Video Production & Creative Design

Q. If you were a customer, what do you wish you knew about your trade? Any inside secrets to share?

A. Trying to cut corners may wind up costing you more. You might be able to tape an interview or customer testimonial, but chances are it may not be everything that you want. Sometimes it's difficult or impossible to re-shoot the customer and the opportunity is lost.

One of the most important aspects of a production is the sound. If anything, people will forgive a less than stellar picture, but bad audio will ruin everything. If you've got a good audio track, we can use graphics and other video clips to cover any problems with the picture.

TAG Video has the equipment and experience necessary to provide the results that you need. And chances are it's a lot less expensive than you think.

Q. Why does your work stand out from others who do what you do?

A. TAG Video was started because we knew we could do a better job and give customers the results they deserved.

Q. What do you like most about your job?

A. I enjoy the diversity and creative challenges presented to me on each and every project.

Q. What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?

A. Is it expensive to create a video? It's most likely a lot less than you think. And add in the fact that your video will be seen 24/7 by people all around the world and then ask yourself how can I afford NOT to do this?

Q. Do you have a favorite story from your work?

A. A client asked for a video to help them find her missing grandson who had been taken away by his father. She had spent tens of thousands of dollars on private detectives and been searching for around 5 years - with no luck.

I went down to her home, taped an interview and had the video posted on YouTube and her website in short order. Within weeks her grandson had been found and reunited with her.

Q. What do you wish customers knew about you or your profession?

A. Buying and using a video camera is cheap and easy. What really counts is the skill and experience a professional brings to the project. There is more to it than just having a camera. You have to know about lighting, audio, composition, editing, and many more subtle nuances.

If you want a professional looking result, hire a professional. You will be glad that you did.

Q. How did you decide to get in your line of work?

A. I have always had an interest in movies and making videos. I also have done some acting. One time I did a show and bought the official video. It was expensive and a total disaster. The picture was dark, badly framed, and totally missed the action numerous times.

I knew I could do better and that the people who paid good money for the video deserved a much better product.

Since then I have expanded my services to include documentary and independent film making, graphic design and event videography for stage, film, training, product demonstration, and concerts.

Q. Tell us about a recent job you did that you are particularly proud of.

A. I was brought on-board for a documentary film project on open-wheel formula-one style car racing. The film has been very well received by a major auto manufacturer and has won awards at film festivals, including Best Documentary and Best Cinematography. Negotiations are currently underway for distribution.

Q. If you were advising someone who wanted to get into your profession, what would you suggest?

A. First of all, know that getting the proper equipment and computer hardware/software is rather expensive. You're looking at $20,000 or more just for entry level. Professional cameras can start at around $8000 and go up to $250,000 or more.

Even if you have all the right equipment, if you don't know how to use it or have the creative insight, it's going to be quite difficult to get beyond the hobbyist stage.

If you're serious about making video productions, then by all means do so. Start with a decent camcorder and piece together projects. Take classes, read books, check out sites and online magazines such s Videomaker, DV, StudioDaily, etc.

Q. Write your own question and answer it.

A. What if I shoot my own video? Can you edit it?

The short answer is: Yes, I can. However, there is only so much that I can do. If the footage is noisy, jittery, badly framed, or poorly lit - the results are going to suffer.

Contact me and I can advise how you can make the most of your production. I will be glad to review your footage and let you know if I can make it work, or if it would be better to re-shoot. I have some clients whom I've trained in the right way to shoot and how to get good results.