Lights, camera, what do I say???

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Morticia

Morticia

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So, the video team comes tomorrow. I was told today to come up with an intro 'speech'. Introduce myself & my business, what makes us different (geez louise, JB, how did you know???), talk about any exciting guests and outdoor info that we give to guests. (The state is doing a big marketing push on the outdoors this year, along with the 100th anniversary of Acadia.)
Then I read the fine print...limit yourself to ONE paragraph. WHAT???
Just introducing myself and the property will take more than that!
I've got 3 paragraphs. I can spew them out in 30 50 seconds if that's all the time I have. (I timed myself.)
What would you say in your '30-50 seconds of airtime'?
 
Aren't you supposed to have an elevator speech already perfected ;-)
I had to do that about 18 months ago, and I'd never before given a bit of thought about what to say. A video team came into town to film for a commercial for our region. They put a microphone in my face with no warning and said, "Tell us about your place here."
I did my best, but it wasn't at all smooth. I never saw the commercial. I don't think it ever aired!
 
It's tough when there's an outline limited to one paragraph!
I generally respond back, "what would you like to know? Are you interested in the history of the house, the former owners, the ghost?"
And, no, I'm no good getting it all out in x time. I put on a show!
Now I need to find clothes. My paint-stained college hoodie is not making the right statement.
Plus, I have no idea what the finished product is going to look like. There's a voice over. What does that person say? Do they talk about the property after interviewing me?
No idea. This group doesn't give out much info in advance. Can't argue with free, tho. As long as it's remotely ok and I don't cringe if it's played at the train station.
 
My name's Mort and this is my husband Gomez and we own this lovely old house built in bah-bah which we run as a bed and breakfast. We love serving and pampering our guests. Look around and book your favorite room today! Thank you for watching!
 
Morticia said:
It's tough when there's an outline limited to one paragraph!
I generally respond back, "what would you like to know? Are you interested in the history of the house, the former owners, the ghost?"
And, no, I'm no good getting it all out in x time. I put on a show!
Now I need to find clothes. My paint-stained college hoodie is not making the right statement.
Plus, I have no idea what the finished product is going to look like. There's a voice over. What does that person say? Do they talk about the property after interviewing me?
No idea. This group doesn't give out much info in advance. Can't argue with free, tho. As long as it's remotely ok and I don't cringe if it's played at the train station..
Click to expand...
My experience with this type of thing is that they film for an hour and you get about 10 seconds of actual air time. If you have one witty sentence or a catchy story it might make the cut. They probably will mostly talk over you but may show some of the inn while the voice over is in progress. Good Luck!!!
 
That elevator speech only works for me if we are in the Empire State Building
wink_smile.gif

It sure would help if you knew who you were marketing to. I read an article just the other day about millennials and how much they are IN to adventure and experiences. And according to this article gone are the days of the more sterile decor, they now love the feeling of being in unique places.
So if you want to win them over, brush on the house history/ghost uniquely yours!
 
Duff2014 said:
My name's Mort and this is my husband Gomez and we own this lovely old house built in bah-bah which we run as a bed and breakfast. We love serving and pampering our guests. Look around and book your favorite room today! Thank you for watching!.
Click to expand...
Gomez will be hiding! I just showed him what I'd written down for notes and he asked what that was for. After he spent 30 minutes cleaning the guest area because the video people were coming.
He's not involved, he doesn't have to remember.
I'm going to welcome them into the house, talk about our famous former resident, tell them about our rooms and then segue into our 'experiences', ie - packages.
Tomorrow I have to bake, vacuum, run out and get flowers (yikes, I forgot that today!) and practice my elevator speech. I guess I'm getting up early!
 
Morticia said:
Duff2014 said:
My name's Mort and this is my husband Gomez and we own this lovely old house built in bah-bah which we run as a bed and breakfast. We love serving and pampering our guests. Look around and book your favorite room today! Thank you for watching!.
Click to expand...
Gomez will be hiding! I just showed him what I'd written down for notes and he asked what that was for. After he spent 30 minutes cleaning the guest area because the video people were coming.
He's not involved, he doesn't have to remember.
I'm going to welcome them into the house, talk about our famous former resident, tell them about our rooms and then segue into our 'experiences', ie - packages.
Tomorrow I have to bake, vacuum, run out and get flowers (yikes, I forgot that today!) and practice my elevator speech. I guess I'm getting up early!
.
Click to expand...
Sound busy but it will keep you from worrying! You will do great!
 
Are you allowed props?
If Gomez won't appear with you - 'Welcome to .... ' while standing in my inn apron at the most awesome front door. I'd have a beautiful breakfast ready to serve at the best table with the best view. 'Breakfast is always cooked fresh, etc. Today we're serving xxx.' I'd be ready to show my favorite room 'We've got x rooms here at the ...' ... Here's one ... ' Don't forget, free cookies (or whatever you offer) Ready to head out? xx store is just up the street ...'
You'll do great. Pretend the camera person is a guest coming in. Easy for me to say, right? Will be thinking of you!
:)
 
Morticia said:
It's tough when there's an outline limited to one paragraph!
I generally respond back, "what would you like to know? Are you interested in the history of the house, the former owners, the ghost?"
And, no, I'm no good getting it all out in x time. I put on a show!
Now I need to find clothes. My paint-stained college hoodie is not making the right statement.
Plus, I have no idea what the finished product is going to look like. There's a voice over. What does that person say? Do they talk about the property after interviewing me?
No idea. This group doesn't give out much info in advance. Can't argue with free, tho. As long as it's remotely ok and I don't cringe if it's played at the train station..
Click to expand...
just remember they don't necessarily only do it once - my niehgbour did 4 in a bed and they must have done the walk in for each couple about 4 times - felt bad as each time a person or something walked past and got in the way plus it was crappy rainly weather - just make sure your front etc has a quick once over before they get here for stray stuff ie weather blown crisp packets or local kids trying to be funny weeing in the snow or anything
 
Jcam said:
Morticia said:
It's tough when there's an outline limited to one paragraph!
I generally respond back, "what would you like to know? Are you interested in the history of the house, the former owners, the ghost?"
And, no, I'm no good getting it all out in x time. I put on a show!
Now I need to find clothes. My paint-stained college hoodie is not making the right statement.
Plus, I have no idea what the finished product is going to look like. There's a voice over. What does that person say? Do they talk about the property after interviewing me?
No idea. This group doesn't give out much info in advance. Can't argue with free, tho. As long as it's remotely ok and I don't cringe if it's played at the train station..
Click to expand...
just remember they don't necessarily only do it once - my niehgbour did 4 in a bed and they must have done the walk in for each couple about 4 times - felt bad as each time a person or something walked past and got in the way plus it was crappy rainly weather - just make sure your front etc has a quick once over before they get here for stray stuff ie weather blown crisp packets or local kids trying to be funny weeing in the snow or anything
.
Click to expand...
Funny - my neighbor walked by with the dog and all I could think was, "don't let that dog pee at the front walk!"
 
seashanty said:
Are you allowed props?
If Gomez won't appear with you - 'Welcome to .... ' while standing in my inn apron at the most awesome front door. I'd have a beautiful breakfast ready to serve at the best table with the best view. 'Breakfast is always cooked fresh, etc. Today we're serving xxx.' I'd be ready to show my favorite room 'We've got x rooms here at the ...' ... Here's one ... ' Don't forget, free cookies (or whatever you offer) Ready to head out? xx store is just up the street ...'
You'll do great. Pretend the camera person is a guest coming in. Easy for me to say, right? Will be thinking of you!
:).
Click to expand...
I never thought of having breakfast cooked! I am baking scones this morning. I did think maybe my apron on - it covers a multitude of cookies eaten over this winter!
 
Morticia said:
It's tough when there's an outline limited to one paragraph!
I generally respond back, "what would you like to know? Are you interested in the history of the house, the former owners, the ghost?"
And, no, I'm no good getting it all out in x time. I put on a show!
Now I need to find clothes. My paint-stained college hoodie is not making the right statement.
Plus, I have no idea what the finished product is going to look like. There's a voice over. What does that person say? Do they talk about the property after interviewing me?
No idea. This group doesn't give out much info in advance. Can't argue with free, tho. As long as it's remotely ok and I don't cringe if it's played at the train station..
Click to expand...
Use your extra information to supply to the producers to be used (or not) in the voice over.
For you, don't wear white. Don't wear busy patterns. Dark colors look best on camera.
Look into the lens while you talk and SMILE. It feels funny, but it looks good.
(I was an actor in a past life. Studied in college, at Circle in the Square in NYC and in various classes taught by various out of work actors in NY and California.)
Break a leg. In 'the biz', that's a good wish.
 
Scones! Perfect ... 'This morning we baked scones; and here is some delicious xxxberry jam we made right here.' so much goodness to offer
 
TheBeachHouse said:
Morticia said:
It's tough when there's an outline limited to one paragraph!
I generally respond back, "what would you like to know? Are you interested in the history of the house, the former owners, the ghost?"
And, no, I'm no good getting it all out in x time. I put on a show!
Now I need to find clothes. My paint-stained college hoodie is not making the right statement.
Plus, I have no idea what the finished product is going to look like. There's a voice over. What does that person say? Do they talk about the property after interviewing me?
No idea. This group doesn't give out much info in advance. Can't argue with free, tho. As long as it's remotely ok and I don't cringe if it's played at the train station..
Click to expand...
Use your extra information to supply to the producers to be used (or not) in the voice over.
For you, don't wear white. Don't wear busy patterns. Dark colors look best on camera.
Look into the lens while you talk and SMILE. It feels funny, but it looks good.
(I was an actor in a past life. Studied in college, at Circle in the Square in NYC and in various classes taught by various out of work actors in NY and California.)
Break a leg. In 'the biz', that's a good wish.
.
Click to expand...
No one will recognize me - I'm wearing a skirt and pearls. No busy patterns, no white. In spite of my excellent resting bitch face, I do smile a lot, quite naturally.
It's not the being recorded that bothers me so much as not knowing what the format is. I've done in-house videos, taught classes and I'm not uncomfortable with the TV crew when they show up knowing I have an opinion. It's not the public speaking, it's not knowing how this works. Do they stay for an hour? Run in, film and run back out? Does someone interview me? Do they expect me to just talk? (No problem there!)
We had someone here a number of years ago who wanted me to do these different 'vignettes' - me in the kitchen (I'm not the cook), me in the office (the office is in my bedroom), me talking to staff (my housekeeper at the time put her hands in front of her face and ran away from the camera), me talking to guests (they all declined). I'm prepared for that now, I'll walk them around and show them things rather than have them try to put me in 'scenes' that don't work.
 
Silverspoon said:
Morticia said:
It's tough when there's an outline limited to one paragraph!
I generally respond back, "what would you like to know? Are you interested in the history of the house, the former owners, the ghost?"
And, no, I'm no good getting it all out in x time. I put on a show!
Now I need to find clothes. My paint-stained college hoodie is not making the right statement.
Plus, I have no idea what the finished product is going to look like. There's a voice over. What does that person say? Do they talk about the property after interviewing me?
No idea. This group doesn't give out much info in advance. Can't argue with free, tho. As long as it's remotely ok and I don't cringe if it's played at the train station..
Click to expand...
My experience with this type of thing is that they film for an hour and you get about 10 seconds of actual air time. If you have one witty sentence or a catchy story it might make the cut. They probably will mostly talk over you but may show some of the inn while the voice over is in progress. Good Luck!!!
.
Click to expand...
That is what they have done with mine from the TV stations. Snippet of me talking on camera and then an appropriate cut voice-over in another part of the 15 seconds or so we were featured.
 
Morticia said:
TheBeachHouse said:
Morticia said:
It's tough when there's an outline limited to one paragraph!
I generally respond back, "what would you like to know? Are you interested in the history of the house, the former owners, the ghost?"
And, no, I'm no good getting it all out in x time. I put on a show!
Now I need to find clothes. My paint-stained college hoodie is not making the right statement.
Plus, I have no idea what the finished product is going to look like. There's a voice over. What does that person say? Do they talk about the property after interviewing me?
No idea. This group doesn't give out much info in advance. Can't argue with free, tho. As long as it's remotely ok and I don't cringe if it's played at the train station..
Click to expand...
Use your extra information to supply to the producers to be used (or not) in the voice over.
For you, don't wear white. Don't wear busy patterns. Dark colors look best on camera.
Look into the lens while you talk and SMILE. It feels funny, but it looks good.
(I was an actor in a past life. Studied in college, at Circle in the Square in NYC and in various classes taught by various out of work actors in NY and California.)
Break a leg. In 'the biz', that's a good wish.
.
Click to expand...
No one will recognize me - I'm wearing a skirt and pearls. No busy patterns, no white. In spite of my excellent resting bitch face, I do smile a lot, quite naturally.
It's not the being recorded that bothers me so much as not knowing what the format is. I've done in-house videos, taught classes and I'm not uncomfortable with the TV crew when they show up knowing I have an opinion. It's not the public speaking, it's not knowing how this works. Do they stay for an hour? Run in, film and run back out? Does someone interview me? Do they expect me to just talk? (No problem there!)
We had someone here a number of years ago who wanted me to do these different 'vignettes' - me in the kitchen (I'm not the cook), me in the office (the office is in my bedroom), me talking to staff (my housekeeper at the time put her hands in front of her face and ran away from the camera), me talking to guests (they all declined). I'm prepared for that now, I'll walk them around and show them things rather than have them try to put me in 'scenes' that don't work.
.
Click to expand...
Morticia said:
We had someone here a number of years ago who wanted me to do these different 'vignettes' - me in the kitchen (I'm not the cook), me in the office (the office is in my bedroom), me talking to staff (my housekeeper at the time put her hands in front of her face and ran away from the camera), me talking to guests (they all declined). I'm prepared for that now, I'll walk them around and show them things rather than have them try to put me in 'scenes' that don't work.
Click to expand...
These all made me laugh.
 
Scones are in the oven, vacuuming done, floors washed, fireplaces tested. And, I have my lucky red shoes on!
Should I have a handout? This is a local group I'm figuring they'll take everything they need from the website.
Shout out to momma who alerted me yesterday certain pages were not working!
 
Morticia said:
Scones are in the oven, vacuuming done, floors washed, fireplaces tested. And, I have my lucky red shoes on!
Should I have a handout? This is a local group I'm figuring they'll take everything they need from the website.
Shout out to momma who alerted me yesterday certain pages were not working!.
Click to expand...
Scones smell wonderful!
If you have history page or a brochure, have it on hand.
And as we all say in the biz, "Have fun with it!"
 
Morticia said:
Scones are in the oven, vacuuming done, floors washed, fireplaces tested. And, I have my lucky red shoes on!
Should I have a handout? This is a local group I'm figuring they'll take everything they need from the website.
Shout out to momma who alerted me yesterday certain pages were not working!.
Click to expand...
Bon chance! And when you're through, go clear your cache, and turn back on those sliders! Takes just a few secs.
 

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