Grass seed germination
We had a patio poured last fall and they didn’t get done in time for me to plant grass. What a mess over the winter with 2 dogs! About 3 weeks ago I tilled a good portion on my back lawn where the trucks had been, sowed seed, put on starter fertilzer, covered with straw, watered, and waited. And waited. And then waited some more. Very sparse germination and what did sprout was thin and spindly. This is not typical for my usually very green thumb. What made it more disturbing was that my neighbor 2 doors down had this lush new law in about 3 days! What thuh?!
For some reason it never occurred to me that seed has a ‘best before’ date on it just like my beer. And that date is only about 6-12 months… TOPS. After that storage time, grass seed loses about 10-25% of its germination potential every year. Given that my seed was closely approaching driving age- OHHHHHH, that explains it.
So I chalked up that first go-round as practice and yesterday raked off the straw, loosened the soil with a garden rake, re-sowed new seed, etc. Now the waiting happens again and if thing go right, my dogs will have new grass to tear up in about a month.
May 18th, 2009 Filed Under Steve's Thoughts | No Comments »
Microsoft says hackers seek to attack PowerPoint users
http://www.reuters.com/ BOSTON (Reuters) – Microsoft Corp said on Tuesday that hackers are seeking to attack users of its PowerPoint presentation software for Windows PCs and released patches to protect them against the threat.
The world’s No. 1 software maker said that a version of PowerPoint for Apple Inc’s Mac computers is also vulnerable, though it has yet to find any evidence that hackers are actively seeking to exploit it.
Microsoft defined the threat as “critical” — the most severe on the scale by which it ranks vulnerabilities to its software.
Hackers are seeking to exploit the vulnerability in PowerPoint by persuading the intended victim to open a tainted PowerPoint file — that they either download from a Website or receive in an email, according to Symantec Corp, the world’s top maker of security software.
“At that point, the attacker would then have complete control over everything the user’s account has permission to do on the system,” said Alfred Huger, a senior researcher with Symantec.
Huger said that Symantec has so far only observed a limited number of hacker attempts to exploit the vulnerability in PowerPoint.
Microsoft did not release a patch for Mac computers, though company spokesman Christopher Budd said that one is in development.
(Reporting by Jim Finkle; Editing Bernard Orr)
May 14th, 2009 Filed Under Steve's Thoughts | No Comments »
United Way partners with FFP again in 2008
We just love working with United Way of the Capital Region… and we love a challenge! That challenge being shrinking resources and greater demand for services, how do the non-profit organizations attract contributions?Working with Rae Lynn Cox and Jennifer Daniels from UW, Joe Knezic wrote the ads after the 4 of us concepted creative ideas. With the help of Kevyn Bashore as producer/director to coordinate talent, locations and schedules, Eric Bugby shot in HD, Nick Bierzonski editing, we created 3 amazing, effective commercials. All locations were in the Camp Hill/Harrisburg area. Not only 3, :30 second ads, but we effeciently re-edited into 6, :15 second ads and 8, :10 seconds ads to maximize time contributed by the outlets. I guess national-quality ads can be produced right here in Central PA!Let us help you with your next campaign!
November 5th, 2008 Filed Under Recent work | No Comments »
FFP Keeping “Green”
changing for the green… ffp has been doing it all along
Reducing its global footprint. Final Focus Productions’ employees are dedicated to coming up with ideas to help the environment and then implementing those ideas.
You can pitch in too:
- Print on as much post-consumer recycled paper as possible.
- Share info via email or intranet rather than print.
- Reuse shipping cartons.
- Discourage printing emails.
- Recycle plastics, glass, paper and aluminum.
- Combine trips when driving.
- Use re-manufactured ink cartridges.
FFP has been reducing, reusing and recycling for nearly 20 years! It’s easy once you set the plan in place. Thanks for helping out!
July 31st, 2008 Filed Under Steve's Thoughts | No Comments »
How to apply for a job.
Hello visitor,
So you’re interested in applying for a job. Excellent!
I’ve been meaning to write my thoughts on this for some time and now that the class of 2008 is graduating and I am getting barraged by unsolicited resumes and inquiries, I thought it time to share some appropriate ways to even get considered at our – or any other company or industry for that matter. The following statements and observations may seem a bit harsh or arrogant or pompous, but hopefully they will make you a smarter and more qualified job applicant. I may get around to reorganizing these thoughts at some point, but for now I’ll just key away. In fact, you should qualify for a prize if you got this far because it means you are doing the proper research on a company to learn their style, philosophy and general business practices.
1) There is nobody at Final Focus Productions named “info” or “web” or “to whom it may concern” (trust me, nobody will be concerned); while “sir” or “madam” may be nice, that goes in the trash too. Don’t be so lazy as to not pick up your phone, call the company and 1) ask if there are any openings and 2) to whom material should specifically be addressed. If you don’t care, I don’t care.
2) Know where you are applying. Do some research on the company. Don’t send some lame form letter that rambles on “I’m impressed with the type of work you do”. Bad. Send a letter that shows you really know what we do. “I really enjoyed the CampusDoor commercials and saw them on TV many times,” shows me you at least looked at our website, took 12 seconds to type a sentence and, while you may be lying about seeing them on TV, at least you put forth effort.
3) I will not “request” your references. I, like everyone else, am busy. Send them along. Don’t make me ask (I won’t). Same goes for the demo reel. If you claim to be poor and cannot afford to copy and send out the 50 DVDs…. whoa!!! Applying for a job is not skeet shooting with buckshot. You do not blanket the area with resumes. You strategically apply to a select few companies that, after you’ve done some research, fit where you’d like to work. Your demo should be on the web anyway.
4) There’s a wonderful invention called Spellcheck… please use it. Our clients do not hire us to produce mediocre materials for them. Why would we hire mediocre talent?
5) If you read #2 you will truly know what type of work we do and what type of client we serve. In my case, DO NOT send skateboard videos with unlicensed music (IE: any song you hear on the radio and do not have rights to). Do not send anything remotely defamatory. If there is a ninja fight scene, guns, bloodshed, gang violence, or the like, I don’t care how good your resume is, you will not fit into our culture.
6) Be honest about your skills.
7) Know that you have way more to learn and you are not God’s gift to this or any other industry – we are all replaceable.
8) DO NOT LET YOUR SCHOOL SEND YOUR RESUME TO ME. They are not applying for a job, you are. If you work here, someone else will not be doing your work.
9) When you get an interview don’t forget to dress appropriately. ‘Tis better to be overdressed than for your potential employer to be hung up on the fact that you think you are too good to take an interview seriously. Again, if you did your research, you’d know what to wear.
10) I’m thinking about implementing a 2 hour interview at some point; handing you a bunch of material and a script and see how efficiently you plan and execute a project. Had a friend apply at Paisley Park recording studio (yes, the one the artist formerly known as Prince started in 1987) some time ago and that’s what they do.
11) Above all, know how to communicate. Technical skills without people skills will not work. You must be able to convey a message, deal with a client and keep the paperwork straight. Work on communication skills as much, if not more than, you work on technical abilities.
12) added 10/28/08 With regards to letters of reference – the more current the better. And I believe they should come in the mail, addressed to me – not a handful of photocopies from years gone by. This makes me think your prior employer was trying to get rid of you.
13) added 12/16/08 Please look up the word proficient and use it correctly. There is only one person I have worked with that I would use this word to describe his skills and even he won’t use it.
14) Added 6/25/09 Don’t bother sending a demo reel or dvd or cd or whatever. If you don’t know how to put video on the web, you are not the person we are looking for anyway.
15) Added 2/1/10 Read the book 10 Things Employers Want You to Learn in College: The Know-How You Need to Succeed by William D. Coplin.
16) Added 2/26/10 Please watch the Richard St. John video posted on this blog.
17) Added 6/30/10 Article by Michael Kammes from POST magazine. Although the tips Michael presents were written for production people, they pretty much relate to any profession. Originally posted from a link on Creative Cow.
Please utilize this information when applying for any job and I wish you the best of luck in the future!
Steve
May 18th, 2008 Filed Under Steve's Thoughts | 1 Comment »
Ever have one of those days?
I came across this this morning and just had to share. Enjoy the movie!
January 31st, 2008 Filed Under Steve's Thoughts | No Comments »
Not all DVD-Rs, CD-Rs Are Created Equal
It may be only a year or two before you are faced with the realization that the deal you got on your media was, in fact, not such a good deal. When your customers purchase your services and finished product, they are depending on you to choose media that are of good quality and will last for years. The price of individual CDs and DVDs is so low that consumers tend to think of them as a commodity. Those who think that way will come to a rude awakening in a couple of years.
“CDs and DVDs should last a hundred years,” said Bob Daly, co-owner of Polyline. “If the dyes are inferior, however, the disc could break down more rapidly. Then, you’re going to have people calling you up and saying they can’t play their wedding DVD anymore.”
This is totally different than what people experienced with VHS. With tape media, if there is a bad part of the tape, you can still recover a large portion of what was recorded on the tape. (How much you can recover is dependent on how much of the tape is damaged, of course.) With digital media, however, “either you have it or you don’t.”
“The Internet has really fueled the supply of substandard media,” said Daly. “The Internet has been good for many things and is a valuable tool for reputable companies and their customers. It’s bad for others, however, because anyone can throw up a Web site and start selling media. We think it’s crucial for you to really know your media dealer to assure that the media you purchase today are actually quality, licensed media that will stand the test of time.”
The so-called “substandard media” consist of products that may have been legally obtained but was not intended for sale in this country or for the purpose for which it was sold. There are a couple of ways that substandard media enter the U.S. market place. One way is for a manufactured product that does not make quality specifications to be sold as B or C grade to brokers that are relied on to sell it as B and C grade. Instead, some of these brokers will sell it as A grade to non authorized dealers, thus isolating the dealers from the initial agreement and keeping the quick profits for themselves. Other times, as the disc gets passed along distribution lines, the knowledge of the defect somehow gets lost.
Another way substandard media enter the market is when media that have quality issues is repackaged as a no-name or odd-named media.
What is being done?
Manufacturers are taking steps to control substandard media products. Notably, many are placing serial numbers on their products that identify where the product came from, where it originated and to whom it was intended to be sold.
Also, Philips, a major patent holder for CD-R & DVD-R technology, is beginning to enforce its licensing rights and obligations by actively pursuing manufacturers and importers of unlicensed discs. Products manufactured under standard licenses must comply with the standard specifications of that product and should, therefore, be able to work in a larger number of machines (this is called interoperability). Unlicensed discs may meet the standard specifications of the media, but there is no guarantee that they do.
How do you protect yourself?
“When an authorized dealer, such as Polyline, buys direct from the manufacturer, we know the product has been taken care of, from manufacturer to distributor to end-user,” said Daly. “The problem with the ‘substandard media’ market is most of the media look the same. That makes it hard to know where the media came from, what grade it is, how it was shipped or, most importantly, if it will last. Your media could be stored in a cargo hold somewhere, which is not a suitable environment for media.”
There are several things consumers can do, as well, to protect themselves from substandard products:
- Buy your CD-Rs, DVD-Rs and packaging from a manufacturer’s authorized distributor, such as Polyline.
- When selecting a distributor, try calling the dealer on the phone first. You want a distributor that not only publishes a phone number, but can actually be reached. You also want a distributor that has media experts who can answer all your questions.
- When selecting a distributor, check out how long the company has been in business and see what other products the company is currently offering. It is difficult, if not impossible, to maintain a steady supply of substandard products. If someone is dealing in substandard media, they may be offering a variety of seemingly unrelated products to keep a steady income.
- Be careful of off brands. Stick with major manufacturers that will stand by their CD-R and DVD-R products.
- Finally, Daly reminds us, if it seems too good to be true, it probably is. If you see a really good price on the Internet, don’t jump at it — call your trusted distributor and ask about the pricing.
Posted with permission. copyright 2007 Polyline Corporation.
January 28th, 2008 Filed Under Video Help | 4 Comments »
Why Most Marketing Videos Don’t Work
By Marie-Claire Ross, guest writer
Every now and then I will meet someone who has commissioned a marketing video that did not work for their company. It is a sad state of affairs and it is avoidable.
Over the years, I have been given many failed corporate communications videos to watch and have found that they all suffer from one or more of the following problems.
1. A poorly written script
This would have to be one of the most common problems. The script provides the backbone to any video project and it must be perfect. It needs to be to the point, clear and interesting.
Often scripts get written in-house resulting in wordy and highly detailed pieces of prose that do not translate well onto the screen. Quite frankly, they are boring. Unfortunately, pretty shots and expert editing cannot hide a tedious narrative.
Worse still, is when the script goes back and forth and the content is played out in an illogical sequence. This results in no viewer being able to quickly understand your core marketing messages, if they can understand it at all.
Ideally, a script conveys the most important pieces of information that your target market wants to know and is written with an objective in mind.
2. The video is too long
In this day and age of high speed broadband and other time-saving devices, very few of us have attention spans that can handle information for more than a few minutes.
Any video over 10 minutes is destined to lose viewers after the first few minutes.
Yet, surprisingly there are many marketing videos today that are well over 12 minutes in length.
The best marketing videos are short and succinct. Yet, it is far easier to cram everything into a video than to make a short and concise one. In the words of Blaise Pascal, “The present letter is a very long one, simply because I had no leisure to make it shorter”.
3. The “look mum I’m on TV” scenario
While some of us may cringe at the thought of a camera placed in front of us, there are many people who relish the opportunity to show their face on television.
This can result in corporate heads droning on incessantly about how wonderful their company is (and what a great job they are doing). Sadly, this does nothing else but soothe corporate egos and turn viewers away.
Few people realise that talking to a camera in an appealing manner is a skill in itself. Having a CEO spieling boring corporate fluff while looking dumbstruck and awkward in front of the camera does not a good video make.
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However, a charismatic business leader who uses short, punchy (and rehearsed) sentences can add tremendous impact and clout to a marketing video.
4. Poor production values
While watching your corporate video, your customers will be left with an impression of what type of business you are and what to expect when doing business with you.
A fast way to subconsciously get across the wrong image to your viewer is to have grainy pictures, poorly framed shots and sloppy editing.
A well thought out and professionally created television program will create a positive impression in the minds of your prospects. After all, we all watch television and we are used to broadcast quality productions, not wobbly and unfocused shots that scream amateurish.
To produce a good quality television program, it must be made using an experienced A-grade cameraman, a broadcast quality camera and a fully trained editor
5. Target audience is too diverse
Many marketing videos often try to get as many messages out to a diverse audience.
It is very difficult to produce a video that is “all things to all people.” After all, communicating to primary school students, overseas buyers and consumers all in the one video is an extremely difficult feat to pull.
Research has found that advertising that targets a number of market segments results in higher profits than advertising that sells to a mass market.
Likewise, marketing videos that target a small audience are more successful than those aimed at a large audience. It is often wise to produce several television programs for different audiences, rather than cram all of your messages into one confusing video.
6. Let’s do a video, just because we can!
It might seem far-fetched but there are companies that embark on commissioning a marketing video without really assessing if they need one.
This can be due to a number of reasons such as using up available budgets, satisfying corporate egos and employees creating work for themselves.
You are probably wondering why a video communication producer would even complain about this situation. The answer is simple.
A marketing video is an effective tool to increase sales in a company. It is actually painful and embarrassing to watch a video that is a shameless waste of company money.
Poorly produced videos might line the pockets of some video producers, but they do little to convince future clients that they are worthwhile.
If you are in the market for a marketing video, make sure you follow these simple guidelines to ensure your project is a success, rather than destined for the rubbish bin.
(c) Marie-Claire Ross 2004. All rights reserved.Marie-Claire Ross is one of the partners of Digicast. Digicast works with organizations who are not satisfied that their marketing and training materials are helping their business grow. She can be contacted on 0500 800 234 (Australia wide) or at mc@digicast.com.au. The website is at http://www.digicast.com.au.
January 22nd, 2008 Filed Under Video Help | No Comments »
FFP Helps Ski Roundtop Brand “Big Daddy”
Big Daddy is the lead snow groomer at Ski Roundtop and has come to be the “go to guy” for all questions snow – snow making, snow grooming, conditions, etc. So when having lunch with the marketing dept, it became evident that we could build a campaign around this guy and get some nice viral marketing going on with the ski community. It’s working!We created 4 ads: snow, web, inches and what to do. Each of the :15 second spots highlight one of these key areas. The media buy was done as ‘bookends’ – one leads the commercial break and one ends the commercial break. A one-two punch with lots of top-of-mind recognition.The chorus of voices at the head is my daughter and a bunch of her friends.
January 14th, 2008 Filed Under Recent work | 1 Comment »
Skype is so cool!
So part of our marketing effort after attending the Cimbrian Geekcamp about blogs and search engine optimization, is start cross marketing our stuff on YouTube, LinkedIn, this blog, our website and others. The viral stuff.
As of 1/11/08 Skype is my new fascination with web-based things. I got turned onto it from one of our announcers that’s been using it to allow audio directors & producers to direct recording sessions from the comfort of wherever they are. While we do a fair amount of VO recording right in our studio, I’ve directed sessions like this via a phone patch for some time. Now we can communicate visually in real-time. Fun!
So if you do a Skype search for finalfocusvideo I can be reached for a call or videoconference (also a spiffy way to conference call, the audio quality is amazing) and remember it’s all FREE! Can’t guarantee I’ll always be available to skype but give it a try.
Steve
January 12th, 2008 Filed Under Steve's Thoughts | No Comments »
