Mutlimedia Archives - New Leonard Media https://newleonard.com/tag/mutlimedia/ Traverse City Audio Video Podcast Recording Studio Sat, 10 Jun 2023 14:28:33 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 https://newleonard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/New-Leonard-2023-SQ-fav-150x150.jpg Mutlimedia Archives - New Leonard Media https://newleonard.com/tag/mutlimedia/ 32 32 5 Reasons Your Business Needs a Podcast https://newleonard.com/5-reasons-your-business-needs-a-podcast/ Sat, 25 Feb 2023 17:11:48 +0000 https://newleonard.com/blog-post-title-8/ If you own a business, you know a strong digital marketing strategy is crucial. Content marketing drives sales, helps you rank higher in searches, and builds awareness of your company and brand. Many companies overlook a valuable part of content marketing: podcasts. Podcasts are growing in popularity. In a 2019 survey, an estimated 90 million […]

The post 5 Reasons Your Business Needs a Podcast appeared first on New Leonard Media.

]]>

If you own a business, you know a strong digital marketing strategy is crucial. Content marketing drives sales, helps you rank higher in searches, and builds awareness of your company and brand. Many companies overlook a valuable part of content marketing: podcasts.

Podcasts are growing in popularity. In a 2019 survey, an estimated 90 million people listened to at least one podcast in the last month.[1] The growth of podcasting gives businesses a valuable opportunity to reach potential customers.  

Advantages of Podcasting 
The benefits of incorporating podcasting into your content marketing include: 

1) Build Brand Loyalty and Trust
Podcasts reach a wide audience, and listening to a presenter’s voice gives your audience a strong, personal connection to you. If you podcast regularly, your listeners become familiar with the presenter’s voice and style. Over time, listeners even come to feel as if they know the presenter. The personal connection builds your listeners’ trust in your brand. Podcasting establishes your business as an authority in your field.

2) Attract High-Quality Leads
In today’s world, every brand is in constant competition for audience attention. Podcast listeners are highly engaged. According to Podcast Insights:[2] 
• 51% of the U.S. population listens to podcasts.
• Podcast listeners listen to an average of seven shows per week.
• The yearly household income is over $75K for 45% of monthly podcast listeners.
• 94% of podcast listeners are active on at least one social media platform. 
• Podcast listeners are more likely to follow companies on social media. 
When you build a following of loyal listeners, they will think of your company when they need your services. When they call, they’re ready to engage, and they’re highly likely to convert from listeners to paying customers.  

3) Podcast Ads Are Highly Effective
Most podcast listeners are closely engaged with the advertisements they hear during an episode. Part of the reason is they don’t have a quick way to switch to another broadcast, as they would on TV or the radio. Even scrolling past the ad requires effort. Such a high level of engagement translates to sales. In an internal survey of 300,000 podcast listeners conducted by Midroll Media, 63% of podcast listeners purchased a product promoted by a podcast host during a show.[3] 

4) Podcasts Are Cost-Effective
Unlike other methods of digital marketing, podcasts are easy and inexpensive to create. You only need a microphone and recording software. Many recording tools are available to download for free. If time is a concern, you can outsource the production of your podcast.  

5) Detailed Analytics
The success of any digital marketing plan depends on the numbers. One of the benefits of podcasting is the wealth of data available to you. No matter what podcasting platform you choose, you’ll be able to track several key components to evaluate your return on investment, including:[4]
• Number of downloads/listens for each podcast episode
• Average listening time for each episode
• Number of podcast subscribers
• Which episodes are top performers 
• The devices and platforms your listeners use to access your podcast 
• The country and region where your listeners are located 
The available data will be invaluable to your podcasting strategy. For instance, if you know the average listening time for your show is 40 minutes, you can adjust your episode length accordingly. Once you know your listeners’ favorite topics, you can plan additional episodes on those topics–and create other content on those topics too. The possibilities for a savvy content marketer are almost endless.

The above are just some of the reasons your business should incorporate podcasting into its content marketing strategy. A podcast gives you a chance to connect with listeners far and wide. Give your audience a reason to listen, and they’ll keep coming back–and they’ll soon go from listeners to customers. Contact New Leonard Media to learn more about producing your podcast today!

_______________
Sources Cited:
[1] edisonresearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Infinite-Dial-2019-PDF-1.pdf
[2] podcastinsights.com/podcast-statistics/
[3] fastcompany.com/3035954/the-surprisingly-profitable-rise-of-podcast-networks
[4] resonaterecordings.com/2018/11/branded-podcasts/

The post 5 Reasons Your Business Needs a Podcast appeared first on New Leonard Media.

]]> Give Your Business An Online Video Presence https://newleonard.com/give-your-business-an-online-video-presence/ Sat, 25 Feb 2023 17:11:47 +0000 https://newleonard.com/blog-post-title-7/ YouTube is the new Google, which explains why Google purchased YouTube in 2006 for a whopping $1.6 billion in stock.

The post Give Your Business An Online Video Presence appeared first on New Leonard Media.

]]>

YouTube is the new Google, which explains why Google purchased YouTube in 2006 for a whopping $1.6 billion in stock. These days, if you aren’t on YouTube, it’s almost like you don’t exist. Everyone from your local mechanic to world leaders, news and media outlets, and major corporations have a YouTube presence. For those businesses still lurking in the shadows with trepidation, here’s a simple, no-nonsense quick guide to getting it done now.

The Equipment
Finding and selecting the necessary equipment is surprisingly easy and within the budget of all but the most impoverished small businesses. Millions of young people, some not even employed, manage to operate successful YouTube channels, clearly demonstrating the lack of need for a large budget.

The Camera
With the rise in recent years of video as the chosen medium for communications, camera manufacturers have been aggressively working to fill the demand. Cameras have become smaller, lighter, and more robust in features suited to video. Cameras like Canons M50 are affordable and more than capable of doing the job. With outstanding autofocus that can track a subject’s face simply by tapping the touch screen display, you can generate highly professional production quality footage with limited skills. There are even individuals doing amazing work with nothing more than their phone cameras.

Sound
Audio is arguably more important than video. While a viewer may tolerate a slightly out-of-focus picture, if they can’t clearly understand what the presenter is saying, they’re apt to move on to content they can hear clearly. Companies like Rode produce quality microphones in accessible price ranges. Many even more affordable options are readily available online, but don’t cheap out too much on this critical piece of equipment.

There are three main types of microphones: ones that mount right on the camera’s hot shoe, Lavaliere microphones that clip onto your clothing, and lastly boom microphones supported overhead of the presenter. The first two are the most common, and your choice will mainly depend on your distance from the camera.

Lighting
Lighting can be the trickiest element to master, but don’t panic. With a fundamental understanding of the key issues, you’ll be off to a strong start and producing quality content almost instantly.

Artificial and Natural Light
Generally natural light is considered the best, with early morning and later in the day being ideal. This primarily has to do with light diffusion (more on that in a moment). That said, in most cases you will be using artificial light. While natural light is, well, natural, it is somewhat unreliable, whereas with artificial light you have greater control. Also, many situations require indoor shooting locations, making artificial light essential.

Once again, manufacturers have made your options plentiful and affordable. From smaller LED lights right up to larger professional level lighting, these units have become readily accessible.

An additional and valuable tip is to consider light diffusion. This is accomplished relatively easily and will present your subject in a more flattering manner. Harsh shadows become softened and more pleasing to the viewer. The effect can be achieved with a softbox or even a simple shower curtain hung between the light and the subject.

Editing Software
Now that the equipment is gathered, the footage is planned and shot, it’s time to edit and arrange it to tell the story. This is the job of the editing software.

Plenty of programs are available, in versions ranging from amazingly simple and free, to highly advanced subscription models. One program currently gathering popularity amongst editors is Blackmagic’s Davinci Resolve. There will be a learning curve, but the upside is that they have a free version that is highly advanced and suitable for professionals.

NO TIME OR DESIRE TO LEARN TO EDIT? NO PROBLEM. NEW LEONARD MEDIA HAS THE TOOLS AND EXPERTISE TO HELP!

Accessories
There may be other accessories that will level up the production quality or make the work easier, depending on each business’s unique circumstances. Items such as a Gorilla Pod, ND filter, additional lenses, and tripods and stands can be purchased later as the need arises, but following the above guidelines will provide a strong start and launch an online presence in no-time.

You’re Live!
Time to go live. Uploading your video to YouTube is the likely next step. From there it can be linked to a website or social media as desired. The business will need a Google account if they don’t already have one. From Google, set up a YouTube channel. Once this is done it’s just a matter of clicking the upload link, selecting the video file, and watching the magic happen.

The current revolution in online video may be the most significant event in marketing history. If any organization isn’t participating, they should get started today and leverage this opportunity into new profit.

NEW LEONARD MEDIA IS HERE TO ASSIST YOU IN ALL THINGS AUDIO AND VISUAL. TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT OUR SERVICES AND TO SCHEDULE A FREE CONSULTATION, CONTACT US TODAY!

The post Give Your Business An Online Video Presence appeared first on New Leonard Media.

]]> In A World: You and Voice-work https://newleonard.com/in-a-world-you-and-voicework/ Wed, 22 Feb 2023 06:14:27 +0000 https://newleonard.com/?p=1178 Here we have a few tips on how to create a voiceover demo reel that will be impressive and drive results.

The post In A World: You and Voice-work appeared first on New Leonard Media.

]]>

Don LaFontaine.  Do you know that name?  If you do not, you know the voice.  Think movie trailers.  When you see the words: “In a world…” I bet you hear them in a very distinct voice.  You most likely hear these words in a tremendously resonant, dramatic voice filled to the brim with gravitas.  Don LaFontaine was the godfather of movie trailer voiceover.  He worked primarily from 1976 through 2007 providing all manner of voicework but is primarily known for his perfect voice in many of our beloved movie trailers.  By the way, if you’re curious, he was most proud of his work in the Elephant Man (1980) trailer.

While we’re just all loosey goosey naming names; how about the name James Urbaniak?  He happens to voice the main character of Doctor Venture (amongst other characters) in one of my favorite cartoons, The Venture Brothers.  James is a voice and traditional actor that has 156 credits to his name according to IMDB, including roles in very successful films and television shows.  And that’s so far.  That is a pretty solid career in entertainment.

Voicework is so prevalent in our daily lives it is almost astounding.  It could be a person bringing to life an adorable tree-like humanoid (a Flora Colossus if we’re being real about it) in Guardians of the Galaxy through a variation on three simple words or the ad you just saw for a revolutionary washer and dryer.  It takes a very special voice to make that character or message come to life.  If voicework is something that you feel may be calling you, especially in times of disruption and potential life-altering pivot opportunities, there are ways to make your voice shine and possibly allow you to be a part of something special.  And more importantly, enduring.

In order to get started along this path, you will need a voiceover demo.  Essentially this is a targeted representation of your voice talent that you can then send to either vocal talent representatives or (not recommended) to job opportunities directly, unsolicited.  Here we have a few tips on how to create a voiceover demo reel that will be impressive and drive results.

  • If you are not recording your demo on your own, choose the right location and team to get you there.  Look to a studio that possibly even specializes on only one or two things, voicework being one.  A comfortable and professional setting will help set the stage for a great demo reel
  • Keep your content fresh and updated.  Try not to include anything that will date your material or tie it to any specific point in time that will distract from your performance
  • Know your audience.  If you are unsure of your direction in voicework, first, set a trial recording with your recording partner.  Riff on things and see what feels comfortable.  However, gone are the days of mixed reels featuring narration, commercial, traditional acting and other styles on the same reel.  Be specific with your audience when you are sending in work.  If it’s for a voice acting gig, send them in all of your best characters and energies but that’s all
  • Work to perfect your delivery.  The next time you watch an animated film or a commercial, close your eyes and see where your brand fits.  What would you have added to the performance, if allowed?  Successful voice actors are successful for a reason.  The delivery and poise are so natural (even with extreme characters) apparent, due to hard work
  • Figure yourself out.  What is your voice?  What can your voice do?  What is your brand and what can it bring to a project?  Again, booking a session at a professional studio to just riff and find that voice can be tremendously helpful to an aspiring voice actor.  It is not a waste of time or money and it also helps you find the right recording partner before it gets…serious.

New Leonard Media is passionate about assuring all who wish to, are able to find their voice and share it with the world.  Keep creating and ke

Don LaFontaine.  Do you know that name?  If you do not, you know the voice.  Think movie trailers.  When you see the words: “In a world…” I bet you hear them in a very distinct voice.  You most likely hear these words in a tremendously resonant, dramatic voice filled to the brim with gravitas.  Don LaFontaine was the godfather of movie trailer voiceover.  He worked primarily from 1976 through 2007 providing all manner of voicework but is primarily known for his perfect voice in many of our beloved movie trailers.  By the way, if you’re curious, he was most proud of his work in the Elephant Man (1980) trailer.

While we’re just all loosey goosey naming names; how about the name James Urbaniak?  He happens to voice the main character of Doctor Venture (amongst other characters) in one of my favorite cartoons, The Venture Brothers.  James is a voice and traditional actor that has 156 credits to his name according to IMDB, including roles in very successful films and television shows.  And that’s so far.  That is a pretty solid career in entertainment.

Voicework is so prevalent in our daily lives it is almost astounding.  It could be a person bringing to life an adorable tree-like humanoid (a Flora Colossus if we’re being real about it) in Guardians of the Galaxy through a variation on three simple words or the ad you just saw for a revolutionary washer and dryer.  It takes a very special voice to make that character or message come to life.  If voicework is something that you feel may be calling you, especially in times of disruption and potential life-altering pivot opportunities, there are ways to make your voice shine and possibly allow you to be a part of something special.  And more importantly, enduring.

In order to get started along this path, you will need a voiceover demo.  Essentially this is a targeted representation of your voice talent that you can then send to either vocal talent representatives or (not recommended) to job opportunities directly, unsolicited.  Here we have a few tips on how to create a voiceover demo reel that will be impressive and drive results.

  • If you are not recording your demo on your own, choose the right location and team to get you there.  Look to a studio that possibly even specializes on only one or two things, voicework being one.  A comfortable and professional setting will help set the stage for a great demo reel
  • Keep your content fresh and updated.  Try not to include anything that will date your material or tie it to any specific point in time that will distract from your performance
  • Know your audience.  If you are unsure of your direction in voicework, first, set a trial recording with your recording partner.  Riff on things and see what feels comfortable.  However, gone are the days of mixed reels featuring narration, commercial, traditional acting and other styles on the same reel.  Be specific with your audience when you are sending in work.  If it’s for a voice acting gig, send them in all of your best characters and energies but that’s all
  • Work to perfect your delivery.  The next time you watch an animated film or a commercial, close your eyes and see where your brand fits.  What would you have added to the performance, if allowed?  Successful voice actors are successful for a reason.  The delivery and poise are so natural (even with extreme characters) apparent, due to hard work
  • Figure yourself out.  What is your voice?  What can your voice do?  What is your brand and what can it bring to a project?  Again, booking a session at a professional studio to just riff and find that voice can be tremendously helpful to an aspiring voice actor.  It is not a waste of time or money and it also helps you find the right recording partner before it gets…serious.

New Leonard Media is passionate about assuring all who wish to, are able to find their voice and share it with the world.  Keep creating and keep sharing your stories.  And please, do yourself a favor and watch the movie In a World…It’s about an aspiring voice actor who must go up against her famous voice actor father for a huge role.  Believe us when we say, it is a fantastic watch.

The post In A World: You and Voice-work appeared first on New Leonard Media.

]]> Meet The Face Behind New Leonard Media https://newleonard.com/meet-the-face-behind-new-leonard-media/ Sun, 08 Jan 2023 17:11:48 +0000 https://newleonard.com/blog-post-title-9/ The post Meet The Face Behind New Leonard Media appeared first on New Leonard Media.

]]>

I’m Mark L. Wilson, the proud owner of New Leonard Media. I’m a husband, father, lifelong DJ, and passionate about entertainment. When I first started out, I wanted to be able to record and produce music while handling some of the promotional side, such as posters, flyers, cover art, and merch. Northwestern Michigan College was in my community and offered studies in Visual Communications. I followed that path and it led me to a job in graphic arts, while working nights as a freelance audio engineer, and ultimately a career in multimedia.

I have now collected over twenty years of audio recording and visual arts experience. My vast knowledge has enabled me to help recording artists, performers, and small businesses get more for their dollar. I endeavor to provide a timely service for an affordable rate, as I believe audio and visual does not need to break the bank to look and sound professional. It’s a philosophy that has made our team successful.
I attribute our success to being honest and delivering what we promise, without attempting to up-sell any unnecessary services. I also believe what sets NLM apart is that we maintain a positive attitude and have a clear understanding of our clients’ needs, which makes them respond well and builds trust.

While producing happy clients is the most satisfying part of the gig, my most rewarding milestone was watching my son become an engineer and join the family business. The company name is a tribute to my father, Leonard Wilson, who journeyed on in 2004. When my son came on board, it was special.

When I am not producing captivating media content, I enjoy working on my fitness and attending community events with my family. I’m an avid Cross Fitter and love breakdancing at parties.

If you or someone you know could benefit from the expertise of our multimedia company in Traverse City, Michigan, I invite you to get in touch. Contact New Leonard Media today!

Sincerely,

Mark

The post Meet The Face Behind New Leonard Media appeared first on New Leonard Media.

]]>