At the staff meeting on Thursday, 19 Nov, Mike Sparks suggested that we dust off the never-pursued idea of making YouTube movies about our products. Some could introduce the various product lines, some could be examples of play, some could be descriptions of products.

I know little about this, as I don't do to You Tube (but I do go to other video sharing sites). I did say that I wanted it to happen, and wanted Mike to get moving and do it ASAP.

Eric was all over this like guacamole on corn chips and wanted to help Mike. Leanna and Petrick supported the idea but like me have no idea how it works or the ins and outs of doing it.

Anyway, Mike and Eric are working up "ideas" for the first few "movies".

Anyone familiar with the system and technology is welcome to post their thoughts, advice, warnings, and guidance here or to email Mike and/or Eric.

By Xander Fulton (Dderidex) on Friday, November 20, 2009 - 01:02 pm: Edit

Hmmm....so these Youtube movies are meant to be instructional (IE., people IRL playing games), and not marketing/entertainment material? (As in - when I read the comment about "Youtube movies" my initial thought was that you were capitalizing on all the wonderful CGI ship renders you have to make 'in-universe' SFB action sequences a la those "Star Trek vs Babylon 5" renders. Only, with more believable scenes using SFU ships.)

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Friday, November 20, 2009 - 01:08 pm: Edit

My first thought is that a game play video would be great but it needs to be professional and not appear like a home movie. It should be edited to take out any hang time and should be narrated separately and not by the players so the speech is clear with no "ums" or studders. FX can be cool but this is a corporate video so presenting the info as clear as possible is vital. Scripting it shouldn't be too difficult. It would probably do to simply create an outline of what information you want to present, then break that down into scenes with an estimate of time for each scene (9 seconds, 15 seconds, etc.) At this time you work out the dialog for the narrator (Scene 1: Game Parts: [dialog text]) Film the scenes using this as a guide. A cold corporate video could simply present a narrated slide show but film is far more interesting to non-corporate types, IMO. So pan the camera, have people handling the game, take a moment to show important game play actions like "Fire on the board!".


I would think a video presentation of the SFU background could be very good too (with mentions of all the games of ADB).

Who would be the voice of ADB? (Honestly, I listened to SVC on Talk Shoe and his is pretty good.)

By Andy Vancil (Andy) on Friday, November 20, 2009 - 01:20 pm: Edit

What you need here is to partner up with one of the outfits producing fan flicks based on TOS. Start with some interplay between the bridge officers on a starship. Officers make a reference to some RPG term. Cut to scene of people playing GURPS or d20 Prime Directive. Back to the bridge, where an enemy ship is approaching. Show the Captain on the bridge giving orders. Cut to shot of FC board, with players rolling some dice. Back to the action, where we see ships firing weapons. Etc.

Maybe too ambitious. But it would be cool.

By Will McCammon (Djdood) on Friday, November 20, 2009 - 03:01 pm: Edit

The fanfilm thing sounds neat but too ambitious for just starting out.

Picking up from Loren's suggestions, one thing I will note is the thing that seperates "home videos" from "looks professional" videos is often lighting and camera shake.

In the case like this (where you are trying to sell something) make sure the subject is blasted with diffuse light. Make it as bright as you can get it without glare. You can rent "pro" lights, but it is much cheaper to just take really bright lights (halogen shop lamps, etc.) and just bounce the light off of white poster boards. You need at least two, to avoid hard shadows.

This is really no different than standard product photography, but the subjects will obviously be moving around and you need to account for that.

I'd also recommend a tripod very highly. Nothing makes a video not work quicker than "shaky cam". If you are moving around to show different player's vantage points or reactions, then sure handheld camera is expected. But if it is just a longish shot of hands moving around minis or counters on a game board, then "shaky cam" detracts from the movement you are really trying to show.

Another note would be audio. The microphone built in to camcorders is usually junk (lowest bidder/pricepoint). They sound awful and are also usually "omnidirecitonal mics" (to pick up all the sounds in a room for birthday parties). They also pickup every creak, button-press, and motor noise from the camera itself.

If the camera has a jack for an external microphone (and lots of them do) - Use It. A $15 Radio Shack microphone on a $10 stand will sound much clearer and let you only pick up the sounds you want to. Individual mics on each participant is obviously better, but then you get into things you probably don't want to deal with (mixing boards, multi-track recording, etc.)

I'll assume that Eric and/or Matt have some experience with video editing (it's pretty common nowadays and built in to recent versions of Mac and Windows). If not, there are folks out there (myself included) who have experience and would be willing to help. I can also do audio cleanup and add license-free music, etc.

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Friday, November 20, 2009 - 05:11 pm: Edit

Yeah, Will has more practical experience than I do. He's really right aobut the shaky cam. This whole thing could be done nicely with a tri-pod and where you would like to shot a scene with the camera moving you could just shoot the scene twice or three times from different angles. Anything o eliminate shaky cam. (Built in image stabilization won't do the trick).

My childhood friend Jamie is a commercial producer/director (He did the award winning United Airlines commercial that showed during the Superbowl several years back... and the Limony Snickets movie credit sequence.) He bult a basic track system that he could lay where ever to move the camera smoothly. This can be done with a wagon for a very simply camera move (two people move the wagon with a third operating the camera). I doubt this would be necessary.

YouTube would provide very cheap widespread general advertising. Could anyone think SFB is dead still with ADB on YouTube?

By Christopher Smith (Casmith518) on Friday, November 20, 2009 - 05:24 pm: Edit

I think it would be cool to show clips from TOS episode "Balance of Terror", and show the same battle occuring on the game board. What would that be, Fed CA and the sublight Rom (I forget the ship name) with the PL R.

By Terence Sean Terry O'Carroll (Terryoc) on Friday, November 20, 2009 - 05:33 pm: Edit

One popular type of YouTube clip is "unboxing" where it's a video of players opening up the box and showing people what's inside... I believe SJ Games did one of unboxing their Munchkin dungeon boardgame, and there are others done by posters on Boardgamegeek. While most SFU games don't have fancy components, perhaps an Unboxing Klingon Border movie might work, it only needs to be two minutes long. Something similar could be done for the miniatures boxes.

If one of the experienced minis painters wanted to do one on "how to paint a Federation ship" or something I'm sure that would generate some interest.

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Friday, November 20, 2009 - 05:43 pm: Edit

Fan videos might be the subject of some sort of contest. Video gets put on YouTube and the contestant wins a prize. (Three levels of prize and all go on YouTube?)


I think that putting in scenes of TOS episodes would be impossible. However, chosing some fitting Adam Turner art to flash into a scene could work very nicely. Add that neat pan/zoom effect could be done in many cheap-o video editing programs.

By Will McCammon (Djdood) on Friday, November 20, 2009 - 05:50 pm: Edit

Christopher - As cool as that could be, it's never going to happen in something ADB does (why anger Paramount/CBS?). Loren's alternative with panning over existing Adam Turner art is totally do-able and super-easy. A little evocative background music and sound-effects and you get a similar effect on the viewer with no legal entanglements (and next to no cost).

Terence - I think the "unboxing" idea is a good one. It's a variant on the "let me show you what you get" presentation that goes clear back to state fair barkers, but spun on it's ear as it's the "customer" doing the pitch.

As far as minis-painting videos go, I watch lots like that already but videos featuring starship minis are indeed decidedly rare (you can find dozen on how to paint a dwarf or dragon, not so much for how to paint a Fed CA).

Scale Model Addict (http://www.scalemodeladdict.com/) did an amazing job last year of putting up very well-produced home videos as he progressed through building and detailing a plastic X-Wing fighter kit. He's now doing his second season building a a tank model.

I've taken the impression that SVC feels that minis "how-to" articles in Captains Log didn't draw enough eyes. I'm not sure if videos would be different.

Personally, I'd watch them, but I'm a minis-freak.

While I'd be happy to produce minis-painting videos, I'm unsure if they would be worth the effort. I do extensive photo-documenting/posting of the process right now and don't see any comments, so I assume they just fly off into the ether.

By Xander Fulton (Dderidex) on Friday, November 20, 2009 - 06:24 pm: Edit

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Quote:

I've taken the impression that SVC feels that minis "how-to" articles in Captains Log didn't draw enough eyes. I'm not sure if videos would be different.

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By Will McCammon (Djdood) on Friday, November 20, 2009 - 06:46 pm: Edit

Xander - I was addressing my comment at minis "how to" videos only.

I'm assuming ADB would be focusing their energies into "product-exposure" and "gameplay" videos of the games, all of which they can do (and do well) in-house. Those undoubtedly would have a good "return on investment".

Minis "how-to" videos would likely need someone who does a lot of minis (a Tony Thomas, John Schneder, Paul Cordeiro, Mike Raper, etc.) and has the inclination to do the video.

Like I said, I do tons of photo-blogging of my minis projects and don't get many page-views. Photo-blogging is easy, videos are more work. If no one is looking, it's not necessarily value-added effort.

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Friday, November 20, 2009 - 08:55 pm: Edit

How-To YouTube videos are free to watch so they'd reach some new audiences.

Vids like these just might get some people to peak into their local game store having never thought of doing that before.

By Terence Sean Terry O'Carroll (Terryoc) on Saturday, November 21, 2009 - 02:17 am: Edit

Or even just videos of game play featuring painted minis would be good. More eye candy than counters.

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Saturday, November 21, 2009 - 11:22 am: Edit

Replies on You Tube movies and marketing
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Lots of good ideas and info here. I’m not going to be DOING this (Mike Sparks will, with the help of Eric Olivarez) but I do appreciate the input and will call it to their attention.
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By Xander Fulton
Hmmm....so these Youtube movies are meant to be instructional (IE., people IRL playing games), and not marketing/entertainment material?
- - - - -
SVC: I dunno. I’d be happy for Mike and Eric to do any of that.
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By Loren Knight
My first thought is that a game play video would be great but it needs to be professional and not appear like a home movie.
- - - - -
SVC: Well, better is better, but getting it done sooner and doing it over better later sounds like a plan.
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By Andy Vancil
What you need here is to partner up with one of the outfits producing fan flicks based on TOS.
- - - - -
SVC: Nice idea. Pretty ambitious, but maybe we’ll get that far in a year or two.
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By Will McCammon
one thing I will note is the thing that seperates "home videos" from "looks professional" videos is often lighting and camera shake.
- - - - -
SVC: Good info that I will pass on to Mike and Eric.
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I'll assume that Eric and/or Matt have some experience with video editing
- - - - -
SVC: I am told by them that they do. Eric has a bunch of movies on his website.
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By Loren Knight
YouTube would provide very cheap widespread general advertising. Could anyone think SFB is dead still with ADB on YouTube?
- - - - -
SVC: That was one thought I had.
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By Christopher Smith
I think it would be cool to show clips from TOS episode "Balance of Terror", and show the same battle occuring on the game board. What would that be, Fed CA and the sublight Rom (I forget the ship name) with the PL R.
- - - - -
SVC: I think it would be cool too! Unfortunately, "Judge, I know it was illegal but it was cool!" isn’t a legal defense.
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By Terence Sean
One popular type of YouTube clip is "unboxing" where it's a video of players opening up the box and showing people what's inside
- - - - -
SVC: I actually had this idea myself at the meeting.
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If one of the experienced minis painters wanted to do one on "how to paint a Federation ship" or something I'm sure that would generate some interest.
- - - - -
SVC: The problem there is that for us to do it, the painter would have to be here, and they’re not. But I will say that anybody who does one of these will get a link from our site.
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By Loren Knight
However, choosing some fitting Adam Turner art to flash into a scene could work very nicely.
- - - - -
SVC: May I point out...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXv1XMC7Q-0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOM9lXc4DKg
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By Will McCammon
I've taken the impression that SVC feels that minis "how-to" articles in Captains Log didn't draw enough eyes. I'm not sure if videos would be different.
- - - - -
SVC: This would, I think, be a different thing, and a different audience. The "how to" articles that weren’t very popular were stuff that required a master modeller to do. What was mentioned here is painting, not cutting and filing and puttying, and I think it would have a great audience, but again, somebody will have to do this, and nobody here can.
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By Xander Fulton
And certainly, people search on 'Star Trek' on Youtube ALL THE TIME. Professionally produced, of course, costs something, but views:investment should be pretty favorable if only a small handful of videos are done by the company to kind of "launch" the idea for fan involvement (and the contest isn't a bad idea - some token prize like a free year of Captain's Log subscriptions or something for best fan video?)
- - - - -
SVC: All good ideas that I am sure Mike and Eric will be interesting in seeing.
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By Will McCammon
I'm assuming ADB would be focusing their energies into "product-exposure" and "gameplay" videos of the games, all of which they can do (and do well) in-house. Those undoubtedly would have a good "return on investment".
Minis "how-to" videos would likely need someone who does a lot of minis (a Tony Thomas, John Schneder, Paul Cordeiro, Mike Raper, etc.) and has the inclination to do the video.
- - - - -
SVC: Concur.
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By Loren Knight
Vids like these just might get some people to peak into their local game store having never thought of doing that before.
- - - - -
SVC: Indeed.
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Or even just videos of game play featuring painted minis would be good. More eye candy than counters.
- - - - -
SVC: Perhaps. Over time this could be done. For now, I just want them to upload SOMETHING and then do more and more somethings and get better and better.
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By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Saturday, November 21, 2009 - 11:24 am: Edit

One aspect of YouTube which I heard but only barely understand is that the guy who uploads a movie gets a tiny bit of money for each viewing. We could push that long for fans who upload such things with links on the site and in the newsletter.

By Gary Plana (Garyplana) on Saturday, November 21, 2009 - 11:41 am: Edit

SVC, re Andy's suggestion re partnering with a professional video outfit, I'd like to reccomend Renegade Studios, who did STAR TREK: OF GODS AND MEN a few years ago.

The cast of which movie includes Nichelle Nichols and Walter Koenig reprising their roles as Uhura and Checkov 30 years after TOS, and also very notably, Chase Masterson who played Leeta the Dabo Girl on DS9, but wearing head-to-toe green body paint and a smile and little else while playing a Green Orion bridge commo officer clad in a costume that made the vintage TOS miniskirt outfits seem demure.

http://www.renegade-studios.com/main/

I got the DVD of this as a present a couple years ago and Renegade has got something brand new Trekish coming out early next year.

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Saturday, November 21, 2009 - 11:47 am: Edit

Some YouTube videos have some advertising on them. There is a group of people who seem to be making a living producing some very funny stuff (one was a Trek parody where Kirk and the alien start arguing over whether or not the scant uniforms on the female crew were appropreate.)

I'd be interested in hearing more about how money is made on YouTube.

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Saturday, November 21, 2009 - 01:46 pm: Edit

So would I, Loren.

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Saturday, November 21, 2009 - 02:22 pm: Edit

I was hoping a BBS member would know and speak up. Maybe I'll look into it later. I'm crazy busy through Monday night.

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Saturday, November 21, 2009 - 04:12 pm: Edit

The whole point of this topic, Loren, is for a BBS member who knows to speak up!

By Will McCammon (Djdood) on Saturday, November 21, 2009 - 10:15 pm: Edit

Well, just to confirm that I would indeed be happy to do painting/kitbashing videos, when the time comes. How that is done (I shoot, I edit/I shoot, ADB edits), etc. would be a conversation for another time and pending any interest from other minis people.

I'd been toying with buying a new video camera to film my wife's gardening "how to" videos anyways...

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Saturday, November 28, 2009 - 06:05 pm: Edit

Eric has uploaded the first two videos.

These are kind of experimental, done just to get something for you guys to comment on. Nobody expects them to be perfect on the first try.

http://www.youtube.com/user/starfleetgames

By Jason E. Schaff (Jschaff297061) on Saturday, November 28, 2009 - 06:54 pm: Edit

In the "Why Retailers Should Buy" video, the booster packs laid out on top of the Romulan Border Box appears to be the booster packs from Klingon Attack, instead of Romulan Border. Same thing with the squadron boxes, although it looks like the correct border box is matched with Romulan Border.

By Terence Sean Terry O'Carroll (Terryoc) on Saturday, November 28, 2009 - 06:58 pm: Edit

Just watched both videos. I thought they were good, and covered all the important details.

A few suggestions:

- Show Steve's face, at least at the beginning.
- A short, even one-sentence introduction from Steve. "Hi, I'm Steve Cole, designer of Federation Commander and owner of ADB, Inc." Then continue as before.
- At the end of the video, show a web page address.
- Perhaps close up shots of the components could be added?
- Perhaps add a web address, like www.federationcommander.com in a "watermark" style across the bottom (I think Eric will be able to figure out how to do this, I've seen it done on other videos). Basically, it would have the web address across the bottom of the page without actually obscuring any detail.

Retailer Video
- Perhaps mention that ADB, Inc. is dedicated to selling its products through brick-and-mortar retailers and gives retailer support like the FC league with the special bonus cards, and show the cards. Don't need to go into much detail, just mention it and ask them to register for more information so you can send them Star Fleet Alerts etc.
- Perhaps a general video could be done in addition to this one, "How stocking ADB, Inc. products can help grow your store's business", talking about the product lines ADB does; in addition to videos covering specific lines, like FC, SFB, SFBF, etc.