In our previous blog article, FULL SERVICE PRODUCTION CENTER - When to Outsource? http://efxmediavictor.blogspot.com/2010/09/when-to-outsource.html , we suggested reasons to consider outsourcing to a full-service video production company. In Part Two, we concentrate on some special skills many in-house facilities don’t possess - Interactive programming and animation.
Since these aren’t necessarily capabilities many companies use regularly, why expand your staff with an expert? It’s a perfect time to outsource.
Video asset management (i.e. organizing your video library so a viewer can find what they are looking for,) is becoming problematic as more organizations take advantage of the power of video communications. As one government public affairs executive stated, “We’re getting YouTube crazy”.
As videos proliferate, trees get lost in the forest. Viewers often miss the specific message intended for them as they search through a maze of videos.
Here are some examples where outsourcing was required to solve certain communication challenges.
“Finding the Right Career Path” – International Training Institute (ITI)
ITI possesses a wealth of online training videos for a variety of industrial career paths. The problem was finding job-specific training materials.
Example: Contractors wanted to view videos about becoming a better contractor, yet they would wade through a mass of videos dealing with how to be a better foreman, welder, roofer, etc.
An Interactive asset management microsite was developed, organized based on a user’s specific interest. 
Every subject area was available to view, but users were first directed down a path of their choosing. Sounds basic, I know, but the Interactive programming and design for media management required special capabilities. Today, the right training is more readily available to the employee it was intended to serve. Every subject area was available to view, but users were first directed down a path of their choosing.
“Weaving the Web Into View” – Arlington Economic Development.
OK, your mere PowerPoint presentation now must be a multi-faceted, speaker-controlled video and animation-based show, merged with Bing 3D maps.
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| http://arlingtonvirginiausa.com/aedpres_web_version1/index.html |
No problem, right? Not so fast. After the meeting, the entire presentation has to reside on your website with viewer controlled navigation.Now is the time to think about outsourced horsepower.
Arlington (VA) County Economic Development needed a commercial real estate ‘virtual tour’ to showcase developing and available properties. They outsourced with a pro who could blend video with After Effects animation, with interactive design and programming, creating an attention-getting live presentation with navigation controls.
“Getting Real Face Time” – American Bar Association (ABA)
Sometimes, simply posting another video to your website isn’t enough to ensure your message gets heard. You need to position your cause or event as a prime importance to your audience.
American Bar Association wasn’t getting the desired registration for their seminars and meetings. “Selling” the seminars’ advantages through promotional videos was the key.
ABA saw the need to outsource to a production company with experience in producing and showcasing promotional materials. Further, a seminar-specific microsite was needed to host these special interest videos. The site was then wrapped into ABA’s main website, so viewers never actually left the association’s website. The outsourcing paid off with a marked increase in registrations.http://www.efxmediatv.com/media.cfm?c=587&m=2926
So, long story short, think about outsourcing when you have a particular communication challenge that might best be solved with an outside vendor – a vendor with sophisticated design, programming or production expertise.
Victor Van Rees
Vice President Federal Sales and Marketing
EFXMEDIA
2300 South Ninth Street
Arlington, VA 22204
Voice 703-486-2303
Cell: 703-447-8950
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Video concepts and white paper blog at: http://efxmediavictor.blogspot.com/
