The Motion Source Video Production Blog

"Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing.”

- Benjamin Franklin

December 03, 2021

Video Thrilled the Job Searcher: 5 Reasons Your Company Needs Recruiting Video

By Motion Source •

Did you know that a candidate application rate goes up by 34 percent when the application comes with a recruiting video? You might not be aware of them yet, but recruiting videos are one of the best ways to make sure you get the top talent working for you.

Not entirely sold on the benefits of corporate videos? Not sure where to get video production in Chicago? Just interested in reading a fun/slightly funny article on why recruiting videos are great? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, you've come to the right place. This article will walk you through what you need to know about company recruitment videos.

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October 22, 2021

Don't Train in Vain: 7 Reasons You Need Corporate Training Videos

By Motion Source •

Employee turnover can be one of the biggest expenses for businesses. The main strategy for retaining employees is through training and education, which help to keep expectations clear and so everyone is on the same page. A huge, effective tool for these steps is corporate training videos. This type of video has a bad reputation for being cheesy and boring but that is simply not the case anymore! If you're not convinced, we've outlined the top seven benefits you'll see after sharing fun, high-impact training videos with your employees.

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October 15, 2021

How Long Should My Video Be? A Guide to Ideal Corporate Video Length

By Motion Source •

It's time to roll your cameras and roll up your sleeves. YouTube is by far the most popular social media platform in the United States. 81% of Americans say they use it, 12 percentage points higher than Facebook. Everyone loves a good video, which makes it a great resource to promote your business. But you can't just film something on your phone and expect it to succeed. You need to know about video length.

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May 27, 2021

Motion Source Wins Three Telly Awards!

By Michelle Maslanka • Producer

Earlier this week on May 25th, the winners for the 42nd Annual Telly Awards were announced, and Motion Source made the list for the fourth year in a row! We submitted three projects to the competition and received recognition for all three: one Bronze Telly and two Silver Tellys. These join our growing collection, and bring our total Telly Award count to 11. We are excited to share with you our newly-awarded projects!

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May 21, 2021

Meet Motion Source, featuring Rachael Nielson!

By Michelle Maslanka • Producer

Welcome back to our “Meet Motion Source” series, where we give you a “behind-the-scenes” look at our team. This article features our newest addition, Rachael Nielson, who joined the team earlier this year as our associate producer. While she’s only been around for about four months, she has jumped in head first on projects and not slowing down.

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February 12, 2021

3 Marketing Trends for 2021 - Keeping Connected During COVID-19

By Craig Bass • Creative Director

Happy 2021 everyone! It’s a new year; and with each new year comes new marketing trends. This year’s trends–and this won’t come as a surprise to anyone–have been heavily influenced by the toll that COVID-19 took on our economy, and our psyches, in 2020. For all of the anguish wrought, a sense of connectedness was highlighted like never before. Authenticity and intimacy became the name of the game–increasingly important aspects of marketing, these were supercharged by our sudden inability to simply be together. And what better way to honor these values than…you guessed it…video.

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December 02, 2020

Industry Insights: Bonnie Marie Williams the Voiceover Superhero

By Craig Bass • Creative Director

Television commercials. Radio ads. Internet promotions. So much of what we consume is driven by voice over. Yet, when planning out a project, voice over is often a second thought. Sure, you know that you need narration to drive across specific informational content in the video, but it isn’t as exciting as discussing the big drone shot that is going to open the piece.


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October 23, 2020

Spooky Suggestions for Seasonal Viewing

By Craig Bass • Creative Director

We love movies. We love shows. We love strong stories told well. Therefore, we can’t help but get excited when someone asks us to recommend content. Yes, we’re aware that you haven’t specifically asked us for the following suggestions... not in so many words. But allow us the initiative to nudge you in the direction of some quality content that we deem suited to the season.

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September 18, 2020

So Long, Summer

By Michelle Maslanka • Producer

As most summers do, this year’s flew! We have been unusually quiet on social the past couple months, but we have been hard at work behind the scenes. July and August have been especially busy this year as some COVID restrictions were lifted, new safety protocols went into place, and we returned to sets, both in studio and on location. With fall approaching, we want to catch you up on what we have been up to!

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July 10, 2020

Preparing for Outdoor Productions

By Michelle Maslanka • Producer

While filming indoors may be necessary for certain projects, filming outdoors offers a change in scenery and some options that may not be possible within the confines of 4 walls. And in the age of COVID, the desire to keep distant while working makes outdoor shoots that much more attractive. If you are considering filming outdoors for your next project, here are a few items, technical and logistical, to keep in mind to set your shoot up for success.

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June 26, 2020

Home Sweet Studio!

By Michelle Maslanka • Producer

Earlier this month, we announced our official “kinda sorta” move from La Grange to Brookfield to our network via a digital newsletter. It has always been the plan to have one central production hub, combining our office space with our production studio. The last few months made us realize now was the time to make that move! 

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May 29, 2020

Motion Source Wins Three Telly Awards!

By Michelle Maslanka • Producer

Earlier this week on May 27th, the winners for the 41st Annual Telly Awards were announced, and Motion Source made the list for the third year in a row! We submitted three projects to the competition and received recognition for all three. Each project received a Silver Telly in their respective categories. These three Tellys join our growing collection, and bring our total Telly Award count to eight. We are excited to share with you our newly-awarded projects!

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May 15, 2020

How To Create a User-Generated Brand Video

By Craig Bass • Creative Director

More than ever, user-generated video marketing content is stealing the spotlight. Why is this the case? I believe there are two primary reasons. The first, quite obviously, is that we are currently beset by a pandemic. The prospect of sending out production crews to interface with the wider world is not only officially restricted in most places, but is civically unethical. The second reason is something that you have most likely felt, but might not have consciously articulated: authenticity. There is no form of marketing that feels more authentic than that which has been generated by the users themselves; whether that be a company’s customer base, or their employee roster. This is great news for your business, as it means that engaging in effective video marketing at a juncture where marketing budgets have been slashed, if not buried, can be remarkably feasible and affordable.

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May 01, 2020

Creativity Isn’t Canceled: Motion Source’s User-Generated Brand Video

By Michelle Maslanka • Producer

Inspired by major brands releasing ads comprised of employee-captured and supplied footage, we decided to create our own team-generated brand video. While we are no strangers to creating our own video content--we are a video production company, after all--this was the first time we would be creating a video separated from one another.

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April 17, 2020

Stay Home, Watch Shows

By Michelle Maslanka • Producer

Our homes have become offices, kitchens have become cafeterias, and we are all adjusting to COVID-19 related changes. Routines have been adjusted, but there’s no denying we have been consuming more content than ever. With the extra time at home, we compiled the team’s recommendations on shows we’ve been binging. So take a look at our list, stay home, and enjoy some new shows!

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April 03, 2020

Guest Post: How to Get the Best Out of Your Drone Pilot

By Tom Middleton • Director - SMN Film

I am a professional Director of Photography and drone pilot in the UK, and have been professionally flying drones for the past 6 years. During that time, I have filmed for some amazing projects with clients like the BBC, Channel 4, Mercedes and most recently I have been featured as a creative video supplier for Getty Images. I also co-run the production company SMN FILM with my wife, and we service clients all over the world.

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March 20, 2020

Client Profile + BTS: Les Turner ALS Foundation

By Michelle Maslanka • Producer

A famous Fred Rogers quote goes, “Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.” The Les Turner ALS Foundation, at its core and in all they do, are helpers. We have had the privilege of working with them for over 5 years, so we have seen that firsthand.

This latest project marked our fifth “Hope Through Caring” video, a video created for and premiered at their annual Hope Through Caring Gala fundraiser. This year’s project took a different path; one more focused on the Foundation as a whole, the brand, the values, and the people who make up this family.

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March 06, 2020

Guest Post: Corporate Video Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

By Ryan Spanger • Managing Director - Dream Engine

Choosing to create a corporate video to help promote your business involves an investment of energy and time. A well-made corporate video that communicates the right message and connects with the correct audience can make a strong impact. So it’s important to ensure that you give yourself the best chance of success. By avoiding these errors, you’ll greatly enhance the prospects of your next corporate video production.

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February 21, 2020

What Does Motion Source Actually Do?

By Craig Bass • Creative Director

One of my primary goals for 2020 is to be more active on LinkedIn. In preparation for achievement of this goal, I recently overhauled my profile to provide connections--and potential connections--a better understanding of who I am, and what my professional mission is. I spent a great deal of time ruminating on what my profile’s headline should read, on how I could best summarize my purpose, and the purpose of Motion Source, in a single sentence.

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