Your Life Productions

02/24/2022

A rabbi, a rocker, a baby and Beirut--all in the latest issue of Life Stories.

https://conta.cc/3LW0fs7

01/26/2022

It's taken me 35 years to write this newsletter, and I think it's worth checking out - if only for the private performance by an Oscar-winning actor and our ugly contest featuring free movie tickets.
https://conta.cc/3rQac19

12/08/2021

Be it a landmark wedding anniversary, milestone birthday or other special celebration, she'll LOVE being showered with praise, attention and lots of laughs. After 35 years in the business, we know how to make them memorable -- and to keep the cost as low as, well, a snake.

07/21/2021

Tribute videos r us. So glad parties are starting up again!

07/06/2021

Nobody with half a brain would post something negative about a client, but I can genuinely say that Toronto Mayor John Tory is a great guy with a great sense of humour (and great hair, too).

My relationship with him goes back more than a quarter century. In 1995, he asked us to do a tribute video for a Torys' law firm Client Appreciation event toasting and roasting his dad and his uncle-- John Tory Sr. and his twin brother, Jim Tory--for their 65th birthday.

We did a few campaign videos for John when he took a run at (and won) the leadership of the Ontario Conservative Party. Later, in 2011, we got back into comedy mode when Tory was honoured by the Jewish National Fund as their person of the year. In that mockumentary the civic leader lost an election for the Chief Rabbi of Canada...to a sock.

Add excitement, laughter and "wow factor" to YOUR all-important event with one of our tribute videos or corporate videos done with wit and humour. Contact me for your personalized quote by calling 416-452-6177 or emailing [email protected]

03/01/2021

SALUTE YOUR ORGANIZATION'S UNSUNG HEROES

I bet there's a special individual in your organization who has shone brightly and gone beyond the call of duty during the past very difficult year.

This hero deserves recognition: for delighting your customers; for inspiring their colleagues; for coming up with a great idea; or, perhaps, for bravely helping others as a front-line worker.

How do you properly salute them and give them their due?

With a stirring video tribute --something they'll always remember.

We'll expertly tell their story and shine a light on their good work. There'll be laughter and tears as your honouree and audience watch this surprise video salute. Show it during a zoom meeting, then post it on your website.

We'll keep everyone safe and save you money by doing the camera work virtually. And with 35 years' experience, you know the tribute will be entertaining and effective.

Let me show you how you can salute your unsung heroes. Call Bob at 416-452-6177 or email: [email protected].
https://lnkd.in/grh8USp

11/24/2020

SIMPLE TIPS FOR VIDEOTAPING WITH YOUR SMARTPHONE

It’s easy to mess things up if you are asked to provide that all-important video clip for a corporate or family video. Unless you own a D-SLR camera, most people will turn to their iPhone or iPad to get the job done.

Here are some tips to help ensure you deliver decent footage:

1/ If possible, have someone else videotape you--doing it yourself is trickier;

2/ Think about your comments beforehand but do NOT try to memorize your material--doing so usually results in a stiff delivery.

3/ Speaking of stiff deliveries, NEVER read from notes. Better to improvise a little than to deliver a totally impersonal, word-perfect comment;

4/ Don't shoot with a window or other light source behind you--it will under-expose your face;

5/ If your smartphone or pad offers an option: set record on the highest-possible quality (minimum 720 X 1280 HD);

6/ Let your device "record" for 2 seconds before you start speaking and after you finish speaking, so your remarks don't get cut off;

7/ Be as close to the microphone as possible when you record;

8/ Make sure the area in which you are recording is quiet and neat, with nothing inappropriate in the background;

9/ Best to keep the shot fairly tight--not too much background;

10/ Shooting it "horizontal" is better than shooting it "vertical";

11/ Recap the question before you answer. Example, say:
"What do I love most about Montreal? I love…”

12/ Try and do at least one "safety take".

13 / Make sure to play back your material after recording it, to make sure it is technically sound.

14/ Unless your footage is very brief, it’s best not to text or email your material – better to use a file-sharing service like DropBox.

11/10/2020

Susan can still get her video --and an unforgettable thrill--during COVID...

11/10/2020

https://www.yourlifeproductions.com/covid19-update

09/10/2020

SALUTE THAT LONG-SERVING 'UNSUNG HERO’

Think how great it would be to produce a wonderful surprise tribute video for that very-special, long-serving employee.

And think how great it would be to create such a meaningful movie for $3,000 or less.

We have produced hundreds of customized, retirement tribute videos – usually for outgoing CEOs, senior partners, board chairs and other execs.

But, in the space of 33 years, I can count on the fingers of two hands the number of retirement videos we have produced to salute loyal, long-serving workers.

But the ones that we HAVE done are memorable: for a quirky but very capable salesperson; a prickly, smart-as-a-whip admin assistant to several, successive CEOs (she knew where ALL the bodies were buried!); a building’s beloved senior concierge.

A surprise tribute usually means so much more to the loyal, long-serving guy or gal because they often have received less recognition and fewer perks than the organization’s leaders. Commissioning such a video sends a strong message that a company cares about its devoted employees.

Be it for a small, in-person gathering or a virtual one, salute your ‘unsung hero’ with an affordable, surprise tribute video – with all the laughs and tears.

07/29/2020

Visited the video vault and dusted off some golden-oldie RETIREMENT TRIBUTES. In under 2 minutes you can sample 5 styles ranging from semi-reverential to roasty: for KPMG, Enbridge, CUMIS, De Beers Diamonds and BBM:

https://lnkd.in/e839pf9
Retirement video clips

These clips from some classic retirement tributes - for KPMG, Enbridge, CUMIS insurance company, De Beers diamonds and the Bureau of Broadcast Measurement - showcase…

06/16/2020

The show must go on -- and we've adapted to help you add humour and excitement to large virtual gatherings and small live functions:

Large, in-person gatherings might be coming back. But, until they do, Your Life Productions will provide outstanding tributes and other creative videos for families and organizations for small live gatherings and for large virtual meetings.