The VirtualStudio.TV Blog

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  How to improve audience engagement & increase participation during a Virtual Event

  21st February 2012 by Rachel Willis Be the first to comment

  I’ve worked in the live events industry for 12 years now and have produced hundreds of events all over the world. My key focus when producing an event is always the audience. What should the audience think, feel and do as a result of seeing the event? What are the key messages and what is the take away – what actions should the audience take after attending the event?
  
  There are loads of ‘Virtual Event’ offerings on the market. Some offer a good audience experience, but generally I think many of these products haven’t been created with the audience in mind. Now, I know many of them have multiple bells and whistles that allow viewers to do all manner of things, but ultimately shouldn’t a Virtual Event be similar to a real event?

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  Details of the Technical Support required to host a successful Virtual Event

  8th February 2012 by Rachel Willis Be the first to comment

  If you’ve ever tried to organise a Virtual Event, online business conference or webinar then you’ll know that the first hurdle you have to overcome is a technical one.
  
  When we were creating our Video Streaming and Virtual Event offering we did a lot of market research on other products and services that are available. While there are some excellent companies out there offering Virtual Event production and streaming services, the majority offer a very confusing mix of products and services that are very difficult to understand and make sense of. At least, that’s what some customers are led to believe anyway…

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  6 Ways to use video to market your business

  24th January 2012 by Sean Malone Be the first to comment

  During the 1960’s, pretty much the only company in Britain practicing any form of integrated marketing was the Hoover Company. Their vacuum cleaner salesmen would start their day by reciting the company’s marketing mantra: “He who wishes down the well about the goods he has to sell, will never make as many dollars, as he who stands on top and hollers!”
  
  A modern take on that 60’s classic would be: “Stop wasting time working on endless planning; get out there and make some noise.” And the easiest, most cost effective way of making some marketing noise, is to make a video.
  
  Today, video is the attractive, persuasive and affordable medium of marketing communication. Make a professional quality HD video from around £650, post it on YouTube and within seconds you can be reaching-out to an audience of millions – that’s what I call making a noise, at an incredibly low cost.

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  5 Reasons why stock video footage is great!

  5th January 2012 by Jamie Huckle 5 comments

  Now some puritans among you will argue that stock footage cheapens video production and should be avoided at all artistic costs. I’d argue that stock footage is so good now that it can only make a production richer, more creative and ultimately, your client happier. Stock footage of course does have to be used sympathetically and blended into a final production piece to be effective – there is no need for space travel in the CEO’s annual video report...

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  YouTube Online Editor Tools – A Video Test & Review

  19th December 2011 by Simon Malone 1 comments

  YouTube has recently made a number of significant updates that I think will really benefit everyone who uses the site. It is currently rolling out a totally new design that features a complete overhaul of channel layouts to make the site more user friendly. Perhaps more significantly, it has also recently developed and released new online video editing tools that users can use to make changes to the videos you have uploaded to the site. The “YouTube Online Video Editor Tools” offer users a wide range of editing tools that are normally only found in video editing software.

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  Create a Christmas Video Message for your Business, Staff & Customers with VirtualStudio.TV

  30th November 2011 by Simon Malone 13 comments

  I have to admit that I am not the first to embrace the arrival of Christmas….in October. Having Christmas lights, festive store fronts and TV ads promoting the annual retail blitz running for 8 or 9 weeks before the big day is one of my pet hates! That said, at the time of writing we are hours away from December 1st when all bets are off and the run up to Christmas can really get started.
  
  We are offering a Christmas package this year for businesses to help you get in the mood for the big day. Instead of sending cards or plain emails, why not send a short video message to your staff, customers and suppliers?
  
  You can bring your team along to the studio, tuck into a few mince pies, have a glass of mulled wine and leave with a completed video in just one hour.
  
  We have a range of festive virtual studios for you to choose from, and even a Santa outfit for you to use if needed!
  
  Take a look at the video in this post as an example and then give us a call to book your studio time with us.

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  New Low Cost Video Streaming & Virtual Event Service Available in the UK

  2nd November 2011 by Simon Malone Be the first to comment

  As soon as we launched VirtualStudio.TV Jamie began working with our Technical Advisor to try to break down these barriers and create an easy to use and managable video streaming platform. We were fed up of dealing with confusing jargon and crazy prices and set about producing a video hosting platform that companies could use to share their videos with a global audience. YouTube is a brilliant way of sharing videos with people all over the world, but a lot of our customers were looking for ways to showcase their videos on their own branded site in more a secure way...

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  At what level of the career ladder do some people find it acceptable to treat people like s***?

  26th October 2011 by Rachel Willis 5 comments

  I’ve seen a man in his 40’s brought to tears by his boss, watched many Business Mangers shaking with panic and even witnessed an MD of a multinational company throw a plate full of food across a roomful of people in a feat of anger.
  
  Unfortunately, I have found myself witnessing these scenes while working on Live Events and Conferences over the last 10 years or so and have often wondered at what level of the career ladder do some people find it acceptable to treat people like s***?

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  Could more emphasis on computers and creativity help to reduce youth unemployment in the UK?

  17th October 2011 by Amanda Binge 1 comments

  With the Euro still struggling to stay afloat and proposed financial ‘cut back’ policies coming left, right and centre from our coalition government, I am sure in one way or another we are all starting to feel the pinch and backlash of the way our economy is suffering.
  
  I’m certainly not one to pretend that I fully understand everything that happens in our political world. I will admit to the naivety that I have when it comes to looking in depth at the problems we’re currently experiencing and actually how serious a problem this may be for our future.
  
  I class myself as part of the younger generation and after reading an article in the Independent today, I would certainly class myself as one of the lucky ones.
  
  Statistics have been released recently that show that unemployment in the UK is at its highest level for 17 years. The numbers currently claiming jobseeker’s allowance has increased for the seventh month in a row to 1.6 million people. Out of that figure, 991,000 of those claiming are the younger generation (16-24 year olds) who are currently out of work.

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  Users Review & Test of the Panasonic AG-AF101 HD Camcorder

  10th October 2011 by Jamie Huckle 2 comments

  Last month I was part of a team that travelled to Malawi to film a documentary for Microsoft . We were filming in some very remote villages on the outskirts on Blantyre and for the first couple of days we let the Panasonic AF101 just roam capturing some amazing B Roll footage. We got come great shots of the kids and the stunning views of the surrounding area. Our evenings back in the compound were always taken up reviewing the footage and being blown away with the beautiful depth of field and focus pulls that the camera was capturing.
  

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