to subscribe to your channel, or encouraging them to share the video with their network.

Creating effective social media videos requires careful planning, a clear message, and attention to detail in terms of production and content. By following these tips, you can create videos that resonate with your audience, establish your brand identity, and promote your products or services effectively. No time or resources to make this happen? Then call us today to learn more about total marketing videos and imaging for your Brand, Kennedy International Studios is dedicated to your success!

Why Promotional Videos Are An Absolute MUST in 2023
F. Scott Kennedy

Why Promotional Videos Are An Absolute MUST in 2023

As we move into 2023, the world of marketing and advertising is becoming increasingly competitive. With so many businesses vying for attention, it’s becoming harder than ever to stand out from the crowd. However, one type of advertising that is proving to be highly effective is the promotional video.

Promotional videos are a powerful tool that businesses can use to showcase their products or services to potential customers. In fact, they have become an absolute must for businesses that want to remain competitive in today’s market. Here are just a few reasons why:

  1. Video is highly engaging – People are naturally drawn to video content. It’s a highly engaging medium that allows businesses to communicate their message in an interesting and memorable way.
  2. Videos are easy to share – With the rise of social media, it’s easier than ever for people to share content with their friends and family. This means that a well-made promotional video is likely to be shared widely, increasing its reach and impact.
  3. Video can be used across multiple platforms – Promotional videos can be used on a range of platforms, including websites, social media channels, and even in emails. This makes them a versatile marketing tool that can be used to reach a wide audience.
  4. Videos are great for SEO – Google and other search engines love video content. In fact, websites that feature video content are more likely to rank well in search engine results pages. This means that a well-optimized promotional video can help businesses to boost their online visibility and reach more potential customers.
  5. Video is more memorable than other types of content – People are more likely to remember video content than other types of content, such as text or images. This means that a well-made promotional video is more likely to stick in people’s minds, increasing the likelihood that they will take action and become a customer.

In conclusion, promotional videos are an absolute must for businesses that want to remain competitive in 2023 and beyond. Whether you’re selling products or services, a well-made video can help you to stand out from the crowd and reach a wider audience. So if you haven’t already, it’s time to start thinking about how you can incorporate video into your marketing strategy. Shoot us an email at Kennedy International Studios to learn more… scott@kennedyintstudios.com

Cost Between Video Production Companies
F. Scott Kennedy

Cost Between Video Production Companies

Comparing Apples To Apples

Video production is a highly competitive field, with many companies offering their services at different price points. Choosing a video production company is a significant decision for businesses and individuals, as it can impact the effectiveness and quality of the video produced. While it may be tempting to go with a cheaper option, there are several advantages to choosing a higher cost video production company that cannot be overlooked.

  1. Quality Video Production

One of the most significant advantages of hiring a higher end video production company is the quality of the final product. Experienced video production companies have the expertise to craft engaging and professional videos that effectively tell your story. Their skilled production team knows how to set up lighting, sound, and video equipment to produce a polished result that reflects positively on your brand.

2. Better Equipment and Technology

Another benefit of hiring a higher end video production company is their access to state-of-the-art equipment and technology. Professionals with high-end equipment can produce quality videos with superior image quality, sound, and special effects. This factor allows them to create beautiful cinematic visuals that capture the attention of viewers, making sure that your brand stands out from the competition.

3. Attention to Detail

Experienced video production companies work with high-end clients, meaning they know the value of attention to detail. They will ensure that every aspect of your video production is thoroughly crafted, from choosing suitable backgrounds, creating animations, and hiring perfect actors. Their attention to minor details will definitely make a difference between an average video and a world-class video.

4. Marketing Expertise

Successful video marketing runs on a mixture of storytelling and directing strategy. Hence, experienced video production companies have the knowledge of the latest marketing techniques, allowing them to create a product that meets your business objectives in a captivating way. A good video is more than just a few shots put together, to promote a brand or product effectively; the video production company has to identify and tailor the video to achieve the desired goals.

5. Experience and Expertise

Hiring a higher end video production company comes with a team of experts who have years of experience in producing different types of videos. Therefore, they understand what works in a video and have the experience, knowledge, and skills to deliver high-quality results. You will be able to leverage their past experience to create an exceptional video with an engaging story or message.

Final Thoughts

We are not saying to over pay but opting for a more expensive video production company is not all about the cost. The benefits of investing in high-end services outweigh the cost, and you will definitely get value for your money. A high-quality video is vital to promote your brand and convey your message effectively to your target audience, which is why it’s essential to choose a reputable company that consistently delivers exceptional results. So if you want high-quality, engaging, and professional videos, it’s worth investing in a reputable video production company. If you should have any questions then feel free to contact us.

Camera Gimbal – KENNEDY INTERNATIONAL Studios

For all your visual marketing & video production needs, locally owned right here in Dothan, AL but traveling nationally.

How to Create Captivating Corporate Videos
F. Scott Kennedy

How to Create Captivating Corporate Videos

Kennedy International Studios – Corporate Video Production

Corporate videos have become…

a crucial component in the marketing strategy of many businesses, whether big or small. Corporate videos are ideal for showcasing a brand’s products and services, but they can also be used to tell a brand’s story, showcase testimonials, and teach potential customers the features and benefits of a product.

Creating a captivating corporate video does not have to be an overwhelming task. Here are a few tips to guide you through the process:

  • Identify the purpose of your video

Before starting out, it is crucial to determine the purpose of your video. Do you intend to introduce a new product to your customers, tell them your brand’s story, or promote your services? Knowing the purpose of your video will guide you in creating an engaging and captivating script that will achieve the desired results.

  • Plan your video content

Once you know the purpose of your video, it’s time to begin planning the content. A great corporate video requires a great script, so take your time to craft the perfect message that will resonate with your target audience.

  • Incorporate Visual Elements

The golden rule of video production is to show, not tell. Include visual elements that will capture the attention of your audience. Consider high-quality product shots, animations and graphics, and other visuals that will add to your message.

Kennedy International Studios – Corporate Video Production
  • Use Simple Language

Your corporate video should be easily understandable by your target audience. Use simple language that will communicate your message clearly. Avoid using technical jargon that might confuse or alienate your audience.

  • Use Client Stories

Clients’ stories and testimonials are a powerful tool for creating a captivating corporate video. A well-told story of how your brand has positively impacted a customer can be the perfect hook to draw in potential customers.

  • Keep it Short and Interesting

People have short attention spans, so you want to keep your video interesting and engaging, but also brief and to the point. The ideal length for a corporate video ranges from 30 seconds to two minutes.

  • Edit and Fine-Tune

Once you have all the necessary elements in place, edit your video to fine-tune it and make it more polished. The right music, graphics, and other elements can take your video to the next level. You can also add subtitles to increase accessibility.

Creating a captivating corporate video can take your brand’s marketing to the next level. Remember to identify the purpose of your video, plan your content, use simple language, incorporate visuals, use clients’ stories, keep it short and interesting, and finally, fine-tune and polish your video. With these tips, you can create a corporate video that will engage your audience and help you achieve your marketing goals. If you have any questions please reach out to us at Kennedy International Studios!

Call Kennedy International Studios or all your marketing & video production needs in Dothan, AL, the Wiregrass and Nationally.

5 Steps to Start Your Video Marketing Strategy
F. Scott Kennedy

5 Steps to Start Your Video Marketing Strategy

SocialMarketing

Video content gives your company a human face, builds trust and allows your prospects to see your product or service in action.

There’s no question about it. Video is huge and the ways businesses can cash in on the benefits are growing exponentially. When it comes to marketing your business, video should play a huge role. You can use predictive analytics technology as explained on Salesforce, to find the possible benefits a video can have on your business. Whether you’re showing people how to most effectively use your product, giving viewers an inside look at your company and the people who make things run, offering client testimonial videos, or using video ads for your Facebook advertising campaigns, video should be an integral part of your marketing strategy.

According to statistics on www.makewebvideo.com – video is changing how companies reach new prospects, convert traffic into leads on their websites, close sales, cover customer service issues, and delight your brand advocates.

Consider this:

  • Video has the highest click-through rate of any digital format
  • Digital video advertising spend will double by 2019 in response to a surge in mobile video.
  • By 2020, 75% of all mobile traffic will be video
  • According to HubSpot, including video on a landing page canincrease conversion by 80%
  • Videos earn the highest rate of engagement of any other forms of content

2017 is definitely the year to get your videos rolling! So consider these business video marketing strategies when planning out your first – or next – video.

1. Make your video as short as possible.

Short Video TimesGrab your audience’s attention and then deliver value fast. Assume that your viewers are busy. Short and sweet is a safe strategy, especially when most people don’t even watch videos all the way through. Sure, you can create longer videos when needed (and they may be more worth your while in remarketing campaigns), but don’t presume that video marketing equals full-length video content.

Different videos have a different optimal length but in each one of them, the rule of thumb will be :  make it as short as possible.

Consider the following examples:

  • Tutorials/Explainers (45-90 sec)
    The most common type of video tutorials are mobile and Web app tutorials. Since one of the goals of a tutorial is to show how simple it is, you need to keep your video the same. Simplicity means less time. Keep most tutorials under 2 minutes.
  • Creative commercials (15-59 sec)
    Just think about it – some of the best ever commercials are those we’re used to seeing during the Super Bowl, where the spots are the most expensive and the average commercial stands on 30 seconds.
  • Consider a clever gag, a funny story, or a heart-warming image. And remember – 59 seconds always looks better than 1:00.
  • Crowdfunding videos (Avg. 2.5 mins)
    Crowdfunding videos are usually longer than commercials and tutorials since the purpose is to create credibility around the project. Often a crowdfunding video will include a “talking head” part and another part showing the product, process, etc.
  • Testimonials/Talking heads (60-119 sec)
    When you want to show your customers talking about your product or your founders talking about the company, the video can be even four to five minutes long.

Grow your audience by making sure you’re consistently providing a fast delivery on your ideas. If you’re consistent with short clips, your audience will be more likely to tune in again and again because they know the delivery is quick and the value comes fast.

2. Post video content in multiple locations.

Where your video content is hosted matters. Creating a video and uploading it to YouTube might be your first thought. But here’s why that’s not your best option. Facebook videos directly embedded into the platform get more engagement than posting a link to a YouTube video. Based on Mixpo’s recent State of Video Ads report, Facebook will overtake YouTube as the leader in online video ads in the next 12 months.

For maximum video marketing ROI, you need to directly embed your video content in multiple locations. Embed videos within blog posts on your own site, pin videos to Pinterest, and share your new videos on your business’ LinkedIn profile, Facebook and Twitter. The more touch points you create, the better your chances are of seeing increased video return on investment.  Wherever you post your video, make sure embed codes are offered to your audience. If you allow others to embed your video content, the reach of your brand messaging is extended. Make sure your videos are watermarked with your logo for an added boost of brand awareness.
Screen Shot 2017-05-24 at 11.23.26 AM

3. Include video in your email marketing.

Sharing your videos on your website or social media channels isn’t your only option; don’t forget about expanding your video’s reach via email. Embed video content in your email newsletters consistently and watch your open rates climb. When your email subscribers come to expect awesome video content from you, they’ll look forward to your next message, and not just hit “delete.” Mention your embedded video content when you promote your email newsletters on social media and you’re likely to see your subscriber list grow, too.  How about adding a link to your latest video in your email signature?

Once you realize just how many ways you can use video content, you’ll understand why this form of visual content marketing is exploding in popularity.

4. Optimize your video for SEO.

SEO with powerful niche links attached with their discription is crucial for video marketing success. Here’s what you need to keep in mind:

Video Keyword: Like anything aquried by companies like justseo.co.nz, the video SEO process starts with keyword research. What are the phrases you think potential customers might use to search for content related to your topic? There are a variety of tools SEO services company use, like Answer the Public, or Google’s auto-fill capabilities. After you’ve selected potential search phrases you can rank for, you’re ready to check out how strong your keywords and phrases are. In Google’s Keyword Planner, you can get search volume and traffic estimates for keywords you’re considering.

Video Filename: Make sure that you use the keyword in the video’s filename.

Video Title:  The title of your video should be at least 5-words long, enabling you to include your full keyword without keyword stuffing. Additionally, you get aslight video SEO boost by putting your keyword at the beginning of the title.

Description: Search engines rely on your text description to determine your video’s content, so be sure to:

  • Include a link to the appropriate page on your website
  • Include your keyword/phrase in the first 25 words
  • Make the description at least 250-words
  • Include your keyword more than once

The more you optimize your videos for search engine discovery, the better your content will perform. Hop over into this site https://victoriousseo.com/verticals/ecommerce-seo/ to make all that effort really count.

5. Make your load times as short as possible.

Load time is absolutely critical for increased video ROI.

Video Loading TimeMake sure your video is compressed for speed and in a format that will load quickly regardless of a viewer’s device. With ready-to-use livestreaming platforms you needn’t worry about compression rates, but any embedded video content should always be optimized for speed/load times.

Finally, don’t forget to repurpose your video content into multiple formats.  Create a slideshare presentation, build a blog post around your latest video or offer polls on social media based upon your videos. Create a series of video snippets and images with text based on the content. The more ways you repurpose video, the better your return on investment. Make repurposing part of your content marketing strategy – it saves you time and effort, and gets the most mileage out of that extremely valuable video.

Think you don’t have the budget to make an effective video? Think again!

You can make an effective video on your cell phone if it’s done well. But if you’re looking for a more polished & professional look, video marketing companies like ours can create budget-friendly videos specifically tailored to social media, e-newsletters, or other short-form formats. Or, if you have a bigger budget at your disposal for your video project – perhaps to make it longer and more all-encompassing, such as a front page video explaining your company on your website.

Check out some of our videos, then give us a call to talk about your next video project!

START A PROJECT NOW!

Fill out the contact form below to get started:

Kennedy Web Video Explainer from F. Scott Kennedy on Vimeo.

Reference: https://quantummarketer.com/best-instagram-growth-services/

Call Kennedy International Studios for all your video production & visual marketing needs. Locally in the Wiregrass and Dothan area but traveling nationally for over 25 years!

Video Production Success – Facebook Vs YouTube
F. Scott Kennedy

Video Production Success – Facebook Vs YouTube

facebook-vs-youtubeKENNEDY

Picking between the two giants

After a decade of being the unquestioned leader in the online video market, YouTube, the Google-owned service, has found a formidable rival in Facebook.  With the rise of video and film production as an effective content marketing tool, today’s marketers ask: which channel can be best used to present their brands to their audiences – Facebook video or YouTube?

Search vs. Social

YouTube and Facebook are two media platform giants that have different advantages. Search for the former, being under the umbrella of Google; and social for the latter. When trying to discover content, we run to Google and simply search for anything through the use of keywords. Being under the umbrella of Google, YouTube holds the edge when it comes to search as Google can simply favour its channels. That said, when users know what to look for, they can simply try to play with keywords and results including YouTube videos can come up that easy. However, the case seems to be changing recently because of social media. While YouTube remains to be the biggest traffic destination when it comes to videos, Facebook is working to take a larger slice of the pie. In just a short period of time, Facebook videos are seen to be gaining more control in the online video scene. It is not very surprising to know that Facebook will soon take action in turning its attention to videos. As video marketing continues to become popular in the online marketing industry, Facebook’s merger of videos alongside its social media edge is a huge benefit to online marketers and businesses. In today’s case, Facebook feeds the top and recent videos to its users, which makes it possible for people not to turn to search engines just to see the latest and the trending. Through this system, social media gains the momentum when it comes to presenting what’s hot, viral and most viewed. Moreover, let us not forget that YouTube videos are also being viewed through Facebook.

Weighing between the most recent and the permanent content

As marketers, you must carefully study your goals for your digital marketing efforts. Understanding the trade-off between permanence and recency is vital in deciding which channel to place your video as it will measure your video’s ability to hold attention over time. For instance, Facebook Video can help your content gain attention through social media actions such as likes, comments and shares, but it can disappear quickly since recency and social interaction are the only ways to keep your video actively visible on the news feeds. YouTube, on the other hand, can easily be searched even when the video has been posted years back or hasn’t even gained much social actions. The important thing to note on YouTube’s edge in this case is that, your video remains searchable over time and can even gain attention even it is an old content. So in terms of staying power, YouTube takes the lead over Facebook. While if you think you can leave your video’s success on social actions, turn to Facebook. Now, have you decided where to put your brand’s corporate video?

Good news for marketers

Although we try to carefully figure out which is best and more beneficial to our brand, there’s a slightly positive thing that might ease the dilemma of choosing between Facebook video or YouTube. That is, competition between the two video channel giants is actually beneficial to brands that are keen on video production. Simply put, video content creators can in fact take advantage of the emerging online video developments in each channel. With proper planning and strategy, you can be sure that your video production efforts will be optimised. Facebook videos are known to be made to grab the users’ attention, so one thing to do is to create teasers for the Facebook page, and connect them to the full length version via the YouTube channel. This, however, is one of Facebook’s biggest downside against YouTube. While Facebook works to convince marketers to post full videos on the social media channel, users can see gaining more potential on YouTube where the content can be monetised. Will Facebook offer a better arrangement to its video content creators than that of YouTube? We can only wait. But until then, try to work around how your brand can get the most out of the competition. However, if you are more concerned about brand recognition than your video’s record of overall views in each channel, then you could post the same videos on both channels. BuzzFeed does this! Why? Simply because it’s fundamentally more significant to spread your video, gain recognition and increase recommendations in two different channels rather than increase the number of views by staying in just one channel. In the case of BuzzFeed, results have been different, wherein marketing videos on Facebook sometimes result to more views while the same video gathers relatively lower views on YouTube; and sometimes, the other way around when the video is found on YouTube search.

Online video production landscape

By understanding your brand and the online video landscape, you will be able to determine which approach is better. Plan and create a strategy to ensure where your video content will fit in and benefit your brand best. As you plan about your next move, try to leverage on these two biggest video platforms to make your social media marketing efforts a success.

To know more about video production for Youtube & Social Media click here: Kennedy International Studios Video Productions

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Kennedy Web Video Explainer from F. Scott Kennedy on Vimeo.

Making Sense of the New Cinema Cameras
F. Scott Kennedy

Making Sense of the New Cinema Cameras

Making Sense of the New Cinema Cameras

Last week’s new Cinema camera announcements were monumental in many aspects but not exactly what many were hoping for as far as the new Canon C300, or was it? I on the other hand think that it is a great camera and I will probably be purchasing one next year (need to be able to download real untouched footage first), is it better than the new Red Scarlet X? No, but not the same kind of camera. Here are my thoughts on the two and why I am choosing the Canon as a purchase camera.
As I said earlier, they are completely two different cameras. I am a firm believer that there is no perfect camera, you need to pick the best camera for the project you are working on. Some projects require 4 or 5k shooting but many do not; some require fast editing & turn around, some do not; some require autofocus and fast ENG shooting, some do not. You get the idea. Philip Bloom has a great video out about “ Choosing the right camera for the right job ” , you should go check it out, part 1 & part 2.
For the sake of argument lets examine the features of both and get past the “specs”, let’s talk real world use by a production company. On Thursday November the 3rd Canon released the C300 and then shortly after that Red released the Scarlet X. I used 2 different live blogs to view the details as they unfolded, www.planet5d.com and www.engadget.com. Here is what I learned as they revealed the short and specs.

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Canon C300

Canons release of the C300 had a huge release party with some of the top names in film, Martin Scorsese, Richard Crudo, Polly Morgan, Vincent Laforet, and Sam Nicholson all were beta testers on this cinema camera and produced short films that were shown at the beginning of the release. When they first starting showing these films on the 50 foot screen all the live bloggers could say was wow, great image, so sharp, etc… Then they released the dreaded, misleading specs! Only 1080 and a $20,000.00 retail price tag? All of a sudden everyone was upset that it was not 4k, and so expensive, never mind the great image they just showed, it is now crap as the Red fan boys said, ha, ha. (You can get all the specs for the C300 at canoncimenaeos.com)

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Red Scarlet X

Later in the day Red announces the specs and price for the new Scarlet X and the Red fans went wild! Basically the Red Scarlet X is a downgraded Epic (used on almost every film out there right now) that shoots 4k RAW, no 300 frames per second as with the $58,000 Red Epic but it only cost $9750.00 for the body only. This is great, finally we are able to shoot 4k for less than $58,000.00. As soon as this came out the web was full of headlines “Red blows away Canon!”, “What was Canon thinking?”, “The Event that stole Canon’s Thunder”, etc… Do I agree with this? Well, that’s the gray area. These cameras should not be competing anyway. One is 4k and the other is 1080, but which one is really the most affordable and easiest to use? Which one is easy to edit? mmmm…..
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When to use 4k


Now let’s compare these two cameras in the real world, this is where the Red people are going to hate me.

Most production companies do not need 4k yet, there I said it. Let the reprimand begin! But, hear me out, how many of you have a 4k monitor for editing? How many of you have been to a 4k theater in your town? How many of you have a 4k projector? How many of you have a 4k TV? Not a lot right? Most medium to small towns do not even have a TV station that broadcast in HD, they may send an HD signal but the local news and local ads are still SD, if you have cable you still have to pay extra for the HD channels, it is not fully main stream. What I am trying to say is that yes in 10 or 15 years the main stream population will be able to purchase 4k TV’s for their home, but not right NOW. So, we are back to the right camera for the right job. If I was making a feature length movie or a national TV commercial for BMW that I wanted to be future proof as far as the best quality and the longest life then I would shoot it on a RED. But most of us do not make our living doing that, the big jobs are great but most are smaller, bread and butter jobs. They need to be great quality and out the door fast to keep our clients happy and the money flowing.


C300 & Scarlet X – Breaking down the true price:

The list price for the C300 is $20,000.00 and the list price for the Scarlet X is $9,750.00, a huge price difference right? WRONG. The Canon C300 is retail price so its street price will be around $16,000.00, I still think that Canon should have had a street price of around $13,000.00 but that’s neither here nor there. The Red Scarlet X is $9,750 for the body, but you need much more to run a red camera than a Canon. If I purchased the C300 today then I can slap on one of my lenses, insert a CF card, place it in one of my already purchased rigs and start shooting. If I purchase the Red Scarlet I am going to have to get the kit for $14,015 just to start shooting some footage. With the kit I should be able to shoot about 30 to 60 minutes of footage in Raw before I have to download the card. That’s not enough, so I need more storage, Red uses SSD so I have to purchase them from Red for $995 per 64gb. If you want to edit Red Raw in real time you will need a “Red Rocket” graphics card which is $5,000 (see more info below). I already have a separate recording devise for sound that I use with HDSLRs so that will not be an expense for me but just so that you know, the Red does not record XLR sound yet so you will have to sync the sound. If you do not have this then that is yet another expense. Now, all my rails for my rigs are 15mm systems and the Red are 19mm, got to get a few thousand in rig parts. So, that $9,750 has grown to around $23,000 or so depending on how much storage you need. Still a great price for a 4k camera but not really a $10,000 dollar camera.

Reliability and Response:

I have used Canon cameras and lenses for 20 years and have been a member of CPS (Canon Professional Services) most of that time. They are amazing at helping out the pro shooters with fast response and equipment replacements. The one thing that worries me about Red is that they are a very small company, what if something goes wrong? The Red CEO’s quote is “Everything in life changes… including our camera specs and delivery dates…” “We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone with a bad attitude.” Yes, that’s funny… but not comforting to someone who would be relying on their equipment to make money. Here is a great example of two Red problems. Philip Bloom showed up for a commercial shoot and the camera would not fire up, he had to shoot it on a HDSLR 5D MII, the only back up he had with him. Philip also shot some things for a friends movie called “Host” and this is what happened, my worst night mare as a DP, video: DP’s Worst Nightmare Link

Sensors Compared:

From what I have seen so far you could use the HD footage from the C300 along with the Red and most people would not even know the difference. Most people read specs and think that it is the golden ruler as how to measure the cameras, we have learned form still photography that it is not all about mega pixels but about smooth, clean, sharp images and the harmony of all the cameras components that make great images. I think that is what the film industry needs to learn. To keep from getting too technical I will give you some links below. Basically just because Red says there image is 4k does not mean that it is a 4k in the truest sense. This article by John Galt will help you understand more: The Future of Pixels. And there is one more problem to deal with if you want to shoot regular 2k/HD footage on the Red, crop factor is crazy! See Philip Blooms demonstration here: Philips Crop Demonstration also here: prolost.com/shrinkage

Edit Time:



Most editing suites will take the new Canon C300 files directly into the time line and you can begin editing on your current machine with no problems. Red files on the other hand are raw. This is great for keeping a great dynamic range and giving you much more options in post, but they are hard on older computers, anything less than say a $6,000 comp with a $5,000 Red Rocket card is going to struggle. This means much more edit time and cost to your clients.

Main Advantages of Each:

[column2]

Canon C300 Advantage

Not a lot of extras needed
Amazing low light performance
Great Dynamic Range
Easy Editing
[/column2]

[column2_last]

Red Scarlet X Advantage

Shoots Amazing 4k Raw
Sensor can be updated
Amazing Dynamic Range
It’s a Red, makes you look cool
[/column2_last]

We all know the Red is a great camera, but what about the C300? Vincent Laforet said this in his Blog today, ” I can also say without hesitation that the Canon C300 has one of the top 6 sensors (and supporting processing hardware/chips) in the world. Many people/bloggers out there are erroneously saying the 5DM KII can do as well- but they haven’t a clue, to put it very bluntly. I’ve tested both – extensively and side by side. The C300 wins hands down- and that’s in relation to almost all cameras out there today (short of the very high end,) not just the Canon 5DMKII. I look forward to putting some tests out there this week. I’d pick the C300 over any other camera (including the Sony F3 and the FS100) any day” . Vincent also owns the Red Epic and is a huge fan of that camera but even he states the great performance of the C300. www.vincentlaforet.com

Final Thoughts:



The Red is an amazing camera, we all know this. Will they make their promise come true and meet the shipping requirements? We will have to see. Can Red keep up with demand and quality? We will have to see. Will I use the new Scarlet X, I am sure I will. When a project with this budget and quality calls for a Red camera then I will happily use it. Will I purchase one? Not any time soon, we will rent it when needed but probably not purchase. Unless something changes, like my movie that I have been writing gets started or we have a big enough project that it would be more cost effective to purchase a Red than rent, something like that. It may seem like I am bashing the Red but I am not, It is an amazing camera at a great price for the kind of camera that it is. I am just showing the cost differences and production differences. Would I like to own a Red Scarlet and a $58,000 Red Epic? Hell yes, I would love too, but is it the right thing at the right time? Not in my opinion. If you have the extra money then get both cameras, if you are like us and getting through the bad economy month by month then just rent it. Even though I think the Canon C300 is a bit over priced I think that it is a good camera. We will see how things go over the next few months, we will soon see how this all pans out for us, the end users.
The right camera for the right job. The ultimate choice is yours.

BY: F. SCOTT KENNEDY

Update 11-08-2011

Just heard a rumor that the Red Scarlet-X is already on back order till June 2012, if it is true then its a shame that they can not keep up.

1161 N. Park Ave. Dothan, AL 36303 334-678-8454 scott@kennedyintstudios.com