A Great Video Is Easier Than You Think: A Convo With Ben
After 5 weeks of working at Agency Media, I’ve learned a lot — most of all; I have so much more to learn. That’s why it’s great to have an open environment, where our departments work together to achieve our clients direct or indirect expectations and goals. Working with people like Ben, our Video Department Head, allows us to maximize our potential innovation and creativity.
“We want to captivate a viewer’s attention — with emotion — for a longer time than any other medium… Other than a novel,” Ben explained to me one day in the video room, among the cables and editing bays constantly occupied by at least one of the rest of the team; Lucas, Matt, Jess, Quinn, Mike, and Simon.
It’s the reason I like to have conversations in the video room, especially during these cold winter months. It’s a comfortable 2 degrees warmer than the rest of the building due to the heat pouring out of the humming computers as they process relentlessly.
Ben continued very basically — I don’t know if that was just because he was talking to me, but it made perfect sense. “Customers benefit by being able to combine audio and images to communicate more complex messaging.”
He was speaking my language. I don’t care about the bells and whistles, I want the juice. “Videos can educate both potential customers and employees much more efficiently and accurately.”
And it’s true. As Ben continued to talk, I tuned him out and noticed how far technology has advanced since VCR’s and DVD’s, and with it, a more consumer friendly cost. I caught Ben’s mouth moving and remembered I was supposed to be listening, just in time to make out his last sentence and agree by nodding as he finished, “Now, video is cheaper than ever.”
Our video team at Agency Media is not only a great group of talented and interesting individuals but also has a unique set of skills more dangerous than Liam Neeson. Not deadly though.
“We can do anything,” Ben was serious, and I didn’t catch any sort of arrogance in his voice — strictly confidence. “This team specializes in every area of the most effective creative marketing and advertising techniques.”
He pointed out our state of the art equipment, or ‘tools’, capable of any sort of video production. And since The Agency Media Group owns the equipment, “We don’t have to charge extra for renting anything.”
Having a great video sit dormant on the internet is a common problem we have found that our clients have experienced in the past before coming to see us. “Our managed service product ensures we are results driven and partners with the business and brands we work with.”
Basically, we get to keep our priorities for every department on the same level for every campaign. We want our client to like the video that we produce together, but we also want to make sure other people see what our client paid for!
“I’m most excited about the internal content we are going to produce to tell our story,” Ben referred to the ‘behind the scenes’ videos we have been filming around the office and at special events, as I sipped my third cup of coffee and debated heading upstairs for my fourth. “Seeing the team we have now, and knowing what we are capable of without any restrictions is really interesting.”
One last thing Ben wanted to bring to my attention before I had to return to the much cooler but refreshing open space main room of the Agency Media office was how excited he is about VR and 360 technologies in 2017 — and drones.
“The new drone company, Coastal Drone Co., and the learning we are doing in that sector — I’m excited for what’s to come.”
Ben Lum is the Head of the Agency Media Video department, has broken 43 skateboards over the past 3 years, and has over 1000+ hours of hoarded footage at home in his closet.
Alexander Johnson
Social Media Manager, The Agency Media Group
