As many of you may know, or if you are new to this site, Dan Shinder’s fiancé is artist Nja Onê (pronounced “enja – onee”). Between other projects, Dan and the crew have been working on a second, more “in-depth” biographical film on Nja. 

Bits and pieces of it will be used here on the site to demonstrate the power of a biographical video, vs. a static page. There is a sample from her first film on our Products and Services page.

 The film was shot so far in Nevada, Arizona, California and Sydney Australia. In fact, during the filming, they we managed to squeeze out the promo below and release it prior to Nja going to Sydney. This lead to her having a very successful showing in North Sydney – A market tough for locals to break into, let alone an artist from a foreign country. This is one of many video promos used on the web which has helped her gain so much more success:

Please sign up for the RSS feed, opt in for our newsletter and be sure to check back often to not only see how the new biographical film unfolding will produce even more results for her, but how a similar concept can work for you, regardless of what industry you are in.

Nothing tells a story more than voice to be heard with a smile and body language to be seen in video. We know, we know – why don’t we have one for Dan yet??? Time. It’s been difficult to take the time to do that when we are so busy servicing our clients with video production. Fortunately, even if you are short on time, you can enlist our services to produce you video biography for you. Click on the contact us tab and tell us how you can become one of our clients today!

We Bring YOUR Business to LIFE – With VIDEO!

We thought we would put some of our favorite videos together from last year and include them here for you. These will help give you an idea of the wide variety of video services we provide amongst many genres of business, arts and entertainment. Please visit our contact page and let us know how we may be of service or if you have any questions. Based in Las Vegas – We Go ANYWHERE!

Here is a Promo of the most respected Neil Diamond Tributor, Jay White at the Riviera, Las Vegas: 

If you are an entertainer and want great marketing videos, performance coverage and/or DVD’s, we can help! We EVEN do Red Carpet Coverage and can spin those videos out into GREAT marketing pieces. Check out Dan Shinder’s son Alex in Action at Akon’s NBA All-Star Weekend:

We can not only help you promote an event conventionally, we can do a short film on it. Shin-Dig Film Production CEO/Director/Producer Dan Shinder did this with “Merit” as she prepared to participate in the Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race 2009. This gave fans a view of the world renowned event a view they had never scene before, along with a live streaming broadcast of the event for 4 days, 24 hrs a day. Shin-Dig Film Production did this with affiliate Streaming Video Systems with Dan directing the live stream, as well as the short film, “Merit – The Return.” This is a unique and powerful way to not only promote your event, but attract sponsors!

We have lots of other examples on our Products and Services Page as well as our YouTube Channel. When it comes to promoting yourself, dynamic video is one of the most omni-sensory ways you can get your message across. We can also help you put into place systematic marketing programs with your videos to help you get MEASUABLE RESULTS. Engage with your audience:

We can help you promote ANY type of Product or Event. Here’s best selling author Gina Mellicone-Long talking about her new book, “Think or Sink”

We look forward to hearing what your needs are so we can be part of your growing success – Based in Las Vegas, we go ANYWHERE!

Just as you prefer to receive information in an omni-dementional format, such as when you watch the news, your favorite TV show or movies, you can deliver your message in the same effective, engaging captivating manner.

Regardless of your product, service or skill, we can show you how to promote  through the web with maximized measurable results.This video shows you how to do it … And even though the intro refers to the Vegas area, we have customers in several countries who successfully take advantage of this concept:


Hey – We make no bones about it, it would wonderful if you hired us, however at the same time, we are happy to give free advice on how you can accomplish your multimedia dreams. If you want more info, write Dan Shinder, our CEO/Director/Producer, and he will answer your inquiries personally.

At Shin-Dig Film Production, we wish everyone a successful 2010 and are here to give your free proven marketing advice, as well as services for hire.

Shin-Dig Production Admin Team

Hello and thank you for checking up on us to see what’s new – Lots to talk about! If you have been following along, you know that along with doing our best to offer you free tips and hints on how to make you own or plan for your own videos to be done, we like to keep you up to date with what we are involved in. Tips always arise for you out of this as well.

For example, as we tell you about the Live Streaming Broadcast of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2009 from aboard Merit, you will also see in this video how we use a handy remote computer access program called “LogMeIn” as part of our technology. You may find your own application for this program, as we did. Please take a few minutes to watch this video and then read about the short film regarding the event that Dan is putting the final touches on.

As the first highlight reel produced for the live Streaming Broadcast of Merit in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2009, Dan Shinder demonstrates some of the behind the scenes technology. Remote computer access by LogMeIn has proved to be a very valuable tool, as Dan explains.


Doing a Live Stream from aboard a competing vessel in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race is a FIRST! This trailer is for the short film, Merit The Return. This film, directed by Dan Shinder of Shin-Dig Film Production and Presented by Streaming Video Systems, is a Backstage Pass to what goes into preparing for one of the worlds most anticipated annual sporting events watched around the Globe, the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2009.

The film will be broadcast during the first time ever live stream broadcast of the event and utilizes a four camera system aboard Merit. The system was designed by Mark Christiansen of Streaming Video Systems. Mark is also aboard Merit for the race as a Watch Skipper in his forth Hobart Appearance! Dan Shinder is also working along side Tom Swanton at the SVS office in Brisbane directing and pumping out highlight reels and commentary spots “Brought to You by LogMeIn.”

The film was shot on location at Able Point, Airlie Beach, Brisbane, Sydney Harbor and the Whitsundays All in Australia. All eyes are on Merit this year, as the team won their division last year, in spite of taking a detour and rescuing 14 members of the ill-fated Georgia, which sunk 10 minutes after the rescue. For more info and to Watch the live stream, go to www.svsvideo.tv

APN has put together some intersting facts and history on the background of the annual event:

The Sydney Hobart Yacht Race starts on 26 December year, starting in Sydney Harbour and winging it’s way through the Tasman Sea, Storm Bay and the Derwent River.

It’s become an icon of Australia’s summer sport to rival the Melbourne Cup and the Ashes between Australia and England. It’s undoubtedly one of the biggest water sports events in the world.

Not only is the race internationally renowned for influencing the world of race communications and safety, but it attracts huge media coverage and is often regarded as being bigger then the America’s Cup and the Volvo Ocean Race, which are only held every five years.

The 2008 race began on Sydney Harbour at noon on Boxing Day, before heading south 630 nautical miles through the Tasman Sea, Bass Strait, Storm Bay and the Derwent River before finishing in Hobart, Tasmania.

Last year’s race consisted of 100 starters. This year is set to be bigger and better with contenders from right around the globe.

The race initially began as a cruise but was later turned into a race, after a visiting British Royal Navy Officer made the suggestion in 1945. The event has grown over the decades since, attracting crews from around the world and celebrated it’s 60th anniversary in 2004.

The current race record was set in 2005 by Wild Oats XI, which crossed the line in a time of 1 day, 18 hours, 40 minutes and 10 seconds.

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We hope you join us for some of the live event and support Dan and Tom on their 24 hr a day production efforts for the duration of the event, not to mention Mark Christiansen, Leo Rodriguez and the entire crew of Merit – and you’ll get to see the film! 

Wishing You a Wonderful Holiday Season,

The Shin-Dig Film Production Staff and our extended family, Streaming Video Systems

Not only used for sport, but for safety and security with the maritime shipping and offshore drilling industries, but imagine being able to see your kids or grandkids live from their summer camp, dance/music recital, or even a wedding, from anywhere in the world! You can even have “Pay Per View” live streaming broadcasts to Monetize your content. (The example here and main event are NOT pay per view)

Imagine conducting sales meetings or trainings from one location to a staff spread out abroad! The possibilities are truly limited only to your imagination, which means, anything goes.

It’s so big, it has gotten the attention of CYCA (Cruising Yacht Club of Australia), the folks who put on the Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race. This is the Superbowl of this sport – The Big Dance!

You may have read us referencing the company, “Streaming Video Systems” here before. Master Yachtsman and Principal Mark Christiansen will be racing aboard Merit in this year’s Sydney to Hobart (His 4th!), skippered by Leo Rodriguez.

The CYCA has sanctioned a live streaming broadcast from aboard Merit with a system designed and installed by Mark Christiansen and his company, streaming video systems. The CYCA has been kind enough to lend it’s branding of the event to the landing page and video promo of this special event.

Shin-Dig Film Production is involved behind the scenes, having produced the promo currently on the landing page of the streaming event, as well as soaring around the web. You can see it here, directed and edited by Dan Shinder.

Dan will be in the Brisbane office of SVS, directing the streaming broadcast remotely, with Mark Christiansen aboard Merit for the duration of the race. Dan will also be uploading packets of media as “Highlight Reels” produced on the fly!

He has also put together a short film about Merit’s preparation for the race with insight from Leo Rodriguez, and first hand footage shot by Dan from on board Merit during a practice run while testing an assortment of sails.

Katie Kaiser will be in Hobart to capture Merit’s arrival. Last year, Skipper Leo Rodriguez led Merit to a win in its division, despite taking on a detour to rescue 14 crewmembers of the ill-fated “Georgia.” Tune in and be a part of the experience. For more information, please visit www.svsvideo.tv. To find out when the streaming broadcast is on in your area, you can convert the AESDT of 12:30 PM to your time zone here: http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/converter.html

For more information on the technology bringing this event to life, visit www.streamingvideosystems.com. SVS specializes in applying this technology to maritime industry, but there are no boundaries. You can also see a great video we did for SVS in the previous blog post which shows a lesson in video eMarketing.

The blog post, in case you haven’t seen it already, also sites staggering growth statistics of video used in eMarketing and eMarketing growth as a whole.

Thanks for joining us and remember, we would love to hear what you would like to see here on our blog suitable for your video production/marketing needs. Please check out the Products and Services Page to get more familiar with what we do and you can also check us out at www.youtube.com/shindigfilm

Thanks!

The Shin-Dig Film Production Staff

Based in Las Vegas, we go ANYWHERE!

Australia is turning up the volume as well – This statistic is from eMarketer.com July 2008:

“Australia is among the ranks of the most connected nations, with an Internet penetration rate of more than 66%—that translates to over 13 million Internet users. Broadband penetration has climbed dramatically over the past several years. It stands at nearly 55% and is projected to reach 76% by 2012” 

Karin von Abrams, eMarketer Senior Analyst writes:

 In Canada, almost 70% of the population is online in 2009—a higher percentage than in the US. The country also boasts some of the world’s most active Internet users, who spent 42 hours and more online in one month alone. A survey by Microsoft Canada and OTX Research, carried out in June and July 2009, aimed to monitor changes in Canadians’ attitudes and actions online since the first “Context Matters” study, commissioned by Microsoft in 2007. The results revealed a complex behavioral picture. According to the survey, every device, from desktop PC to MP3 player, was used at some point to go online. 

Good job, Hosers! That’s me saying that, not Karin. I can say that – I have actual Canadian clients in Canada … Plus I like Canadian Beer – I even know someone who worked for Molson… I am sure Karin offers her props.  

The interesting thing about these statistics is this: As more and more people are waking up to using video on the Internet, these growth trends show how the arena is growing worldwide as Internet use is growing, especially in the area of “E-Marketing.” eMarketer.com sites these online video facts compared to TV ads and “verbal word of mouth”: 

Video Viewers Spread the Word

DECEMBER 2, 2009

Online video viewers were most likely to discover content and decide what to watch based on conversations that took place either in person or over the phone, according to the “How People Use Video Navigation” report. Traditional TV viewers were most influenced by TV ads, but verbal word-of-mouth ranked second for them as well. Social media was significantly more influential for discovering online viewing than traditional TV viewing, but still did not come close to real-life advice. 

Search engines played a bigger role in online viewing than social media, as did TV ads and stories and reviews on both the Internet and TV. Internet reviews had about twice as much influence on online video viewing versus television viewing.

So How can a business cash in on this trend? Simple PUT VIDEO ON ITS WEBSITE AND INCORPERATE IT INTO E-MARKETING STRATEGIES! I didn’t mean to yell-type, I simply was stating the obvious with volition.  

So, who do we know to help a business do this? (Our hands are up high!)

Shin-Dig film Production specializes in this topic with measurable results. In Fact, we specialize in it to such a degree, that the premiere online streaming video company servicing the maritime industry worldwide has asked us to produce their latest promo showing off their eMarketing capabilities; Streaming Video Systems, headed up by Mark Christiansen. It’s a fair trade, considering we work on an affiliation basis and do a lot of work for each other. This video is also a great example of our work in this area. It’s a great example in how to effectively deliver a message in the 4-MAT system, addressing the”Why, What, How and What If,” in order to appeal to your entire audience. Even though this video addresses the maritime industry, this video and eMarketing principles can be applied to any industry; any vertical market. Remember Mad Libs? It’s like that – Watch this video and insert your business, your market, your industry your products and services into the same framework, and THAT’s what we can do for YOU:

Hopefully, this blog post has accomplished a few things:It has inspired those of you whom have never thought of using video on your website and in your eMarketing

1. It has inspired those of you whom have never thought of using video on your website and in your eMarketing Strategies
2. It has affirmed for you whom are already using best practices of using video on your website and in your eMarketing that it’s the intelligent choice
3. You will consider using Shin-Dig Film and/Or Streaming Video Systems as your source for helping you to accomplish using video on your website and in your eMarketing

Let Shin-Dig Film Productions help YOU become the next eMarketer success story!

Please contact us if you have any questions, would like a free consultation or have any subjects you would like us to address here in the blog. Also, please take a moment to review our Products and Services Page to see what we can do for you. You can also se more samples of our work at www.youtube.com/shindigfilm - Thank you for your time!

Dan Shinder

CEO/Director/Producer

Shin-Dig Film Production – Based in Las Vegas, We Go ANYWHERE!

Mark Christiansen of Streaming Video Systems (L) with Dan Shinder in dingy at Abel Point, AU

1. Find a couple getting married.
2. Make sure couple getting married is actually IN LOVE – this gives the video more credibility.
3. Don’t simply focus on the obvious. Remember: A wedding video chronicles the most important event in someone’s life, other than having kids, should that be their path. Capture the “Experience!”

 In this example below, which is the intro to a full length wedding video for Ben and Elizabeth Schmidt of Las Vegas,   we do all our wedding videos as such: We get lots of B-Roll footage of the environment. We capture the essence of the experience. Remember – the wedding party is so focused on getting it right and so oblivious to everything around them, it is our job to show them – what really went on there that they didn’t see or absorb. (Please don’t kill the messenger!) So make some popcorn and watch this short example of the way WE do it. Hopefully, this WILL inspire you to hire Shin-dig Film Production for all your wedding video or ALL your video production needs… wherever you are.

Along with the above tips, always use best practices when it comes to lighting indoors, avoid shooting into the light outdoors adn camera steadiness, along with a whole host of other technicalities we will eventually get to in different posts. The next blog post will be on the exciting association we have with the broadcast production of “Merit” racing in the Rolex Sydney to Hobart, and then Admi and Poindexter take over duties again for a while transferring my entries… Thank you for your time and enjoy the holidays – let us know if there is anything you would like to see here! 

Dan Shinder

CEO/Director/Producer

Dan Shinder editing video with Premiere Elements aboard Eureka II while Sailing the Whitsundays in AU

Greetings! It’s Me, Dan again, writing the blog myself – I decided to give Admi and Poindexter the rest of the week off due to the Thanksgiving Holiday in America. Speaking of Thanksgiving, I would like to personally THANK everyone who are our valued clients, our staff and everyone who takes the time to stop by the blog, as well as poke around the rest of the site. (You do poke around the rest of the site, right?)

And speaking of “Holidays,” I thought it would be great to share some do-it-yourself video tips to make perfect Holiday Videos. Now, this applied at both home and business. Rule number one is “Spontaneity.” Don’t over think your holiday videos. Sure there are some technical issues to consider, but we will get into those later. Whether you are shooting with a professional camera, a consumer camcorder or even a videophone, your video will really only be as good as your content. Videophones, by the way, are GREAT for catching spontaneity. They are easy to have on the ready to whip out and catch those special moments such as Grandma spiking the punch bowl and swigging off the bottle of rum, little Billy sneaking under the Christmas tree and pealing back enough wrapping paper to peek at a gift or little Leslie hitting off the Manischewitz wine on Chanukah to the point where she is poking finger holes into the freshly baked Challa Bread. (Sorry sis!)

This is a video I made with my iPhone the first week in October when Nja and I were in Sydney, Australia and discovered a Mexican Restaurant! I was so excited that some of the footage is quite shaky – so let that be a lesson to you too! I put these clips together in a consumer editing program, which we will talk about more in a bit, but I intentionally did not add any effects, to the video, other than a text overlay and one cross-fade transition at the end. This is not a Holiday video, but I believe as a basic first lesson of spontaneity and using a camera phone to catch what is available to you, you will get the idea – notice the use of camera “angles” and perspective: 


The vertical shape of the video is due to how an iPhone records video, due to its physical orientation. I placed my logos there to cover up black, whereas someone could choose any other image or background graphic – or even the date, time and location of where the video was made. Another key to great do-it-yourself holiday videos is lighting. If you are recording indoors during the day, be aware of the direction you are shooting and taking account of where your subject is vs. the light source. For instance, if you have your two kids standing indoors facing you with their backs to a large window and it’s very sunny out. They will likely appear as silhouettes, due to the strong light source behind them outweighing the light source indoors. Refer to the example in the middle of the “Let There Be Light” article posted Oct 2, 2009. After doing so, you may need to click “home” to get back to the navigation.

At night, you want to be sure the area you are recording video is nicely lit – it doesn’t always have to be screaming with light, but “nicely lit.” You can see by my iPhone video above that the restaurant was not brightly lit, but adequate enough to give a warm, cozy feel. (or maybe that’s because Nja was there!).

Next is “Steadiness.” Now, believe it or not, the smaller the camera, the harder it is to steady, and the slightest movement can mean a jolt in the imagery. Use a tri-pod whenever possible and when it makes sense. Hand-held is great for when you are moving around other people and obstacles. The pictures below show how to hold an average sized consumer digital video camera when using the flip-out LCD screen. Also, the smaller the camera, the more aware you need to be of where your fingers are in relation to the lens:

Gemma has her right hand through the hand strap in a conventional grip, while her left hand is gripped around the small Sony, supporting the bottom for stability.

Gemma has her right hand in the standard grip again and has her left hand gripping the side and corner of the LCD - this is also convenient not only for stability, but because most small digi cams have duplicate controls on the side of the LCD as well.

Keep in mind that if you are left handed, you can reverse the grips shown above, however the camera would then be pointed back at YOU; Doyoyoyoing!  

OK, two more quick points – Editing or “Post Production” is the next topic, then we will touch on “Sharing.” Many of you who have never edited my shy away from the concept, however, you don’t have to do anything fancy to have a nice holiday video compilation. Windows Movie Maker or iMovie if you are a MAC user, are great consumer programs loaded into most systems out of the box. They are easy to use and have simple to follow instructions and help menus. There are plenty of forums online as well. You can also look into a $99 USD program, Adobe Premiere Elements, which is the consumer version of Adobe Premiere Pro. Using any of these programs allow you to string different clips together, trim off unwanted footage, and add titles, music or narration.

Lastly, is “Sharing!” There are many ways you can share your videos. If you own a website domain, you can post them on a link in an area either public for anyone to see, or just share the link with those whom you want to share the video with. Another easy way, of course, is YouTube. Imagine how cool it would be to have a “Family” YouTube Channel where different members of your family from all over the world can log into the YouTube account and post videos, then send e-mails out to everyone in the family to notify everyone of the new video posts!

Hey that’s E-Marketing! And it works… If you are a business, you can post your company holiday party on your site or develop a YouTube Channel specifically for posting ALL fun company videos, not just the holiday season. This could be a HUGE Human Resources score, as this builds great employee morale!

And speaking of Company Videos, eh-hem… If you are planning something you would like to archive on video but it’s to big of a production to do yourselves, please consider having Shin-Dig Film Productions help with your next… Shin-Dig! Perhaps your company holiday party also includes awards, a retrospective of the year, speakers etc; Have them video taped and archive them. The video below is an example of some of the corporate Event video work we have done in the past:


Please see our Products and Services Page to see more!
Articles coming soon incude our new Wedding Videos Demo, as well as an update and promo for our involvement in association working with Streaming Video Systems on the Sydney to Hobart Streaming Brodcast aboard Merit! Please let us know if there is ever anything you would like us to write about – it doesn’t even have to be about vudeo, it could be about… FOOD! Hey did I ever tell you about the time I had a cooking show? Oh crap – the guy at the desk next to me just told me to “Shut-Up.” … the cooking show is coming back, by the way…

Lesson 2 – conclusion:

Sign up for the RSS feed to be notified of future posts, which include nrews about projects by Shin-Dig Film Producion, as well as handy fun Do-It-Yourself video tips and tutorials. Some for fun, some to greatly help you do your own production, and some to help you prepare for someone like US to come produce something with you, whether is is a promotional spot for TV or the web, training videos, education, video e-marketing campaigns, product training/profile videos and more – Even Wedding Videos! In fact, we will have an excerpt of a recent wedding vdeo here soon with tips! If you are new to the site, please browse!

Have you ever scene something on YouTube you really liked? I mean, REEEEEALLLY LIKED? I mean, to the point where you wanted to, eh-hem … take the video OFF YouTube? Well, I shall step aside and say no more – Heeeeere’s Mark:

Click on This Tutorial and learn how YOU can take videos OFF of YouTube!

So, what if? Imagine how cool it is now that you know this process! You can “Grab and Go?” Hopefully you have learned how helpful it is now, to be able to enjoy your favorite YouTube videos on your PC without searching for them online again, and be able to take them on the run in your iPod/iPhone. FROM A BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE, this is AWESOME! I load my videos on my iPhone and use it as a “visual busines card.” If I am out and about and there is no online access, I whip out my toy – wait, allow me to re-phrase that – I whip out my iPhone and can show someone exactly what we do here at Shin-Dig Film Producion.

Soon, we will have parts two and three to this presentation that expandas a bit into other areas.

While Shin-Dig Film Production is dedicated to deliver profesional video production servies for ANY application, we also strive to offer you handy, fun, sometimes thought-provoking tips on how you can make your own productions, or use our tips to prepare for us to come in with our services after you have used our tips to sort out exactly what you want. If there is ever a question or topic you would like adressed on this site or blog, please write us at info@shindigfilm.com or click on the contact us page. Please also take a moment to check out our Products and Services page.

Coming Soon:

Tips on making great Holiday Videos

Why you should Film Corprate/Company Events

Wedding Videos – Yes, Shin-Dig Film Prod also does wedding videos, occasionally and will give you a preview with tips on how to produce a great wedding video. We are editing or dear friends’ wedding video shot by our Associate Director Mike Gomez and Camera Op Edwin. Congrats to our friends Ben and Liz Schmidt!

Thanks for putting up with me! I am out to film at sea again for three days; I’ll drop a line when I return!

Dan 

Nja and I at Sydney Harbour