As I’ve written here in the past, one of the things I enjoy most about my work is the wide variety of people I meet producing video programs and radio & TV commercials.  I’ve always felt that there is something to be learned from everyone we meet.  While we definitely learn more from some than others and often the lesson is a cautionary tale on how not to live our lives, I believe some sort of lesson awaits us in most everyone.

About a month ago, Michael Segal contacted me to produce a marketing video for his Houston based motivational speaking services.   Over the past few weeks as we have worked together on this I have been increasingly impressed with his unmatched determination, incredible positive spirit, and quick-draw sense of humor.

In 1981 when Michael was attending college in Austin at UT he walked in on a robbery at a convenience store.  The robbers shot him in the back of the head, execution style, and left him for dead.  He was given a 60% chance of dying on the operating table and a virtual guarantee of being a vegetable.   (Today Michael jokes, “Maybe that’s why I don’t eat my vegetables”).

When Michael regained consciousness in the hospital he was unable to walk or talk.  After being told of his bleak prognosis, he vowed he would not only walk and talk again, but he would return to school at UT.

For someone with his prognosis, this was certainly a lofty goal.  But Michael broke the long journey back into smaller, more achievable, goals.  As he says in his speeches, “mile by mile is a trial, yard by yard is hard, but inch by inch is a cinch”.

Inch by inch he made slow progress until he was able to return to school and graduated at the top of his class.  Michael Segal now works as a social worker in the medical center and is also a very popular motivational speaker.

In the short time I have known Michael, he has taught me so much that can be applied to my daily life as well as in my business.  He has demonstrated the power of hope, faith, family, the importance of a positive attitude and the power of setting goals.  And, above all, having the discipline and determination to achieve those goals.

One of the speeches Michael gives to businesses is about change.  One point he maskes is that the only constant we have in life is change.  Our reaction to that change determines our level of success both in life and in business.   Those who resist or ignore change are just avoiding the inevitable.  Just because your head is in the sand doesn’t mean the seasons are not changing around you. 

I have never met anyone who has had to deal with a more dramatic change in his or her lives, or who has dealt with that major change more positively than Michael Segal.   His project will be complete soon and I will post a link to that video here in a future blog.  I hope you’ll check back and review Michael’s story as I’m confident it will be as inspirational to you as it was for me.

Jim O’Neill of Lone Star Sound

While I hate to disagree with Kermit The Frog, if you know what you’re doing, it can be easy being green.  Or at least, using the green screen.  Lately, I’ve had a lot more requests for green screen work.  One of the reasons is the increase in the number of web sites that are placing spokespersons on the web.  When you include video on a web site it can make the site more personable for the user.  There are a number of uses for video on the web.  Video can be used to welcome web visitors, provide more information, navigation tips, product demonstration or delivering the sales pitch.   See an example here.

Even if you’ve never seen a green screen, you’ve seen the results almost daily.  The green screen is what the weatherman stands in front of on TV to do the weather.  You then electronically remove the green color and replace it with whatever you like.

To get perfect green screen results, it’s all about the quality of the shot.  You need crisp edges on the image with high contrast and a bright evenly lit background.

The technical process is actually quite simple.  Software is used to isolate or “key” on the green background color.  This allows the editor to remove the background and transform it into a transparent element of the video clip.  Once a good key is created, simply add another video or graphic layer underneath the clip layer.  This allows you to your subject anywhere on the planet.  When used online, it magically places the spokesperson right over the content of your web site.  .

Green Screen allows you to make the impossible, possible.  Recently we had a talent that was on an extremely tight schedule, yet we needed the shot to be at a distant historic landmark.  This created several problems: weather, location noise and distance, just to name a few.  Instead of praying for sun, blocking off traffic and using a Star Trek transporter device to beam us to and from the remote location, we simply did a Green Screen shoot.  The day before the talent arrived in town, we had perfect weather.  So we got the background shots at that time.  Whenever possible, it’s best to determine what the background looks like before you shoot the talent.  This allows you to light the talent to in the same fashion as the background.  This provides the most realistic effect and makes them appear as if they were really on location.

The wisdom of using the Green Screen was demonstrated the next day as it was pouring down rain.  We would have had no chance to get this shot on location and would have had to reschedule.  As it was, got the talent in and out of the studio in less than fifteen minutes and the result was perfect.

Actually, you’re not limited to the color green.  Blue is also widely used and there are other techniques that can be used to remove backgrounds from a shot, but green screen is the most common as there is less conflict with wardrobe colors.  If your talent’s shirt were to match the background, the result would be a floating head.

For Kermit, maybe it’s not easy being green.  But in my world, green is a beautiful thing.
Questions or comments?  Contact Jim O’Neill at jim@lonestarsound.com

Normally this Blog deals with broadcasting, production, and media.  Normally, it’s all work, work, work.  Yes, work is important, for many it defines us and we all have bills to pay.  But, I’ve always believed that it is important for all of us to make our lives as diverse, well rounded and balanced as possible.   Today I’d like to take a heroic departure. 

Bob Dylan once said “I think of a hero as someone who understands the degree of responsibility that comes with his freedom.”  I couldn’t agree more.  Often we think of a hero as someone who does something bigger than life, like give their life for their country or risk their life to prevent a robbery.  True, those are all heroic actions, but most of us are never put in those extreme situations.

Instead, most of our lives provide us with opportunities to be a hero by taking a little time to help someone improve their lives.  There are so many ways to do this and each of us has to find our own way.  Each of us need to look at our skills and situation and find the way we can make a difference.

For me, the mission is skating.  As a hockey player and referee, skating has been a huge part of my life.  Over the years I have been fortunate to share the experience with so many people.  There is an incredible satisfaction when I see the look of exhilaration in a young person’s eyes when they experience the liberating experience of gliding across a fresh sheet of ice for the first time.  There’s nothing better on a hot Houston day than stepping into a cool ice rink.

Earlier this year, I started a non profit organization called STARskaters.org  S.T.A.R. is an acronym for Skating for Therapy And Recreation.  The mission is to provide an ice skating experience for anyone ages 5 or older with a disability that normally would not allow them to participate in a public skating session.  You’ll find more at www.STARskaters.org

If you’re looking for your way to be a hero and make a difference, we’d love to have you join us.  Or, if you know of anyone who could benefit from this program, please have them contact me at jim@STARskaters.org

I’d also like to invite you to join us at the Willowbrook Aerodrome for a family FUNraiser on August 2nd.  We’ve got lots of great raffle items like AEROS and Texans Tickets, sports collectibles, a Galveston Getaway weekend and more.

We’re all so fortunate to live in this country.  When times are challenging, as they are now, it’s even more important to remember to give back to the people that can use our help in so many areas.   Whether you join my cause or find your own, I hope you’ll make time to be a hero.  It’s a win-win for both your soul and the community in which you live.

See you on the ice!

Today, audio producers and editors have more tools than ever to ensure flawless sound in your audio, podcast or video production.  I just upgraded my studio to Apple’s latest release of Final Cut Studio and Soundtrack Pro 2 and we’re pretty excited about some very useful new features. The software has always been able to remove audio clicks and pops, line hum, clipping, DC offset and phase problems.  But, this new version adds an audio spectrometer and frequency selection tool.

I realize that sounds pretty geeky, so let’s break it down into how this impacts your production in the real world.  Let’s say you’re using a boom mic to pick up sound from several people in a discussion panel.  Right in the middle of an important comment the sound person inadvertently bumps the sound boom.  (or someone bumps their lav microphone during a presentation).  This “bump” noise can be heard over the person speaking.  The frequency selection tool allows you to look at that section of audio as an audio spectrum view and select the unwanted sound and easily delete it from your production.

For podcasters, Soundtrack Pro 2 makes it easy to create professional podcasts, including audio-only, enhanced, and video podcast formats.  Podcasts can include chapters, artwork, and URL markers.  URL markers allow you to build outside links into your podcasts which can be useful to direct listeners to other sites for more information or to sponsor pages.

If you’re looking to create high end productions with surround sound, Soundtrack Pro 2 features an innovative surround panner to view a dynamic visual representation of how sound is panned in the surround field.  With home theatres becoming almost as standard as indoor plumbing, why not think about surround sound for your next production?  First quality audio adds that little extra element to your production that takes it from good to spectacular.

Got a question on any video or audio production?  I’d be glad to help.  Reach me at jim@lonestarsound.com or my web site:

Lone Star Sound & Pictures

With the sharp increase of videos being done for the web, more and more “first-timers” are putting their faces on their web site.  This comes with no small amount of consternation for these would be first time web stars.  Many spend hours trying to memorize their scripts and their uneasiness is clear to see on the video.  That is, of course, until they graduate from TKU.

TKU is what I call my “College of Teleprompter Knowledge”.  It works so well that I actually have a certificate that I present to my clients after they successfully complete a course and their first video.

As you probably know, it’s the Teleprompter that makes those TV news anchors sound so good delivering the nightly news.  If they can do it, why can’t you?  Of course, you do have to know how to read.  Click here for a funny teleprompter blooper.

Whether you’re a first time star-to-be on camera or a seasoned veteran, the Teleprompter just makes life a whole lot easier.  Just last week my teleprompter made a visit to Houston Rockets star Tracy McGrady’s house as he filmed a PSA for the NBA’s charitable efforts to help victims of the earthquake in China.  Tracy is quite the pro in front of a camera but having a Teleprompter made it just that much easier for him.

Moral of the story: Don’t feel embarrassed to ask for a teleprompter!  Everybody’s doing it!  And if you’d like to attend TKU, you can reach me at jim@lonestarsound.com

See you on the web!

Anyone who has ever watched a horror film understands how important the audio is to creating tension and suspense in the scene.  Turn off the sound or replace the suspenseful music with a calliope and the scene takes on a whole new feel.

The importance of clean audio to a video hit home last week as I sat in the studio with a client who was overdubbing audio on an instructional video.  The original videographer didn’t pay proper attention to the audio quality during the shoot.  Personally, I always wear headphones or use a sound assistant to ensure this doesn’t happen on my productions, but on this day I was cleaning up a mess of someone else’s creation.

When you have audio problems in video, you really have three choices.   Re-shoot the video, use digital techniques to clean up the audio, or overdub the audio.

The original shoot location was not available, so re-shooting the segment wasn’t an option.  Unfortunately, audio cleanup wasn’t an option either as there were 100% dropouts in some areas and no similar audio to harvest and insert.  So overdubbing was our only option.

When audio overdubbing is done well, it is transparent to the user.  You simply don’t know it is there.  Overdubbing is done much more often than you realize, especially on TV commercials.  Next time you see a knockout model as a product spokesperson, watch her lips carefully.  Very seldom do you find a model that has both perfect looks and a perfect voice.  The solution? Overdub the audio to achieve a result that is pleasing to both the eyes and the ears.

Overdubbing is challenging enough when done by a professional voice talent.  On this day, my client spent hours lip synching to her own video just because someone else had been careless in their work.  After the overdubbing was done we then inserted matching ambient room noise to match the other original segments.  In the end, the result was excellent, but it was work that should not have had to be done.

If you’re producing video for business, broadcast or web, make sure you give consideration to the audio portion of the production.  Would music add or detract from the video? Make sure everyone is properly mic’d to avoid clothing and jewelry interfering with the mic and achieve proper audio levels for all participants.  Make sure windscreens are used in outdoor locations. And, pay attention to the background noises at the location.  Proper planning will save you a lot of time and expense in the editing studio and ensure a quality production that will provide optimum results…and ensure you’re project doesn’t give you nightmares.

Next time, Digital audio cleanup…making audio magic!

Lone Star Sound & Pictures Web Site

In the past year, my video production company has seen a huge surge in demand for video on the web.  One major insurance agency is encouraging all of their agents to add a video overlay to their web site.  The video overlay is simple to execute, very affordable to both shoot and host and adds a very personal element to the web site.

In addition to adding the personal touch, it also is a friendly way to guide a user through your site.  These days, it seems like everyone on the Web wants you to fill out some sort of contact form.  How often do you take the time?  If you’re like me, not very.  Wells Fargo recently rolled out a retirement index feature that is an excellent example of how video on the Web can be cleverly integrated to guide a visitor through your site.  You can find it here, and I won’t be surprised if you take a minute to fill it out.  The video is quite engaging.

Video is coming of age on the web due to the high penetration of broadband.  I knew nearly full saturation had arrived when my 70-something mother in Wisconsin called to announce she had just gotten high-speed and asked “now what do I do”?  “Get a neck brace” I replied.  She laughed and then spent the next week surfing her “new” web non-stop.

When the last of the late adopters, my mother, gets broadband it is safe to take that next step with your web site, adding video.   Web video can tell your company story or train and update your employees.  They are excellent for online tutorials, user manuals, explaining complex procedures…the list is endless.   Need to know how to get started?  Drop me a line.  I’m always ready to assist.

Radio has been very good to me.  In fact, had I not been rescued by a Radio career, I’d likely have entered the family Roto-Rooter business.  Not that there’s anything wrong with the plumbing profession. But, having Roto-Rooted my way through high school, I didn’t see a lot of outlet for my creative ambitions.   Sadly, Radio today isn’t what it was in the glory days (i.e. before the Internet).  For the first time in Radio history, year-to-year Radio revenues are down.  A full 6% decline compared to last year.  The Internet has forever changed how radio fits into our lives.  Much the same way as cable changed the face of broadcast television.  I still feel Radio is an affordable way to reach a targeted audience,  but there’s no denying Radio is not what it used to be back in “the day”.

Over the years, I’ve produced dozens of programs for broadcast, both short and long form.  Last week, a longtime friend of mine called to ask my assistance in producing a radio program for XM Satellite Radio.  He runs a company that manufactures a niche product for the trucking industry.   His vision was to produce a weekly roundtable program that would focus on transportation issues.  After much discussion, I talked him out of it.

For his niche market, broadcast just wasn’t the way to go.  Instead, we decided it made the most sense to produce a weekly Podcast.  For those unfamiliar with Podcasting, just think of it as a radio program without the constraints of broadcasting.  There are no rules.  You decide.  It can be as long or short as you like, sponsored or not, with none of the restrictions that the FCC places on your broadcast.  And the best thing about the Podcast?  It’s always on.   With Radio you need to set an appointment to listen to the program.  Radio dictates the schedule.  Podcasts are there when you are ready for them. And, Podcasts are portable.  Listen to them on your computer or download them on your iPod.  Listen to them in the gym, on the plane or in the car, whenever you have the time.

Another way to think of Podcasting is as an audio newsletter.  Several years ago an associate of mine, Bernie Wagenblast, started a daily e-mail newsletter for the transportation industry, specifically targeted at DOT  (Department of Transportation) employees and vendors.  The newsletter is simply a collection of links to stories of the day.  This newsletter has become extremely popular in his niche and has made him a household name in his industry.  Today he has several thousand subscribers to his daily newsletter.  Not a huge number, but this very targeted list includes many key decision makers in that industry and his newsletter carries advertising for anyone who would like to reach this highly desirable audience.  And the best part?  It works.

The smaller your niche, the more you can likely benefit from a Podcast.   Keywords on the web page that host the podcast are indexed by search engines.  Individuals searching for information on that specific topic are introduced to your business.   Because the relevance is 100%, the impact and subsequent results can be quite powerful.

In fact, my first contact with Kevin Price was as a result of finding his audio on the web.  I had done a web search on one of his radio guests and as a result was introduced to the Houston Business Show.

Need another reason to investigate Podcasting?  It is incredibly affordable.  For the price of a single ad broadcast on a single radio station  (or less) you can produce a Podcast that will work for you forever.  From now until the time you remove the file from the server, anytime anyone searches for the keywords in that program, that Podcast is waiting to go to work for you.

Like any other advertising and marketing vehicle, Podcasting is not for everyone.  Every business has it’s own unique profile and needs to design a marketing program tailored to meet those specific goals.  However, for all of the reasons just discussed, Podcasting is definitely a media option that should be given serious consideration.

With apologies to the creators of the famous Roto-Rooter jingle, Podcasting just might prevent you from flushing your ad budget “down the drain”.

For more on Podcasting or any questions you may have relating to video and audio production for business, broadcast or the web, contact me at Jim@LoneStarSound.com

If anyone ever had suggested that one day I would be coaching an Olympic athlete, I’d have suggested that now would be a good time to enter that rehab progam.  Imagine my surprise when I recently found myself in that exact position…coaching a Gold Medal Olympian.

Steven Lopez is a two time Olympic champion and will be headed to Bejing later this year.  When it comes to Taekwondo, he’s among the best in the world.  Besides his Olympic gold he is a three-time World champion, a two-time World Cup Champion and a two-time Pan Am champion.  Yet, he found himself in a position to be coached by me…for voice.

Steven arrived at the Lone Star Sound studios to record two announcements for one of the major Olympic sponsors.  While he is a world-class athlete, this was something new for him.  Whenever I am put in a position of coaching someone for Radio or TV commercials, the first thing we do is get an initial rough take down that we can both review to see what areas of the delivery need work.

Fortunately, Steven has a silky smooth voice and a very warm natural delivery so after the first take, I knew this session would turn out brilliantly.   As I worked with Steven I thought that many of the tips I shared with him might benefit others who find themselves in the unfamiliar position in front of a microphone.  Not all of the following tips applied to Steven, who turned out to be quite coach-able, and was out of the studio in record time.  

Here are the Top 5 Tips from “the Coach”

Slow Down

At one time or another I am sure most of us have found trouble when the speed of our mouth outpaces the speed of the brain.  When it comes to script reading, the opposite is often true.  For most, our brains process things so quickly that many try to let their mouth keep pace with their brain.  Slow it down.  This is probably the most difficult thing for most people to do.  A slower pace allows you more room for error, and things can always be tightened up in the editing process.  There is much power in the pause, but it takes practice to master.

Love The Words

Once you slow down your delivery speed, you have the time to really love every word and give it the proper emphasis.  In emphasizing certain words, some tend to blow right past other words.  Don’t make this mistake.  All of the words are important to the message, and some need an additional punch.  So review the script, grab a pen and mark it up to ensure each word is delivered with the appropriate amount of emphasis.

Be Natural

One of the hardest things to do is to take words written by someone else and make them your own.  A natural delivery of foreign material is one of the most unnatural things you will be asked to do.  As odd as it sounds, it takes practice to sound natural and un-practiced.  

Turn the Energy to 11

At some point I am sure you have heard the flat and lifeless delivery on the air from a business owner reading their own commercial.   Crank up the energy.   On a scale of 1-10 most of us don’t get past a 5 in daily conversation.  For your message to stand out, you need to crank up the energy.  I’ve always found that when most people think they are over the top on energy, and it’s turned up to 11…they’re right about where they should be on the energy scale.  Yes, it feels weird but give it a shot and listen to the results.  Energy makes all the difference.

Smile

Oscar is the only loveable grouch.  Smiles are contagious.  Put a smile on your face and it adds a smile to your voice.  Try it.  You’ll find it makes an enormous difference in your delivery.

There are several other tricks of the trade that I’d be happy to share with you firsthand, but those are the Big 5.  So the next time you find yourself in front of a microphone, keep them in mind and turn in your own Gold Medal performance!

You can reach “the Coach” at jim@lonestarsound.com