Now with Video (Tradecraft)

In the past, I would have never considered creating a video for anything other than something dire. You know, like a plea for cancer treatment money for my dog or a Kickstarter video. I am not at all comfortable in front of the camera, but my views have changed. This is mostly because my viewing habits have shifted towards YouTube for many of my hobbies. Anything technical, for example, is much easier to understand with a solid YouTube video.

One of my favorite video series is Oh Hey There! with Jeff. I'm sure Jeff and crew does a lot of work to set up and plan his videos, but the core of this series is a basic topic, demonstrated in a straightforward manner, without the usual endless futzing around you find on YouTube videos. Jeff has my undivided attention for the 2-4 minutes his videos usually play. So Jeff is my inspiration for making my own videos. If I had to plan them any more than what was in my head, If I had to buy equipment, if I had to script them out, I honestly wouldn't do them, which means I need to make these crude productions quick, useful and to the point.

I've done three so far, posted publicly to my Facebook page, but I just uploaded them to YouTube so you can watch them here. I think the best topics are areas where we've managed to do something clever, but where there's also room for improvement. I can talk about great store fixtures, because I'm also stuck with some crappy fixtures. I have a great setup for CCG play mats, but my set up for miniature mats is abysmal. My card dispensers look great on the wall, but they probably lose me sales and I don't recommend them. I could do this all day, as most of retail is a compromise. How you compromise sets your tone and your style.

Anyway, here they are! They're in order, and I know the first one is probably the weakest:

Choosing Slatwall Gondolas

How to Display Mats

Pros and Cons of Booster Displays