COM0015 – Blog Post #4 – Out of the Box

Hi everyone,

Social media is always evolving, and there are two topics that I find of particular interest. They include overall reach on Instagram, and the striking difference between my video plays on Instagram and TikTok.

I have noticed unexpected results through viewing my Instagram insights over the past year. I have seen a consistent downward trend in the overall reach of my posts. I have not changed up the style of my captions or the types of hashtags I am using. In 2021, I was consistently achieving reach between 300-500 in my posts. Now, I am closer to 150-200. I find this interesting, and it feels like Instagram has switched to a pay to play method. Unless you are willing to invest money into ads, your content will not be seen by the large audience it used to be. It is true that I am posting less often on the platform, so this may have an effect as well. For smaller accounts like myself, I am still not convinced that spending money on ads is the answer. I will continue to use social media as another online tool to create and share my content on.

I have also noticed that I am receiving more video plays on TikTok than Instagram. This is especially interesting because I don’t engage with others through likes and comments on TikTok like I do on Instagram. I simply view videos, and post when I have a new video of my own to share. In the past six months, 3 of my drone videos on TikTok received a total of 2,088 plays. These same videos only received a total of 235 on Instagram. I am not sure if TikTok will switch to a pay to play method like Instagram, but it is something to keep watching for. For now, social media will remain as one of the tools and platforms that I share and present my content on.

COM0015 – Assignment 5: Event Participation Blog

Hi everyone,

The event that I chose to attend virtually was an Advanced Premiere Pro Session from Adobe Apps for Education: Live. I chose to attend this event because I am looking for opportunities to further my Premiere Pro video editing skill set.

I am also currently about to enter my second year at Fanshawe College’s Television and Film Production program, and have an interest in both video production and postproduction editing.

The person that I met at the session is Deila Caballero, as she facilitated the event. She is a Digital Media Instructor at both a California high school, and online Adobe instructor. The session that I watched was from an archive, so unfortunately, there was not an opportunity to contribute directly with Deila or the other session participants. The ideas that I walked away with included how to key in backgrounds from green screen shot footage. I found this particularly interesting, as I have not yet worked with this type of footage. I learned that it is important to evenly light the green screen so that when you replace it, so that there are not any highlights or shadows in your background.

I did not hear any actual quotes from the event, as it was more technical in nature, and the focus what around advanced editing techniques in Premiere Pro. I would attend a similar event again in the future. However, it would be beneficial to know which techniques would be covered. A few of them, such as creating titles, I am already quite proficient at. In the future, I would like to ensure that I am choosing sessions where I have not used a particular effect, and would like to know more about.

COM0015 – Blog Post #3 – Professional Networking Now and in the Future

Hi everyone,

My parent strategy for developing my professional network online is to continually update my social media and portfolio presence. The social media aspect includes LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook to share completed video projects, along with works in progress. LinkedIn allows me to present my education, skills, and experience to potential employers. Instagram and Facebook provide me the opportunity to share video projects through my freelance business pages. My portfolio is hosted online through WordPress, and where I show examples of my videography, drone work, and editing skills. This strategy will present a variety of methods to increase my marketability, and increase my chances of more video work in the future.

The activities and commitments I am making in the next 6-12 months to continue the development of my networks include my educational and freelance experiences. I am entering my 2nd year of the Television and Film Production program at Fanshawe College, with an emphasis on filmmaking. My school program is an excellent environment to develop my in person network. I will continue to share projects (when applicable) from school projects. I will also take opportunities to expand my offline network by meeting new peers in my program, and those who I have not yet had a chance to work with. On the freelance side, I will keep pursuing video and editing work, and continue to work toward building my production and postproduction skill set. I will also reach out to clients for testimonials when possible, so that I may demonstrate my abilities to anyone looking to work with me.

In conclusion, I will continue to use various social media channels, video portfolio examples, and offline networking opportunities to continually develop my online and in person network. This will ensure that I am using more than one method, and capitalizing on the potential for different networking opportunities.

COM0015 – Blog Post #2 – Strong and Weak Organizations

Hi everyone,

The two organizations that would fit into the category of impressive social media strategy are First Class Drones and Fern and Flower Soapworks. Both organizations successfully connect with each of their smaller, dedicated audiences through dynamic show and tell. I am drawn to First Class Drones because I am also a drone pilot, and love viewing content from fellow pilots. Their organization does a tremendous job of showcasing client work while demonstrating their incredible production talent. For example, their 2021 Reel is a wonderful highlight package of past projects. I am drawn to Fern and Flower Soapworks because of their product photography. It’s also great to see their business thriving. They also are very smart in how they present their products to customers through stunning photography. For example, this photo of Citrine is beautifully photographed. You can easily see the passion and love that both organizations have for their business.

The one organization that would benefit from a social media strategy is Camerons Flower Shop. This organization should be interacting because their flower business is a very visual medium. Unfortunately, they do not post on a regular basis, and are missing opportunities to engage with potential new customers. Their Instagram account is the perfect place to show off new arrangements, featured products, and special sales. They could use Instagram’s stories and reels to share daily happenings at the store and create more brand awareness of who they are. These would be excellent first steps and measurable objectives to work toward increasing their audience and customer base.

COM0015 – Blog Post #1 – Tools and Sources

Hi everyone,

Two of my favourite social media trend listening/monitoring tools are Instagram Insights and Facebook’s Meta Business Suite. Instagram Insights breaks down accounts reached, accounts engaged, and total followers. The total followers category is most useful to me, as it will show me audience statistics, demographics, and activity. Each of these items assists me in learning more about who my audience is, and when they are most likely to see my posted content. Facebook’s Meta Business Suite uses a similar approach. It provides statistics on reach, audience, and content. The Business Suite also recently added an option to connect your Instagram account. I prefer to use both of these tools, as they are included inside your specific account pages, and free to use. It avoids having to use an external third-party service to be able to see fairly detailed insight information.

Two of the best sources of news and updates for me are Twitter and CBC.ca. Twitter allows me to see a curated feed of organizations and individuals. I will often first search Twitter when I am looking for a breaking news story, such as a city power outage. Twitter, as mentioned in module 2, allows for users to post information during or immediately after an event occurs. CBC.ca is my primary source for journalistic news as it is fairly progressive, and only slightly bias to the political left. For social media and any other technology news, I enjoy reading their articles. I like to understand what is trending and most relevant in all forms of media, as I am currently a Television and Film Production student.

COM0014 – Blog #7 – Personal Reflection

Storytelling is important to creating great digital content because it gives creators the opportunity to connect with their audience on a personal level. You can share details through a title, caption, and even comments, and bring your audience into the conversation. You might have a favourite city, country, or park you enjoy exploring. Great stories can be told with images, and a personal caption can give the content creator a space to share more.

My content will always be guided by story, as I believe that is how you connect with others. Everyone has a story to tell, and it is these stories, which make us unique. My primary method of sharing stories is visually through videos and photos. The kinds of stories that I want to tell include bringing places and people to life through these visuals. For places, it is about sharing the location with my audience, and the mood or emotion I felt when I was there. For people, telling their story and what is most meaningful to them is the most important aspect for me.

In conclusion, thinking about what story you want to tell is essential when creating content. It is about bringing your audience along with you, and connecting with them. But most important, you should focus on telling the story in your own way. These are the most unique stories, and the ones that show others who you are as a storyteller.

COM0014 – Blog #6 – Do People Know Your Story?

Hello there! My name is Paul, and I am a Television and Film Production student at Fanshawe College. I decided to tackle the question: What is your industry’s greatest flaw from John Jantsch’s article linked here. The film industry’s greatest flaw is sometimes their lack of originality.

Great films include compelling characters, story depth, and audience engagement. It is also about their ability to tell original stories. In bad films, the characters are often cliché and the story is overworked. They also lack one important aspect: originality. They feel very cookie cutter and therefore, the entire movie suffers.

Even star performances cannot save a bad film. As mentioned before, character development is an essential part of any good film. Original, authentic characters make the story shine, and how relatable they are to audiences is also a key factor. The opposite happens with non-authentic characters. They have little or no connection to the audience. People need to care about the characters they are watching, and feel an emotion. Audiences often cheer for the hero but a great villain adds counter-balance and depth to a film.

In conclusion, sometimes the lack of originality is the film industry’s greatest flaw. While great stories come from experiences, those experiences are also original, personal stories. That’s what makes them genuine, worth watching, and listening to.

COM0014 – Blog #5 – Personal Brand

Visual storytelling has always been the focus for my personal brand. Whether it is videography or photography, I believe in creating stories through the images that I shoot. The tagline that I use for my freelance video production business is Creating captivating visual imagery. I selected this because I want visual storytelling to be associated with my brand. This is what I want others to think of when they think of my business, Flash Reel Media.

Along with being a videographer and video editor, I am also a drone pilot. I am able to visualize assembling a video together when I am out filming. I believe this sets me apart from my competitors, and I use my drone content to stand out. Filming with my drone creates unique perspectives that otherwise cannot be easily captured. It adds value for clients, who are looking for impactful ways to enhance their videos. I have also been hired strictly for my drone services, and my drone content best resonates with my social media audience. I am most proud of my drone videos, and flying gave me the opportunity to create a 2021 highlights reel to show clients, which can be viewed here.

In conclusion, I will continue to keep telling stories through all the work I create. I believe that is the best way to connect with my audience, and show others what my brand is about.

COM0014 – Blog #4 – B2C Case Study

The B2C business that I chose to write is the Elora Paddle Co. They are a canoe and kayak rental business, and located in Elora, Ontario. The two social networks that they are active on are Facebook and Instagram.

On Facebook, The Elora Paddle Co. regularly shares membership information, operating hours, and links for customers to review their experiences on Google. The tone and approach of these posts are easy-going, friendly, and fun. They actively respond to customer questions in the comments, and provide beautiful photos as a visual in their posts. All their contact information is available in the Facebook About section, and they provide external links to their website and Instagram page.

Their approach to sharing and interacting on Instagram matches their Facebook presence. They take advantage of posting on-location photos to provide potential customers with visual context. The photos give customers authentic examples of what it is like to paddle in Elora. Any questions that their audience have are always answered with friendly responses. This gives a great first impression and demonstrates the business truly cares about their audience.

In conclusion, the Elora Paddle Co. is using social media well to reach and interact with their audience. They have a friendly, easy-going presence on both Facebook and Instagram. They also take the time to respond to questions asked in post comments, and continually ask for feedback in Google reviews. This demonstrates that they encourage a voice from their audience, and want to hear about customer experiences.

COM0014 – Blog #3 – Target Audiences

My target audience for drone video and photo content, which is a personal and professional interest of mine, is a unique one. They share characteristics with me, and it makes for an interesting topic to write about because of this.

Shared characteristics of my audience include fellow drone owners, viewing and creating visual content, and videography and photography, both on the hobbyist and business level. Some of my audience are part of the same communities that I am (i.e. Ontario Drone), and these communities provide us a space to talk, educate one another, and share content, from both others and ourselves.

When I create and share drone content on social media, I write for my audience. I look to have a conversation with them through questions in my captions, and respond to their comments in my posts. I believe these to be effective methods of building trust and thoughtful engagement with my audience. These strategies add a personal touch to my brand, and allow opportunities for both of us to learn more about each other. For example, I have created a few Instagram Stories and asked my audience to ask me questions about drones. These Q & A engagement stories led to a fun, interactive way of sharing facts, and demonstrating to my audience that I am trusted, credible source. I will certainly look to ask another round of questions in the future.

In conclusion, learning more about my target audience through communities and social media interactions has greatly benefited me. It has allowed me to better understand who my target audience is, and what kind of content they most enjoy seeing from me.