We were delighted recently that Les Dennis chose us to design and develop a new web presence site for him over at http://www.LesDennis.com
Les has a large fan base and is is a big user of Social Media to stay in touch with his fans - (he has over 15,000 followers on Twitter) but he also wanted a small web site that would direct new followers to his Twitter feed, give details of his current shows and provide his agent's details.
After working with Les on The Waiting in Rhyme short film is was great to be of assistance in providing him with this small site.
Programmed and GAME DVDs - FREE VIDEO PRODUCTION AVAILABLE!
Some people just think of DVDs (dvd=digital versatile disc) as a way to play back their video in a set top box or personal computer. They are familiar with the common "Play Movie" or "Scene Select" and "Bonus features" as options avilable to them from a DVD menu.
But actually DVDs are much more versatile than that (as the name suggests). But to unlock this power you (or your video producer) must know how to program them correctly rather than just putting linear video on them with a menu to play back.
DVD players are small computers and they can follow special instructions on the DVD when playing back the video. This means you can make the DVDs far more interactive and create superb single and multi-player games that keep a player's score. You can make corporate training aids that keep track of the user's progress or video content that is different each time you play them.
We recently spent two days filming enough content for six Corporate training DVDs for a client who realises the power of these cost effective devices. Add great presenter, a greenscreen or black background and you have a high production value product within a reasonably modest budget.
We're so confident in the power and quality of these products that if you've got a great idea for a title we will produce it for you FREE of all video productions costs. In return we will take a share of revenue from sales. If you prefer to keep full ownership and all revenue for yourself we can give you an attractive quote for video production.
So get in touch today and discuss your product!
Hot New Web Site - Web Site Video Presenters
We've handled the video production for many interesting ventures this year and here's one I'd like to give a brief mention to: Web Site Presenter Videos is a new site that provides ready to use transparent background videos for your web site. They feature professional video presenters and actors delivering a whole range of scripts to drive your web site sales points home. We filmed hundreds of possible scenarios with several presenters so there is sure to be one that is just right for your web site.
Why choose Lastindependent for your next production?
Stop-press:October2011:We have now added MasterCard and Marks & Spencer to the list of end-user clients below. Plus even more small local companies for whom we have delivered high production values on a modest budget.
There are a lot of companies out there vying for your business, so let us try and convince you that we are not just another video production company and you really should give us a call to discuss your next production.
Firstly we have gained Business Link Select Supplier status - it might be worth asking if any other company you are considering has this. In addition we can provide references and full satisfaction guarantee.
We have the full range of equipment you could ever need. Multiple Broadcast HD cameras, Cranes, Dolly, Track, SteadiCam, Lighting Kits, Sound, Green screen, Smoke and Fog etc. While other companies may have to hire what you need and pass the costs on to you. We specialise in stretching every production pound - giving you higher production values for less money.
We handle everything and have all the in-house skills needed to film, edit, author, encode - as well as host and distribute your production. Some companies will have to farm out editing or authoring and any web design or web encoding work that you might need - all adding to YOUR costs.
Then there's "Technology" - You might just want a "normal promotional video" - great! We'd love to produce this for you. But the world moves on and video technology and tastes move with it. We stay abreast of all changes so this means we can provide you with the latest products that other "video" companies can't even get close to. Like INTERACTIVE Video, Viral Video and integrating your video with social networks and the like.
Finally - we GUARANTEE to beat ANY GENUINE COMPETITIVE QUOTE - So what have you got to lose?
Give us a call to discuss your upcoming project - 0800 612 8996 - Even the call is FREE!
As well as making numerous videos each year for our clients, we actively seek our own projects to invest time, resources and hard cash in! This year we're looking for web formats, game shows for TV and internet broadcast, DVD interactive games and titles.
Basically, any commercially viable media based idea - any format - any platform. With just one criteria - it has to have a potential for profit, which we then share with you!
Now, we understand that your idea is "your baby" and you don't know who you can trust. But rest assured that you can pitch us your idea in complete confidence, safety and security. When you email us using the special link below you will receive an automated receipt that logs and protects your idea. Incidentally, this also automatically records your copyright in your idea or creates that copyright if you have never even written your idea down before. This can even be used to protect you and your idea if you then later decide to pitch it elsewhere.
So you have nothing to lose. If your idea isn't for us we'll tell you straight away and give you feedback and attempt to make suggestions about how you might progress it. If we think we can move your idea forward we'll be straight forward and honest with what we can offer and the decision to continue with us or move on with your idea will be all yours.
Why share your idea with us? You could keep your idea to yourself and if you do that's probably as far as it will go. Or you could share with us, let us provide seed funding and resources to move it along to the next level.
Some ideas: Interactive DVD real life video games - we could provide all filming, editing and advanced DVD encoding and up front funding to get it made. Game show formats - we could fund the filming of a pilot show, shot with a celebrity host. Training or Special Interest DVD's - perhaps you have a skill or knowledge that others will pay to acquire? If so, why not make your own video (at our expense) and get it out there on sale!
We produce videos for many local companies for later consumption via Blue Ray, DVD, Web and Phone - but we have recently been asked a few times how to broadcast LIVE video programme content online. So we thought we would make this feature a more mainstream offering in case clients were unaware of just how easy and efficient and low-cost this can be to do.
Perhaps you have a one-off Corporate event coming up, an awards ceremony, training programme or CEO address - basically anything worthy of some attention. Or perhaps you are an entertainer, a presenter or producer and you have a great idea for a regular TV show where you plan to build up a following via Social Networks.
Whatever scenario applies to you - Lastindependent.TV can broadcast your programme LIVE online to an unlimited audience. We can also patch this through directly to your own personal or company web site. Behind the scenes we can give you code to detect when your Broadcast is live and make this appear as if by magic on your site. When you're offline you can show a pre-recorded message or no video at all - just whatever your normal web content is. You may prefer to broadcast into Social Networks like FaceBook perhaps?
We provide multiple cameras and a mixer deck to your location - along with all the required lights, sound and of course the all important crew. The cameras are then mixed live via the deck and the output is digitised on the fly via a laptop which then pipes the encoded footage via any decent Broadband wi-fi or wired connection at the venue. This is taken by our streaming server and broadcast live across the www.
So all we need from you is the Internet connection - we can also provide a recording of the event at the same time on DVD or BLUE-RAY.
If this is something you want to achieve just ask for details or a demonstration.
Don't
pay minimum wage! Get an Avatar working on your site 24 hours a day.
Every company wants their web site to stand out from the crowd and including video is certainly one way to do this. A novel addition to any site is the introduction of a dedicated "Avatar", or character, that will welcome your visitors to your site and can even explain how to use your web site or provide assistance or customer support answering the majority of frequently asked questions perhaps.
The Avatar can be as interactive as your imagination and web site will allow, or they can be just there if your visitor decides they need some assistance. There are THREE options - (1) You can have a "real life" Avatar - using an actor or presenter. We will then film all the clips you need for your site in our studio, edit the footage, encode for web use and provide you with simple installation instructions to insert them into your web pages.
(2) You can have an animated Avatar which we will create for you - male or female - and then we will record an actor/presenter's voice and synchronise them together (like the example shown here). And (3) Finally you could have synthesised audio too. In this case all we need is the script in text form and we can create very realistic audio from nothing more than this text.
The Avatars can be in players like this one - or free standing on your web site with transparent backgrounds. If this is something that appeals just get in touch!
Social Network Video - Lastindependent.com is now white listed with FaceBook
"So what?" I hear you cry. Or more likely "What's that mean then?"
Well it means that our videos can now actually embed INTO Facebook profile pages when shared - just like you may have seen when you Share a YouTube video. Without "White Listing" when a video is shared by someone using Facebook all that will go into their profile page is an hyperlink (possibly a thumbnail) back to the web page that holds the video and when clicked that web page will load in a separate window. Facebook won't allow that web page or its content to run within its own site.
But with a white listed site - as Lastindependent.com is now - FaceBook has vetted the site and given it an "OK" to provide video and Flash content embedded directly INTO Facebook. So this means that any video we create for a client (hopefully that's you) can now be shared on FaceBook and embedded dynamically into any of your Facebook contact's profile pages - allowing you to make the most of social media.
On top of this we are now writing FaceBook Applications - which are basically web pages that make calls to the FaceBook API. The API is a programmer's interface and using this you can customise the web page with items from FaceBook that relate to that visitor.
If you think this is something you can use to enhance your site just let us know.
FAQ- What are
video cues?
This is another video feature that
offers great potential for Corporate use but is quite under utilised.
A “Cue” is a special code within a
video file that will trigger an action from the player when that cue
is activated. So for example place a cue at the precise frame within a
video that the actor takes a bite out of a chocolate bar and then
whenever that video is watched the Player will see this cue occur at
the exact moment and it can then take an action or cause something to
happen – perhaps a product placement advert pops up on the screen or a
web link opens to the manufacturer of the chocolate bar.
A simple example but hopefully it
demonstrates what can be achieved if required.
Question: What do Sir Roger Moore, Dame Judi Dench, and Sir Norman Wisdom
all have in common?
Answer: They are all associated with Lastindependent.com Film Making. As are Les Dennis, John Alderton, Geoffrey Hughes, Don Warrington and loads more great talent.
In the last few years we have made several movies and been very fortunate that a couple of these have attracted big name stars to come to the Midlands and appear in our films.
It has been a great experience and honour for all of us to meet and work with the likes of Sir Norman Wisdom - who made his last screen appearance in "Expresso" and drew a media storm to the film set on the day he appeared. He also caused the movie to be featured round the clock on BBC News 24 and other news channels when he announced it was his last ever film!
Sadly Sir Norman passed away recently. The national press, radio and TV all picked on the relevance of Expresso being Sir Norman's last screen appearance and we conducted many interviews following the sad news which were then featured all over the world. Expresso was also featured in the official BBC obituary documentary for Sir Norman with clips being shown and the project discussed. It is a great honour for all those involved in Expresso to have worked with Sir Norman.
Other great names include
John Alderton who some of us grew up watching in "Please Sir!" John drew a standing ovation from the crew and onlookers with his portrayal of an Alzheimer's sufferer and Les Dennis showed he is much more than a comedian with his powerful performance in "Waiting in Rhyme".
Don Warrington - who again we all watched avidly in "Rising Damp" with Leonard Rossiter and more recently in the TV series Law and Order- showed he's as cool in real life as the on screen characters he portrays and Geoffrey Hughes - from "Keeping up Appearances" and "The Royal Family" is just as funny, a wonderful actor and a really nice guy!
For us behind the camera, individually, we move on constantly trying to perfect our art of film making but the films we make together have a life of their own and these continue to sell on DVD (rated PG) for Macmillan Cancer Support for whom we have dedicated all profits from these movies.
The DVDs have featured one way or another in every major TV news programme and all the National Press.
Usually short films have an even shorter shelf life and after a brief festival tour become consigned to the shelf to gather dust. Our films have done the festival circuit and premiered at the Cannes Film Festival but with the help of these great names and the support of the likes of Dame Judi and Sir Roger we have managed to keep them in the spotlight continuing to raise much needed money for deserving charities.
Lastindependent's partner in producing these movies was Martin Nigel Davey who we must applaud for being one of the most naturally gifted producers around. The short movies can be obtained direct from Macmillan or from the movie's web sites www.poetryfilm.com and www.Expressofilm.com.
Business Networking like a "Pro" - How to Work The Room DVD
Never more relevant in the current climate - this DVD will show you the tips, tricks and secrets of being a great business networker. Learn about business etiquette and body language. Plan your networking and follow to maximise the results. Even if you already think you’re a good networker this DVD will make you a great networker.
Watch online instantly with Full Screen video to watch on your PC or Mac. We also include FREE iPod video version or purchase the DVD to watch on TV at home.
This training normally costs £000's when delivered in person - now you can get the same benefits in your own time and speed. Make the most of all your business and personal meetings and events. http://www.workingtheroom.co.uk
Interactive Video - Lastindependent.com has long been a champion of "Interactive Video" (iV). What's that?
Exactly - few people are aware of what can be achieved by using Interactive Video rather than standard linear video and it's quite complicated and long winded to explain. So by the time you have got to the punch line the poor victim's eyes have long glazed over. The problem is exaggerated further because if you took 100 Video Production Companies of any skill level I would be surprised if more than ONE of every ONE HUNDRED such companies could even produce this type of video.
Occasionally I will see a glimpse of such video in "cutting edge" adverts for large multi-nationals and I just know that they have paid an arm and leg for a glossy PR company from London to produce this for them. Or should I say more likely the glossy PR company has found a smaller company who can produce iV and then claimed it as their own.
This bit is more for the search engines - but you may find it of interest too!
Lastindependent.com are a one-stop shop for all your video and web production needs in the West Midlands. We provide Video Production and Web Design in the West Midlands, including Birmingham, Sandwell, Walsall, Dudley including Stourbridge Video production, and Wolverhampton. We edit video (our or yours) and create Special Effects for Drama and Corporate Video. We author DVD and BlueRay.and Film. Video editing, Video funding, Corporate Video, DVD authoring, Special Effects, SFX. We specialise in Interactive Video and Advanced Video and Web techniques for True Interactive Video, Web Site Design and Ecommerce. We create in HTML, javaScript, Flash, ActionScript, PHP and SQL. Post-Production - Editing, Grading, DVD Authoring SD & BlueRay. Video Rich Web Sites, Pay-Per-View, Ecommerce. DVDNetView™, In-Sync-Video™ and On-Time-Video™ are all our creations. We are always investing in Research & Development New Business Investment and Product Design.
ack.
at is different each time you play them. 
Hot New Web Site - Web Site Video Presenters
are not just another video production company and you really should give us a call to discuss your next production.
e have gained Business Link Select Supplier status - it might be worth asking if any other company you are considering has this. In addition we can provide references and full satisfaction guarantee. 
As well as making numerous videos each year for our clients, we actively seek our own projects to invest time, resources and hard cash in! This year we're looking for web formats, game shows for TV and internet broadcast, DVD interactive games and titles.
Broadcast your own TV programme LIVE - ONLINE.
Answer: They are all associated with Lastindependent.com Film Making. As are Les Dennis, John Alderton, Geoffrey Hughes, Don Warrington and loads more great talent.
Don Warrington - who again we all watched avidly in "Rising Damp" with Leonard Rossiter and more recently in the TV series Law and Order- showed he's as cool in real life as the on screen characters he portrays and Geoffrey Hughes - from "Keeping up Appearances" and "The Royal Family" is just as funny, a wonderful actor and a really nice guy!
