“I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by.”

                                                                                                      Doug Adams

Here’s the problem with words, they sound different in my brain then they look on a page. So begins the tug and pull of writing – and most difficult yet – writing fast.

If you’re paid to write – you know what I mean. Deadlines take no mercy on we plink-plunkers. The only solution is to write faster and do it well. Wish I could wave a wand over you and make it happen – but I can offer a few tips learned from a couple decades of deadline writing.

1. Get enough sleep — or take a pass on the next few tips. Writing requires all synapses snapping.

2. Business writing has a purpose. Do your research and figure out what it is – then direct all your words to meet that purpose. (You’ll finish faster with fewer client changes.)

3. If you’re being distracted by people interruptions – plug in ear buds and pretend you’re listening to music. Ear buds are a visual signal that you’re “pre-occupied” and otherwise unavailable for discussion.

4. Beat the bell. Set a time limit on the section, web pages, video script, commercial…whatever you’re writing. Playing beat the clock might eliminate acts of procrastination like fining snacks, drinks and office chatter.

5. Write for content first. Think function. Just put it all down – no editing or rewriting in the “dump” stage. When you’re done go back in and clean up the form.

6. Skip the bore, snore complex scholarly sentences. Use simple, crisp sentences. They’re faster to write and easier for readers to understand.

7. Finely, finish up and walk away. Let it go cold for whatever time available before the deadline hits. Then, go back in with a fresh pair of eyes. Be brutal. Cut out useless words that drain the life out of your writing.

Book trailers are like movie trailers, and they’re a growing trend in book marketing. They’re a great way to introduce your target audience – or an agent or publishing representative – to your book. It can help your book stand out when it’s included in your bigger marketing stream.

So how do you go about producing a book trailer?

Here’s what we did in our latest book trailer video.

Step one: Summarize the story in a tantalizing manner.

We got the synopsis from the author, skimmed the book to get a feel of the style, and created a short script. Our first priority with the first draft of the script was getting the story summary right, giving enough information to get the viewer’s attention, but not enough to give away key mysteries.

Step two: Determine the visual approach.

Because we were working with a fairly limited budget, we chose to use a mix of still images, moving text, and a little 3-D animation. We shopped on a few “stock image” websites (iStock, PhotoDune, and others) and selected 5 stills that would interact well with the story. We also shot a quick video clip of hands because we couldn’t find what we wanted in stock images. Total cost for visuals? About $30.

Step three: Find the perfect audio elements.

After listening to a couple dozen pieces of royalty free music tracks, we chose a short instrumental song from Audio Jungle (by The Secession) with a dramatic and somewhat ominous tone. We listened to it as we read the script to make sure it would work, and then made the purchase. We also found some free sound effects to add extra emphasis in specific spots. Total cost for audio? About $11. Here’s a link to the music we used: http://audiojungle.net/item/the-prophecy-suspenseful-cinematic-background/300912

Step four: Put it all together.

We worked with a great editor, Colleen Parquette from Shadow Collaborative, to assemble all the pieces. She added special effects to the stills, worked to animate the text in just the right way, and placed the music and sound effects so dramatic cues lined up with the text.  Total cost for editing? About $300.

Here’s one of the links to the finished video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GH1stARXZmU&list=UUSyVF06NlpLZXVYAfhTg-Sg&index=1&feature=plcp

Step five: Circulate it

This book trailer is on the author’s website (www.WakeTheWorld.com), YouTube, FaceBook, etc, and is being shared on FaceBook and other social media sites. The author will also mention that she has a completed book trailer when she contacts agents and publishers. It’s a demonstration of her taken initiative and that she is serious about promoting her work.

The result? A very happy author who is using her book trailer to market her novel to potential agents, publishers, and readers.

Let us know if we can help you with your book trailer.

Susan Reetz, of Rucinski & Reetz Communication, is a writer/director/producer for film, video and multimedia. Her scriptwriting and producing work has earned numerous local, national, and international awards. She also writes feature articles, brochure copy, news releases, and other promotional materials. She can be reached at 715-355-9159 or Reetz@RucinskiReetz.com.

www.RucinskiReetz.com

We work with a wide range of clients. Some call us for a project and already have a very clear picture of their objective and target audience. Some even come to the first meeting with a creative treatment in mind. Others may be new to the process of creating video, web or print media, and need a little guidance. How can you help them along the way and give them what they really want? Here are a few simple ideas.

BE A CONSULTANT.

Don’t just wait for them to tell you what you need to do. Research their company – and their competitors – before you come in for the first meeting. Ask questions, and, even more important, listen to the answers to ferret out what the client’s core reason is for undertaking the process, who they hope to influence, and what desired income their looking for. Offer examples of approaches that might serve their needs. Demonstrate that you are a valuable part of their team from the very beginning.

CREATIVITY – WITHIN BUDGET.

Projects of all budgets benefit from an infusion of creativity. Think about using a cool graphic treatment that really speaks to the target audience, or a unique piece of music that catches attention and makes the project stand out. Of course, writing excellent copy, dialogue or narration is a must. Whatever creative approach your imagination leads you too, make sure it is appropriate for the subject, target audience, and, of course, the budget.

CLEARLY SPELLED OUT AGREEMENT.

Another way to make sure you give your client what they really want is to spell it out in an agreement. It doesn’t have to be overly formal and use legal jargon, but it should clearly identify what the expectations are for the project, along with what the client is responsible for, and what the creative contractor is responsible for, budget, timeline, etc.

SUPERB CUSTOMER SERVICE.

Good working relationships create repeat customers who often become friends. We are always delighted when clients tell us how easy to work with we are, and what fun they had collaborating with us. They also often comment on how much they appreciate our attention to detail and careful management of the budget. These are all pieces of superb customer service.

Find ways to act as a consultant, provide creativity within the budget, spell out project expectations and exceed your customers’ expectations. If you do, you’ll be well on your way to giving your clients what they really want – a fun and successful project.

Susan Reetz, of Rucinski & Reetz Communication, is a writer/director/producer for film, video and multimedia. Her scriptwriting and producing work has earned numerous local, national, and international awards. She also writes feature articles, brochure copy, news releases, and other promotional materials. She can be reached at 715-355-9159 or Reetz@RucinskiReetz.com.

www.RucinskiReetz.com

So, you’re working on a video script, brochure, feature article, news release, web page, or some other media tool and you have questions that need to be answered. Who do you turn to for help?

Call them content experts – or subject matter experts (SME) – or even domain experts. Bottom line? They have the inside scoop on the subjects we need to address, and we need to not only identify an appropriate expert, but develop a good working relationship with them.

How do you go about that? Here are a few tips.

Find the right expert. You can ask your client for suggestions. (They often have an expert in mind.) If that doesn’t yield the results you need, do some research to see who is publishing white papers on your subject area, who is being quoted in industry journals, etc.

Build a relationship. It is best if you can get your expert involved early in the research process. They may be able to guide you to additional sources, bring up points you hadn’t yet considered that could take your project in a different direction, or help your project in other ways.

Be clear about what you need. Some content experts have such a deep knowledge of their subject area that they could talk for days or even weeks. That’s probably more than you need for your project (unless you’re working on an in-depth documentary). Provide your expert with some background about your project, how it will be used, and who it is targeted to. If you can, agree ahead of time on how much time you will spend together so you have the same expectations.

Be respectful of their time. Like you, these are busy, busy people. Don’t waste their time. Do your research BEFORE you interview them. Have your list of questions refined and ready. Don’t keep them waiting. At the end of the meeting, ask if it’s OK to contact them if you have additional questions, and how they preferred to be contacted. But don’t take advantage of their time. They already have a job, and most likely can’t afford to be tied up with your project indefinitely.

Be respectful of their expertise. Your expert is doing you a great service by taking time away from their regular job to help you understand your subject. But, that said, don’t be afraid to ask them to restate key points so that you can easily translate the information and present it to your target audience. Restate the information back to them in your own words to make sure you’ve got it right. They’ll correct you if you’re wrong.

Keep them updated. Once a content expert has shared their expertise with you, they often appreciate being kept in the loop about your project’s progress. It only takes a minute to send them a quick email telling them when you’ve reached major milestones in your production process. And of course, let them know when it’s all done.

ALWAYS recognize their contribution. Common courtesy dictates that when someone helps you out, you say thank you. Take a minute to send them an email, calling, or sending a handwritten note (my preference) thanking your expert for their time and assistance. Sending an email to their supervisor (you can CC your expert) is a great way to return the favor the expert did for you.

We will always need content experts to help us with our projects. These tips will help you build a good working relationship, but also to maintain it. Who knows… You could find yourself working on another project together in the future.

Susan Reetz, of Rucinski & Reetz Communication, is a writer/director/producer for film, video and multimedia. Her scriptwriting and producing work has earned numerous local, national, and international awards. She also writes feature articles, brochure copy, news releases, and other promotional materials.
She can be reached at 715-355-9159 or Reetz@RucinskiReetz.com.

www.RucinskiReetz.com

1. Writing in all caps. It’s the cyber code for YOU’RE SCREAMING. Tasteful use of caps for emphasis is allowed.

2. Overuse of exclamation points. One exclamation only — unless you’re on fire!!!!!

3. No personality in the blog.  Don’t be robotic – show your unique personality and style.

4. Asking for a login. Would you login to read a blog post? Most don’t.

5. No “About” page. Are you in the witness protection program? Don’t be anonymous.

6. Posting without proof reading.  Their, they’re, it’s, its…spell check won’t catch it all.

7. Lazy bloggers. A post here and a post there — no consistency will lose readers.

8. Business jargon. Annoying, pretentious, goobledygook, bore, snore…ZZZZZ

9. No place to comment.  Add a comment box – allow readers to respond or ask questions.

10. Pitching or selling stuff. Sure to get a flee response! Sell by hyperlinking to your product or services.

Social media, without a doubt, continues to grow in popularity and importance. It’s a great way to reach certain target markets in an informal way. But what about traditional  media?

We keep hearing that NOBODY reads newspapers or magazines anymore. Yet, people I’ve never met before tell me they’ve seen my picture in the local news column.

A colleague was recently interviewed for a TV story. The result? Increased referrals and inquiries for her company.

Hmmm. So maybe it is worth reaching out to the traditional media. But how do you do it?

A good first step if you’d like to build a relationship with local media is to actually meet with then, assuming they have the time. You can offer to buy coffee to sweeten the deal if you like. The people who work for your local newspapers, TV and radio stations are, after all, people. They want to work with people they know and trust. So, if you can meet face-to-face, make a positive impression by being professional and knowledgeable, and make yourself available when they’re working on a deadline and need a comment, you can become a valuable contact for them.

When you have news you’d like to share with the media, a simple news release or tip sheet is worth doing.

A news release is a simple “who, what, when, where, how and why” inverted pyramid type article explaining your news. It needs to be newsworthy – which means simply that it must of interest or importance to a large number of people – for the media to be interested in covering it. Be sure to send it with enough advance notice so they have ample time to arrange for a reporter to talk to you. Also make sure you know who to direct your release to – is it a business, lifestyle, sports or other story?

I used to send tip sheets along with a news release when I wanted to promote a series of events. A tip sheet is simply a list of story ideas focusing on various angles of an issue you upon which you can comment. If you work for a nutrition counseling service, you might send a tip sheet out for diabetes prevention month focusing on ways to prevent diabetes, menu suggestions, exercise ideas, etc.  It’s great if you can include contacts within your organization for each tip.

If you work for a for-profit organization and have developed a new product, procedure or service, send a news release. Even better, organize an event and invite the media to a kick-off or press conference. You can maximize your time by answering multiple questions at once, and providing one presentation, demonstration or tour.

If you work for a non-profit, stress how your organization’s work benefits your target population – and positively impacts the greater community.

Of course, you can tout all your news – and non-news – on social media sites as well. But the traditional media can reach an additional audience, and even provide a boost to your social media efforts. After all, when people hear about you, they’ll most likely check you out on your website or look for you on FaceBook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc to get additional information. Social media and traditional or “old” media –  a great combination.

Susan Reetz, of Rucinski & Reetz Communication, is a writer/director/producer for film, video and multimedia. Her scriptwriting and producing work has earned numerous local, national, and international awards. She also writes feature articles, brochure copy, news releases, and other promotional materials. She can be reached at 715-355-9159 or Reetz@RucinskiReetz.com.

www.RucinskiReetz.com

Most people are familiar with pre and post-roll video on the web. In most cases it is forced advertising that can’t be manipulated. But, clickable (or interactive) video allows direct interaction with the video content.

This is exciting technology for future video advertising because it’s interactive, measurable and reaches consumers across platforms from online, mobile, tablets, to interactive TV.  Scott Reese, blurbIQ CEO, believes 2012 will be the year of cross-platform interactive video as more advertisers use video for branding as well as direct response marketing.

Here are samples of interactive video for business. Options are endless for keeping people engaged in products and services and there’s no interruption in their content experience.

Cisco has predicted that by 2013, 90% of the web’s bandwidth will be video. For we content producers, web video (of any kind) is a cornucopia of new writing projects. Let us know if you are using or creating clickable video and tell us how you’re using it. (By-the-way, check out Wirewax and have some fun creating your own!)

Pam Rucinski, a partner in Rucinski & Reetz Communication is a writer/director/producer for film, video, websites, print and other promotional materials. Her scriptwriting work has earned numerous local, national, and international awards. She can be reached at 715-241-7316.  Rucinski@RucinskiReetz.com.

For many of us, trailers are the way we first hear about a new movie. They tease us with clips from the best scenes enhanced by dramatic music, giving us just enough information to draw us in and make us want to see the finished product. But trailers are not just for movies anymore…

Many book publishers, agents and authors are now using video, often called book trailers, to promote and sell new fiction and nonfiction. I think the first book trailer I saw was for “Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children” – and I bought the book. (Book tailer for Miss Peregrine\’s Home for Peculiar Children.)

Book trailers or promo videos are usually produced for a book that has been or is in the process of being published. However, sometimes authors use them as part of their marketing packet when seeking an agent or publisher, or when they self publish. Either way, there are several points to keep in mind.

•  Length. A book trailer should give the viewer enough information to hook them and lead  them to buy the book, but not so much that they feel like they know the whole story. Most good book trailers are between 30 seconds and 3 minutes. Any shorter than that and it’s hard to effectively get your point across. Longer videos run the risk of giving away too much of the plot or just plain boring the viewer.

• Production value. You’ve spent a lot of time polishing your prose and you want your book trailer to convey the style and quality of your book. Don’t diminish it with an unprofessional looking book trailer. While some authors are able to take the time to learn the right software programs, come up with great visuals, and secure rights to the perfect music, others fall terribly short and end up with a video that looks less than stellar. A professional video producer or editor can give you the look you want and help you come up with an approach that will work with your budget. Some videos are fairly simple (yet effective) and can be done for as little as $300, while others incorporate more complex production techniques and can cost several thousand. A video professional is also adept at securing the rights to the various production elements and integrating visuals, music and effects to move your story along. They can also typically complete your video in a much shorter time span than if you do it yourself.
• Showing characters. Some book trailers use live action to depict key plot points and characters. If you have a healthy budget, this can certainly be one way to go. However, you need to be mindful that most readers tend to prefer letting their imaginations put the faces on your characters. If at all possible, don’t take that away from them. If carefully shot, you can use live action without showing too many specifics of a character’s appearance. Also, if you’re going to use live action, please, please, please, make sure you have GOOD actors. Not average, not mediocre, but GOOD if not GREAT actors. If you can’t get at least good actors, find another approach for your book trailer.
• Call to action. It’s amazing to me that someone would go through the trouble (and expense) of creating a book trailer and not end it with a call to action. What do you want the viewer to do? If the book is published, tell them where they can buy it. Would you like them to visit your author’s page/site? Give them the URL. Looking for an agent or publisher? List your contact info. You get the idea.
• Get it seen. Once your book trailer is done, put it in as many places as possible. Post it on your website, YouTube, Vimeo and other video sharing sites. (Don’t forget to optimize with tags and keywords.) Share it on FaceBook, Twitter, LinkedIn and all your other social media sites. Use it as a podcast. Embed the video in your blog, and reference it (when appropriate) in your responses to other blogs. Link it to groups with a common interest or goal. Provide the link in all your other marketing information as well.

I hope these tips are helpful. A book trailer – if it’s done well – can be a great way to generate interest in your new book.

Susan Reetz, of Rucinski & Reetz Communication, is a writer/director/producer for film, video and multimedia. Her scriptwriting and producing work has earned numerous local, national, and international awards. She also writes feature articles, brochure copy, news releases, and other promotional materials. She can be reached at 715-355-9159 or Reetz@RucinskiReetz.com.

www.RucinskiReetz.com

I love watching them while I bake cookies, wrap gifts and decorate the house. (Husband rolls eyes.) Holy nutcracker – Elf is one of my favorites! Jack Frost always makes me cry and don’t even get me started on It’s a Wonderful Life.

Last night I caught Frosty the Snowman. He married his lady love, Crystal.  Tonight I may have to pop in White Christmas with Rosemary Clooney (George Clooney’s aunt), Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye.  Fred Astaire was the first pick for the part but he backed out and Kaye won the gig.  I think Danny Kaye is one of the funniest comedians of his era!

Then there’s the 1954 movie, A Christmas Carol, and it’s my all-time favorite of all the many versions of the movie.  Years ago (this will date me) when we had maybe three channels to watch, one of the stations ended their Christmas Eve broadcast with the Christmas Carol starring Alastair Sim as Scrooge.  I always watched it while doing the last minute Santa duties.

After the holidays last year I found the DVD and may just “force” the grown kids to watch it with me this Christmas Eve. (Hubby does the eye roll again.) I don’t know why, but I never get enough sleep Christmas Eve. I think I hear a collective groan from moms out there!

Whatever makes your holiday special – may you have it in abundance!

I teach a college course about writing for visual media (completely online), focused on the field of video. When I taught this class in the past (in the classroom), I arranged for some producer friends to come in and talk to my students. The students loved being able to ask these seasoned professionals questions about script writing in the real world, the collaboration necessary to achieve a great script, and how a script is eventually transformed into a finished video.

At first I wasn’t sure how I could expose my online students to the valuable perspectives of professional video producers. After all, there’s no actual classroom, no assigned meeting time, and even I had not met any of my students face-to-face. Then it came to me: I’d interview a sampling of my producer friends.

I asked three in-house corporate producers, two others who own or work for independent production companies, and two who produce video for government agencies to answer a short list of questions. Their years of experience in the field range from 9 to 39 years with an average of over 23 years each of producing visual media. They all agreed to help me out. (Aren’t they nice?)

So I sent them my list of questions and we were off and running.

What did the producers have to say about script writing and script writers?

• All but one have scripts to work from on the majority of their projects.
• Many referred to a script as the blueprint, foundation or roadmap of the production process. In other words, it is the essential beginning from which the video is built, ensuring it reaches the right destination.
• They all prefer to work from a split page script (visuals on one side and audio on the other), although one said she creates a narrative style script (like a play or film script) for the client because they seem to be able to read it more easily. Once they move into production, however, the split page is the clear winner because they find it easy to create a shot list from the visual side, and it’s easier to differentiate between what is seen vs. heard.
• The keys to a good script including being conciseness, creativity, clarity, natural dialogue, producible within the budget, timeliness, and good descriptions of visuals.
• I asked them what they look for in a good scriptwriter. Collectively they said, someone who is well organized, creative, open minded, friendly, ethical, discrete with confidential information, able to meet the project and team’s objectives, understands the production process, asks good questions, and delivers on time.

How is this information useful to you? When you need a script writer, you have a good idea what to look for. If you’re interested in writing scripts, you know what producers are looking for. No matter what your function in a video production, it all starts with a great script.