http://calabashfilms.com/blog/ en info@calabashfilms.com Copyright 2011 2011-07-04T21:31:25+00:00 http://calabashfilms.com/site/national_geographic_channel/ http://calabashfilms.com/site/national_geographic_channel/#When:21:31:25Z Our director Nick is blazing a trail across America on a new National Geographic series about forensic science. He’s covered eight states in three weeks and still going strong! Self-shooting it all in glorious HD, (Sony F900 & Canon 7D) Nick is following a team of experts as they use state of the art forensic science to track down and identify mystery targets across the North American continent. It’s a classic man hunt mixed with cutting edge science and high octane stunts. Look out for it in early 2012. Wide Eyed Entertainment is the British production company behind the series. Nick O’Meally is Director of Calabash Films and a freelance shooting pd (Producer and Director) Nick O'Meally, Canon 7D, director camerman, director producer, producer and director, producer director, Self Shooting Director, Self Shooting PD, shooting pd, video producer 2011-07-04T21:31:25+00:00 http://calabashfilms.com/site/what_is_social_media/ http://calabashfilms.com/site/what_is_social_media/#When:21:19:14Z Strip it back to it’s naked form and social media is just about conversations between human beings.  We’ve been at it since the beginning of time, but today technology has given us tools like Facebook and Youtube to engage and share information across the globe like never before.  Anything that we create, whether it’s text, pictures, audio or video and share in a social environment, such as blog or video site is ‘Social Media’.  And it’s potential for business, organizations and campaigns is amazing…. Whatever you have to say, social media gives you a supremely effective platform to whisper, talk or shout about it. It has shifted how we communicate and enables everyone to engage more quickly and efficiently than ever before. It’s also an incredibly powerful two-way channel – in other words, don’t give it out if you can’t take it back. But take it back you must, in its true unvarnished, naked context, because how else will you improve otherwise? For businesses, social media represents a fantastic opportunity for feedback, of the most direct kind imaginable. From Twitter and YouTube to LinkedIn and Facebook, it is becoming ever-more important for businesses of all types and sizes to have an progressive, integrative approach to social media. In terms of defining social media, it’s perhaps easier to map out what it isn’t. It’s not staid, old-fashioned or tired. Imagined as a person, it’s the best elements of Generation Y – multi-tasking, attention-grabbing, friendly, supremely tech-savvy, embracing of new ideas and, most importantly, welcoming to all-comers. And with more than 250 social media channels currently available, it’s an ever-growing offering. There’s a general consensus that social media engagement correlates with a brand’s performance. Combine this with the affordability of technology and the connectivity, means social media is bounding along at an unprecedented rate. Furthermore, you can be sure that, if you’re not involved with conversations yet, that your competitors may well be. The world wide web is amazing, never more so than in the explosion of so many fantastic social media sites. And as a facilitator, social media is second to none in terms of amplifying your message. There is one caveat – isn’t there always? Social media has to be done well to achieve this – consistency across different platforms, and agreement over core messages and methodologies are key to your continued success. The beauty of social media is that, on our most basic levels, we’re pretty much all sociable creatures at heart. So your audience, potentially, is anyone and everyone else. The possibilities…. If you’d like to know more, we’re here to help you make the most of your potential. What Is Social Media guest post by Sarah Todd. 2011-02-20T21:19:14+00:00 http://calabashfilms.com/site/social_tv_campaigining_at_its_best/ http://calabashfilms.com/site/social_tv_campaigining_at_its_best/#When:19:19:33Z Combining Social Media with TV can deliver fantastic results. A great example is Channel 4 recent campaigning series, Hugh’s Fish Fight, which successfully integrated a social element into all of its content and built a community around the programmes. Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall backed by a host of other celebrity chefs including Jamie Oliver and Gordon Ramsay, tapped into the politics of food to champion sustainable fishing practices and to seek changes to Europe’s Common Fisheries Policy. Key to the campaign is the call for people to diversify their fish-eating habits and to help raise support for changes to the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) to protect fish stocks and tackle unnecessary discarding of certain specifies of caught fish. The TV programmes were backed by a campaign website and active social media platforms including Facebook Hugh’s Fish Fight and Twitter Hugh’s Fish Fight. A key feature of the site was the option for users to sign-up to the campaign to write directly to policy makers in the EU. Half a million people have signed up so far which suggests that it’s been a resounding success. Take a peek at some of the other metrics and highlights from the week of broadcast: Fishfight.net 1 million page impressions clocked between 8-11pm on night of TX3 (14 Jan) Over 500,000 sign-ups to the e-petition Facebook Hugh’s Fish Fight Hugh’s Fish Fight: 181,000 people liked this page Channel 4′s Big Fish Fight: 22,000 people liked this page Twitter Hugh’s Fish Fight Fish Fight trended daily throughout TX, was a ‘Top tweet’ several times and received support from Jamie Oliver, Stephen Fry, Coldplay, Raymond Blanc, Jay Rayner and Dermot O’Leary. Blog post by Nick O’Meally. Thanks to Calabash Films’ cross platform consultant Joanna Haslam for her input. Joanna Haslam is a freelance Digital Producer currently at Keo Digital. She oversaw the creation of fishfight.net and runs the digital element of Hugh’s Fish Fight campaign, part of Channel 4′s Big Fish Fight season. 2011-01-31T19:19:33+00:00 http://calabashfilms.com/site/demand_for_online_video_explodes/ http://calabashfilms.com/site/demand_for_online_video_explodes/#When:16:12:05Z Online video is so hot right now according to a new report by Deutsche Bank. ‘Internet Industry Outlook 2011′ reported that online advertising in the US is set to reach US$28.5bn in 2011. And it’s not just traditional advertising that is flooding the net. There’s a whole host of creative ways to use online video resources to promote a brand, increase sales, revenue and/or traffic to your site. Combine video with a coherent and integrated social media strategy and you’ve got a potent combination. Online video can no longer be viewed as an add on, or bonus to your social media campaign.  It should be a key component of any online marketing strategy.  As one of the speakers, at a recent web cast we attended put it: “A website without video today, is like a company without a website in the 90s” director camerman, director producer, Online Video, producer and director, producer director, shooting pd, Web Film, Web Video 2011-01-28T16:12:05+00:00 http://calabashfilms.com/site/theres_gold_in_them_there_hills/ http://calabashfilms.com/site/theres_gold_in_them_there_hills/#When:15:00:49Z Our director Nick is back from Alaska after an epic two month shoot. He survived the bears and snow to make what’s going to be a great ten part, blockbuster Discovery series. The doc shot on HD by a very talented Raw TV crew from the US and UK, follows the fortunes of a group of unemployed men who strike out for the wilds of Alaska in search of gold - a genuine story of man against nature. The highlight for Nick would have to be getting up and close to the wildlife including Grizzly bears… and if you don’t believe him, see if you can spot one in this trailer for ‘Gold Rush’. Nick O’Meally is Director of Calabash Films and a freelance shooting pd (Producer and Director) Nick O'Meally, Calabash Films, CalabashFilms, director camerman, director producer, Discovery Channel, producer and director, producer director, Raw Television, Self Shooting PD 2010-11-10T15:00:49+00:00 http://calabashfilms.com/site/urban_yoga_goes_digital/ http://calabashfilms.com/site/urban_yoga_goes_digital/#When:20:19:56Z Calabash Films are developing a new yoga blog in partnership with our sister agency Naked and Social. It’s called Urban Yoga Monkey and the tag line is “Urban yoga methods, insights, fashion and digital downloads.” Feeling a bit of OM? Take a look at it here… Our director and self confessed yogi, Joanna Haslam, will be managing the blog, overseeing the social media side of things and commissioning Calabash Films to produce downloadable yoga videos. If you want to know more about the project, find Urban Yoga Monkey on Facebook, YouTube and on Twitter @UrbanYogaMonkey. Or watch the amazing star of our blog, Beth, in action here. 2010-11-09T20:19:56+00:00 http://calabashfilms.com/site/bbc_comedy_online_gets_the_cartoon_treatment/ http://calabashfilms.com/site/bbc_comedy_online_gets_the_cartoon_treatment/#When:22:20:54Z Calabash have been working with three very talented animators to develop a series for BBC Comedy to promote their comedy talent online in a fresh and interesting style.  Performances by stand-up comedians Tom Wrigglesworth and Jason Bryne have been transformed into a visual feast of video, audio and playful animation. Watch this space for the completed shorts from our animators Taplabs, Henry White and Anna Siedlikowska. Animation, BBC, Calabash Films, Online Video 2010-10-26T22:20:54+00:00 http://calabashfilms.com/site/director_nick_filming_in_alaska/ http://calabashfilms.com/site/director_nick_filming_in_alaska/#When:16:44:14Z Calabash founder and director Nick O’Meally is currently filming in the wilds of Alaska for a new observational documentary series, ‘Gold Rush’. The programme, which will air on Discovery US, has given Nick the opportunity to travel to this raw, yet beautiful location. He will be filming a group of unemployed men who set out for the frontier lands of Alaska in search of gold. Nick O’Meally is Director of Calabash Films and a freelance shooting pd (Producer and Director) Nick O'Meally, Calabash Films, CalabashFilms, Digital Content, director camerman, director producer, digital video production, Discovery Channel, Multi-Media, producer and director, producer director, Raw Television, Self Shooting PD, shooting pd 2010-09-14T16:44:14+00:00 http://calabashfilms.com/site/child_soldiers_-_uk_tv_ad_and_viral_goes_live/ http://calabashfilms.com/site/child_soldiers_-_uk_tv_ad_and_viral_goes_live/#When:15:27:19Z Calabash Films has just re-versioned two great TV adverts for the charity Right To Play UK. The powerful and beautifully shot virals tackle the tough topics of child soldiers and child poverty. Watch them here. Those of you going to the VFestival this year look out for them playing on the main stages. CalabashFilms, digital video production, Online Content, Online Video, Right To PLay, Television Advert, Viral Video, Web Video 2010-07-30T15:27:19+00:00 http://calabashfilms.com/site/d5_fashion_shoot/ http://calabashfilms.com/site/d5_fashion_shoot/#When:17:22:01Z Calabash Films delivers a new web video for East London fashion label Hurwundeki. The film, all shot on a Canon 5D SLR, gives visitors to the Hurwundeki site (and social media platforms) a flavour of the brand and a sneak peek at the Spitalfields’ boutique. On location, we used a range of different lenses with the SLR (a Canon 50mill 1.4 Prime lens and a Canon 17-40 Mill F4 lens), standard lighting and rigged up a track to achieve the gliding motion. Keep in mind you’ve got to re-set lighting and focal lengths for every single shot so the process isn’t as fluid as a standard shoot with say a Sony EX3, but the beautiful pics and really filmic depth of field makes it all worthwhile. Just give yourself a bit longer on set. All in all, can’t wait to use it again. High five to our super production crew… Siggy Rosen-Rawlings and his team for the beautiful visuals and lighting, Tracy Joss our talented editor, who got just a little too excited by the lovely D5 footage and the icing on the cake, the soundtrack composed by Nick Norton-Smith. Canon D5, Charity Video, corporate video , corporate video production, digital video editing, director camerman, director producer, digital video production, East London, Fashion, internet video marketing, Hurwendeki, Online Video, shooting pd, Social Networks, video marketing, video producer, video production services, Web Video, web video production 2010-07-07T17:22:01+00:00