butter effect on your popcorn?

You know what advice is to anyone shooting a video? It doesn’t matter if you’re doing semi-pro stuff for weddings or your kid’s hockey game. Buy a tripod. I’ll say it again, BUY A TRIPOD.

I took the family last evening to see the movie Battle:LA. Quick aside; Not a bad man vs. alien movie, the usual fare of explosions, sacrifice and man overcoming the technologically superior ET.
About hour into the flick, my head is thick and dizzy. My teenage son is holding his head as well. The camera movements are dizzying.

It’s the shaky cam effect.

The latest addition to the director’s style arsenal is the idea that the camera is part of the shot. Breaking through that third wall to try to bring the audience into the scene with the actors. It was pioneered as early as 1925 made mainstream on TV shows and really taken to the edge on the Blair Witch. A few years ago while watching Cloverfield I had the same ill feeling. The whole film shot from a handheld camera. I would have happily swallowed the idea that the character broke into a camera store and used a tripod the whole movie. The effect, for me didn’t help the story, it got in the way.

I appreciate the idea that the director is looking to bring to the audience the immersive effect of being right in the action. Both movies did that, the camera jerked and swayed as the marines ran, flew violently when explosions happened, and the effect covered the short comings in the set when it needed to.

But as a technical way to cover mistakes or a vehicle to depict the scenes it doesn’t add to the story.
Legendary cinematographer Conrad Hall, (American Beauty, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid) worked wonders turning mistake like lens flares into cinema art. The “mistakes” turned into the effects and built upon the story. Some were happy accidents, some not. But the shots told the story.

And that’s the important thing. If it doesn’t add to your story, it takes away from it. This is true for video, web or print.

Regardless of the effect, the popcorn was delicious. You can catch a video discussion with Conrad Hall on the below link.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mas4zNdBhzo

The story of tweet success

10 reasons to get yourself a twitter account.

At this point Ive explained twitter to more people than i can shake a stick it… I can shake a stick a lot. So here is a quick summery of some of the reason to use twitter.

You can follow the adventures of digital north staff and crew on twitter by clicking here http://twitter.com/digitalnorthink . Make sure you follow us!

1. It doesn’t cost you anything.

2. You can tweet from your mobile device to promote your business.

3. It can be used to build your email database by posting email offers.

4. You can use it as news feed for your website.

5. Use twitter to show potential customers your involvement in the industry and competitive edge.

6. Follow and build industry trends.

7. Build a customer support area and reduce your tech support costs.

8. Focus your rewards programs on people who promote your business.

9. Gather raw customer intelligence and feedback.

10. Connect with your local area suppliers and customers.

You can set up your own twitter account by clicking the link below or better yet call us and we show you how you can use twitter and other online tools to promote your business.

https://twitter.com/

Another round of attack ads barkeep!

You know, for a country not in election mode the big boys sure are busy.

Last week the Harper Conservatives launched their attack ads. Not really a surprise. What bugs me about these ads is that they are simply attack ads on the liberal leader’s credibility. He lived abroad; he worked for the Americans and so on. Nowhere in the ads is any content as to what the Conservatives will do, how their policies are better. In the case of ad attacking the Liberal almost Coalition the Conservatives slam the Liberals for daring to think about forming a government this way, forgetting the fact the Harper tried some years ago.

You can view the ads here.

http://www.youtube.com/user/cpcpcc

Now the Liberals are not much better but I’ll give them the credit, their ads at least focus on what the Harper Conservatives have done wrong. But having just heard Michael Ignatieff speak at a town hall meeting indicating they would focus on the issues and leave the attack ads to the other guys it leaves me to wonder now that they are using them

Fair enough, the Liberal ads aren’t personal attack ads, but they do use fear as a motivator to not vote Harper.

The Liberal ads are here.

http://www.youtube.com/user/liberalvideo

The issue is one of how to use the media. Ads that attack or use fear as a goad work all too well, and they shouldn’t. George Bush in his 2004 campaign against John Kerry used fear to turn public opinion against a decorated war vet (something that usually resonates with the middle class voter) making Kerry having served a negative. George himself didn’t serve in the military actively, but through the use of attack ads made this not only a non issue but a problem for Kerry.

The Conservatives have learned well at the heels of their republican look a likes. It’s what turned the election against Martin and Dion, and it looks like we will see more of the same this time around. Issue is that this style of mudslinging serves no one and is in part one of the reasons for the decline in voter turnout. But as long as the people continue to be swayed by these ads we will keep seeing them.

And that’s a shame.

it IS NOT just business.

it's just business.

you know, if there are three words I hate when strung together those would be them.

I've heard then used to me and I've heard them used in regards to a future discussion someone else has planned.

When I've heard them addressed to me, I usually find myself holding the short end of the stick. That's ok, it IS business, and sometimes business decisions have to happen. So I'm not whining that i didn't win the quote or the other kid got to the swings first.

Perhaps it comes from what I've found in many business management books. The authors preach an adversarial warlike approach to business.That any action I take to crush my completion is ok, even lying to get inside info, because... wait for it.. it's just business. I don't agree with that principle.

No, what I dislike is the lie that the people using those words tell themselves to justify whatever act underlies those words.

And it is a lie.

When you hide behind the statement its just business, you surrender your morality and forgive yourself the action that on some level you suspect is wrong. The words are a salve to your own actions and a way to excuse your conscience from owning the fact you had to do something not in the best interest of someone else.

And again, these actions happen, it's ok. Just own the fact and make the tough call.

You and whoever is holding that short end of the stick will be better people for it.

Tis a new year

OK... I surrender.
I give in and beg forgiveness.
I promised a while back to write more and with that I have failed.
It's very difficult to find the time or the spark of an idea that's worthy to share.

But .. it's a new year
let's try again shall we?

There is lots on the go here at the world headquarters of Digital North and lots of new things to share.
you will hear more about them in the upcoming weeks.
In the mean time, I wish you all the best for a fun, safe and prosperous 2011.

talk soon

Customer service vs instant gratification

It’s been awhile, but this situation stirred me to the keyboard. It’s time to take my little fun car in for an oil change. When I bought the car it came with 3, count em, 3 free oil changes, what a lucky guy I am.

So I bypass my usual minute lube place, an experience that would normally take 10 minutes and cost $35 ish and take my ride to the dealer for its scheduled 7:45 appointment, yes I will wait for my car thank you, after all its an oil change.

Here is where life stepped sideways. I park the car, hand my keys over and ask… “How long with this take?” a simple question I thought. The fellow looks as me as says “half an hour, once the guys start at 8am” Pause, really? Why book an appointment a week ahead that I’m waiting for when it’s going to sit for 15 minutes.

Ok, I’m game; I’m in the market for a replacement for my daily driver, so to the showroom I go. I look at cars, smell interiors, have a cookie, check my email and facebook, flip the pages in a magazine. It’s about 8:25, let’s check on my vehicle, it’s probably ready to go. I peer out the window to the parking lot and see my car sitting right where I left it. I look over to the shop, its near empty. You’re kidding me? Sigh…

Ok back to the lobby, more sniffing, another cookie, more facebook,take another look, ahh the car is finally in the shop.

Now, have you ever changed oil? I have.

If you include a 10 minute coffee break it should take about 25 minutes. Zippy the mechanic du jour took 45 minutes. I’ve watch documentaries on tree sloths that moved quicker. So the car finally gets back in the lot, zippy hands the girl the papers. I wait a further 15 minutes… standing at the counter mind you... waiting to get my key.

Now remember the 3 free oil changes? Well the bill comes to $85ish (good lord, I realize it’s synthetic but really) the counter girl informs me that my 3 free oil changes equal 1 because my car needs synthetic oil.

Stunned silence.

Ya know, after an hour forty five, I no longer care, let me out of here.

So the upshot is Ill never go to this dealer again. Yes they got my money for a car, but the service work they will not get. More importantly they won’t get the next car. Forget the fact that a simple oil change was made took far longer than it should, and as a result wasted my time. But all of the good effort in trying to win my business through promotion is wasted by aphetic and uncaring staff.

Rule 1 in business is customer service, Forbes Motors and you’ve been around long enough to know that, perhaps you should tell your staff.

Busy, busy times

They say that, on their deathbed, no one wishes they spent more time at the office.
When I ponder that statement I imagine I'll recall this summer. It has been such a busy time with a number of projects all coming to a head at the same time. Armtec, a long time client had us redo their website, Bessey Tools, a newer client is just launching their North American site to followed by Quebec, Germany, the International and other European sites. We just launched the UA’s training site, while prepping for the world skills show in Calgary. We took best of show for our short film GOYA at the Ed Video 2009 24 hour film festival. And of course all the other regular work our awesome clients send us.

So it’s been busy, and that’s why no blogging of late.

But I have no complaints, I love what I do, the people I work with and the clients we do it for. So while a little time off would be welcome you have to make hey while the sun shines.

More blogging is in the works, I promise.