Working with a team “gone virtual” can sometimes feel like you never leave work. When working from home, people have access to their “office” 24/7 which makes it tempting to send late night emails or feel obligated to respond to one. While this may seem convenient, the lack of separation between work and home hours can have some serious long-term effects on productivity. To avoid burnout, it’s important to step back and find ways to keep your team energized and productive.

set expectations

When your whole team is together on-site, desk drive-bys and set “office hours” make it easy to be aware of what others are working on and when people are available. At home, availability is seen as more “flexible,” which can make it feel like you always need to be ready to jump in. To avoid blurring the line between work and play, set boundaries for yourself and expectations for your team. Weekly meetings and recurring check-ins can help your team gain a better perspective on the group as a whole. When people have a better understanding of what everyone else is doing, communication is more efficient, reducing the need for frantic midnight emails and round-the-clock availability.

recharge with rest

Without the commute to bookend the workday, or the lure of leaving the office for lunch, it’s easy to forget to take a break while bulldozing through your to-do list. When you’re working in an office, there are natural breaks built into the day — stopping by a coworkers desk for a chat or spending a few minutes at the “water cooler” catching up — while at home it can feel like you’re drowning in an uninterrupted stream of work. Keep your head above water by consciously building breaks into your day. Taking just ten minutes in between video calls to stretch can make all the difference.

shift your focus

Though we’ve all been learning and adjusting over the past year and a half, many still feel they are living and working in an uncertain environment. Under conditions like these, setting large outcome goals can be daunting and leave people feeling overwhelmed…which can lead to…you guessed it — burn out!  It’s easy for a team to be discouraged when unforeseen problems wreak havoc on schedules and cause projects to pivot. Instead, try setting smaller weekly or monthly goals for your team as checkpoints throughout a project. These more bite size, cumulative accomplishments can help keep your team motivated and feeling successful, while still leading you to reaching your ultimate goals.

The structure of the workplace is continuing to change at a rapid pace, and looking forward, we predict many of these changes will remain in place. Some companies have given up office spaces entirely while others are implementing practices to get their team back to their communal workspace. Here at MK3, we’ve adopted a bit of a hybrid model, with the majority of our team working remotely while a few choose to come into the office. Regardless of where you feel most productive, we need to continue to adapt and work together, even while we’re often apart. 

Dear Client,

I apologize.

Script writing is one of the many creative services offered here at MK3, and since writing is one of my areas of expertise, chances are I’ve touched your script. And chances are there’s a part of my script writing process that may have disappointed you.

I don’t track changes.

I’m sure that tracking changes during the creation of a document is an integral part of your creative process since your work is often passed among partners, departments and collaborators. For you and your team, it’s important to see where the document was and where it’s going, in real time.

But to me, a script with tracked changes looks like an autopsy, with its guts pulled out and spilled all over the margins…or an electrical engineering schematic, one loose connection away from a short circuit.

By the time it gets into my hands, a script is no longer a document to be dissected, but a creative element with a life of its own. Its visual presentation is as important to me as the words all lined up in a row…and I can’t concentrate on a story that looks like a dish of tri-color pasta.

So when a “colorful” first draft arrives in my Inbox, I hit Accept All Changes and Stop Tracking, and then get to the work of writing. And please remember that during each revision and review process, I’ll keep track, lose track, run track, back track, fast track, track time, track down, get side-tracked, stay on the right track, cross the train track, wear a track suit, use a laugh track, create a soundtrack…but I won’t push the Review button and Track Changes.

And so, on behalf of the MK3 Words Department, I apologize…retroactively and in advance.

Imagine a world where people roam freely, travel, interact with each other, and even…socialize! For almost all of 2020, what once was our reality became a fantasy, almost overnight. Now, with the advent of vaccines and COVID-19 treatments, our former reality could be making a comeback. But what will this “new reality” mean for content producers? Will there be a “roaring 20’s” of video production and live action shooting? Will in-person events flood venues around the world? The answer, of course, is…maybe. How we return to producing content is going to change, and in some cases, for the better. The pandemic created a lot of things, including opportunity – an opportunity for you to make your videos more relevant, engaging and inclusive.

In our pre-pandemic world, video production values were always the goal, for good reason. The overriding belief has always been that the more thought, design and effects you could “see on the screen,” the more engaging and effective the story would be. These high-quality productions were either filmed on-location or created entirely through digital post-production.

Stories, however, don’t stop. Companies like yours have always had stories to tell, but during the pandemic, it became difficult to tell them in a relevant way, especially with in-person location shoots nearly impossible to produce. How are you going to interview subject matter experts or get footage of your new manufacturing plant? DIY. People started generating their own video content, and while some was good, most of it did not have the production values any of us are used to. So while it got the job done, something even more interesting happened.

Experienced content producers developed a few DIY ideas of their own…and began using existing technology to remotely capture content at a higher level of quality than ever before. Combining remote recording technology with live remote directing, content producers were able to capture people saying or doing things anywhere in the world…without any COVID concerns, and with much smaller budgets.

Here’s an example of how these new pandemic techniques could be used to everyone’s benefit in a post-pandemic world.

Your company is producing a video showcasing your revolutionary new product. A production crew has already shot interviews on location, captured beautiful b-roll, and the editing process is on schedule to finish the video in time for next week’s sales conference.

But then, you get the call. A key opinion leader in Australia needs to be included in the video and is only available next week. A few years ago, this type of call would turn your entire production process on its head, but now with a little scheduling, a pre-production meeting and ensuring basic equipment is onsite, you can easily and efficiently record the interview remotely. An experienced director can help ensure the new interview footage will be consistent with the rest of the video, and monitor a screen to review the shot and direct the interview…all at a fraction of the time and cost it would have taken to send a crew around the world to shoot one interview.

Will this workflow replace traditional video production? No, probably not. Will it become another valuable and effective tool storytellers can strategically use to make sure your story is told efficiently?  Yes, I think it will.

Content providers and their clients are going to have a hard time letting go of some of their new pandemic-inspired “best practices.” And that’s a good thing. Because many of the inspired innovations made us all think of projects in a different way and gave us increased flexibility as a result. Like everything else in our post-pandemic life, it will be a balancing act between “business as usual” and “lessons learned.”  The pandemic didn’t teach us anything – our reaction to it did – and it may have opened up a world of possibilities…especially in a world that soon will be fully open.

When everyone is in the office, there’s a buzz of ongoing communication and problem-solving that happens organically…popping your head in an office to ask questions, bumping into a colleague in the hallway, or hashing things out over a lunch conversation. Most of us have been physically away from the office over the past year and have developed new ways to communicate with our colleagues and clients. And while there may have been an overload of video conference calls with our most talkative co-workers on mute; we’ve all upped our “technology” game and are successfully getting our jobs done.

When the pandemic is over, or at least “over-ish,” some of us will return to the office full time, while many will remain remote. How do we switch gears to foster relationships and find the communication approaches that work for in-person and remote teams simultaneously?

1. Make the Connection

The most important step is to take the time and get to know your team again. The pandemic has made an impact on all of us and has forced many to reevaluate their priorities. Take the time to understand what’s important to your team members – in the workplace and their personal lives. Showing a genuine interest will naturally form connections, enabling you to uncover what you have in common and how you are different.

Tip: Don’t always be “all business” – remember to be human and socialize. The stronger you connect with each member of your team, the easier it will be to foster strong partnerships!

2. Be on time, be prepared, be present, and participate

These are best practices for all meetings, whether remote or in-person. If you are facilitating the meeting, make sure you have a clear agenda that can be accomplished during the scheduled time. Don’t make people afraid to attend your meetings because you always run late. If you are attending the meeting understand that you are accountable to be actively engaged, to listen and to participate.

Tip: End each meeting by confirming key decisions and next steps. This ensures that both you and your team walk away from the meeting with the same expectations and allows anyone who is unclear the opportunity to ask questions. 

3. Discover what makes your team the most productive

Discover what types of communication work best for your team. Stop sending the same email that no one responds to or scheduling the weekly team meeting without an agenda. Pick up the phone and have a conversation, reach out for relevant topics the team wants to address, or schedule morning coffee with a colleague to catch up. Bottom line: if team communication becomes stagnant, change it up. Don’t be afraid to experiment and find the sweet spot to jump-start conversations and engagement.

Tip: This will likely be different for each of your team members and clients, so being flexible is an important part of being an impactful and productive leader. 

​Following best practices for team communication – remotely and in-person, helps build strong connections and fosters collaboration. Always use your team’s time wisely and be respectful of everyone’s work and life boundaries. By making yourself accessible and open to communicating in a way that works best for them, you’ll continue to hold your team’s respect – as an expert and as someone who’s genuinely concerned about their well-being.

People like to say “there’s strength in numbers,” but in the fast-moving world of digital marketing, sometimes “less is more.” Here at MK3, we provide clients with in-house creative solutions, and we do it all with a tight-knit team!

nimble numbers

The formula is simple: fewer people leads to higher efficiency. Despite our smaller team size, MK3 continues to stand out and stand up against our much larger competitors. Within our mid-sized team, everyone is aware not only of their own responsibilities, but  of those around them as well – which makes for ease of collaboration and project sharing. By having a smaller, more nimble group, we’re capable of turning small projects around quickly, and turning large projects into team efforts.

jack of all trades

With a mid-sized team also comes flexibility. Every member of our team plays a crucial role not only in our success, but in our clients’ success. To ensure we’re meeting deadlines and communicating with our clients effectively, we all have the ability to wear more than one “hat” at once.  For a mid-size team, our most important skill might be adaptability – the ability to adapt, pivot, and move quickly from one project, and one skill set, to the next. At MK3, when it comes to “hats” – one size fits all.

the three c’s

Collaboration, communication, and culture. They’re vital to any team, but at MK3 they’re the keys to our success. Our “open team” culture encourages a free flow of information and ideas – creative directors brainstorm with producers, and interns often work directly with our owner.  By cutting out the dreaded “middle man,” we’re able to be direct and transparent with our clients as well. This helps build strong relationships, allowing our clients to not only trust us with their projects, but with their vision as well.

“MK3 offers an open line of communication between the client and the creatives, so there’s nothing lost in translation.”  Joel Kaplan, Principal/Founder

MK3 can tackle any project by working together and being flexible. At MK3 we’ve created a fun and fast-paced work environment where each member is essential and appreciated, and every voice has the ability and authority to make an impact…on our business and yours.

Live action, in-person video production is making a comeback. We’re seeing more and more clients considering (and scheduling) on-location video shoots. And while there are guidelines we’re following to help keep people safe, we can’t forget the “evergreen” guidelines for a successful shoot! To help you stay on top of your shoot day, we’ve put together this checklist that our producers swear by.

Print. It. Out.

We live in a digital world, but good old fashioned paper still has its place – and that place is on-location! Video production is fast-paced and hands-on, so you can’t rely on your location’s wi-fi access or ask your crew to read from handheld devices – chances are they have their hands full already! On the day of your shoot, or even the night before, print out hard copies of the production schedule, shot lists, storyboards and interview questions – whatever you’re going to need during the shoot. This will help everyone keep track of what needs to happen and when. Print out enough copies of the production schedule for the crew and clients (pro tip: a few extras never hurt). Of course, be sure to recycle the paper at the end of the day!

Keep in Touch

Communication is always key! Be sure to gather cell phone numbers and email addresses for the cast, crew and clients ahead of time and put them in your phone. Send important documents and information out at least one day before the shoot day, keeping everyone up to date on the schedule and shoot locations. Bolded and/or highlighted text within an email is a good attention-getting trick.

Meet Everyone’s Basic Needs

Video shoot days are long ones – and sometimes projects require several of them. Make sure everyone’s needs are met – even the most basic ones. Food and water is a must, and with any outdoor shoot, make sure there’s a bathroom onsite – it’s a small but important detail. Check on dietary restrictions and include meals (and their delivery times) in the schedule. Oh, and don’t forget – early mornings require coffee! A good shoot usually starts with caffeinated clients and crew!

Stay Organized

No matter how thorough your shoot schedule is, you won’t be able to plan for everything. Be flexible and ready to adapt. But stay organized! You might fall a bit behind schedule…and that’s okay! As the day progresses, keep track of the shots that are taking longer and always look for ways to make up time. They often present themselves in ways you’d least expect.

Go the Extra Mile

We’ll say it again: “a few extras never hurt.” Pack a bag with extra talent and location releases, schedules, pens, makeup powder, etc. One thing you can always plan on is that someone will forget something. And with the current safety guidelines, don’t forget to bring extra masks and hand sanitizer.

The morning of a video shoot can be a bit nerve-wracking, but staying organized and prepared can make the difference between a day of problems or a day of productivity. For more help organizing your next video shoot, reach out to info@test-mk3.local.

Information overload.
It’s a thing. And when it comes to building your brand, it’s hard to know where to begin. LinkedIn could be a great place to start, with tools to help you spread the word while engaging with your industry community – and the best part, it’s free! Here are a few tips to fully engage your LinkedIn account.

Make a good first impression

You know what they say about “first impressions”…you don’t get a second one. Your LinkedIn profile acts as a landing page, and when expanding your network, it’s often the first thing people will see. Make sure to add a cover image, profile picture, and bio so visitors can understand what your brand represents. The easier you make it for people to learn about you the better!

Put your name out there

Sharing thought leadership articles and company accomplishments are a great way to spread your name and reflect your brand’s personality, culture and ideals. Encourage your team to share relevant articles for more brand exposure, which is sure to generate more clicks, name recognition and page traffic.

Join groups

With over 690 million users, LinkedIn provides a platform for hundreds of like-minded industry-driven groups to gather and share. Find ones that align with your goals and join them! Spread your name and gain valuable industry insight by engaging with and learning from other brands.

Make your posts pop

A consistent posting schedule has been proven to increase following and engagement, which makes generating engaging content crucial to building your brand and network. Try to post 1-2 times a week – promote your new blog, announce an exciting project! And make sure your posts stand out by including descriptive captions, eye-catching images and hashtags.

Building your brand in today’s digital environment isn’t easy. But there are plenty of quick and easy ways to lay the foundation, and if you want to go beyond LinkedIn to increase your marketing presence, MK3 is here to help! Reach out to info@test-mk3.local. 

These days, social and professional distancing are in and traveling around the world to shoot live video is, sort of…out. But that doesn’t mean we can’t continue to create new content. Sometimes you gotta work with what you have and that’s exactly what we did with long-time client SHI!

After many years of producing SHI’s live events, they asked MK3 to collaborate on a new video campaign, starting with a branding video. One of the main goals of the video was to highlight their “ridiculously helpful” employees, who are spread out in offices across the globe. And there was the problem: the current environment did not allow for live video shoots. And while using stock footage has been a solution for many productions, it was not an option for SHI because they wanted the authenticity of their own people in the video.

The solution came in stages. First, SHI suggested we use video from a large library of footage they had shot on location in their New Jersey, Texas and UK offices. Problem solved…with a slight concern that while the footage did capture SHI and their people “in action,” it wasn’t “custom” shot with this video and messaging in mind, so there may be a bit of a disconnect.

MK3 then created the second “solution” – we designed and animated a two dimensional “environment” for the footage to live in – framing each shot and showcasing text on-screen call-outs that reinforced the voiceover. This branded “framing device” became as prominent an on-screen element as the footage itself, acting as a singular consistent visual thread that pulled all the footage together.

Resourcefulness and creativity were, and are, the keys to our collaboration with SHI. Given the conditions we were working under and what we could create, we were able to produce a story that communicated who the company was and the people behind the brand. Check it out above!

If you find yourself with a legacy library of video footage, there are always ways to refocus, repurpose and repackage it so that it can deliver new ideas and new messaging! It’s all about making everything old feel new again!

For more info or help with your next production, reach out to info@test-mk3.local.

No matter how long social and professional norms remain in flux, there are a few new conventions we may continue to enjoy long after distancing becomes a distant memory. Video conferencing has proven itself a great way to work virtually and keep people connected. But just because you’re on video doesn’t mean you shouldn’t remain “on guard,” in both how you conduct and present yourself. So here are a few tips to help maintain your professionalism in our new video conferencing world.

Dress Inside the Box

If you’re working from home, it’s okay to be a bit more casual than usual, but looking professional still matters, even if it’s just within your small video frame! You’re usually just a head and shoulders in a box, so dress for success above the belt – and whatever you wear beyond that is up to you!

Location, Location, Location

Before hopping on your call, consider your background. A bookshelf or neat office/living area behind you creates a more professional look. A “lived in” bedroom or kitchen, not so much! Use as much depth behind you as possible so you’re not flattening yourself up against a wall. Make sure your area is well lit, and try to avoid glares on your face. Though natural light is best, never position yourself with windows behind you because you’ll end up backlit and in the dark. Let that sunlight shine on your face instead!

The Eyes Have It

Video conferencing focuses on your face more than any other in-person interaction, so body language, eye contact and facial expressions are everything. There are often more distractions at home than in the office, making overall attentiveness crucial. Avoid eating, playing with your hair or face, looking away or moving around too much, as this can be distracting and indicate that you’re not paying attention.

Things Are Looking Up

Focus on your posture and eye line. After looking down at your computer all day, it’s easy to find yourself slouching…so when it comes time for an important video conference, look up! Position your computer as best you can at eye level – find a box, a stack of books or something stable to raise it up. This gives you a more “eye to eye”  appearance on camera and reinforces better posture and overall positioning. Maintaining a strong posture creates a more professional look and is scientifically proven to give you a confidence boost!

Check your Tech

Video conferencing requires you to be a little more tech savvy…so check your tech in advance! Avoid last minute scrambles by familiarizing yourself with the video platform – ensure it is up to date, take a test drive, and check your connection to make sure it’s strong. Even with strong wifi, the video can still lag, so make sure you speak slowly and enunciate. Speaking too fast or slurring your words can cause people to miss what you’re saying. Take a breath, take it slow, and take on the world!

While these tips are geared towards your company’s internal and external video conferences, they’re also applicable for remote video shoots and virtual event participation! For more info on this, or anything video or virtual, reach out to info@test-mk3.local!

Now that distance is de rigueur, many people are generating their own video content from the safety of their own homes or offices. Adding a professional remote director to the mix is a great way to ensure a DIY production turns out A-OK!  But remote directors don’t have to reinvent the wheel; it involves the same skills as traditional video directing, with just a few extra steps. Here are some tips from the pros that will help make your remote-directed video production a success.

Pre-production is Key

The most important part of any successful video shoot is the pre-production process. For traditional in-person interview shoots, directors work with the client in advance to help shape the story, survey the site, and craft interview questions and answers. Remote directing requires the same approach but adds an extra layer: pre-rehearsal. It’s important to schedule a video call to walk the talent through the technology that will be used, and while you’re at it, you can direct a remote site survey to find the best recording location in the space available. Plan for success and success will follow!

Rehearse, Rehearse, Rehearse

When remote directing, whether using a webcam or “video-in-a-box” equipment, rehearsals are more important than ever. On the day of the shoot, help your talent set up the shot, paying careful attention to background, lighting and framing. Once you have the shot, direct their performance as they practice delivering the content to-camera. Even with screen sharing technology, it’s hard to tell what your video will look and sound like in full resolution, so have your talent send you a test recording to make sure your video will be high quality.

Reset Your Mindset

Once everything has been set up and is ready to record – stop, and take a 10-15 minute break! When directing remotely, so much of the emphasis is on logistics and technology that you don’t want to lose sight of the aesthetics. Find a balance by resetting your mindset before beginning the shoot, so you and your talent can focus on the content and its delivery rather than worrying about the technology. It’s amazing the difference a mental break can make.

Overall, communication is key, and the fastest route to a successful production is communicating with your team and talent. And remember…just because you’re directing remotely doesn’t mean abandoning your in-person techniques!

Want more info or help directing your next production? Reach out to info@test-mk3.local to learn more about what MK3 can do for you!

We live in a world that’s crowded with content – so how do you make yours stand out?  That’s the challenge we take on every day here at MK3, in producing live action video and animated content that “pops.” And while there’s a lot of “creative” that goes on behind the scenes, our motion graphic designers, animators and video editors use a few common tools from their  toolbox that you can use to produce content with a professional look and feel. Here are a few tools that our video editors use, in one form or another, on almost every project.

1. Quicktime: This platform is great for remote and user generated video production – especially with our current distancing limitations. When recording interviews remotely (using Zoom or other virtual meeting platforms), screen recording is a simple solution to producing content. Easy to use and already installed on most computers, Quicktime does everything you need, without a lot of extra junk. Users can record certain portions of the screen or the entire screen, and high quality video files get saved to your desktop for easy access.

2. Adobe Suite: Adobe software is ideal for those who tend to use multiple editing platforms. The Adobe Suite of tools lets you transition between platforms seamlessly; from video editing with Premiere to photo editing with Photoshop. And while there are hundreds of tools available, you can produce a pretty impressive project with only a few of the simple ones. With Adobe, you can experiment and grow along with the entire suite.

3. DaVinci Resolve: If you’re looking for a one-stop color grading platform, DaVinci Resolve is your software. While this program has a bit of a learning curve, it offers a great selection of color grading tools as well as some new editing features. DaVinci Resolve is free to download and with so many options, you can evolve from basic editing to the nitty gritty techniques used by professionals.

While our editors love these tools because of their user-friendly interfaces and flexible capabilities, each of these platforms has a lot more to offer. MK3 uses tools like these every day to produce carefully crafted content that “pops,” helping our clients to stand out in our content-crowded world.

Want to give your content a more professional look? Reach out to info@test-mk3.local to learn more about what MK3 can do for you!