I have been making videos and video ads for a while now, so I get the drill. The next version should be a no-brainer, right? So, off I go to Singapore (participating in Semicon Singapore). While there I planned to grab the raw video to use for my next video ad. I secure the video crew, arm them with the storyboard and examples of the finished product. All is well.
My second leg of the trip had me in Hanoi for Nepcon Vietnam. As I watched a local video crew interviewing people at the show I thought, "Hey, I'll make a commercial here, too!" So, I recruited the crew and off we went. All is well.
So, what went wrong?
- I never made plans to get the Singapore video to my US-based post-production team. So, on the fly, I tried hooking both sides together. FTP address here, a different FTP address there. Format issues, file compressing problems, no familiarity with each other, and you guessed it: it is taking FOREVER to get the video into the hands of my post-production team. I finally resorted to having the video guy put it onto a DVD and mail it to the USA. How archaic!!! This story is still not done yet.
- Being semi-burned (at that point I didn't know things were going to get worse) by the portion of this nightmare that was unfolding while still on the road, I took the actual raw video tape, in hand, from Vietnam to home. I personally handed it to my post-production team. They emailed me and said, this is in PAL! We need to get it converted to NTSC. No big deal, but we are now searching for someone locally who can do this for us. Geez!
So, I've made a B2B Marcom mess of things. Nothing that I can't dig my way out of, but time is the critical element in most transactions - and these projects are lasting about 4x longer than they should - a disaster!!! And I know better!
The moral of the story, sometimes it LOOKS easy, but that is when a well-oiled machine swings into action. When we are throwing things together on the fly, or using new/unfamiliar talent, or when we cross technology borders, we need to slow down and think harder, plan better. I didn't do that well-enough and I am now paying the humiliating price. Aaarrgghhhh!!!
