Still More on Marlon Sander’s Video Thread
From http://www.warriorforum.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=111264&whichpage=2
This a thread about Marlon Sander’s Buzz Generating Video
Dr. Chisti made another post and quoted me.
So, I posted this…
Hakim,
You are right when you say that cost could run into thousands.
I disagree with you about people’s standards. Look at the music, movie and television industries. Reality TV and talk shows cost very little to produce as compared to drama and sitcoms. The music industry has a illustrious history for making money from rough raw music.
Having said that, I see your point regarding certian industries.
However, Paul Myers asked if anyone knew of a camera that could get similar results. I, merely, wanted him and others know that you can achieve awesome results without spending a lot of money.
Since, we are talking about viral video then you can through out most of the post production costs associated with TV.
Let me illustrate with FUBAR. One of my instructors worked in post production on the movie. It was shot on a Canon GL2 for $10,000 CAD. Over $340,000 went into post production after the movie was picked up for distribution. If was not for the distributor paying the bills, then post production costs would have been kept down to $50,000 or so.
Other cheap films include Kevin Smith’s $5,000.00, Clerks; Robert Rodriguez’s $7000.00, El Mariachi and, of course, Daniel Myrick’s and Eduardo Sánchez’s $50,000, The Blair Witch Project.
Granted, these are extreme examples, using existing locations, minimal cast and crew. Furthermore, the costs do not include post production which is expensive.
Here is what you can do with only $500.00
Before there was Napoleon Dynamite there was Peluca, Jared Hess’ short starring Jon Heder in search of a fanny pack. Click on the title and watch the short.
Nothing flashy. No complex shots. It is an award winning cheap short.
Before I share a few more shots on viral marketing videos; I want to say, if you have the time to plan, write, direct and edit; then your costs drop way down.
Learn to use a good camera as well as lighting and you save even more money. You have learn these by doing. You should also really take a workshop or two.
Digital Filmmaking 101 and Setting Up Your Shots are two great books for anybody considering making a viral video. What I learned in these books helped keep my costs down.
Back to Viral Marketing Videos
Bill Gates and Jon Heder shot a viral marketing video, in three hours, called Bill Gates Goes to College. There is nothing in the video that is difficult to do.
Here is what maybe the first viral marketing video. One sationary camera, one continous shot, one sound effect and one special effect. It is for a violent video game.
After, posting this I recalled seeing music videos and movie trailers being past around just after Al Gore invented the internet. What makes feel dumb, though, is that I pointed several bands in the right direction so they could promote themselves online before the video game out.
Now, I want to ask a question.
How do you you integrate affiliate marketing with viral video?
Marlon’s video was made to create buzz. Nobody can deny that he is not creating a tremendous amount of buzz.
However, it is not viral as you have to drive traffic to the site.
I can see problems for an affiliate driven business.
You have to actively promote the link to the video.
A viral video should be branded in a manner so it does not set off spyware detection software.
There is a model that can be adapted. Right now, music is being distributed and sold via, get this, multi level marketing, of all things, at http://www.weedshare.com/
This is pure viral marketing. You download a song from some website or somebody burns a CD and gives you one. You can listen to a song three time before you have to buy it. Once you buy a song you have just joined a three level affiliate program for that song.
Unfortunately, the process of distribution is overt. For many niches a viral marketing video probably requires covert branding. That way people will email it to family, friends, co-workers and so on and so forth without thinking that they are, in reality, promoting a product.
After all, we have to remember, that most people don’t go online to make money.
Once that problem is solved then there will be a flood of viral marketing videos and the instant experts that bought some PLR e-book on producing viral marketing videos.
Yours, in the spirit of Riel,
Jerry Reeder
