The Rise and Importance of Livestreaming for Business

From Zoom to Instagram Live, livestreaming has seen an uptick in popularity as the role of digital communication in society becomes more and more vital. When it comes to video marketing, “Forbes’ 11 Expert Predictions for Video Marketing” reveals that livestreaming in particular will continue to skyrocket in popularity as a business marketing tool.

So, What is Livestreaming Anyway?

Livestreaming is essentially an interactive broadcast. It allows anyone with a laptop, tablet or smartphone the power to communicate with an audience in real time, whether that be through a social media platform like Facebook Live or Instagram Live, or through digital communication avenues like Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Google Meet.

A livestream gives anyone the power to be seen and heard. This is true for businesses showcasing new products, or even influencers talking about their personal lives.

Livestreaming as a marketing tool can be as simple as talking into your phone’s camera, but it can also be well thought out and professional. The direction you choose depends on the goal of your broadcast. If you’re looking to host a livestream that appears professional, consider bringing in a production team.

Let Us Help Take Your Livestream to the Next Level.

Gefen Productions offers livestream services to help ensure broadcasts take off without a hitch. Whether it’s hosting a live telethon fundraiser or showcasing a new product to followers, we make professional look effortless.

Services Include:

  • Professional cameras, lighting and audio gear
  • Experienced technicians
  • High-quality broadcast that’ll helps set you apart

At Gefen Productions, your story matters — let us help you all it. View our photography and video production portfolios, or drop us a line for more information about how we can help you reach your video production goals.

You Can Produce Your Own Video … But Should You?

In a world where smartphone cameras can take high quality photos and videos, it may seem like you have the equipment of a professional production company at your fingertips. But, shooting footage only scratches the surface of video storytelling.

From message development to file optimization, there are countless factors to consider when developing video content.

Has a clear and consistent message been established?

From the planning stages to post-production, a video production company can help you identify your audience and craft content based on that audience’s interests and needs. Developing a clear and consistent message tailored to a target audience ensures that they’re consuming content in a way that increases the likelihood of a strong return on your investment.

What are your priorities?

The emergence of smartphones with professional-level cameras makes it easy for, say, a sales representative to become tasked with creating promotional content for their corporate company. However, if that sales manager is spending time shooting video and learning to edit it together, they’re spending less time closing sales and increasing revenue for their company.

When considering a production avenue for video content for a company, it’s important to consider that handing that job to an employee takes time away from their regular responsibilities.

How professional do you want your content to look?

A big part of producing your own video is understanding the quality of the finished product. For example, the camera on your phone may shoot high-definition video, but does its microphone pick up audio to match?

It’s also crucial to consider the quality of your video after it’s exporting. Each time you post a photo or video to Instagram or Facebook, it’s “stepped on,” which means you lose resolution due to file compression.

If you’re looking for a video that’s going to tell a story and reflect a sense of professionalism, a video production company may be the best fit for your creative vision.

At Gefen Productions, your story matters, and we’d love to help you tell it. View our photography and videography portfolio, or contact us for more information on how we can help you reach your video production goals.

Rokinon Cine-DS Lenses Join the Gefen Arsenal!

FS7 PRIME LENSES 650px

Rokinon Cine-DS

We are very excited to have just added the new Rokinon Cine-DS line of cinema prime lenses with color matched optics.  We have 24mm, 35mm, 50mm & 85mm prime lenses.

The Rokinon Cine Primes are excellent for several reasons.  First, image quality is very good.  And they are extremely fast at F1.5.  We can shoot in very low light conditions.  They also allow for very shallow depth of field.  Throwing the background out of focus is very popular today. DS stands for “Dual Scale”, which means there is a scale on each side so an AC can operate the lens from either side of the camera.  They make an awesome package when coupled with our Sony FS7 and Chrosziel matte box.

Check out a few stills we grabbed from a recent project where we used Rokinon lenses.

FS7 SCREEN CAP 01

FS7 SCREEN CAP 04

Wheelin’ and Dealin’!

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For the last five years, we’ve had the pleasure of working with a local auto dealership on their TV spots. Under the direction of the dealership’s agency, we’ve created several commercials that they’ve been very pleased with. For our last shot, we used our new Sony FS7 4k/HG camera with our Dana dolly.

auto1The camera, when combined with great lighting, makes for a great shoot and phenomenal results. Clients are able to get a lot of bang for their buck while getting some amazing footage, including beautiful selective focus and 14 stops of latitude. This camera can handle some extreme situations and create some sweet, smooth footage. We’re definitely a fan!

My Big Fat Fabulous Life Podcast

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MYBIGFATFABLIFE

We recently shot a podcast session for TLC’s hit new show, My Big Fat Fabulous Life, which is set right here in Greensboro, NC. The show’s star, Whitney Thore, had a great personality and was fun to work with! Also along for the shoot were her mom, Babs, her roommate, Buddy, and her dance partner, Todd. We shot with two cameras for Discovery and TLC’s social media efforts.

Our New Dana Dolly

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We are excited to announce the recent purchase of a Dana Dolly, which is actually a larger slider used in video production. It allows us to give the camera a great deal of movement with easy set up and quick location changes. It also lets us get moving camera shots in difficult situations quite easily. Where it may have taken a crew to set up a dolly track, now a single person can easily set it up with very little efforts. It’s a real shot-making rig!

Sports Illustrated Tailgate Tour 2015

MICHAEL ISABELLA AND CHRIS ARNDOLD I RS

We recently had a fun opportunity to shoot and edit an episode for the Sports Illustrated Tailgate Tour 2015 at the Virginia Tech/Ohio State football game on September 7th, 2015. The video was shot, edited and delivered within 24 hours and is now live on the Sports Illustrated website!

BRUCE SMITH AND CHRIS ARNOLD I RSFeatured are Chef Michael Isabella, Pro Bowl NFL player Bruce Smith, and host Chris Arnold.

Click here to see the video on Sports Illustrated Campus Rush.

Aerial Solutions Takes Flight with Innovative Tree Trimming Method

helicopter

The president of Aerial Solutions, a North Carolina based company that pioneered the use of helicopter tree trimming, announced that the company will be featured on an upcoming episode of Innovations by Ed Begley, Jr. on the Discovery Channel. We had the opportunity to work with the president, Cleve Cox (seen pictured here with one of his helicopters), on a video project leading up to this exciting debut.

This was a very cool project that we had a lot of fun with…meaning we got to ride in a helicopter and video a thirty foot long chainsaw trimming trees like a knife through butter. Aerial Solutions, Inc. has worked with utility companies across the United States since 1985 by offering a unique, fast, and cost-effective alternative to conventional side-trimming methods, with the ability to provide complete sky-to-ground clearance near power lines. Other methods have been limited by terrain, regulations or environmental restrictions.

The air-to-ground method used by Aerial Solutions reduces lateral vegetation encroachment along power lines, resulting in improved safety and service reliability. In other words, they trim vegetation back so when heavy winds occur, nearby towns don’t lose power due to trees falling on the lines.

You can see our footage here.

Chelsea Cullen Joslyn, YMCA of NW NC

“The crew at Gefen Productions are true professionals. From day one they understood our vision and over the course of the project brought that vision to life through expert videography and editing.” – C.C.J., YMCA of NW NC

Martin Lindstrom and His Virtual Director

Skype Director 1 RS

At Gefen Productions, we do whatever it takes to get the job done right. Even if that means phoning a friend, so to speak.

World renowned branding guru, Martin Lindstrom, recently joined us in the Gefen Productions studio to shoot a video to promote his new book. But before we could get rolling, he had an unusual request. Lindstrom wanted one of his team members to help direct the video. There was one caveat; his colleague was in Vancouver and couldn’t be there in person.

Gefen Productions isn’t one to shy away from unusual requests, so we made it happen!

Skype Director 2 RSArmed with a laptop, Skype and a director’s chair, we set up our virtual director in front of the monitor. The director called the shots from Vancouver, scripts were emailed back and forth for last minute revisions, and the shoot was executed seamlessly.

When there’s a will, there’s a way…and Gefen Productions always likes a challenge.