Stephen Pritchard's media blog

Video case study for CAST Software

stephenpritchard — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 12:37:57 +0000

ENS Media recently produced this video case study for software vendor CAST.

It features the CIO of the European Medicines Agency talking about how he has improved software quality, and reduced costs.

Click here to view the clip on CAST’s website.

Pro-bono media training: an offer

stephenpritchard — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 15:35:25 +0000

This December, we are looking to offer a media training session to a UK charity on a pro bono basis.

The session will be a half day, for up to three participants.

The catch? The session will be conducted remotely, so the participants will need to have Skype, Facetime/iChat, or possibly an ISDN connection for the mock interviews. And the presentation/briefing will be over a web-based collaboration tool (we will try to use a free one).

Why are we doing this? We want to test out the options for training people remotely. And it seems a good way to give something back at the same time.

If you are interested, please send Stephen Pritchard a quick email (at the usual address) explaining a little about your organisation, why the training would be useful, and when in December would be good…

Phase II studio upgrade now complete

stephenpritchard — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 18:46:35 +0000

It’s not been much of a summer in the UK, weather-wise and work-wise. But despite a heavy workload (and maybe because it’s been too cold and wet to venture out often) we have completed our phase II studio upgrade.

As well as some fairly mundane fixes, such as a new headphone amp and live room speakers (so guests can hear what they’ve recorded) we’ve added an HD-SDI video feed from our live to control room, mic positions that are better suited to interview recording, and have moved the ProTools rig onto a full ADAT recording system (so each mic has its own digital channel). We’ve also put in a second ISDN codec (a Glensound GS-GC5) which can be used for radio remote contributions as well as for interview training. Backup recording has now moved from Minidisc and DAT (RIP both) to a digital WAV recorder, which gives near instant access to the files for playback and editing. But we can still burn audio on to a CD too, if required.

For more information about our voiceover, podcast, and audio and video production services please email or call.

Unavoidable email maintenance

stephenpritchard — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 16:43:56 +0000

Due to the ever-higher volume of email we’re receiving, and our service provider’s move to a new mail platform, we are going to upgrade our email systems.

However, no migration promises to work 100 per cent first time, and I have been warned that mail on the hosted servers – roughly from 24-08-11 to 05-09-11 when the migration will be done — may not carry over.

So firstly bear with us if we don’t reply to email instantly; and if you have sent something important since 24-08, you might want to resend to be sure.

thanks
Stephen Pritchard

Online audio: giving a voice to your ideas

stephenpritchard — Thu, 12 May 2011 19:43:09 +0000

Podcasts and online audio are effective ways to communicate information and ideas to a busy audience.

Some see audio content as less powerful than video but, used well, audio has its own advantages.

It uses less bandwidth and storage than video. It is easy for listeners to “timeshift” programmes, by downloading them to listen to later via iTunes, and to transfer it to an iPod, iPhone or other portable player.

Audio programming costs less to produce than video, and production is less time consuming and intrusive (no lights, makeup or backdrops required!).

And podcasts can be more intimate than video content: as with a good radio show, a good podcast or online audio production brings the speaker and presenter closer together.

ens: media produces online audio for editorial, corporate and not-for-profit clients. We can put together a simple audio podcast, with two participants, in a day using our in-house production and editing facilities.

All work is overseen by Stephen Pritchard, a journalist who has been involved in audio content production since 1997. We can provide journalists or presenters to anchor your show, or work with your own staff to make your audio both professional and compelling.

Examples of recent podcast productions include:

A multi-episode, show daily podcast for a multinational IT company’s customer event;

A Q&A format discussion for an industry trade body on a policy issue;

Researching, presenting and producing a fortnightly podcast for a national newspaper

Costs start at £500*, which includes two hours’ of studio time in our in-house facilities in South West London.

… And if you are still tempted by video of course we have a full range of video services too.

*(Cost for a day’s production including two hours’ studio time for two people, recording, editing and mastering to WAVE/AIFF format, with the finished production supplied on a CD or USB stick. Please ask for costs for a presented podcast, media encoding, and iTunes/RSS syndication.)

New IP (and Skype) studio link

stephenpritchard — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 16:46:34 +0000

We now have a new link for IP-based recording in our studio.

The link is currently configured to work with Skype and Apple’s iChat, and connects directly to our control room. This makes it possible to mix live and remote guests in one programme; we can also mix ISDN and IP links. The plan is to add more codecs; currently we are testing a number of G.722 software options and we might also add Luci Live software, if there is enough demand.

Some people have expressed reservations about the quality of audio recorded over the Internet, and especially Skype. In fact it it works well, if it is managed well. Most resistance seems to come either from PRs or from companies’ IT departments, rather than from producers or broadcast engineers.

Our experience is that the most important element is the microphone at the remote end; some headsets are very poor quality. The second most important factor is microphone positioning (to avoid plosives or ‘pop’s) and the use of a windshield; the third is the ambient noise level in the room; the fourth is the actual bandwidth.

Of course there are some issues that can trip up Skype and other VoIP technology, such as overly aggressive firewalls — though usually these will block calls altogether rather than degrade quality — bandwidth, and the processing power of the host computer.

If you want to try out VoIP for interviews — and we really think you should — contact us and we can set up a test connection.

And if you want advice or technical help in setting up a link for your offices or for a client, we can recommend the consultants at Radio Studio Services, who have developed a set of packages to suit a range of budgets and needs, including IP and ISDN.

Three new video packages

stephenpritchard — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 12:29:37 +0000

We know clients often find commissioning video complicated and time consuming.

In response, we’ve put together three packages that we hope are keenly priced, and cover most jobs:

Backpack

A set up that can be carried on public transport! A video journalist plus a digital SLR or “prosumer” video camera, depending on the needs of the job, and a microphone.

Suitable for simple pieces to camera, vox pops and interviews, as well as basic events coverage. Suited to work outside, or in venues where it’s possible to film using ambient light.

This option is an economical choice for jobs where material will go out over the Internet, or on DVD.

Cost: £400/day

Car boot

Journalist plus a single professional video camera, audio equipment and a lighting kit.

Ideal for more complex interviews — with two speakers or an interviewer and interviewee on camera – and where the task demands a higher-quality image.

Also suitable for vox pops, b-roll footage, and short documentary-style films. This is the option for indoor and outdoor filming where the location demands control over the lighting.

Cost: £550/day

The van load

Journalist plus director of photography/lighting camera operator. Two cameras plus full creative lighting set up and audio, including radio mics. Recording on to broadcast-format full HD cameras*.

Suitable for all interview scenarios, including Q&As and discussion programmes, panel or round table debates, high-end vox pops, video news releases and edited packages. Additional options: a third camera, sound engineer, live vision mixing, live streaming.

Cost: from £950/day, plus options.

Editing and other office-based work: £350/day

(This is a guide – please email for more details and full terms. VAT applies.)

You can download a full copy of ens: media’s 2011 rates as a PDF.

Rates for editorial assignments will vary depending on the workflow – clearly a national broadcaster’s needs differ from those of a small magazine’s website. But as a guide, a complete project will start at £30/minute (of transmitted material) for audio and £50/minute for video.

New audio studio for ens: media

stephenpritchard — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 14:53:12 +0000

Our new audio studio – for recording podcasts, voiceovers, audio webinars, media training and radio work – is now finished.

There are a couple of pictures in this post and I will post some more soon.

We can accommodate two or three guests (four at a push) in person but also have both IP and ISDN links for remote interviews. For ISDN we use the G722 codec.

For more information, and for rates (either for projects or studio hire and production) please call or email.

New weekly column for IT PRO

stephenpritchard — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 11:06:46 +0000

I’m now writing a weekly column on enterprise IT for Dennis Publishing’s IT PRO.

The first article is on why PC makers need to make a profit.

Do email if you’ve an idea for further topics.

New services and a new focus for ens: media

stephenpritchard — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 18:06:44 +0000

Over the next couple of weeks will see a new focus for ens: media, this blog (and time permitting, the static web site too). It is long overdue, but it is time that these pages reflected what the business is about these days (for information on my journalism work, remember to visit stephenpritchard.com, which will continue to list upcoming commissions, occasional kit reviews, and other comment related to the trade).

From the new year, ens: media will be expanding its remit, as a journalist-led production company. There is growing interest in audio and video content, especially online, in both the corporate and editorial sectors. We will focus on projects where the hands-on input of journalists adds real value to clients, whether that is producing a podcast, putting together a video news release, organising conference multimedia coverage, customer interviews and video case studies, or even producing one-off films and packages.

As part of this, we have moved to larger premises, in order to expand video and audio editing capabilities, and have set up a working partnership with Starlight Productions, conveniently located in the same building as us. Starlight has excellent corporate and broadcast credentials, including regular work for the BBC; their portable production unit (PPU) is a real, lower-cost alternative to outside broadcast units. For samples of our joint work, please see this video produced for IT Expert Magazine. Of course, if you have your own in-house or contracted video company, ens media can work with them, adding that vital journalistic input on a freelance basis.

In addition to video, we offer a podcast production service for corporate and editorial clients. Services include scripting and story development, presenting, production and engineering and post-production, including editing and encoding. We can accommodate small groups for round-table interviews in our studio in south London, as well as handling remote interviews over ISDN, and IP. We can provide a present-and-produce service (for editorial) or a production-only service for corporate work, or if you have your own preferred voice talent.

As part of our broadcast consultancy service, we can support businesses setting up their own video and audio content with advice on what to say (messaging), how to say it (media training) and the technicalities of putting the message out there (production, post production and engineering). We can even help set up remote ISDN or IP links, advise on equipment purchase, and assist with soundproofing and studio design.

Finally, ens: media will carry on offering media training services, with an emphasis on handling online broadcasting and social media as well as print.

For research and writing services, please contact Stephen Pritchard directly at stephenpritchard.com