See this odd design above? This is called a Quick Response code, or QR code for short. The code has a white background with black squares placed based on a particular algorithm that ultimately when scanned by a QR scanner, will take the user to a desired destination based on the code creator’s choosing.

This particular one above leads to guest blogger’s site rookievideopro.com! The one below leads to our site spidvid.com! Take a second and scan them both when you get the chance, it’s pretty fun.

QR codes have the ability to store all sorts of information whether it be a website URL, text, a phone number, and even SMS. QR codes have been around since 1994 but have been mostly popular in Japan where they were created, so you likely haven’t heard of them until the last year or two.You might find these codes on the next bottle of medicine you purchase, or even on food packages at retail stores. I happened to pull my desk drawer open the other day and saw that my bottle of Tylenol had one on it. Here is a great explanation of what some of these little black boxes are:

As you can see, quite a bit of information can be saved in just one little area. So how could this be used in video you ask?! While I’m sure you can come up with plenty of creative ideas, here are a few I could think of off the top of my head:

• Being able to give your viewing audience information, or a site URL that they can visit without them having to write anything down.
• Automatically creating a text message for users to opt into your text messaging service to receive new content.
• Content branding.
• Secret messages and promotions.
• Access to unique content.
• Invitations to special events, like a release party.

Now at this point you’re probably wondering where to find an application to scan these codes, and the answer is probably right next to you, in your hand, or in your pocket. If you have a mobile phone, you can get access to a free QR scanner. Most smart phones have apps that can scan QR codes and tell you exactly what information is embedded in them.

Below is a list of 11 iPhone Apps that will scan QR codes:

• SocialWayne QR Code Reader [ itunes link]
• NeoReader [ itunes link]
• Optiscan [ itunes link]
• StickyBits [ itunes link]
• Barcode [ itunes link]
• QuickMark [ itunes link]
• TagReader [ itunes link]
• Redlaser [ itunes link]
• ScanLife [ itunes link]
• Mirascape [ itunes link]
• Best Buy [ itunes link]

Have an Android phone? They’ve got applications for QR scanners as well!

If you want to generate your own QR code(s) then head over to either Kaywa or Qurify and create one in less than a minute! Happy scanning!

If you like this post by guest blogger, Zephan Blaxberg, founder of RookieVideoPro.com please visit our website, the online source for video production tips, tools and gear. Follow Rookie Video Pro on twitter at@rookievideopro for the latest updates and information.

Jeremy Campbell Guest Post, Lists, resources Android, apps, film production, iPhone, media, new media, online video, platform, QR code, QR codes, QR codes in video, Rookie Video Pro, RookieVideoPro, technology, video, video production, video sharing, web video

The most important part of a collaborative video production is the planning phase. Planning out exactly how you are going to begin writing a script, drawing storyboards and finally getting into the production it will prepare you for any unforeseen obstacles and ultimately lead you to success. Seeing as Spidvid is a global social platform for video creators and filmmakers, it is important to explore ways in which collaborators can communicate and share ideas through different time zones and locations. This is where Dropbox comes in; an online cloud based storage system that creates a folder on your computer capable of syncing with any other computer or mobile device that gets authorized. No matter the file type, you gain the ease of dragging and dropping your scripts, audio files, and even large videos right into this folder to be shared.

The Dropbox service provides a free “Basic” package with 2GB of space that you can use for as long as you like, but provides the option to upgrade to 50GB of space for $9.99/month and 100GB of space for $19.99/month. 2GB of space is a lot of scripts, documents and media though, so the free package is fine for most users.

Most email systems today provide the ability to attach a file to your email and this is ok unless you are attaching a file larger than 20MB. Gmail, the free email provider owned by Google won’t allow the attachment of a file any bigger than 20MB. Well, what if you need to share a video concept? Sure you could go through the hassle of converting it to the right video format and compressing it. Then you’d have to wait for the file to upload to YouTube and depending how long the video is, you’ll add another twenty minutes to two hours just in processing time. Ok so let’s assume you did all of that and just spent a good two or three hours of your day. Not a very efficient use of time and if anyone understands time management, it should be a video production team.

Let’s consider the same scenario with the Dropbox application. Dropbox places a folder on your desktop (PC) or in your menu bar (Mac) where you simply drag the file and ‘drop’ it. That’s all. No waiting for processing or converting it to the right format; It simply is ready for your team members to view. Depending on your Internet connection there will be some time spent uploading but you gain the advantage of cutting out the converting and processing times, and you just gained back two hours of productivity. Not bad at all for a free program.

Now I’m going to let you in on a little secret- the 2GB limit is not necessarily a limit. There are multiple ways of increasing your space and they don’t cost a penny. Here are three simple and free ways of increasing Dropbox space:

1.     Complete the Dropbox ‘Getting Started’ List - The website offers 250MB of space on top of your initial 2GB just for completing their getting started list. There are 7 items on the list, so completing them all gives you an extra 1.75GB of space.

2.     Refer your friends - If you use your email at all you’ve most likely gained a hefty list of contacts. For each referral to Dropbox, you gain an additional 250MB of free space. You can extend your space up to 8GB with this.

3.     Share a Dropbox link on your social media profiles - Many people use social media networks for pleasure and for Internet marketing; now you can use them for Dropbox space. Complete all the tasks and yet again, your space will increase.

So now that you’ve created an 8GB Dropbox cloud sharing service, you not only can use it for sharing, but storing files to edit them on the go. Dropbox has expanded its product to be compatible with most mobile platforms too. Simply download and install the app, and start using your files from anywhere.

If you like this post by guest blogger, Zephan Blaxberg, founder of RookieVideoPro.com please visit our website, the online source for video production tips, tools and gear. Follow Rookie Video Pro on twitter at @rookievideopro for the latest updates and information.

Jeremy Campbell Guest Post, Lists, Production Tool Dropbox, file sharing, film production, media, new media, online video, platform, Rookie Video Pro, RookieVideoPro, technology, video, video production, video sharing, web video

Karim Kanji is a man of many talents; including the host of the Social Media Show, and co-founder of ThirdOcean which is a social media, marketing, and community consulting startup.

Karim and his guest Karim Awad discussed companies to watch out for on the Social Media Show, and selected Spidvid as one of them. I have posted the clip where Spidvid is mentioned and explained quite well by Karim (Kanji). Enjoy, spread the word, and enjoy your weekend. Oh, and if you want to listen to the full 46 minute podcast, here’s the link to it.

Spidvid on Social Media Show by spidvid

And as Karim mentioned I’m now actively seeking out a tech co-founder (rock star developer/hacker) and angel investors, so if you are either or know people who fit one or the other description, then please get in touch and let’s have a chat.

Jeremy Campbell Mention collaboration, connecting, conversation, discussion, Karim Awad, Karim Kanji, new media, platform, podcast, social media, Social Media Show, SoundCloud, spidvid, ThirdOcean, Toronto

So you have created a Spidvid profile but you don’t know what to do next. We’ve created a list of tips that will help you get the most out of your experience using our new media platform, and leveraging our community for video projects.

5 tips for getting the most out of your Spidvid profile:

1. Fill Out All of Your Profile Info – Tell your story and showcase your portfolio with your Spidvid profile. Embed your top videos and/or demo reel so others can watch what you’re up to, not just read about it. Include important links such as your website, blog, Twitter and Facebook profiles, IMDB page, etc.

2. Upload a High Quality Head Shot – A good first impression makes all the difference in getting your project bids accepted, and looking the part is half the job for some roles. So if you’re an actor, VFX artist, or graphic designer, expect other members to be highly critical of how you present yourself in our community. Also, if you can’t take the time to upload your picture, how will a producer trust you’ll play your part on the project?!

3. Actively Bid on Projects – The only way you’re going to get noticed and invited to participate in projects is if you start reaching out to video creators, and earn feedback from collaborating on projects. We’ve recently had several great opportunities arise for members to get involved in all aspects of some amazing video projects. From writing, to acting, to production, to promotion and beyond, no matter what part of the process you’re involved with there is a team and project waiting for you to be part of. So head over to our projects section and see if something interests you right now. If there is nothing right now that catches your eye then perhaps there will be in the near future, so subscribe to the Spidvid projects feed to stay updated going forward.

4. Participate in the Forums - The Spidvid Forums is the spot where you can start conversations about video projects, production, ideas to improve the Spidvid platform, or anything else on your mind. Create a thread about your project, post a link to it in your project description to let interested people ask questions, provide advice, give recommendations, and offer feedback to help you move forward and get your project off the ground. Additionally, the forums feature daily filmmaking and production tips, alongside a conversation section where you can connect to others in the Spidvid community.

5. STAY CONNECTED - Subscribe to our blog and monthly newsletter and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. Connecting with us via e-mail and through phone conversations is the best way to build a direct relationship with us. Our YouTube channel features several videos that demo our Spidvid platform and visually show first hand the project work flow process.

We hope you find these tips helpful for making the most out of your Spidvid experience. If a question just came to mind leave it below with a comment, or email us. Don’t be shy, we would LOVE to hear from you!

Jeremy Campbell Lists, community collaborate, collaboration, community, connect, connected, create, entertainment, forums, hints, how to, members, new media, new video, platform, portfolio, produce, production, profile, projects, spidvid, talent, tips, video entertainment

A lot of video creators contact us and say that they want to start using Spidvid, but aren’t actively working on a new project at the time. So what we tell them is to run their team’s past production projects through our system to provide them with team distribution for the videos, and so that we can partner with them on the promotional side to attract more views, attention, and love for their content. Spidvid wasn’t initially designed and developed for past projects, but it’s a good way to start using our platform, and understand how it can be leveraged for future projects. Plus a Spidvid project can be completed in as little as 4 minutes if all team members work together in real-time.

If you haven’t seen the demo video already for using Spidvid, we have embedded a female and male version below so you can complete a Spidvid project quickly and easily. And if you have any trouble or issues at all, just contact us and we would be happy to help you out via email, Twitter, or with a phone conversation.

And if you have video entertainment that tells a good story, is entertaining, has good production value, and you as a video creator are low on time to complete Spidvid projects, we will give you the Spidvid VIP treatment and do your team’s projects for you as requested. If you want to be a Spidvid VIP video creator or producer, then be sure to tell us why your team and content deserve the honor.

Female version – Spidvid Screencast Demo - How to complete a Spidvid project, and upload a video

Below is the male voice over version

And we’re excited to mention that the Spidvid community’s videos have almost reached 100,000 views (97,654 to be exact), the vast majority of them coming in the last couple months. Exciting times are ahead for the web’s open and collaborative video production ecosystem.

Jeremy Campbell community, resources attention, collaboration, film, love, marketing, past production, past project, platform, promotion, Spidvid project, system, team work, teams, upload, video, views