Event Promo Hacks Using Movie Trailer Tactics

What’s your favorite movie trailer? Is there a promo that had you beating down the doors of the box office? One that immediately comes to mind is the trailer for 1980’s The Shining. What makes this trailer so effective is its use of simplicity and tension to build the world of the movie before you see a single minute. That is the power of a masterful trailer, it leaves you on the edge of your seat left with nothing to do but to go see the movie.

Event promos, like trailers, go a long way towards generating excitement for an epic experience. Events like the Oscars and the Super Bowl make trailers to unify the vibe before the show. It’s your moment to give attendees an idea of everything they’ll be in for. A good event promo not only lets you know what you should expect, but more importantly lets you know how you can expect to feel if you attend. At its core, that is what an event promo is, a promise of an experience. 

In a study conducted by Eventbrite, 94% of event creators that used video said it was an effective way to promote their events. Since the pandemic, 92% of marketers consider video an increasingly important part of their marketing strategy; with over 80% reporting they achieved their desired ROI over the past year (Wyzowl). Essentially, there is an increasing necessity for video marketing strategy and tactics that will impact both event success and companies as a whole. Promo videos can be a critical influence on performance rate, acquisition, and attendance for company events that are vital and crucial to brand awareness. Given the breadth of our experience with impactful storytelling and creation of event centric content, Green Buzz Agency has a long standing track record when it comes to our expertise in creating engaging promo videos that activate audiences’ emotion and drive action

Let’s break it down further using our award winning promo video for the Washington Spirit, a case study that brings together the best of many video production skills. In order to have a dynamic end product we began with a plan for the most compelling copy we could to construct the perfect scripted video. To establish the overarching emotion and grab viewer’s attention we set out to be sure we laid out a strong opening line, keyed in on essential information, and utilized a cliffhanger to generate audience intrigue. The Spirit had an incredibly strong script, but they wanted to make sure it told a cohesive story. We worked closely with them to ensure the script hit the 90-second mark – no more, no less.

But then how to marry the script with the imagery and visual impact? One of the lines from the script that jumped out to us from the very beginning was “local rhythm on a global stage” which ultimately embodies the heartbeat of this video. We interspersed dynamic footage from on and off the pitch with carefully curated slow and high-impact moments as a homage to the city itself.

Pacing and imagery are key to editing style but we also wanted to utilize motion graphics to take the piece to the next level. As a motion graphics studio, we developed custom text graphics with a slight static treatment for the brand’s typography to make the text feel as if it was flying off the pitch. We also punctuated the text graphics with custom animations that complemented the messages to create personality and pique interest.

The Washington Spirit promo is one example of some best practices you can utilize to create a bridge to the final destination we set out to achieve – a movie trailer like promo that drives excitement and action. As you contemplate creating your next event promo, keep the question of “what is your favorite movie trailer?” in mind and use it as inspiration along with our well vetted tips and tricks. Need further insight or guidance? Feel free to reach out to us at Green Buzz Agency and get to know our video production services. We are committed to crafting you a one-of-a-kind event promo that drives people to your event like opening weekend of the next biggest movie.

3 Video Marketing Trends to Guide Your Digital Strategy in 2021

2020 ushered in a new era for video marketing trends. As we migrated our lives to the internet, people began consuming more content than ever, while also becoming even more skeptical of being sold to. It became harder than ever for brands to stay relevant in a rapidly-changing world. But don’t worry – with 2021 ahead of us, we outlined 3 video marketing trends to focus on to keep your audience engaged.

1. User-Generated Content

People are more skeptical than ever about brand marketing. But user-generated content offers a trustworthy alternative. With scaled down production and face-to-face messaging, viewers are more willing to buy into the story being told by a relatable creator. 

Plus, user-generated content is a win-win for marketers who are battling the constraints of social distancing. User-generated video can be made from the comfort of your room and it gives audiences the relatable perspective of someone who is also stuck at home. 

UGC isn’t just for customer reviews. B2C and B2B companies can use user-generated video content to boost marketing campaigns, humanize their brands, and even give a behind the scenes look at what it’s like to work with their teams. 

2. Live Video and Virtual Events

With LinkedIn live streams increasing 89% since March 2020, it’s clear that live video is more important than ever. To keep up, marketers should continue honing their skills in live video and virtual events

After almost a full year getting used to virtual replacements for in-person events, viewers have built expectations about what a good live video experience looks like. It’s not enough to just decide to go live on Instagram. For a successful live video, brands need the pre-production and technical support that makes any video run smoothly.

When producing Sotheby’s Virtual Auction Series, our team factored in extensive rehearsal, preparation, and technical troubleshooting before ever taking the event live. This made sure that the virtual events matched the calibre of the in-person events they were replacing, and reflected what their audience expects from a Sotheby’s experience. Virtual or not, an auction featuring work by Van Gogh and Magritte is held to a high standard.

Live video may never completely replicate the experience of an in-person event. But it will give you access to a larger audience. Live video takes the exclusivity out of in-person events, making your content more accessible and removing limits on audience size and viewership. 

Plus, live video draws engagement long after the original stream. In 2021, repurpose and remarket live video to keep viewers coming back to your content. If done well, repurposed live video can be successful on all social platforms, and will help your brand build a loyal audience. 

3. Long-Form Video

With commuting time reduced or eliminated altogether, many video viewers now have much more time to consume content. And a larger, more engaged audience gives marketers the  opportunity to grab viewers’ attention for a longer period of time. In 2021, marketers should lean into long-form video content to make the most of people’s increased viewership.

But know that higher viewership doesn’t mean audiences are engaging with video content in the same ways they did when they had less free time. According to YouTube’s Digital Culture and Trends Report, 40% of people say they participated in an activity simultaneously while they watched a video online in 2020. 

Yes, audiences are more interested in long-form video, but many viewers engage with that type of content more passively. Marketers should be optimizing long-form video in the same way that they optimize content for each social media platform. Cater to what audiences want and expect from long-form video in every step of production. Pacing, story arc, and even sound design should all be in line with the standards of long-form video. 

Take our video for the 2020 Peabody Awards as an example. Green Buzz was tasked with turning what would have normally been an in-person awards ceremony, and translating it into an hour-long roundtable. To keep the video engaging over the full hour, we mixed in clips of the award-winning documentaries as the filmmakers discussed their work.

Where Do We Go From Here?

There’s no denying it: video is now. But if 2020 taught us anything, it’s that we should expect the unexpected. So take these 3 video marketing trends into account when implementing your marketing strategy for the new year, but remember to stay agile. 

The best video marketers can simultaneously stay ahead of trends and act quickly when something throws a wrench in those predictions. Stay plugged in to current trends, stay adaptable and always consider how your content feeds into specific KPI’s. 


If you need more support guiding your marketing strategy for 2021, reach out to our team! We’ve guided social media campaigns, big name awards ceremonies, our own webinar series, and more through the pandemic – and all from our home base in Washington, DC. Wherever you are, and whatever content you need, we’ve got you covered.


Our 2020 Year in Review

In the whirlwind that was 2020, we kept doing what we do best: making great video. We used video to stay connected, keep audiences engaged, and tell the stories that didn’t stop. 

As always, we’re proud of all the work our team has done in the past year. But after the year that was 2020, we wanted to pause to highlight some of our favorite projects from this past year.

AARP En Vivo Contigo, Sotheby’s Virtual Auctions, DCG’s “REACH” Campaign, and the launch of our original Green Buzz Webinar Series all challenged us to push the bounds of traditional video production, and to create content that was connective, interactive, and engaging at a time when people needed it most. 

Read on to learn more about these important projects that Green Buzz worked on in 2020. 

AARP En Vivo Contigo

AARP En Vivo Contigo | Show Sample

During the pandemic, AARP seized the opportunity to unite Hispanic and Latinx communities through a digital event series which brought together DJ’s, chefs, and content creators to provide support to each other through difficult times using food, dance, and music. 

Green Buzz facilitated 16 live cooking demonstrations and 4 dance parties for 4 different Hispanic/Latinx markets across the country. We brought virtual shows to New York, Houston, Los Angeles and Miami all from our home base in Washington, DC. The campaign culminated with a huge crossover event, introducing chefs from each market to compete in a cooking challenge.

Branding the entire campaign with a unique style, our team designed custom graphics that were displayed live throughout the shows. GBA fully produced each event, providing technical support and direction for the talent during each live event. 

The shows were streamed over Facebook live, garnering engagement from each market’s audience and connecting Latinx communities to celebrate what feeds the soul, whether we are in the same place or not. In an isolating time, AARP En Vivo Contigo kept community and culture alive in the Hispanic and Latinx communities. 

Sotheby’s Virtual Auctions

As in-person events came to a halt, Sotheby’s approached Green Buzz Agency to bring the energy and excitement of a live auction into a series of virtual events to draw audiences to online auctions around the globe. 

Our events included virtual exhibitions of never before seen private collections of Impressionist, Modern and Contemporary works, featuring pieces from masters such as Van Gogh, Magritte, and Ansel Adams

This work with Sotheby’s was one of several opportunities we had to flex our muscles in virtual events and live video production in 2020. For this series, we used our technical expertise to replicate the unique environment of a Sotheby’s art auction and preserve the connection of the art community across the globe.

DCG REACH Campaign

DCG REACH Campaign|Episode: “Larry’s Story”

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs launched its REACH campaign to raise awareness for suicide prevention and to encourage those with risk factors to reach out to others for help. 

Green Buzz Agency was brought in to direct and produce a tentpole of the REACH campaign by creating a series of digital and broadcast PSAs. Each video tells the story of a person working through suicidal risk factors and ultimately reaching out to a trusted friend or community support system for help.

Using a combination of animated and live action video, this digital series provided depth to a much-needed conversation about mental health, while also walking viewers through effective preventative measures.

Our team produced and directed a four-day, 35-person shoot during the pandemic, enforcing stringent COVID-19 safety guidelines (which kept every member of the cast, crew and client team safe).The result: an emotional, resonant set of PSAs that the V.A. is planning on making its signature asset for the next two years of the REACH campaign.

Green Buzz Original Webinars

In the wake of COVID-19, Green Buzz wanted to create our own original webinar series that would foster a sense of community, while satiating the appetite to learn from home and navigate the new digital landscape brought on by the pandemic. 

To do this, we drew together unique pairings of panelists, who provide 60 minutes of industry expertise on topics ranging from high-level content and platform strategy, crisis communications, brand values, audience activation, post-isolation personas, and virtual production.

Since launching our series, we’ve had over 40 thought leaders join our panels from Twitter, Quibi, PBS, Sotheby’s, Tripadvisor, NASCAR, Make-A-Wish, Google and many more. In the new year, we’re continuing to bring top experts on the series, and featuring unique guest speakers in our new Fireside Chat format. 

Incorporating Fireside Chat episodes into our webinar series allows us to bridge the gap between virtual audiences and our panelists. Set up as an open conversation with an interactive Q&A segment, these special episodes let unscripted, off the cuff insights shine. 

A Year in Review

Working with big brand clients like AARP and Sotheby’s, and featuring expert webinar panelists from influential companies like PBS, Quibi, NASCAR, Twitter, and LEGO makes us proud of our 2020 in review, and confident for the year that lies ahead. Explore more of the work we’ve done and get in touch to see what we can do for your brand in 2021.


3 Lessons on Creativity and Remote Work from Web Summit 2020

At this year’s Web Summit, creativity was key. The transition to remote work in 2020 forced major change, but it also inspired major creativity. Innovation was a driving force in the continued success of many businesses. Some businesses became PPE providers, some became grocery delivery services, and others went back to the basics to keep company culture alive. 

With the year coming to close, Web Summit panelists recapped lessons on creativity and remote work that can take us through to 2021.

1. Communication is Still Key

Prashanth Chandrasekar, CEO at Stack Overflow with journalist Amrita Khalid at the virtual 2020 Web Summit

Company culture is key to building trust in any organization. And in a remote work environment, many business leaders decided to double down on communication to keep trust flowing. 

In his talk “Working Together Apart: Building Swift Trust,” CEO at Stack Overflow Prashanth Chandrasekar reminded us of the importance of building strong businesses from the inside out. 

For him, it’s important to be “approachable to answer questions, especially in the remote world. You shouldnt be limited to that one meeting or town hall.”

But business leaders still need to be careful to not over communicate. If you overwhelm your team with information, you’ll only make it harder to get your message across.

“There’s a balance between over communicating to make sure you’re all on the same page and being bombarded with information. It’s really about finding what’s the right approach for your organization depending on your goals – whether that’s growth or something completely different.”

2. Digital Transformations Make Creativity More Valuable

Adobe Chief Product Officer Scott Belsky at work for Lifehack Australia
Scott Belsky, Adobe’s Chief Product Officer

Digital transformations are great at boosting productivity with more efficient processes, especially in a pandemic that keeps people at home. But for the workforce, automation can be scary. 

In his talk “Creativity is the new productivity,” Scott Belsky, Chief Product Officer at Adobe acknowledges that fear.

“We’re entering this age where productivity will be performed more by bots and artificial intelligence. So what do humans now do to stand out when machines can yield more productivity than humans?”

But, he sees a silver lining.

“Humans are uniquely able to produce creativity. We must outfit people – the workforce – to be more creative. Creativity is for everyone, not just those in creative fields.”

As much as automation can drive efficiency, it can’t replace the creativity of humans. Belsky believes the solution is to prioritize creativity in all fields. With productivity taken care of by automation, success in the workplace will rely more on creativity.

3. Remote Work Brings Us Closer to Meritocracy

For many, the switch to remote work was a big adjustment. 

But on the side of the learning curve, work became more accessible. In a world of remote work, commuters save time and our offices are wherever we need them to be.

Chandrasekar of Stack Overflow doesn’t see remote work fading away:

“There’s no returning back to what it used to be. Many, many companies will not return to office permanently. It’s likely most companies will adopt a hybrid approach. Despite the zoom fatigue, despite the challenge of balancing personal and professional life, there’s a huge net benefit [to working remotely].” 

And Belsky sees it as an opportunity to help people succeed:

“In any job we thrive by being more productive. We get raises for being more productive.”

Between the opportunities for creativity and our new culture of remote work, Web Summit reminded us of the doors that 2020 opened. Under great uncertainty, people make pivotal decisions, and those decisions give us room to grow in 2021 and beyond.


The Complete Guide to Video Formatting on Social Media

When it comes to marketing, social video is the proverbial queen of engagement. Marketers in 2020 need to make sure that their organizations focus on developing a strong social video strategy if they plan to remain relevant. 

But before you embark on your next social video project, you should be aware of the video file formatting requirements of each of the major platforms. Don’t worry – Green Buzz Agency has you covered! This article will give you all the details regarding aspect ratios, file formats, maximum dimensions, and maximum lengths on a platform-by-platform basis. Be sure to bookmark this page as we will be updating it periodically to ensure you have the most up-to-date information out there!

Facebook

Facebook video dimensions and formatting chart
Facebook Video Specs

Facebook remains one of the most popular social networks for the older millennial, Gen X, and boomer generations. From livestreams to shareable post videos to 360 videos to carousel ads, news link videos, and stories, Facebook is truly an all-you-can-watch buffet for video content. It also benefits content creators who favor lengthy videos, say for branded documentaries, with max length up to three hours for carousel ads.

Instagram

Instagram video dimensions and formatting chart
Instagram Video Specs

Instagram has soared in popularity since its acquisition by Facebook in the early 2010s. It is one of the preferred platforms for influencer marketing and is now rolling out integrations for e-commerce as well, making it a must-use platform for direct-to-consumer brands. 

With stories, video posts, and now video reels as well, Instagram is a treasure trove of video marketing potential and, with “views” requiring three seconds of watch time, every frame counts! 

Its various aspect ratio options give you tons of flexibility in deciding what type of video you want to feature. Whether you’re looking at making traditional posts in landscape, portrait, or square, or creating something special for IGTV or ad roll outs, Instagram is a pretty versatile platform for content marketers. Beware, however, long-form content is capped at a max length of fifteen minutes for IGTV and is considerably shorter for other video types. 

YouTube

YouTube video dimensions and formatting chart
YouTube Video Specs

When it comes to ad-supported user-generated content, YouTube is the shining star. YouTube is considered the quintessential video platform and the progenitor of this entire era of digital video-driven content. Many brands have used YouTube as a means of connecting with audiences of all ages. As such, YouTube remains one of the most engaging and sticky platforms out there. 

While YouTube is relatively inflexible with respect to technical specs like aspect ratios (for which it only offers 426 x 420 and 16:9), YouTube allows users to upload videos in many different file formats including .MOV, .MPEG4, MP4, .AVI, .WMV, .MPEGPS, .FLV, 3GPP, and WebM. And, with a maximum file size of 128 GB, you have plenty of room for uploading super high quality and lengthy videos. 

LinkedIn

LinkedIn video dimensions and formatting chart
LinkedIn Video Specs

LinkedIn has led the B2B marketing space for over a decade. More and more professionals (of all age groups) are becoming addicted to scrolling through LinkedIn both on their phones and on their desktops. Creating a LinkedIn profile that attracts followers and draws leads is now a crucial part of every company’s marketing mix. 

LinkedIn’s video capabilities have slowly begun to diversify away from the typical shareable post video to include live streaming as well. Max file sizes and minimum resolutions vary depending on whether the video is a post or ad. As such, it is best to consult this page before starting on your LinkedIn video production journey!

Twitter

Twitter video dimensions and formatting chart
Twitter Video Specs

Once known for its character-limited tidbits of text copy, Twitter has warmed up to different types of content – video being one of its most salient additions. Twitter is an excellent option for marketers who’s audiences are avid followers (or guilty pleasure readers) of celebrities, politicians, and even the world’s most (in)famous celebrity-politician, @RealDonaldTrump himself. 

Marketers should not ignore the high level of engagement that Twitter aficionados have for that platform and should look for ways to incorporate video content to augment their tweets – just remember to aim for quality, not virality. It is, however, worth noting that Twitter has very specific requirements for its video content. No matter what type of video you’re trying to upload, the specs are the same. 

Pinterest

Pinterest video dimensions and formatting chart
Pinterest Video Specs

When asked to name the platforms they think would be the best for social video, Pinterest likely doesn’t come to mind right away. That being said, Pinterest has steadily grown its user base and continues to dominate in the work-from-home era. Let’s face it: we’ve all gone on Pinterest to figure out how to make the perfect dish in our slow-cookers, look for makeup or hairstyle inspiration, or just marvel at people’s arts and craft abilities. One savvy individual even followed his wife’s Pinterest account to plan the perfect wedding. He managed to do all this relying entirely on the wedding-related posts she pinned on her Pinterest. 

Given Pinterest’s uncanny ability to convince people to make, buy, or try products, it is a very natural option for marketers to target with video content. It is also quite simplistic in terms of its specs, with portrait and square as the only video types and .MP4 and .MOV as the only file types supported. 

Snapchat

Snapchat video dimensions and formatting chart
Snapchat Video Specs

What started out as a way to send people pictures taken on your phone with captions that disappeared after being opened by the recipient has now evolved into an entire ecosystem for social video. Snapchat is far from yesterday’s news. It is finding ways to remain relevant in the multi-platform era. 

Snapchat has managed to stay connected with young users and millennials, offering yet another area for marketers to place their ads. Snapchat’s specs are also straightforward, varying only in terms of whether the content is short-form or long-form. 

To Sum it All Up

If you are new to video marketing and have additional questions about how to best position your video content on social, please feel free to reach out to our team! We’re happy to help answer any questions you may have.


To Zoom or Not to Zoom: Comparing Live Streaming Platforms for Events During the Pandemic

Now more than ever, video is helping connect audiences across the world and is bringing people closer together. With in-person meet-ups for professional networking and entertainment on pause, live internet-streamed event broadcasting has soared in popularity. With this trend accelerating, it is important for all organizations to consider how live streaming events can improve sales and increase brand awareness.

At Green Buzz Agency, we help our clients create top-quality video content for all their organizational needs. While based out of the Washington, D.C. region, we work with large brands and nonprofits all over the world.

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, our clients have been asking for help with event live streaming. More often than not, the main question our clients ask is what software or platform they should use.

With dozens of options out there, it is difficult for those unfamiliar with live streaming or video production services in general to get themselves up to speed, so we’ve put together a list of the different softwares and platforms, a summary of their key features and pitfalls, and an overview of best practices for you to consider. Hopefully this helps answer questions that you have, but feel free to reach out to us for more information.

First and Foremost: What Are You Out to Achieve?

As with any initiative, it is important to start by establishing what goals you are trying to achieve through live streaming events before diving into a software or service solution. Typically, organizations interested in live streaming events look to accomplish one or more of the following goals:

1. Improve community or customer engagement through social media;

2. Create original content assets; or,

3. Augment or replace in-person live event experiences with a more digital solution.

After you’ve articulated your goals clearly, you should rank each goal from top priority to lowest priority. Ranking will help you narrow down your choices and pinpoint the best live streaming solution for your organization.

Zoom

Zoom live streaming interface
Zoom Interface

If you’re searching for business-oriented streaming solutions for your events, it’s pretty safe to assume that you’ve heard of Zoom before. The video conferencing app founded by a former Cisco employee has taken the world by storm and has (arguably) achieved a highly coveted branding goal: “Zoom” has become a verb. Zoom is quickly becoming a staple of the work-from-home transition and is often overlooked when it comes to live streaming events. 

Zoom is a great low-cost and low-complexity option to live stream your event. Many organizations already have enterprise subscriptions to Zoom and most people are pretty familiar with its interface. Zoom streaming does not require any special skills or training in live video production and is perfectly tailored for events where attendee interaction and participation is needed. It also allows users to stream concurrently on other platforms simultaneously such as Facebook Live and YouTube.

Zoom is not a perfect solution if your needs are highly specialized and you require flexibility. With Zoom, you get what you’re given and have little room for customization.

Bottom line: Zoom is a familiar face and a cost-effective solution but isn’t the ideal option for custom-tailored live streams.

Grabyo

Grabyo cloud-based live streaming platform interface
Grabyo Interface

Grabyo is the self-proclaimed “future of broadcast”. It is a robust cloud-based software for live streaming events and is ideal for creating professional quality live programming. Organizations that have the resources to dedicate a small team for live event production will love Grabyo’s team collaboration capabilities and its expansive user customization options.

The program has unique features that allow production team members to clip and post moments from the broadcast to social media in real-time. Grabyo also allows co-streaming via various social media accounts – another major bonus feature for events that are to be broadcast on different platforms.

While Grabyo is great for video production companies or organizations with in-house video capabilities, Grabyo’s interface can be rather complicated for first-time users. Even experienced technical directors will need a bit of time to master its functionality. Grabyo is also ill-suited for events that require audience engagement like webinars or meet-and-greets. In its most current form, Grabyo does not allow communication between the production team and the consumers of the content.

Perhaps most importantly, Grabyo is pricey. Its cost model is bespoke and may be out of reach for small-budget events.

Bottom line: Grabyo is great if you know video, have a medium to large budget, an experienced team, and do not need to engage in real-time with your audience.

StreamYard

StreamYard live streaming platform interface
StreamYard Interface

StreamYard is a browser-based platform that brands itself as the “easiest way to create professional live streams”. There is a lot of truth to this statement. In many ways, it is a simpler and less expensive version of Grabyo. StreamYard gives users creative freedom with respect to on-screen and back-end customization and integrates seamlessly with social media. Its platform allows you to communicate with the audience via Facebook Live commenting, which is a major bonus for socially-oriented events. Like Grabyo, you can upload custom graphics files to display overlay graphics, intro and outro videos, and branding. 

Apart from price, StreamYard differs from Grabyo in that the former allows only a limited number of users working on the stream at the same time and limits the size and type of video files that you can upload for graphics. 

Bottom line: StreamYard is great for lower-budgeted or simpler mid-level productions staffed by a small production team.

Social Media

Green Buzz Agency Stand Together IG Live sizzle reel
Stand Together‘s #GiveTogetherNow IG Live Campaign

Social is the unsung hero of event live streaming and the queen of video content distribution in the modern age. Streaming through social media platforms is free and your event’s reach can be boosted with paid placements. Social is also the natural start and end point for anything event related. From advertising your event months ahead of time to posting clips and photos after the event, social media is at the center of any event-based marketing campaign.

One of the major downsides of streaming events directly through social media is the low video and audio quality. This pitfall, however, may be an important source of differentiation given the widespread issues that people are having with internet connection reliability.

Many consumers are used to experiencing highly pixelated video quality or audio dropping here and there. So, viewers may find comfort in the familiarity with the experience of watching their favorite influencers and friends live stream their daily lives directly through Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and LinkedIn. This organic feel is perfect for organizations looking to connect with their audience, engage back and forth with attendees, and maximize the exposure that their live events will generate using a simpler livestream.

Bottom line: social is a simple, streamlined way of connecting with a wide audience but the video and audio quality can be subpar, so be warned if you’re planning to repurpose the video footage after a livestream on social media.

Next Steps

While no solution is ever a perfect solution, there is likely a platform or software that works best for your organization’s specific needs. If you are new to video marketing and have additional questions about how to best prepare for your live streamed event, please feel free to reach out to our team. We love to collaborate and are happy to help give you some pointers to ensure that your video needs are met!


Justin Zuccon, Director of Corporate Development.


Create Video Content that Drives Organic Growth

With people stuck inside, video streaming services like Netflix and YouTube are grabbing all of the attention of content-hungry viewers. As these media giants dominate the market, it might seem impossible to generate organic growth for your own video content. Traditional video production strategies are no longer possible, but consumers are still demanding content.

The rush to adapt to this new landscape of video content has led a lot of brands to push out video content on every available platform. But many marketers fail to ask themselves: who is this content for? Without a clear organic growth strategy, all you’re doing is relying on luck to make your video go viral. To make your own video content break through the noise, focus on increasing organic growth by targeting your audience’s needs and interests during this time. 

One major leader that’s emerged in this space is PBS Digital Studios. With over 9.7 billion minutes watched and 84% of its audience spanning ages 18 to 49, PBS’s video content has seen enormous organic growth through digital transformation. By taking their traditional broadcast content and adapting it for YouTube audiences, PBS has been able to stay connected with its viewers during the pandemic, while also continuing to expand their reach.

Be Specific

Before you start churning out content, take a second to consider the purpose of what you’re putting out onto the internet. Are you showing support for your customers? Offering a useful service during quarantine? The internet is overwhelmed with content – focus on quality rather than quantity. 

It’s great to have a video production team that can churn out content, especially during this shift to virtual work. But, in order to be successful, your content marketing strategy needs to be specific.

For consumers today, there’s no apparent lack of content. From streaming services, to your favorite beer brands, video content is being produced non-stop. Don’t try to capture the attention of every consumer that’s spending time on the internet right now. Instead, be specific and focus in on your target demographic. Once your video content team becomes specific about its target demographic, the content itself will be more pointed toward organic growth. 

For example, Green Buzz has been producing weekly livestream videos for Stand Together’s new #GiveTogetherNow campaign. This new campaign was launched in the wake of the coronavirus, and its use of celebrity hosts – including former NFL player Dhani Jones and National Geographic photographer Jimmy Chin – and livestream optimization has allowed them to successfully target their audience.

#GiveTogetherNow Livestream with Dhani Jones and Jimmy Chin

Make a Dedicated Plan

After you’ve narrowed down the audience for your content, your marketing strategy can expand beyond the creative ideation of the content. Consider distribution strategy: which platforms does your target audience engage with the most? Try to get a sense of what your target audience is attracted to, while also acknowledging the volatility of consumer trends during this rapidly changing period.

According to the New York Times, the coronavirus lined up with a 15.3% increase in traffic on the YouTube webpage, and 4.5% decrease in traffic on the YouTube app. This data highlights important information about how consumer viewing trends have shifted during the pandemic. Viewers are moving away from consuming content on apps, and have taken to consuming content on desktops or larger screens.

Photo by the NYTimes

This consumer insight suggests that your video content plan should be tailored to full-screen viewing. Consumers may have longer attention spans, or at least looking for more immersive video content.

Encourage Conversation

Your strategy is in place and your content has been optimized. Now, it’s time to put your content out there. Publish your video content on all of the relevant platforms for your audience. But, your work isn’t done yet. Well-optimized content is great, but in order to encourage consistent organic growth, you need to foster an interactive online community

Offering a space for conversation will improve your brand awareness, while also showing a more human side to your marketing content. However, the feedback you get won’t all be congratulatory. Having a space for open conversation opens the door for negative responses – but don’t be afraid of constructive feedback or criticism. Ultimately, this type of immediate feedback is useful in guiding your content strategy and staying connected with your audience.

Additionally, the more active you are in these online communities, the more tuned in you’ll be to what its users want to see. Speculating about what content will be successful based on statistics is a great starting point, but it takes continued conversation with your audience to ensure organic growth.

Stay Tuned In

In such a rapidly changing global environment, it’s more important than ever to stay tuned into what your target audience needs most. Plus, with no clear image of what our “new normal” will look like, many brands have turned to sharing their own executive insight. For example, marketing leaders at top brands like NASCAR and Make-A-Wish have stepped up to share how they’re continuing to adapt throughout the coronavirus pandemic.

Plus, Head of PBS Digital Studios Brandon Arolfo shared his company’s own insight into how strategic content creation can allow brands to accelerate growth during this time. In collaboration with Green Buzz Agency’s webinar series, Brandon discussed “Content Creation that Powers Growth and Digital Transformation During COVID-19.” Learn more and stream the full webinar below.

Content Creation that Powers Growth and Digital Transformation with PBS Digital Studios

As the economic and social environment around us continues to change, it’s crucial to continue seeking new insight. From consumer needs, to high-level business strategy, staying connected to the ideas and minds within your industry will provide guidance in such an uncertain time. And remember – the best organic marketing strategy is born from a combination of educated insight and thoughtful innovation. Successful video production teams lead with data and creativity.


Emily Herman, Marketing and Communications.


How Digital Experiences are Transforming the Cultural Sector

In a moment where traveling, wandering around a museum, and going to a theater are suddenly impossible activities, digital experiences are picking up the slack. For the cultural sector, there’s some catching up to do as far as the digital transformation, but the payoff is becoming significant. By using innovative video production, this sector is transforming their content and engaging new audiences.

Virtual art exhibits are only the beginning. By merging traditional art and travel experiences with technological innovation, there’s a brand new life for the cultural sector on the internet.

From Physical to Digital

Right now, not even your favorite travel blogger can satisfy your desire to see the world beyond the four walls of your quarantine. And, the celebrities we have idolized for so long have become just another group of people that are stuck at home. 

For many of today’s internet users, online platforms have always been a place for expanding their experience of the world around them. But now, when the most we can find out about the world is how other people are spending their time indoors – from the hardest puzzles to finding the best sourdough recipe – it can feel like we’re all trapped in our own bubbles. 

For the cultural sector in particular, this new reality has prompted a huge transformation of the consumer experience. As largely a B2C industry, the cultural sector has been extremely vulnerable to the lockdown. With people unable to leave their homes, and all large public gatherings having been prohibited, there was no obvious solution to encourage consumers to stay engaged with this sector.

However, one thing was clear: the cultural sector needed a digital transformation. 

Keeping Up With Demands for Content

Digital experiences have become the priority, and are the best ways to keep up with consumer demands for content. Plus, digital experiences serve as a stimulating replacement for the activities that people are missing most right now. 

According to JiaJia Fei, the consulting director of digital at the Jewish Museum in New York:

“For digital innovators, this is our moment to push the limit of our creative and technical vision, and a chance to openly experiment. For everyone else, it’s a crash course in digital marketing triage.”

Fei highlights an important point about the potential distance between digital innovators and traditional marketers. However, some industry leaders have been proactive in innovating old-school content to fit with the new digital landscape.

This is where big industry names like Sotheby’s and Tripadvisor come into play. When the coronavirus shutdown hit, both of these companies faced the same question: how would they stay engaged with their consumers? Nobody is visiting an art exhibit, let alone traveling anywhere new. But, these two companies house teams that were able to mobilize quickly to an all-online space. By leaning into their digital footprints, Sotheby’s and Tripadvisor have been able to differentiate themselves among their competition.


To hear more strategic insight from Sotheby’s Head of Content and Creative Services, Mitra Amestoy, and from Tripadvisor’s Director of Video and Executive Creative Producer, Susie Conley, watch Green Buzz Agency’s recorded webinar below.

From Physical to Digital: How Sotheby’s & Tripadvisor Moved the Cultural Sector Online

Redefining the Customer Experience

There might not be anything that can replicate the shared excitement of an in-person experience among a crowd, but there are alternative experiences to explore. For example, digital formats like 360 video and virtual reality take the traditional experience of art and travel and throw them out the window. 

In our real lives, we don’t experience the world in an instant 360 degree view or even in the same way that virtual reality tries to replicate. Still, these innovative digital formats provide a sense of a real-time experience that people are missing the most right now. Plus, they redefine the customer experience while still providing the desired content. 

For example, travelers can explore the Swedish wilderness, walk through Egypt’s Pyramid of Giza, and fly over a Romanian National Park, all in one day with the help of 360 degree video. 

Redefining the customer experience in this way not only takes an industry set in its ways to a new digital reality, but it also incorporates a highly advanced level of technology. Though this is impressive, it’s important to avoid alienating core audiences. 

The Guardian writes that, “achieving this requires an eye toward egalitarianism: almost everyone has a mobile phone and computer at home, but very few have traditional VR headsets, which points to a rise in 360 video, Google cardboard, and conferencing tools that can easily be streamed at home.”

Black and white virtual reality digital experience headset
Photo by Lux Interaction on Unsplash

Staying Human, Digitally

While the shift to digital experiences in the cultural sector is crucial during this period, consumers are still drawn toward authentic messaging. Content like 360 video and virtual reality is enticing. But, these forms still might not permanently replace consumers’ emotional connection to what they’re missing out on by being stuck at home. 

And, more importantly, your audience needs you to be in tune with the individual impact of the pandemic. For your company, this can just mean using your platform to promote a brand voice that is both proactive through digital innovation, and actually concerned with how they can best serve their consumers. 

The cultural sector also has a particular responsibility to remember the core values of the content they produce, before rushing for high-tech formats. People won’t be stuck at home forever. When we can return to a new normal, it’ll be important to maintain agility and remember what the cultural sector really stands for. 


Emily Herman, Marketing and Communications.


Exclusive Podcast: The Making of the New Kevin Durant Documentary

Co-directed by Jimmy Jenkins and John Beckham, Basketball County: In the Water documents the rise of Kevin Durant to the NBA, and dives into PG County’s unprecedented ability to pump out basketball prodigies.

Green Buzz Agency’s CEO Tod Plotkin, and lead editors Andrew Whipp and Matt Ehrichs, sat down to talk with the directorial duo about their creative process, why this documentary is so important, and who would win in a one-v-one face-off.

The Making of Basketball County: In the Water

Podcast Transcript

Jimmy Jenkins:

Hey guys!

Andrew Whipp:

What’s up, man?

Matt Ehrichs:

Hey!

Jimmy:

What’s up?

Andrew:

The man, the legend!

Andrew:

So how have you two been? What’s been happening. What’s been shakin’ with the doc? Has other stuff popped up or is it just all doc world right now, for you guys?

John Beckham:

Yeah, for the last six months, I’ve been working on a documentary short about pizza and my brother’s pizzeria in Baltimore. We just wrapped that, pretty much done, getting it colored and getting audio mastered. Then trying to write a little bit.

Jimmy:

Well, it’s been a little crazy. I had another film that just came out last month. So I’m getting this done and preparing for what’s next, pretty much. Just working with that.

Andrew:

Do you have any plans for the premiere night?

John:

Yeah, sit my ass on the couch with my wife.

Jimmy:

Yeah. Same here. Sit on the couch. Maybe order some pizza or something.

Matt:

I came out of the project after I had been in Andrew’s hands for a few weeks at Green Buzz over the summer when we started working on it.

Matt:

And one of the things I was never really clear on was the story of all of this in terms of, how did it all get started? And then how you guys joined forces and then all the way to getting it to Showtime.

Matt:

If you guys could do that, I think that’d be a really cool story to hear in terms of people who are aspiring filmmakers to listen to this or others.

Jimmy:

You know, me and John, he started working on it in 2017. I started working on mine at the same time, but we didn’t know it. And then if somebody told him about what I was doing and I heard about what he was doing. And then we just met up.

John:

For sure. Jimmy put like a sizzle out for what he was doing on Facebook. And my buddy hits me to it. It was like, “Look at it.” What he said is, “Hey, is this your project?” And I looked at it, and I was like, “Hell no! This is not my project. Who is this dude?” But I watched it. And I was like, “Wow! This is really put together. And this guy has a vision. It’s very similar to mine.”

John:

And after I met him, it was like, “Wow! This guy is a guy from PG County. This guy is an athlete. This guy played basketball, and he’s a filmmaker and he’s been shooting. And it’s like, there’s two ways that this could go. One, it could be confrontational, could stall projects. Things can get in the way of the creativity or everything. Or, the other way is that we could just join forces and make the best projects we could.

John:

And it seemed pretty natural and pretty … It was an easy decision for me, especially after seeing his work and meeting with him and then realizing how passionate we both were.

Andrew:

Hell, yeah. So when you guys got together, you both find out you’re making very similar documentaries and you go, “We’re stronger together than we are doing this individually. So let’s team up. We both have a vision for how this thing wants to be.” And you start working together. When does Thirty Five Ventures and Kevin Durant get involved? When does Showtime get involved?

John:

Jimmy and Quinn were working on stuff. And I was working on some of them with Kevin Durant. So we both had NBA guys that are prominent. I sent Rich Kleiman, Kevin’s agent, a sizzle reel of some of the stuff that I was working on. I sent him that. Sent him a one pager and Rich called me back and was like, “Hey! We’d be interested in this.”

John:

And then we kept on building it out. And through, I think, maybe Quinn, Rich had heard about Jimmy too. And so it was a pretty easy decision for everybody to just be like, “Hey! Let’s just all team up on this and kill it.”

Matt:

What was it like working with these great basketball players? These are arguably some of the best basketball players in the country, in the world. And then you got Thirty Five Ventures getting involved. And then all of a sudden Rich Kleinman’s involved. What was that like for you?

Jimmy:

You know, I think me and John pretty much the sentiments are the same. It was great for us, because it was more supportive, because it was a community project. Like, “Hey! Look, what do we have to do to make this great? What do we need to do to come together?” And at the end of the day, it was a level of friendship because, Victor Oladipo, Quinn Cook, Kevin Durant all grew up in our neighborhoods. And we known each other since we were little kids. You know what I mean? We went to basketball camps and stuff like that.

Jimmy:

So, we get to this point, it’s just more like, “Yo! It’s great that people from our community is making a film.” And, of course, it was a lot of pressure too, because we were first-time directors. It was days that we had to go back to the drawing board a lot. And, at the end of the day, it just made us better filmmakers. And, and that’s what I’m excited about. I’m sure John is too.

Andrew:

And Jimmy, how, what’s the difference there between trying to direct a feature narrative piece and trying to direct a documentary like this? What have you learned along the way? What are some key differences that you found?

Jimmy:

Oh, man! I’ve learned a lot by doing both types of projects and just doing … I started doing a lot of small documentaries. I’ve probably done over 100 of small, little documentaries. And I’ve also told a lot of stage plays. And what I realized is whether it’s a documentary, whether it’s a stage play, whether it’s a narrative film, it’s all the same when it comes down to it. It’s all telling a good story that’s captivating and it has to be engaging. Of course, you have to understand the arms and the legs of dialogue and narrative storytelling. And how the inflections of the stage play cause reactions from the crowd. But, overall, at the heart it’s the same thing. And that’s why I think I’ve been able to jump from different genres and to create projects.

Andrew:

One thing I know in working on the film and this was both really daunting, but also really exciting for Matt and I, when we first got involved in the edit, was that you guys … I think you had over 100 interviews, right? In total?

John:

Yeah.

Jimmy:

Yep.

Andrew:

Was that a master plan? Like, “All right. We just know we’re going to get a lot of stories and then carve this thing down to the stuff that’s most relevant and stuff that’s the best?” Or was it, you were just talking to so many people in this tightly woven fabric of a community that you’re in, and you just went, “Oh, let’s keep this train rolling. Let’s keep talking to people.”

John:

Right. I think there’s a couple of factors there, but since the story is so important to not just us, but to the community … Telling the story about Prince George’s County, we needed to make sure we understood the story from the people that know it best, which are the people from the community.

John:

And there are so many prominent basketball players. There are so many prominent figureheads within the community, that we needed to talk to them all. So it was an interesting … I think it’s unique in a documentary form that … The story was revealing itself to us through interviews. So in a sense, part of our production method could even be lumped in with pre- production and development.

Matt:

And a followup on that. What is the thing that got left on the cutting room floor? Or, what’s something that you wish that could have made it into that final product?

John:

We got really excited about the community aspect of it, the history, the community, what really happened here that doesn’t even have to do with basketball. And a lot of that stuff … and, as it should … a lot of that stuff isn’t being included in the Showtime sports documentary. You know what I mean? At the end of the day, that’s what it is. It’s a Showtime sports documentary. So a lot of the stuff that we uncovered, and a lot of the people that we talked to in the community that aren’t centric to basketball, didn’t get included.

Tod Plotkin:

How would you guys describe PG County to someone who’s never been there or has never even really been on the East coast before? And not even necessarily in the lens of a basketball community, just PG County as a whole. How would you describe it?

Jimmy:

Well, you might laugh when I say this, but me personally, I’ll say it’s like a Wakanda. It’s affluent African Americans who … It’s just a place that I feel like it hasn’t been shown its just due. And it’s a community that … we know the American history … that has really thrived when it has come to African-American affluence. And I think it’s just a very unique place with a whole lot of unique stories. You’ve got great people from here, like Sugar Ray Leonard, one of the best boxers of all the time. And, it’s just a long list of great people that are from here. And, when people look at how Harlem was during the Harlem Renaissance, I think it’s a comparison to that. And it’s a unique county and I think everybody should come visit.

John:

I know that Jimmy and I talked about this. When we would go out of town and whenever we would play pickup basketball, we would find ourselves being one of the best players in the gym, if not the best player in the gym. But when we’re back here at home, that’s rarely the case. There are guys that are pros in Europe or college guys everywhere.

John:

So, that’s one of the things that got this idea cranking out. And also, for the longest time when guys would leave and go wherever, they would play ball and they’d say, “Where are you from?” They’d say “Washington, DC.” I’d be like, “No, you’re not. I mean, I get it, but, bro you grew up in Upper Marlboro and you’re from PG County.”

John:

So there were a lot of these things just percolating that gave us these ideas. You know, affluence, not getting the highlight shown on it and then basketball. There’s just all kinds of things that built this up into a project for us.

Tod:

So you kind of brought it to basketball. Obviously, the doc is about the basketball and this incredible community and so much success from so many different players. Biggest question maybe of the entire podcast, why? What does this all stem from? Where is all the success coming from for PG County when it comes to basketball?

John:

There’s a bunch of reasons. I’ll go through a couple. One is that we have the best parks and rec system in the world or in the country. We’re the only six-time gold medal winner for parks and recreation. There’s gyms and there’s courts everywhere. That’s part of it.

John:

Also basketball from an African-American perspective started in DC. So as people migrated from DC into Prince George’s County, they’d suck this history of the game with them. The affluence has a big part of it, too. There’s a lot of resources that the families in the communities can put into the game and start travel teams and make sure that people have the right gear on. And all of this culminates into just this competitive place, where basketball is just part of its blood.

Tod:

I have more of a question about it, as a followup. And I guess within my question is my guess. But, tell me if I’m wrong. Tell me if you agree. It seems to me one of the biggest factors is it is a magnet. So if you’re really good and you want to go test yourself against the best you go there and you join one of the high schools there. You join one of the AAU clubs there. And then you know for sure these folks that are on my team, these are top-level D1 players with potential to potentially go pro either in Europe or the NBA, similar to another sport like … If you happened to be really good at hockey and you were living in Atlanta, maybe you would move to Massachusetts. Or, if you were really good at tennis and you were based in Cleveland, Ohio, maybe you move to Florida and go to one of the tennis academies there.

Tod:

I’m just curious, is that a part of it? And if so, is that a big part of it? Or just a small part of it?

Jimmy:

Yeah, man. I think that it is a magnet and the biggest thing is the competition just rises so high, so that if you’re winning here … We are able to win here. We’re able to be one of the best here. You know, I tell this story a lot. I used to go down to Florida and stay with my sister over the summer. And I used to play basketball down there. And I used to dominate. I used to just score at will, but at back at home, I didn’t get in the game on my team. And I think it’s because the competition in this area is so different in all those things, just combined together.

Jimmy:

It’s like basketball was … it’s a stereotype, but it was a way out, a way to college for a lot of people. And, it was just during those times, it was just hard. People had to figure out, “How am I going to become something?” And it was basketball for a lot of young black boys. And it’s just all those things combined together. But I totally agree with that.

Andrew:

And one other component I just thought about too, that I don’t know if we brought up is the giving back. A lot of these guys who ended up making it … guys and girls … they come back to the community. And whether they’re teaching clinics or in Kevin Durant’s case, opening up an entire complex for kids to play at and having the summer camps and having … Because people are staying there and coming back there, even after their success, the younger kids get to grow up and have that sense of people that they’re seeing on a daily basis are quote, unquote, making it. They’re making a living out of basketball.

Andrew:

And I think when you’re in an environment where you see a bunch of success in anything, I think that that’s going to help you visualize how you can get there. And also helps, possibly, give you the resources to get there too.

Jimmy:

Agreed. 10,000%.

Tod:

So just pivoting this a bit, I’m really curious to hear what are you hoping the audience takes away? So someone watches this, they don’t know you, they don’t know PG County. They have no affiliation whatsoever and they come across it. They watch it. They weren’t intending to watch a basketball doc. What do you hope they take away after they’re done watching the film?

John:

That sports can be used to help empower communities. That sports just aren’t a pastime, but they can be something that can lift people up and bring people together. I also think that through our film, you get a little eyeglass into the history of basketball too. Naturally, because E. B. Henderson, who’s a guy that you’ll see in the movie learned from James Naismith. You’re learning a little bit about where the game came from.

Jimmy:

You know, people can see a very affluent community. And they can also see a community that struggles. But, they can see individuals that had these dreams and they work for them, every single day of their life. And you could accomplish that. And that’s what I want people to really realize and I think our film can do that.

Andrew:

Awesome.

Tod:

Cool.

Tod:

We haven’t talked a ton about you individually as directors and what this project means to your career and your career arc. I’m just curious, what are you hoping from this experience? How are you hoping this affects your career short term, long term, as directors?

Jimmy:

Well, I think I’m thankful and I’m grateful that I’m able to have … A project on television first and foremost is just, I think more than anything, it is a great opportunity. And it also is a great resume builder. Because last time I had a project on TV1. And on this month of May, I’m having a project on Showtime and I’m just happy to be able to get into my career now. So, as I’m going into my thirties … I’m 29. Next year, I’ll be 30. I’ll be able to have some credits, where look, I know I can accomplish a film. I know it’s possible. I’ve seen it through.

Jimmy:

And I also think it just gives you a little more credibility when you are in those discussions with those investors. It’s much easier now to talk to people with money about films, because a lot of people like to invest in film. So it’s just … I can have those conversations. And I’m excited that I’m moving in that direction, but you still want to get better, just keep getting better.

John:

Yeah. This project has been a giant learning experience for me. It’s made me realize that it’s something that I should just continue to do. It’s also just taught me so much about the kind of director that I want be.

John:

But, this has made me realize that I can say it an idea and see it through to the end. and then I’m going to continue to do it and I’m going to get better at it. And hopefully going to continue to see things through to the end.

Tod:

Cool. You guys mentioned, you didn’t know each other going into this process. Now you have worked together on a feature-length doc. Do you see yourselves working together again in some capacity, whether it be co-directing or just working on each other’s films in some way?

John:

Yeah. I see us for sure. For the right project, I can see us co-directing again, for sure. Specifically around sports. I would love to work with Jimmy again.

John:

Jimmy, will you work with me in the future? If the right situation shakes out?

Jimmy:

I would never work with John Beckham again in my life.

Andrew:

You heard it here, folks.

John:

Well, at least we cleared something up today. I can reshape my future. Okay. That’s good. It’s good that we’re accomplishing things.

Jimmy:

No, I think that it’s without a doubt. What happened with me and John was, we met and just got really close. And he’s like a brother to me now. So, whether we directing or not, he’s always somebody that has a spot.

Jimmy:

So, whether I’m producing and whether he producing, whether he write, whether he directed or whatever, it’s going to be a process that we’ll definitely work together on. So I’m excited for what we got coming up. We’ve already touched on a few things we are going to throw in the boiling pot. So I’m excited for that to happen.

Tod:

When you look ahead at the next projects you’re going to go into, do you think you will primarily focus in on sports content? Or do you think you’ll really get far away from it? I guess, just if it was up to you, where would you end up in some of your future projects?

John:

Wherever the story takes. So, I know you need a story and I know you need access. Those are two things that you need for sure. And luckily with this one, we had it. We had a story and we had the access. So if there’s a sports story that we can come up with that’s unique. And then whatever that is about provides us access to get what we need to show it, then sure. But those two things aren’t super easy to come by. So wherever you can get the story and you can get the access, I think is what’s going to lead to the next projects.

Tod:

Yeah. The access you guys had was tremendous and definitely translated into being able to really tell the whole story.

Tod:

Just going back to sports versus non-sports. Sports docs have a feel to them. There is some story tropes that are consistent from one to the next. How much were are you looking at sports documentaries or basketball documentaries before going into it? And how much consciousness did you put into trying to match up to that? Or to do something a little bit different from that?

Jimmy:

All I did was watch sports docs. I think I’ve probably seen every basketball documentary that is out there or that has been anywhere, really. Even football docs, boxing docs. I think I’ve seen every … That’s one of my favorite things to do. And I wouldn’t say we were trying to be like any other docs, because I really haven’t seen a doc like ours in a sense, about basketball. I’ve seen a few things that are a little similar, but not really like ours.

Jimmy:

So, it was a different type of story. It was a community story, but I just wanted our film to have an identity and to have something that people can remember. And like I said, it’s not a whole series. It is just our film, but it’s … I wanted it to have an identity. I want people to talk about it. And that’s what I’m mostly interested in.

John:

Yeah. I agree. I think it’s an ambitious film. There’s not a lot that we can point to, to be our North star. A lot of sports … And I love sports documentaries too. I love them. But, typically, what you’re going to have is a subject that you’re following around. Or, maybe a team where somebody is something in the Olympics. But there’s a little bit of ambiguity to what we were trying to do that made it challenging to make, but hopefully it’s going to make it unique.

Tod:

Yeah. And going back to something you said earlier. You were talking about how you each had your own strengths. You brought something different to the table. What were those? Where John, do you excel? Jimmy? Where do you excel? And how does that complement each other?

John:

So I will show up to the meeting on time. Jimmy … I think that Jimmy’s experience with sports documentaries and sports, and being really on the ground floor was experience that we really needed.

John:

I played basketball in high school and, but that was back in the, in the late ’90s. I’m dating myself a little bit, but our movie is really focused on Jimmy’s generation. And he’s a really good storyteller and he’s a really … He’s so much of a go-getter. He’ll go out and get things done really quickly. And he’s a figurehead in the community as well. These are all things that he’s much stronger in than I am.

John:

And on the other side of it, Jimmy’s very organized, but it’s … I get very OCD with getting things organized, getting the paperwork altogether, making sure that things line up and make logical sense. And I think we counterbalanced ourselves with that.

Tod:

Jimmy, do you agree?

Jimmy:

1,000%. John is really talented. John just is a logical person, like “This doesn’t make sense in a movie.” “This doesn’t make sense in the story.” And he knows how to think through those things. And he knows … even he has a good eye. He has a way to seeing things with the camera. And then overall he’s a phenomenal producer. Man, when I say producing, he just kills at everything. There’s nothing that I have to worry about, or he has to worry about, because he’s on everything. Like, “Now. We got this. This is this. Da, da, da, da, da.” And so he can do everything. He can write, he can direct and he can produce. So, it just made my job easy too, just working with him.

John:

And Jimmy also. So Jimmy, won’t let really anybody know. But, he could also cut a little bit. So one of the first times I met him … not the first time I met him … but after we had our initial meeting and we talked on the phone all the time, I would go to his house pretty often. And one day he was like, “Yo, I cut this last night.” And he showed me like a 90-second sizzle, cut to music, cut to rhythm. It was just banging of all stuff that he shot. And I was like, “Who the fuck is this kid?” And there’s a lot of talents that he has as well, that he won’t let you know about.

Tod:

Cool. Yeah. I think the first time we had a conversation, I think we got to see that 90-second sizzle and I agree. I think it really flowed well. Footage was amazing. So yeah, I think there’s a lot of talent there on the edit side.

Tod:

Obviously, the whole, world’s about to see it in a couple of weeks. Are you nervous at all about any sort of scrutiny? Any other basketball communities? Any sort of negativity that might be coming your way? Or is that not an issue at all?

Jimmy:

No, I think it’s just natural. Sometimes you care about what people think about your work. I’m an artist. I’m very sensitive about the stuff that I put out. And, I ain’t going to lie. I’m working on this, but when my movie comes out, or I have a play come out, I wonder what people think. I do look at the reviews. I do look at the Twitters. I do look at all that stuff. So I’m really nervous about what people are going to say. I know there’s going to be negative comments. You can’t really get away from that. But, overall, I’m just happy that I’m able to do what I love to do. And that’s what I got to be grateful for.

Andrew:

Do you think that people in New York are going to see this and have a lot of trash to talk?

Jimmy:

Yeah. They might have a lot of trash to talk, but what I like to say is, “Men lie. Women lie. Numbers don’t lie. Where the numbers at New York? Where the numbers at?”

Jimmy:

Back in the day in the ’90s and all that, they were producing them, but lately they haven’t. So I know they got a new kid coming up, though. And that could change, but we know that 2000 to now it was, it was our time. It was us. We was the ones producing it. LA was too, but there’s so many people in LA. You know what I mean? So-

Tod:

What do you think about the future of PG County basketball? You think you’re going to hold the title for a while? Or you think some other region might take it from you?

John:

When you watch it, it becomes apparent that there’s much more to it than us bragging about basketball. We’re telling a story about how a community used the sports to overcome all kinds of systemic issues, how a community used the sport to come together. And through that you’ll see stories of some pretty amazing people, some tragic events.

John:

The movie isn’t just this like highlight reel. In fact, it’s far from it. So I don’t think that it matters that. I think from it, you can say, “Yeah, Prince George’s County is one of the best hotbeds for basketball in the world.” And I think probably Jimmy and I would say, “We’re Number One. Look at the numbers, come fight us if you want.” But, the movie has moved past that, has left, actually, past that. And it’s no longer anything about braggadocious basketball talk. It’s more about documentary filmmaking about this community.

Tod:

Definitely. Obviously, Last Dance comes out. Unbelievable attention given to it. Just is dominating the sports world during the current condition.

Tod:

When you saw that you saw the incredible amount of media that it got and the attention that it got. Did you feel like that was positive? Or, what was your reaction to seeing another doc come out about basketball … and just how much reach and how much attention it was getting?

Jimmy:

Well, it’s Michael Jordan, so it’s that’s a whole different beast right there. So … But it was good to see how excited people got about that. And I do think that it’s just going to bring the attention to our project for people to see it.

Jimmy:

But it was just great to see just the love that people have for the game. And I feel like, Michael Jordan is one of the greatest players of all time. And I feel like we got one of the greatest players of all time from our community. His name’s Kevin Durant. And so like, he was just excited, excited to see that.

John:

Yeah. Just like everybody else, I’m sitting my ass on the couch if I’m not editing or writing. So I was excited. I’m super excited. That’s like a sweet spot of mine. The Bulls were right in that sweet spot area where I was living in the gym. So I know a lot of this stuff coming out, but to see how they put it together, specifically, while we’re in post-production for this documentary that we’re working on … I’m looking at things a lot different right now.

John:

And it’s super fun to see what they did here. “Oh, look what they did there! Check that graphic out.” As well as just pass some time by watching one of the best sports teams ever.

Matt:

So I have one last question as we’re closing up here. Going off of this great energy you two have, I want to know about the competitive nature between the two of you, in terms of basketball. So one-V-one on the black top. Who takes the game?

John:

That’s unfair. No. I’d beat Jimmy, but Jimmy would beat me worse in football. So Jimmy played college football. So he’s a football player. Just like everybody around here, he played basketball too. But all’s I did was hoop. I was not built for football. So as far as basketball goes, I’d beat Jimmy one on one. But in football, he would beat me worse than I would beat him at basketball.

Matt:

Jimmy, what do you think about that?

Jimmy:

I’m sorry, J. B, but I’m going to have to say so. I will beat you in football and basketball, okay?

John:

Get the fuck out of here, Jimmy. He’s lying to you all. He’s lying. You cannot lie on a podcast. There’s the rules to this.

Jimmy:

J.B. is-

John:

You cannot lie on a podcast, Jimmy. There’s rules to this, bro.

Jimmy:

J.B is good-

John:

I’d beat you 16 to three, bro!

Jimmy:

Aargh! Oh, man. Now we got to play. Now, I will say, at this point, now maybe J. B. In his prime. J. B. is just coming off surgery, so he ain’t hot right now. It’s going to take him a while to get back.

John:

Take me back 10 months, Jimmy. Come on, man! Stop talking shit on the podcast. Take me back before the injury.

Jimmy:

Okay. Before the injury you were… You were … I don’t know. It would have been a good game.

John:

It would have been a good game. Okay, podcast talk.

Jimmy:

Out of 10 games, J. B., it probably be 6-4. I would have won six. He would have won four.

John:

Shit!

Andrew:

The PG County in you guys is coming out right now.

Jimmy:

Okay.

John:

Whatever. We’re about to hang up and I’m about to go break my leg again trying to play again. I got one mission from now on. There’s one mission. I’m scrapping the film. I’m scrapping everything else.

Matt:

Must beat Jimmy.

John:

He’s full of shit. I’d beat Jimmy right now.

Jimmy:

I love him. That’s my boy.

Matt:

Okay guys.

Jimmy:

I just want to say shout out to Green Buzz, man! Green Buzz is dope! They hot! If you want a dope project, make sure you check out Green Buzz. Thank you guys for having us. It’s been a great time. It was great working with you guys. And I hope everybody enjoys the film on the 15th.

Andrew:

I appreciate it. It’s a pleasure to work on. It was a lot of fun, collaborating with you guys. And we’re definitely looking forward to the next thing we can all work on together.

Jimmy:

My man! Thank you so much.

Andrew:

Bye guys. Peace!


How NASCAR is Using eSports to Keep Sports Alive in Quarantine

Live sports events are a thing of the past. When the coronavirus shutdown hit the NBA in early March, the NHL, NFL, MLB, U.S. Open, and even the Summer Olympics eventually followed suit. Any live sports event was either cancelled or postponed for the distant and uncertain future. Sports fans everywhere were reeling – nearly every form of sports entertainment had suddenly disappeared. But, the solution has been there all along: eSports live streaming. And, the sports best suited for this virtual transition might not be the ones you’d expect.

NASCAR Goes Virtual

Before fans had much time to wonder whether the rest of the NASCAR season was cancelled, the auto racing giant swooped in with a solution. Officially titled the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series, the virtual version of this high-adrenaline sport puts real NASCAR drivers behind the wheel of racing simulators to compete on a virtual track.

Denny Hamlin uses virtual iRacing to compete in a NASCAR race from his home
Image courtesy of @dennyhamlin.

Infamous drivers like Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kyle Busch, and Denny Hamlin are finding themselves behind the wheel of racing simulators from the comfort of their own living rooms. Though a jarring and often funny adjustment, NASCAR’s shift to remote programming has been keeping audiences engaged and excited about the future of sports entertainment.


Auto racing’s virtual transition was almost too easy. Despite a few minor hiccups that come with this new work from home territory – namely, Denny Hamlin’s 7-year-old daughter accidentally ending her dad’s race on the virtual Talladega Track – iRacing has  fostered the same energy of their typical races.

Audience Engagement with Remote Programming

With NASCAR fans showing some of the highest levels of brand loyalty and sponsorship support, advertisers are in luck. Advertisers can still buy into sports racing, and there’s an even bigger incentive to do so. NASCAR’s first eSports race was available for online streaming on March 22nd, and it drew the attention of a huge audience of content-hungry sports fans. 

Not only were long-time NASCAR fans tuning in to the first ever iRacing Pro Invitational Series race, but 225,000 new viewers also joined in on the event. This begs the question: were sports fans ready for the shift toward eSports streaming all along?


Regardless, new NASCAR iRacing fans have a lot to look forward to. Remote programming has extended virtual racing through at least mid-May, giving audiences some sense of normalcy in the content they engage with during quarantine.

NASCAR virtual iRacing schedule for 2020
Image courtesy of NASCAR.

Plus, it doesn’t stop there. Each installment in the iRacing series is uploaded to the official site and the NASCAR YouTube channel. Race stats, real-time commentary, and post-race shows give NASCAR’s remote programming nearly the same energy as pre-COVID races.

New Leadership in Virtual Sports

When the coronavirus shutdown first hit the sports industry, NASCAR’s SVP and Chief Digital Officer, Tim Clark, told NBC Sports, “I think we’re in a unique position in that we’ve got not only sim racers like you see in the (eNascar) Coca-Cola (iRacing) Series but also professional drivers that are able to do this at a high level.”

Although sports executives could have never anticipated the coronavirus and its major impact on every sports industry, Tim Clark knows the adaptability of NASCAR racing to a virtual format puts them ahead. Of course, life-long racing fans aren’t ready to settle for a permanent shift to eSports – and NASCAR’s digital team knows this. Tim Clark told NBC, “we want to strike the balance between having some opportunities to do more in this space but also being cognizant enough to not oversaturate.”

What Can We Learn From NASCAR?

As Chief of Digital, Tim Clark isn’t precious about NASCAR’s insight in virtual sports programming. Auto racing’s leadership in the digital arena has given them the opportunity to lead the way for the “new normal” of sports broadcasting and entertainment. 


Along with Entercom’s BJ Barretta, Tim Clark expanded his leadership to Green Buzz Agency’s webinar series. On Thursday, April 30th, Tim and BJ shared their top-line strategies on how to create and program content with agility, creativity, and limited resources. With NASCAR’s virtual racing series setting a new record as the highest-rated televised eSports event ever, this high-level insight is helping to keep producers ahead of the curve. The recorded webinar, along with Green Buzz Agency’s entire webinar series, can be found on Vimeo.

NASCAR’s eSports Success & Other Lessons on Remote Programming | Green Buzz Agency

The Future of Sports Programming

It’s impossible to ignore that the coronavirus lockdown has released the gates for the eSports boom. Even the 2020 NFL Draft was held online, making history in the program’s eighty-four year history. 

While there’s no clear reopen date in sight for any of the major sports leagues, it is clear that remote sports programming has more potential than it has gotten credit for in the past. Even when sports leagues do get back on track, marketers will need to be tuned into the inevitable change in their audience mentality after months of virtual sports entertainment.


Emily Herman, Marketing and Communications.