Rucinski & Reetz Blog

You’ve put in the sweat equity and your blog content is done. Let the blog promotion begin.

Toot your blog horn!

I’m going to make this painfully simple for ME and send you to another blog. It offers great suggestions like posting on other social networking sites. (We post on FB, Twitter and LinkedIn mostly.) It also suggests that you register your blog URL with search engines. Most of us register our website URL but registering our blog URL is often a missed step.  So here it is:

http://exciramedia.com/9-tips-to-start-getting-your-blog-noticed/?goback=%2Egde_3214699_member_78217460

(FYI, the blog link is a Wisconsin company. If they give bad advice we know where to find ‘em. Besides, we’re always happy to promote Wisconsin businesses!)

Our blog continues to evolve. We’ll keep you posted on what’s working and what’s not in future posts. One thing I can say for certain, blogging is worth your time even if nobody reads it!

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.

Are you a “blog even if nobody reads it” believer? I’m your cheerleader…go blog! Go blog!

As I wrote in part one of our blog series, the Nielson Company 2010 survey shows U.S. internet users spend 3x more minutes on blogs and social networks than on email. Just to recap blogging picks up your SEO and:

• Shows you’re an expert in your industry.
• Builds your unique brand.
• Puts a human face on your brand and builds trust.
• Gives an opportunity to show how you’re different from the competition.
• Shows you’re the go-to place for problem solving.
• Helps roll out new products or services.
• Increases visibility on Facebook, LinkedIn and other social media.

Now for picking your BLOG TOPIC – take note that I’m speaking more about business blogs rather than personal blogs. Most business blogs are looking to generate business so you’ll want to pick topics that will interest your customer. Beware pitching too much. Make the tone more about helping rather than selling.

For example, let’s say you’re a print shop. Tell some great stories about the starting of your company. For example, before my business partner Sue and I officially created Rucinski & Reetz, we had the good fortune of a safe landing in a snow filled ditch on our way home from a late night video shoot…Mix the business and more personal blog posts up a bit. Or if you have a lot of content for a series (like the one I’m doing now) then create a related string of posts. Just keep the writing conversational and off the “office speak.”

Make your BLOG’S OPENING LINE a hook to grab attention and draw readers into the rest of your post. For example: Partnerships can start anywhere – even in a snow covered ditch. Or maybe you’re a print shop. Your post could start like this: The history of printing dates back to 3000 B.C. (Okay I’m hooked already!)

Your BLOG POST TITLE is one powerful little dude! It may be short but it rides high and proud in the saddle. Make it good and you’ll lasso both your blog reader and search engine attention. So put that ten gallon thinking cap on part’nr and write a great blog title! Here’s a bit of info that will be a huge help on writing your blog title. http://www.problogger.net/archives/2008/08/20/how-to-craft-post-titles-that-draw-readers-into-your-blog/

Come back next time for our third segment in “BLOG EVEN IF NOBODY READS IT.” It will cover the call to action and post promotion. Do you have a question or a blog topic suggestion? Let us know!

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.

Huh? Well blah, blah, blah…on blogging! Blogging is for the unemployed. It takes too much time, I never know what to write and does anyone read blogs anyway?

Is this you? It was me at one time. A bit snarky I know but hey I wised up. This survey and others gave me a smack in the side of the head! According to a Nielson Company 2010 survey US internet users spend 3x more minutes on blogs and social networks than on email. (Probably isn’t a big surprise to the under thirty crowd.)

But, but, but…blog even if no one reads it! Say what?

It’s all about the SEO. A blog adds fresh content to your website – and search engine spiders gobble up fresh content like sharks on raw meat. Add no new content and the sharks go away. Look at it this way — if your favorite restaurant ran out of food you’d be gone too. Blogs keep search engine spiders well-fed and coming back — and that helps your website get first page placement on searches. (In short, a blog can increase your SEO even if NOBODY reads it!)

Beyond SEO there are other reasons to blog because it:

• Shows you’re an expert in your industry.
• Builds your unique brand.
• Puts a human face on your brand and builds trust.
• Gives an opportunity to show how you’re different from the competition.
• Shows you’re the go-to place for problem solving.
• Helps roll out new products or services.
• Increases visibility on Facebook, LinkedIn and other social media.

Did you know there’s a TOP TEN BLOG list? Check out this blog site. Starbucks is my favorite. (Okay I admit to being biased since I’m a Starbucks frequent flier.  http://www.businessesgrow.com/2011/01/05/the-10-best-corporate-blogs-in-the-world/

Blogging is so important we’re turning it into a series. Next time, there will be info on picking great content, creating the opening line, why your blog needs a great title, and when to post to get the most visibility.

(Note, our blog is barely out of diapers but we’re learning a lot and willing to share what’s working and what’s not. You may be way ahead of us so feel free to pass on the wisdom to share with our readers. )

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 715-241-7216.  Rucinski@RucinskiReetz.com.

A story can be told by just about anyone. But a good story must be told in the right way by the right person. For example, you probably wouldn’t have the Jolly Green Giant as a pitchman for feminine hygiene products any more than you would use an interview with the Jabba the Hutt to sell weight lifting equipment.

As producers and/or writers, one of the first things we need to determine is who should tell the story. Should it be an on camera narrator or a voice over? Or, should all the information all be presented through interviews clips?

When deciding who should tell the story, it’s a good idea to consider the project’s objective and the intended audience.

Does you project need to educate, persuade, motivate, sell, or train? Knowing the objective – and the type of information that needs to be included in the program – helps determine whether the project calls for an on camera narrator, voice over, or interview.

For example, an installation video targeted to professional technicians would work nicely with an on camera narrator to demonstrate the procedures. The narrator would probably be scripted to sound like the audience members, using familiar trade language in a conversational manner.

A visitor orientation video might be better served with an off camera narrator rather than a real employee on camera to protect shelf life. If a real employee is used as an on camera narrator and the employee leaves – especially if they go to a competitor – the entire program has to be redone. Using an off camera narrator also keeps the focus on the facility and allows for easier updates if the company is sold in the future.

Of course a program for a teen audience would not normally call for a formal adult on camera narrator. But it might work well to have a teen on camera host. Or, if the subject is a serious social issue like drugs or gangs, interviews with teens and others directly affected by the issue carry a log of weight and lend credibility to a skeptical audience.

Whatever the project and target audience, make sure the project’s voice reflects and speaks to the sensibilities, language, and ideals of the audience.

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

Do you have a screen play rolling about in your head?  I’m in the process of the 10^th, 12^th, 20^th revision (lost count) of an animated film script this weekend.  If you’re feeling the urge to make a dream come true I can offer one piece of advice – start with scriptwriting software like Final Draft.

Some years back I saw Final Draft at an NAB show in Las Vegas.  They had both a film version and a two column package most often used for video scripts. We had our own two column script style customized from Word so we passed on the AV version.

I didn’t give Final Draft another thought until a friend and I started the process of writing an animated film. Electronic files were passed back and forth, back and forth, back and forth—and soon we realized the long paper trail of revisions was killing off our creative time. (Word processing programs don’t easily format scripts to Hollywood’s industry standards.)

Enter Final Draft to our writing team.  (Note, if you’re co-writing you’ll need to buy your own software. Cost is about $250.) If you’re a student you can get a discount.  You can download a version or buy the package.  Both come with a DVD produced by a successful screenwriter. We found it to be a bit slow moving at times but the info was generally good.

Final Draft is in its 20^th year and we have the 8^th and latest version. One thing we appreciate most, besides the formatting, is the index cards function.  It keeps all the ideas right at the appropriate scenes. No sticky notes hanging all over the office.  Another time saver is the memory function, like a cell phone it remembers the character names. Type a couple letters and the words pops on screen.

Exchanging scripts is so easy now.  Formatting stays set.  Changes are easy to show and both writers can work off the same document.  It has a high level overview of all the scenes and easy functions to switch scenes. It also tells us the percentage of script time for each character.  At one point, one of our lesser characters took over the main character! A huge goof easily caught by Final Draft.

So get going on your dream script! Make it Hollywood ready to read or risk losing your big chance. Doing the correct formatting shows you’re a serious screen writer. Also be sure to look on-line for movie script samples that match your genre.  Before writing our animated script it helped to look at the construction and character development of scripts from movies like Shrek, Ants, and Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs.

I’ve only scratched the surface of Final Draft. Main thing is the program is user friendly and you can start writing almost immediately! http://www.finaldraft.com/index.php

Facing a blank screen can be scarier than a Stephen King novel. Just ask Stephen. He says writing can be like crossing the Atlantic Ocean in a bathtub. (I wonder if his analogy includes a paddle and a rubber ducky.)

If that’s your problem too…you’re in good company!  John Steinbeck said, “When I face the desolate impossibility of writing 500 pages, a sick sense of failure falls on me and I know I can never do it.”

Is it possible the most fearless writers are writing self-help books to help wannabe writers overcome their fears? Do some of us fear the ghosts of fear and rejection? Maybe a voice in your past said, “Don’t give up your day job for writing.”  Ouch!

Stephen Cannell didn’t listen to the naysayers. Here’s a guy with dyslexia who flunked three grades. In spite of the odds Cannell became one of television’s most prolific writers. He scripted more than 350 episodes of the many series he created. He produced or co-created over 43 shows including The Rockford Files, Baretta, Tenspeed and Brownshoe, The Greatest American Hero, The A-Team, Hardcastle and McCormick, 21 Jump Street, Wiseguy, Hunter, The Commish, Hawkeye, Profit, Two, Renegade and Silk Stalkings.

Cannel says, “Every great writer who’s ever lived has, on occasion, written garbage (in my case it happens all the time). It’s okay to write garbage. You’re a good critic, you’ll fix it later.”

Procrastination is the worst enemy of a writer. Rename your fear. Call it positive anxiety then sit down and write! After suffering twenty years of “positive anxiety” I’ve learned a few tricks to reduce the fear factor.

• If you’re business writing make sure you know the client’s objective.
• Do your research. Anxiety is often more a reaction to lack of information than creative ability.
• Ask questions. Wandering in the desert works for camels not writers.
• Be persistent. Don’t give in to the beach, golfing or the refrigerator.
• Be bold–computers can’t replace you!

Embrace writing! One of my favorite writers Robert Masello says, “Wallow in words like a pig in a mud puddle, the dirtier you get, the happier you’ll be. “

 Rucinsk & Reetz recommended reading:

• STEPHEN KING ON WRITING: A memoir of the craft
• ROBERT’S RULES OF WRITING,  Robert Masello “101 unconventional lessons every writer needs to know”
• CUTTING EDGE COMMERCIALS by Jim Aitchison
• DIRECT MAIL COPY THAT SELLS!  Herschell Gordon Lewis
• THE POCKET MUSE  by Monica Wood
• THE  OWNER’S MANUAL FOR SMALL BUSINESS  by Rhonda Abrams
• CLEARANCE & COPYRIGHT  by Michel C. Donaldson
• WRITING FOR THE MEDIA  by Paul Max Rubenstein and Martin J. Maloney
• THE INDEPENDENT FILM AND VIDEOMAKER’S GUIDE 2^nd EDITION by Micheal Wiese
• WRITING FOR TELEVISION, RADIO, AND NEW MEDIA by Robert Hilliard
• WRITING, DIRECTING, AND PRODUCING DOCUMENTARY FILMS AND VIDEO by Alan Rosenthal

Written by Susan Reetz, Rucinski & Reetz Communication, LLC

I stand before the door of inspiration, lightly tapping. No answer.

I return, bearing gifts of hope, positive energy and absolute deference. I tap again. Still no answer.

I wait, politely. Perhaps someone is donning slippers and a robe to answer my unbidden knock. After all, it is after midnight on the eve of deadline. I tap again, just a bit louder in case they are lost in REM. Still no answer. I pound, shout, and even light a firecracker.

Quietly, discreetly, a small note appears as it is nudged beneath the locked door. It reads,

“It is my duty to inform you that your muse is currently on vacation in sunny Tuscany. She will return in three to four weeks. Maybe. You may leave a message, or, if you need immediate help, you may contact her temporary replacement, Bruno Blockhead, or try the attached Self Help Guide to Creativity. Thank you for your patience. The Management.”

Postcard of Tuscany from my muse.

Oh great! The last time I asked Bruno for help all I got was a bunch of cheesy suggestions from a totally crumbled cracker. I guess I’ll check out the Self Help Guide to Creativity. Time is racing and I’ve got nothing to lose. Here goes:

Self Help Guide to Creativity

Technique 1: BRAIN DUMP

This technique specifically involves clearing the way for creativity to enter. Quite simply, you sit down and write out all the information you can think of that is related to your project. Getting all the details out of your head and onto paper alleviates some mental pressure and allows you to quickly organize the material and begin looking for metaphors for your creative concept. Think about it. One person can only juggle so many items. If you put one thing down, you are free to pick up another and get it into play. See our addendum on Juggling Metaphors for Fun and Profit.

Technique 2: FREE ASSOCIATION

This technique has nothing to do with a complimentary membership to a dues oriented organization. Rather, free association means letting your mind roam from one idea to the next. Tangents are good here. Tangerines may also be good. But I digress. Think about the general topic of your project. Play around with different facets of focus and see where you go. It’s best to take notes as you go so you don’t forget some of the great ideas you’ll come up with. Don’t panic. If you have a phobia for writing (or typing) you can use a voice recorder, although at some point you will need to make notes so you can share your ideas with the rest of your team.

Technique 3: WATCH TV AND GOOGLE WEBSITES

Now, I know you may have been told that watching TV and Googling websites is stalling. Procrastinating. Maybe even, egad, wasting time. It simply isn’t always true. If done early enough in the creative process, looking at the work of others can help generate fresh creative ideas for your projects. As professionals, we always want to be careful not to plagiarize someone else’s work or idea. However, you can often find something someone else did and give it your own twist. It could be a camera style, graphics treatment, story approach, etc. You can get a lot of great ideas to modify and apply to your latest project.

Technique 4: LISTEN TO MUSIC

You’ve probably been told all your life that you can’t do two things at the same time. But, that advice is not always right. Sometimes getting the brain to focus on something like music helps quiet your inner critic. You know. The one that says, “That’s a dumb idea. You’ll never make it work.” Once that little guy is sufficiently lulled into silence, you can begin to think in peace. The imagery in lyrics and musical phrasing may also help inspire your creative juices. Personally, I find that listening to classical music while I write sets the mood and helps me get into a creative rhythm. Of, if I’m writing something tied to a particular culture, I’ll listen to that type of music to transport me to the place.

Technique 5: COLLECTIVE BRAINSTORMING

Round up a few other creative types or colleagues and toss some ideas around. Before you begin get everyone to agree that no bad ideas will come from this session, although all ideas will not be feasible. Give everyone the freedom to comfortably offer half baked ideas (they can always be thrown back in the oven later) without booing, hissing, or any other form of jeering from fellow brainstormers. Have one person start an idea and the next person add to or modify the previous person’s thought until everyone has contributed. Or, allow a specific amount of time for everyone to come up with a creative idea on their own and the present it for discussion and collective fine tuning. You may be surprised about what develops.

Well, I think I’m well on my way to a great creative treatment for my project. My muse may be out of a job by the time she gets back from Tuscany.

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

I recently read that on average Americans are watching 100 minutes of video a month. In just the last week I watched a sleeping kitten, Marcel the Shell, various political rants, exercise and music videos, and a Great White being hand fed by a lady who actually believed she had made some kind of cosmic “connection” with the beast!

If you’re working on a web marketing video do you make it message driven or lean to the fun side? Message or entertain that is the question! It’s a tough call sometimes, but there are guidelines you can apply to make the decision.

• Know your audience. Rule of thumb is, the wider the audience you’re trying to reach the higher the degree of entertainment required. If the audience is narrower – opt for a well delivered message with a clear call to action.
• Apply the “entertainment” test to your product or service. For example, an aluminum drink can producer most likely has a narrow market. They want specific info on their ability to make the product on time and to the customer’s specifications.

On the other hand, if you’re the company selling the drink – most likely the audience is huge and competition high. Attention grabber required! Watch Coca Cola’s Happiness Machine. http://mashable.com/2010/07/21/coke-happiness-machine/

Then again, you may want to split the difference and create a web video that is both creative and message driven. Our company recently produced a United Way video for the Central Wisconsin area. It required a no-nonsense, straightforward message directed to a wide audience of potential donors. The directive was to show why United Way was “different” than other organizations looking for donations. We hit “different” head-on! Take a look.

http://steveoakley.net/uw/United_Way_V2CC2_h264.mov

Also, here’s a great link to an article that gives the positives and negatives of message vs. high entertainment. Note some of the comments at the end. Good stuff! http://www.reelseo.com/entertainment-message/

Use Professional Voice Talent

I know, I know. Your video budget is tight and you want to stretch it as much as possible. But if you want your results to be beyond average, please consider a professional voice talent to record your narration or character lines.

Yes, sometimes you can get really lucky with an amateur. But that luck usually comes at a price, often in the form of a much longer recording time because your well meaning friend, uncle or grocery store clerk needs a lot of directing – and a lot of re-takes.

There are a lot of great voice actors/narrators all over the country. You can listen to demos all day long on their individual or agent websites. You can also ask other video producers for  recommendations, or call agents and/or casting companies and they can help you find a good fit.

One piece of advice is to get preliminary estimates from a couple professional voice talent (or their agent) before you’ve even completed your project bid. Let them know whether the job is union or non-union since that will affect the rates. If you can give them a ballpark on length of script along with intended audience, means of delivery to the audience (DVD/flash drive vs. web
vs. broadcast), expected shelf life and a few other particulars, they will often be able to give you a ballpark cost estimate. Just be sure to clarify whether their estimate includes studio time, changes and time to clean up the files. Then you may want to add a small amount, just in case the script ends up longer than anticipated. If you don’t need the extra money you budgeted, you can always use for another production category, or better yet, reduce your final bill to the client. Trust me, this makes for a very happy client.

If you already have a script, email it to the professional voice over talent you are interested in for your project (or their agent). Some are willing to give a free audition, but you’ll need to check that on a case-by-case basis.

• You can either let them know what your budget is
  and ask if they can work within it,
• or ask them to give you an estimate based on how
  much time they think it would take for them to complete the job.
• Again, be sure to ask if the estimate includes
  changes and studio time.

When I’m producing a project, once I’ve selected the appropriate talent for a specific project,  negotiated a fee, emailed the script and scheduled a recording time, I like to be patched in to the recording session, especially if I haven’t worked directly with the talent before. It gives me a chance to get to know their style and answer any questions (like pronunciations or emphasis) that come up as we go along. We’ll often spend a few minutes at the beginning of the session discussing tone, pacing and style, and then get rolling.

I polled a couple of friends (each represented by several talent agencies) in the professional voice talent biz about things the director can do to make the process go smoothly. Here are some snippets from their responses:

Connie Terwilliger (http://www.voiceover-talent.com)

“If the director won’t be on the line during recording, a phone number is important so that if questions come up we can get a quick response. I need the script in a digital format. Some clients write their scripts using a two column table in Word while others use an Excel spreadsheet. Don’t send a PDF storyboard; it is very hard to read from and requires cutting and pasting into another format
so that all the words can be seen in context. PowerPoint presentations are also difficult to work with at times.

“If you are in a large market with some reputable agents – use them – ask them for help in determining a rate that is fair to everyone. If you use an online casting service, you will get better
quality talent submitting for a job if you include a lot of details about the project and its use and set a fair rate.

“As for technical aspects of the script, if it uses sound bites, include a transcript of the words that the narrator will be leading into and coming out of. This will help with flow. Double space the
script so there is room to mark the copy. Use at least a 12 point font. Use normal sentence punctuation with upper and lower case text. Avoid breaking a sentence from one page to the next. ”
Mike Froncek (http://www.mikefroncek.com)

“I like to know what the client is trying to achieve with the target audience. Knowing something about the desired outcome helps me “feel my way” through the script in a way that drives an appropriate interpretation of the written word. Do they want a strong, forceful presentation or something not too hard-sell. Polished or laid back? Professional or common-man? Serious or a little lighter?

“My most important suggestion to producers would be: know what you want. Don’t ask a voice talent to come into the studio hoping he or she will be able to give you 50 different interpretations
until you hear one you like. Listen to demos before you select a voice talent, and when someone’s demo proves they can hit the sound you are after, you’ll have a smooth recording session. Then the focus can be on getting the best possible interpretation and sound. The producer can ask the talent to refine each read a little bit here and there and also pursue capturing that certain nuance that gives the recording some “sizzle.” By being prepared, by knowing what you want, you can end up with an excellent end-product from their voice talent.”