Jul
19
Celebrating 25 Years…
July 19, 2010 | 1 Comment | Written by Chad Gookin
We, at Metro Studios, celebrated our 25th Anniversary this summer. We’d like to say thank you to all of our clients along the way, and to the family of employees who helped build Metro Studios to what it is today!
Beginning as a video production company in 1985, Metro Studios has evolved to become one of the most awarded production entities in Iowa and offers one of the widest arrays of advertising and marketing services you’ll find anywhere. With services ranging from audio/video, to web services, design, photography, brand strategy and more, you’ll find our positioning statement, “One place, so many solutions…” defines exactly who we are!
Mar
31
Project Highlight: Ent Federal Credit Union
March 31, 2010 | Leave a Comment | Written by Kendra Smith
This winter, Metro Studios was given a challenging assignment from Mills Marketing – a financial marketing agency in Storm Lake, Iowa. Their client, Ent Federal Credit Union in Colorado, wanted to produce a complete market acquisition campaign to effectively break into the already-saturated credit union market in Denver, Colorado Springs, and surrounding areas.
The campaign was designed around the tagline – “Where you Belong” – and was set to consist of four different storylines: “Education”, “Checking”, “Convenience”, and “Benefits of Membership”. For each storyline, Metro Studios produced a TV spot, radio spot, and provided all photography.
This project was unique in the fact that Metro worked from scripts and storyboard provided by Mills Marketing, instead of creating our own. What does this mean for our production team? As a result, our creativity and innovation was put to the limit to find the perfect location, actors, and atmosphere to use for each spot.
That being said - talent scouting, location scouting, and prop gathering were especially challenging for this project. Many different locations and types of actors were used. For example, the “Convenience” spot was shot in a residential house with a middle-aged woman, and 3 local children. The “Education” spot was shot at the Zimmerman-Ford car dealership, with a local student actress. Props needed ranged from iPods and laptops to fairy wings and a Spiderman t-shirt!
The days were all long, and the crew extensive – with a producer and art director from Mills Marketing, as well as a videographer, grip, director, photographer, production assistant and makeup artist from Metro Studios. The voiceovers for TV and radio were put together back at our recording studio using separate talent.
Below, you can view a few of the finished TV spots, as well as some photos which were chosen for the print materials. The commercials are currently running throughout Colorado, and our client relationship has continued, as we are currently working on additional radio commercials for Ent’s Mortgage and Auto Loan divisions.
Jan
22
Metro Studios helps families connect with their loved ones in the military
January 22, 2010 | Leave a Comment | Written by Lindsay Talsness
At Metro Studios, we know how important family is – especially during the holidays. That’s why Metro Studios teamed up with Avnet Inc. to connect families with their loved ones serving in the U.S. military overseas.
How did we make it possible? In December, we helped families record free five minute video messages. We were more than happy to provide professional video equipment and assist in recording, complete with proper lighting and sound quality to help families create an ideal video message.
“It just means so much more when you can see someone, even though we can’t feel each other, hug each other and touch each other, but it just means a lot that they did this for us,” said Alisha Holland.
Holland’s husband is stationed in Taji, Iraq, and this is the first time he missed spending Christmas with his wife and two sons.
“It was such an honor to be part of delivering words of love and encouragement to servicemen and women from their families and we hope to continue this tradition for years to come.” said Lisa Ellis, Vice President of Business Development at Metro Studios.
Each family received a DVD at the time of the recording, and we also provided families with their own personal link to share with an overseas family member over the Internet. We truly enjoyed partnering with Avnet Inc. for this great project, and were proud to have a small part in bringing military families a little closer during the holidays.
Jul
17
Zimmerman Ford: From whiteboard to widescreen
July 17, 2009 | Leave a Comment | Written by Lindsay Talsness
If you walk into a conference room at Metro Studios, you’re bound to find a whiteboard filled to the brim with words, ideas, and images. After all, they say creative minds are rarely tidy.
This spring, our creativity and our whiteboard was put to work for Mark Zimmerman Ford-Hyundai-Mitsubishi-BMW. Mark Zimmerman approached us looking for new branding for his dealership from a fresh, outside perspective.
We started our work with research. Not with market statistics and car model numbers, but with real people. We spent time listening to people share what they liked and disliked about their experiences with car dealerships. Then we took that information and started brainstorming.
Jul
17
An insider’s guide to media buying
July 17, 2009 | Leave a Comment | Written by Kendra Smith
Interested in advertising on TV, but have no idea where to start? Here’s a quick guide to the art of “media buying” - purchasing ad space on specific stations during a specific time period.
Determine your target demographic.
The first step is to determine who your target demographic is. You will want to choose different stations, programming, and day parts based on the target demographic you are trying to reach. It is common to have both a primary and secondary target demographic. For example, your primary demographic may be Women 35-54, and your secondary may be Adults (or Persons) 35-54.
Decide on your objectives.
After you have determined your target demographic, decide on your media objectives. This usually involves meeting a certain average Cost Per Point for your entire buy, or achieving a certain number of Gross Rating Points. What does all of this media speak mean? Let’s start with rating points:
Jun
12
Meeting and Event Best Practices
June 12, 2009 | 1 Comment | Written by Lindsay Talsness
For some people, the thought of planning a meeting or event can be daunting. Here are four helpful recommendations to make planning your next meeting or event easier and more organized.
1. Ask why. As in, why are we holding this event? What are the outcomes we desire? With your overall goals as the primary focus, the rest of the event will take shape more easily.
2. Determine who, what, where, when, and how.
- Who will be attending? The theme, décor, time and location of an event for 200 college students will be (and should be) different from an event for 200 50th reunion college alumni.
- What will be the theme? A memorable theme will be one which really resonates with your target demographic. Not feeling particularly creative? Ask a professional for help! At Metro Studios, we have both the creativity and event planning expertise you need.
- Where will your event be held? Choose a venue that is convenient, offers ample parking, is appropriately sized for your event and can work with the resources you are bringing to the event. Will your attendees need air transportation, hotel transportation, rooms or meals? It’s always wise to work with a meeting planner and visit possible venues in person to get the best rates, services and overall experience when choosing a venue. Some venue ideas include: hotels, conference centers, resorts, stadiums, museums, and universities.
- When should everything happen? Having a clearly outlined timeline for event preparation is a key part of planning. Providing a copy of the timeline to all parties involved – from your caterer to your audio visual team will help everyone stay on the same page.
- How much can you spend? Until you determine how much individual items cost, set a working budget by expenditure type.
3. Use the Web to your advantage. Today, the web enables you to plan your event smarter using Internet tools for registration, collecting fees, managing assets, event promotion and post-event wrap-ups.
According to Meetings and Conventions magazine, “Among those who have used such sites for meeting planning purposes, Facebook is the most popular (74 percent), followed by LinkedIn (66 percent) and Twitter (56 percent). More than one-third (36 percent) have launched a blog to market events.”
Event planners frequently use the web to post meeting information, register participants, collect fees, post event photos and presentations and add sponsorship value to their events.
4. Choose to work with professionals who have expertise in all the areas required to support your event. Work with a team who will understand your objectives, strategically and creatively plan your event, and can provide full support – from custom media solutions to whatever technical requirements you may have. Professionals take care of details and provide seamless production services that make for a flawless, memorable event.
At Metro Studios, we’re ready to help you plan your next event – and we have the technical and creative resources to provide you with a comprehensive solution from start to finish.
Additional Resources – You are Not Alone:
- Meeting Professionals International
- International Special Events Society
- Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association
- Metro Studios
Jun
11
Photo Journal: On the road with Metro Studios
June 11, 2009 | Leave a Comment | Written by Lindsay Talsness
It’s been a busy, exciting few months at Metro Studios! Here’s a quick look at some projects we’ve recently been working on.
ACE Awards Live Webcast
We had a great time producing the ACE Awards Live Webcast for hundreds of in-person and online viewers.

Scottsdale Community College
Scottsdale Community College’s Department of Culinary Arts asked us to shoot a series of promotional videos for their program. We learned the secrets of making those cool vegetable garnishes, filleting a huge salmon, frosting a fancy cake… the chefs and students didn’t have to ask us twice to sample their creations!


Kirk shooting a close-up for petit-fours, when he wasn’t busy thinking up food puns.

Getting volunteer diners was a piece of cake!
The Grill Toppers Photo and Video Shoot
What a week it was when Metro Studios took on The Grill Toppers project. Our facility was transformed into the ultimate grilling event, complete with dozens of pounds of meat, countless side dishes, as well as numerous place settings to match all of the NCAA team colors. After getting our product shots, we took the gear, food, and props on the road to several different locations.

Donna, our food stylist extraordinaire, lends her expertise, while Susan, our art director, drops in the lemons “just right.”

Connie, Metro’s senior writer/producer, dresses the set. By the time we finished each shot, the food had been sprayed, glued, and was completely inedible.

Our newest “intern” samples some extra prop food and lends morale support during the shoot while her dad, Aaron, takes care of the video editing.

Kendra, Metro’s project coordinator, directs one of the actors on his grilling technique.


With the photos and videos completed, we are looking forward to building The Grill Toppers website this summer.
Commercial Shoot with Wisconsin Football Coach Bret Bielema
Bret Bielema, head coach for the University of Wisconsin football team was the star of our recent commercial shoot at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wisconsin. I wonder if the Big 10 schedule came up in conversation?


Metro Studios’ Social Media Seminar
John Whaley, our Director of Internet Marketing spent a day with Phoenix business professionals teaching them how to grow their businesses through social media marketing.

Whew! As you can see, it’s been a whirlwind spring - but it was spent doing what we enjoy most - providing our clients with effective, innovative solutions. Like what you see? Please contact us if you’re interested in learning more about the solutions we can provide for your business.
To see more photos of Metro Studios projects, visit our Flickr photostream.
May
18
9 Easy Ways to Write an Outstanding Blog Post
May 18, 2009 | 1 Comment | Written by Lindsay Talsness
- Do you hate writing blog entries?
- Is it a challenge to come up with new topics?
- Are you admittedly baffled by blogging?
Blogging can be easy, enjoyable, AND increase your business - if you do it the right way.
Here are 9 easy ways to dramatically improve your blog.
1. Write articles that readers will benefit from.
For example, Kraft Foods doesn’t write articles for their website entitled, “Buy more Kraft Foods products”. Instead, they post simple, delicious recipes1 that use Kraft ingredients.
If your blog articles are informative and helpful, instead of a direct sales pitch, more people will visit and revisit your blog.
Additional benefit: Writing informative articles builds your reputation as being an expert in your field.
2. Keep it short and focused.
According to research by Nielson Online2, Americans spend an average of 56 seconds on a webpage. Taking into consideration that the average person reads about 300 words per minute, I recommend blog articles be 250 - 500 words in length.
3. Watch your paragraph length.
Have you attempted to read extremely long paragraphs online? It’s difficult.
In fact, eye-tracking studies show that online readers tend to skip large blocks of text. It’s visually overwhelming for readers to see long paragraphs online, so break them up into shorter ones.
4. Use bullet points when providing a series of information.
Bullet points:
- Attract a readers’ eye.
- Highlight important information.
- Help readers’ find what they’re looking for more quickly.
5. Provide detailed subtitles throughout the article.
This technique helps draw readers into paragraphs farther down the page. A note of caution: I don’t consider “My conclusion” to be an interesting subtitle3.
6. Include links to your website in your article.
This will drive readers to key information on your website. Plus, clicking on links is fun!
7. If including an image, make sure it has a purpose.
Most people come to a website looking for information, not images. Make sure that key points of your text are most prominent.
8. Don’t be afraid to show some personality!
Don’t hide behind the company you’re writing for – people want to know that a real person (like Lindsay Talsness) is writing the article. I strongly encourage using pronouns like, “we” or “I” instead of “the company”.
9. Include a call to action.
Such as, “Don’t have a blog yet? Looking for ways to grow your business online? At Metro Studios, we’d love to help you. Contact us today to get started!”
1. Polynesian-glazed meatballs are a favorite at my house.
2. Nielsen Online (2009). Nielsen Online provides topline U.S. Data for March 2009 [Electronic version]. Retrieved May 8, 2009, from http://nielsen-online.com/pr/pr_090414.pdf
3. However, this subtitle is interesting.
May
18
Metro Studios Got Caught Reading!
May 18, 2009 | Leave a Comment | Written by Lindsay Talsness
May is “Get Caught Reading Month” and we thought we’d give you an inside look at what a few of us at Metro Studios have been reading in our free time.
We hope our recommendations will help you find your next summer read!
Keith Hindman
Chief Operating Officer
Selling the Invisible
"This book is my marketing bible. It has great down to earth lessons on improving the service your company provides – from each employee’s responsibility for customer service to building your brand through building relationships."
Amanda Schadt
Administrative Assistant
The First 30 Days: Your Guide to Any Change (and Loving Your Life More)
"This is a fabulous book about being successful at making positive changes in every area of your life. I highly recommend it!"
Andrew Miller
Director of Application Development
I, Robot
"I read the original – not the movie adaptation with Will Smith, for the love of pete! I love that this is a book from 50 years ago which provides an intriguing perspective on the implications of artificial intelligence."
Kendra Smith
Project Coordinator
Twilight
"Would it be totally embarrassing if I admitted that I am reading the Twilight series right now? I never expected to like this book, but I’m absolutely hooked! The author does a great job of writing an intense vampire love story."
John Whaley
Director of Internet Marketing
Watch This, Listen Up, Click Here
"This book provides an inside look at the $300 billion advertising business. It also describes current advertising trends and predicts their future. This is a great book for people interested in media trends."
Lindsay Talsness
Sr. Web Content Developer
Sense and Sensibility
"I’m revisiting this classic and falling in love with it all over again. Jane Austen wrote this novel almost 200 years ago, yet she manages to write about society with the same witty, insightful, and humorous tone that so many authors today try to achieve."
May
18
Is this Heaven? No, it’s Metro Studios.
May 18, 2009 | 2 Comments | Written by Lindsay Talsness
It’s not everyday you get to help make dreams come true. Especially a dream that’s been 20 years in the making. But this spring, that’s exactly what Metro Studios had the privilege of doing.
In 1988, Field of Dreams, thought to be one of the greatest sports movies ever made, was filmed in Dyersville, Iowa. Following the movie’s release, an unlikely group of men came together to continue the Field of Dreams legacy as a traveling baseball team, performing at military bases and family-oriented events around the world. They became the Ghostplayers.
For the past 20 years, Joe Scherrman, owner of Dreamcatcher Productions and a Ghostplayer himself, has chronicled their adventures on video. His documentary tells the story of how this zany team ranging from a hog farmer to a state representative moved audiences around the world and changed the players’ lives forever.
Dreamcatcher Productions enlisted the help of Aaron Spears, one of our Metro Studios video editors, to take more than 200 hours of Ghostplayers video and cut it into an hour documentary spanning the team’s 20 year journey. This included organizing the raw footage, writing a screenplay, conducting interviews and editing it all together.
From January through April, Metro Studios worked to create the film, and the results have been phenomenal. The documentary was shown to a sold-out preview in April, with an official premiere taking place in July. What’s more, Iowa Public Television plans to broadcast the documentary in July.
Metro Studios is proud to have a part in showcasing this Iowa legacy. We’re also glad to say that Aaron isn’t trapped in the editing suite surrounded by more than 200 hours of video footage.
If you’d like to learn more about the Ghostplayers documentary, check it out online at http://ghostplayer.us Or, watch them play their final game July 19 in Dyersville, Iowa against the U.S. Military All-Stars.
Or, if you’d like to learn more about how you can benefit from Metro Studio’s video editing services whether in Iowa or Arizona, visit our website.

Apr
20
We’re popping with excitement for the Kernels!
April 20, 2009 | Leave a Comment | Written by Gina Volk
At Metro Studios, we’ve got our baseball caps on backwards and inside out. Why? Because it’s our way of saying “Congratulations!” to our very own Cedar Rapids Kernels for winning Minor League Baseball’s top honor – the John H. Johnson award.
The award is given to just one team in the U.S. in recognition of the season’s most outstanding baseball franchise. Merits such as franchise stability, contributions to the league, promotion of the baseball industry, and community support all factor into the decision.
As the production team for the Kernels franchise, Metro Studios provides all video coverage during home games, scoreboard graphics, and live and prerecorded video entertainment – transforming a baseball game into a multimedia entertainment event.
Recently, Jack Roeder, General Manager for the Kernels, shared his thoughts on the award with us.
“Metro Studios has been an ideal business partner for the past seven years. Your staff is so involved in our program that we consider you part of our front office team. It’s great working with a company that has such a ‘can do’ attitude. We ask a lot from Metro, and you deliver every time…I honestly believe that without Metro’s involvement over the years with the Kernels, the [John H. Johnson] award would not reside in Cedar Rapids.”
Our team at Metro Studios is honored and proud to be counted part of the Kernels’ award-winning, family-friendly franchise. For a schedule of upcoming Kernels’ games, visit their website!
Looking for a team who can make your next live production a grand slam? Contact Metro Studios – we’d love to make your business stand out – just like the Kernels.
Apr
20
“Net” more business through webcasting
April 20, 2009 | Leave a Comment | Written by Lindsay Talsness
As companies continue to look for opportunities to reduce operating costs and pursue an effective communication strategy, the internet is becoming the clear technology of choice. By using internet streaming media technology, corporate information can be presented in real time to viewers around the world. Following a live webcast, the program can be packaged for video on demand playback for those who were unable to watch the live event. Metro Studios can turnkey a solution that will benefit your company and help you achieve your communication goals.
How you can use webcasting
Businesses, organizations and others are using webcasting for a variety of applications, including:
- New product announcements
- Annual meetings and conferences
- Investor relations messages
- HR, organizational development, and benefits updates
- Corporate communications and training
- Medical and live surgery webcasts
- Special events, town hall meetings, division updates
Why webcasting is good for your business
Webcasting provides a return on investment through its many benefits, including:
- Extends event to a larger and geographically dispersed audience
- Saves travel time and travel/entertainment costs
- Available for playback as a video on demand program
- Portrays a cost-conscious, yet professional image
- Less expensive than satellite broadcasting, print, road shows
- Delivered directly to the audience member’s computer
How webcasting works
A live video webcast requires video production, video encoding of the stream, transmission over the Internet, and an audience connected to the Internet with a current streaming media player. Metro Studios provides an end-to-end solution that walks you through the process, provides the necessary resources and expertise, resulting in a great viewer experience.
The viewer experience
Viewers are given a web link that allows them to connect directly into the live event portal. Various levels of security are available, from as easy as entering a guest name, on through password and pre-registration screening. Once logged in, viewers see a live video feed of the event, PowerPoint slides, and a chat window where they can type in questions for the presenters. Viewers can see, hear and interact with presenters in real-time.
Making it happen
Whether your communication event is driven by financial considerations, real-time integration of audio, graphics and video media, a need for turnkey services, or any combination of these, webcasting can be a great solution. A growing number of organizations are discovering that webcasting is the right strategy for accelerating their communication success. Contact Metro Studios today to find out how we can provide you with a unique webcasting solution.
Mar
16
We’d like to thank the Academy…
March 16, 2009 | 2 Comments | Written by Lindsay Talsness
Metro Studios was recently honored with four awards (otherwise known as ADDYs) from the American Advertising Federation of Cedar Rapids and Iowa City. We had a great time working on these projects and are extremely pleased with the results they’ve produced for our clients! Here’s a rundown of the honored projects:
Client: Clearheart Spirits
Project: Internet Marketing Campaign
Silver ADDY – Web/Online Campaign
Metro Studios created a new website for Clearheart Spirits, as well as optimized the website for optimal search engine placement. To further launch their internet marketing efforts, John Whaley, our director of internet marketing used social networks such as YouTube and Facebook to help drive traffic back to Clearheart’s website. We also completed an online media campaign including banner and video ad placement within a variety of vertical markets.


Client: The Rose Company
Project: Identity Collateral
Silver ADDY – Collateral Material: Stationery Package
The Rose Company is a local retailer who supplies specialty promotional products. Metro Studios was responsible for the design of their logo, as well as the creation of a unique set of identity materials for the company. We chose a light green paper stock that complimented the rose icon and solidified the brand.

Client: University of Iowa Children’s Hospital
Project: “Letters” video
Silver ADDY – Public Service – Broadcast/Electronic – Audio/Visual
Metro Studios was commissioned to write, produce, shoot and edit this touching fundraising video for the University of Iowa Children’s Hospital. The hospital wanted a video that they could play at a series of fundraising dinners they were holding in various locations around the state. At the very first dinner where the video was played, the goal was to raise $50,000, but the hospital ended up with $100,000 by the end of the night. The Children’s Hospital Medical Director said “of all the videos we have done for twice the budget, none came close to the quality and emotional pull as this one produced by Metro Studios”.

Client: St Luke’s Hospital
Project: Women’s Health Interactive Flash Video
Gold ADDY – Interactive Media
Mark Jones, Metro Studios’ Manager of Web Services, built an interactive flash video application for St. Luke’s Hospital Women’s Health. The video featured a variety of experts and everyday women addressing women’s health issues.
Mar
6
Metro’s latest video project receives rave reviews from across the US
March 6, 2009 | Leave a Comment | Written by Connie Westpfahl
Great expectations
Junior Achievement is the world’s largest and fastest-growing organization dedicated to inspiring and preparing young people to succeed in a global economy. When Metro Studios was chosen to produce JA Worldwide’s new volunteer orientation video, there were large tasks ahead of us - Junior Achievement’s current orientation video was more than 15 years old! Needless to say, JA’s more than 220 offices across the world were clamoring for an updated video.
Globe trotting!
At Metro Studios, we were up to the challenge. As an international organization, it was important for JA to show the different environments where their programs are held—from inner-city schools to suburban classrooms. Our video shoots took us across the United States to Los Angeles, Phoenix, Peoria, IL, and Cedar Rapids, IA.
More than just a training video
Our goal was to create a video that was informative, inspiring, encouraging, and creative. To accomplish this goal, we even incorporated our own version of a reality TV show into the project! We followed a brand new volunteer through her JA experience – from preparing for her first session with a group of at-risk high schoolers all the way through to her last session with the students. Hearing her testify how her weekly sessions probably turned her students around is amazing. (You can check out her interview here – her segment is entitled, “Experience It!”)
Writing it right
Junior Achievement wanted nearly all of the training information to come from testimonials. We interviewed a diverse group of people including: brand new and seasoned volunteers, students, and school administrators. Writing good questions for the interviews, and arranging to interview a diverse group of people made scripting a challenge—in a good way! There were so many great quotes and stories that ended up on the cutting room floor!
Not another boring training video!
Throughout the 51 minute training video, we added several fun segments such as having some 5th grade students spell “entrepreneur” and including a series of student bloopers. The kids we worked with were great, but despite their best efforts, we eventually caught them doing some pretty silly things on camera!
Delivered!
To top it all off, we shot the entire video in HD. That way, it was easy to transfer our footage to a hard drive for JA, enabling them to use the footage in-house. In the end, the DVD had a menu with 9 video segments, as well as an original designed folder that detailed each segment. You can watch the all of the segments at JA’s website. Or, check out some of the highlights on our own site.
Inspired!
To meet the volunteers and hear their stories about why they volunteer…and then to hear the students’ stories about how JA turned their lives around—it was amazing! Metro Studios was proud to be a part of this wonderful project, and the videos were truly a labor of love.

Mar
4
Amateur Video Editing: Tips & Tools
March 4, 2009 | Leave a Comment | Written by Eric Jacobs
Do you dream of being the next YouTube phenomenon? The explosion of digital video in the last decade has brought about many changes. Now, more and more people are dabbling in amateur video editing. However, the key to creating truly outstanding videos is to know the tricks of the trade that will elevate your video from a wet rag to wildfire viral content:
1. Choose the right software.
Today, most computers come with a pre-installed video editing program. While these programs serve basic functions, the serious amateur editor may want to consider purchasing a more robust editing program such as:
• Adobe Premier
• Final Cut Pro
• Sony Vegas
These programs enable users to really dig into the entire editing process, including fine tuning and trimming of video clips.
2. Cut and trim!
Cutting and trimming is a vital – yet often painful part of video editing. While you may love each and every second you’ve filmed, it’s likely your viewers will not. If you find it hard to determine what areas should be trimmed, have someone else review your footage and provide feedback on what parts seem unnecessary. Overall, “trimming the fat” from your video will leave exactly what you’re looking for – the juicy goodness that is the “meat” of your video.
3. Use Transitions Sparingly.
A transition is how a video moves from one clip to another, and can be a tricky part of video editing. I strongly believe that the fewer transitions you use, the better. Flashy transition techniques make videos look cheap and amateurish.
Yes, it can be tempting to use a cross fade, a quick dip, or a burst of color to transition clips, but overall, the best transitions are those the viewer doesn’t notice. “So,” you ask, “why do video editing programs provide all of those flashy transitions if I’m not supposed to use them?” We may never know. But until we find the answer, consider this: When was the last time you saw a movie, sitcom, or commercial that used a transitional technique such as a “star wipe” or “cube spin”? Probably not for more than 20 years!
4. Remember, it’s not Star Wars.
Special effects are similar to transitions in that most special effects will have the greatest impact when used sparingly. It’s best to leave the special effects to Steven Spielberg and George Lucas.
5. Don’t Tune Out the Audio!
When editing, it’s easy to become so immersed in the video’s appearance to lose track of how it sounds. You could shoot the most beautiful footage imaginable, but without high quality audio, you may as well be staring at a picture on the wall. After all, video is meant to be a multimedia experience.
6. That’s a Wrap!
By following these editing tips, you’ll be well on your way to separating your video from the masses. If you’re interested in producing a video that truly makes an impact, contact Metro Studios. We have the expert script writers, talent, directors, and audio & video editors to ensure that your video has an outstanding professional touch.

