New Flip UltraHD Finally Promises An External Microphone Input, Available in Early 2011 Through New FlipPort

A new line of Flip Video cameras was announced today by Cisco, including more affordable versions of the UltraHD ($149.00-199.00) and MinoHD $179.00-229.00) pocket camcorders, with a number a new enhancements that will finally bring the long awaited ability to connect an external microphone to the wildly popular pocket video camera. This will be possible in only the new UltraHD 8GB model, through a new proprietary port called a "FlipPort" located on the bottom of the device, and will connect peripherals that are part of the new "Designed for Flip" accessory program. The microphone is designed by Blue Microphones and called Mikey for FLIP, and won't be available until early next year, and likely to debut at CES.

One the big drawbacks of the Flip has been the inability to capture good quality sound,  and many were disappointed with the release earlier in the year of the SlideHD, which didn't include an external microphone input jack. However, Blue's peripheral contains a premium condenser stereo microphone capsule with automatic sensitivity switching for recording any volume level clearly: whispers, interviews, or rock concerts. It also sports a mic-in port which will allow for easy plug-in of additional microphones or microphone level audio sources which is similar to the Beachtek camcorder adapters that allow for plugging in standard XLR cables and connectors, and mounts in between the camera and tripod. The Mikey for FLIP is self-powered and runs on AAA batteries and will list starting at $69.00.

Videos are still recorded as H.264 MP4 files in 16:9 widescreen, HD 720p (1280 x 720), now at 60 frames per seconds (fps) progressive scan. Other new Flip UltraHD features include image stabilization, longer record time and higher bit rate recording (up to 8.8 Mbps) and a number of other optional peripherals, including a include a waterproof case, a Bower wide angle lens, an iGo Portable Pico Projector and a variety of power charging options: Flip Video Ultra™ Battery Pack, iGo Charge Anywhere, Flip Video Power Adapter. All the Flip Video products are available now at TheFlip.com, Amazon.com, and Best Buy and will be sold at Wal-Mart, Target, and Staples in the near future.

According to Jonathan Kaplan, senior vice president and general manager of Cisco Consumer Products:

"This is without question the best line of Flip Video cameras we've ever created. The new line combines Flip's signature simplicity and affordability with truly breakthrough video quality, unlimited personalization options, and an array of creative new accessories – all of which add up to more fun, and an even better video experience for our consumers."

For more details, read PC Magazine's full review here: Cisco Flip UltraHD 8GB 2 Hours (2010) Review & Rating | PCMag.com and check out the full line of Flip Video cameras and specs here.

From birthday parties, sporting events, conferences, social media mashups to corporate boardrooms, the Flip video camera spawned a new generation of UGC producers. But the important thing to keep in mind is that the Flip, the Kodak Zi8, the Sony Bloggie, the iPhone 4,  iPod Touch any of these $200.00 or less video cameras, are just that – $200.00 or less video cameras. You won't get the same quality as you would with professional video and audio equipment. But for most applications the Flip video quality is good enough.

If you're wondering how the new Flip Ultra measures up to the iPod Touch, watch this video for a side-by-side comparison: Flip UltraHD vs. iPod Touch (4th gen).

Jeffrey Hayzlett, Kodak CMO at Streaming Media East 2010, "How Video and Social Media Helped Kodak Get Its Mojo Back"

I caught up Jeffrey Hayzlett, two weeks before his departure as Eastman Kodak Company's energetic and boisterous, celebrity CMO (Chief Marketing Officer), at Streaming Media East 2010, where gave an opening keynote address. He discussed Kodak's innovation in video with it's popular pocket cameras and why companies should engage in social media and video. In his role at Kodak, he helped Eastman Kodak Company get its mojo back by using streaming media, video technology and emotional technology to connect with its customers. Hayzlett had joined Kodak in 2006 and has ran all their marketing efforts since 2009. He launched a social media team with the roles of Chief Listener and Chief Blogger, and also landed the company a starring role on NBC's Celebrity Apprentice.

Hayzlett says that in today's media landscape, it's vitally important to be where your customers are and that's why Kodak has immersed itself in social media - to engage in a two-way conversation with customers. Kodak's social media activity includes a Facebook page, four blogs, free podcasts on iTunes, videos on YouTube ad Kodak.com and very active participation on Twitter. The company turned to the wisdom of the crowd for a Twitter contest to help name their latest pocket video camera, the new PlaySport. Kodak has produced two guides with Social Media Tips and Mobile Marketing Tips to share their experiences of how social media helped grow their business, available for free at kodak.com/go/followus.



Hayzlett kicked off Streaming Media East a few weeks ago, with a spirited presentation on how social media has redefined Kodak's tactics of product development and customer engagement, and built communities around their brand. It's no longer just eyeballs and ears, but now it's the hearts and minds.

Hayzlett says:

"These conversation go on with you or without you. So you want to engage, educate, excite people and they become evangelists, or Kodak ambassadors is what we call them. That's what we call the "4 E's" So, it's very important for businesses or individuals, but especially for businesses to get out there and engage with their communities."

How do companies get started in social media?

In their Social Media Tips guide, Kodak advises that before you jump in think about some basic questions:

• Why do I want to participate in social media?
• How can social media improve my business?
• How will social media be incorporated into my overall customer experience?

A checklist of social network profiles should include Facebook, Twitter, YouTube. Download TweetDeck and Seesmic to monitor your social media streams, listen and add value to the conversations that are going on. Kodak believes that on some some level all companies are publishers. "Content Creation, Distribution, Engagement, and Measures should be key areas of focus."

Why Video?

According to Hayzlett:

"If I picture is worth a thousand words, then video is worth ten thousand words... People are very visual in terms of their activity, so they want to see things, and when they can see with their own eyes as they say, they believe it more. So we think video is a big important part of that."

Coincidentally, this interview was recorded with a Kodak Zi8 pocket video camera that has a built-in microphone jack, which the idea as Hayzlett points out, also came from Twitter:

"For the older Zi6, which lacked a microphone jack, we saw a Tweet that said we should add it.We did add it and the product is outselling the competition 10:1, and the competitor's newer product is lacking the microphone jack."

Hayzlett says that capturing that rare "Kodak Moment" and "Keep it Forever" is as simple push of the button. It doesn't have to be a Hollywood production either, as he emphasizes, you can make mistakes and start over. Nobody cares, just get the content out there, that's the most important thing. Hayzlett says that you'll see more and more technology shoved into the Kodak pocket cameras.

Two days after my interview with him at Streaming Media East, he announced his resignation as Kodak's CMO, on May 14th 2010 , to pursue personal projects. His new book, "Mirror Test: Is Your Business Really Breathing," is climbing the best seller list and is demanding more and more of his time along with a packed speaking event schedule. He's working on a second book with "Mirror Test" co-author Tim Eber, and headed next to New York City, to start his next chapter.

He had this to say about leaving Kodak:

"Everybody knows I've been on borrowed time. The average tenure of a CMO is 18 months. It's because of my love of Kodak I've stayed as long as I have. We have our mojo back. We've certainly raised the profile of the company."

Yesterday was his last day at Kodak, and he wrote this on Twitter:
Ever had one of those days when you are sad but happy at the same time? Got one today. :)about 17 hours ago via txt@eeUS rt yes... leaving Kodak. My last day. Time to go to the big city and start a new chapter. :)about 16 hours ago via web in reply to eeUS

Look for him sometime soon on television, or join his army of Twitter followers at @JeffreyHayzlett or at http://hayzlett.com/

Congratulations Jeffrey Hayzlett!

Related:

• "The Mirror Test" | hayzlett
• Q&A: Kodak CMO Jeffrey Hayzlett
• How Kodak's Jeff Hayzlett Put the Chief in Chief Marketing Officer | Fast Company
• 2nd UPDATE: Kodak Marketing Chief Hayzlett Resigns - WSJ.com
• Jeffrey Hayzlett, Kodak marketing chief, is resigning | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle
• Kodak CMO Resigns, Known for Digital Savvy - ClickZ
• Kodak CMO Jeffrey W. Hayzlett Resigns to Pursue Personal Projects - MarketWatch

Update 6/4/2010: See Jeffrey Hayzlett’s last on-camera interview before announcing his departure from Kodak at Streaming Media East - Marketers Are Like Farmers - ScribeMedia.org

How to Produce Flip Videos that Inform, Engage and Entertain Your Employees - Update from Ragan Communications Webinar, May 14, 2010

Last week, I was a featured speaker on a webinar hosted by Ragan Communications on, "How to produce Flip videos that inform, engage and entertain your employees." I wore my day job hat for this event, as a multimedia professional for Kaiser Permanente, and was joined by my colleague Elizabeth Schainbaum, a staff writer in our Corporate Communications department. We discussed how we're using Flip and Kodak pocket video cameras to capture important employee news to post on our company's Intranet portal. Liz shared her experience as a writer turned video producer, who really hadn't used a Flip camera before but was charged to produce a short video, rather than write a story about how one of our medical team's from South Sacramento were conducting a trauma response training at our Sidney Garfield Health Care Innovation Center. The medical team ran a series of simulations on how to respond to gun shot wound victims and other severe injuries to prepare for the opening of Kaiser Permanente’s first Level II trauma center. Liz's manager thought it would be a great opportunity to use video to tell the story.

In preparation for the video shoot, Liz asked me for a few pointers on how to capture the story using a Flip camera. Her boss handed her a Flip without any instructions and only about a day or so to prepare. I had previously led a Flip 101 training session for some of her colleagues in Media Relations and Corporate Communications, who also were given Flip cameras as part of KP's growing use of social media within internal and external communications.

Liz and I had a brief hallway conversation, and I shared a few important tips that I thought would help her produce a better end product - such as,  use a tripod or hold the camera steady, interview a few people, make sure they introduce themselves and keep their answers concise, also have them include your question in their answer for context, try to have an interesting background, stay close since the microphone is built in, shoot some B-roll so you can edit in some cut-aways, just to name a few.

After her video shoot, Liz worked with one of our Sr. Web Developers to both edit the video and post it to our Intranet website. The completed video got rave reviews and she went on to produce several videos which were even better the first as she learned more and got more comfortable with the medium.

It turned out to be a great case study for using video in corporate communications and a perfect fit for the Ragan webinar audience. The webinar itself was very well attended with over 200 paid attendees. You can buy the CD from Ragan for $99 here, but below you'll find our webinar slides for free.

How to produce Flip videos that inform, engage and entertain your employees

View more presentations from Online Video Publishing [dot] com.

The topics we covered included: 

Shooting tips:

• How to frame an interview to give your speaker enough head room
• When to use a tripod and why you should avoid zooming
• How to select the best background for your interview
• Tricks to make sure your video is always sharp and in focus

Lighting:

• What kind of lighting conditions you need for good picture quality
• How to avoid producing grainy video
• Ways to light your subject, without buying expensive equipment

Audio:

• How to avoid distracting background noise
• Why you need to stay close to your interview subject
• When to use an external microphone

Editing:

• Why shorter is always better
• Types of free software you can use to create your video vignettes—and optional equipment you can buy if you want to kick it up a notch
• A step-by-step process to edit your Flip video, including transferring the video, creating a timeline and uploading it to your intranet or YouTube

How to produce stellar employee videos:

• What types of stories are best told with a Flip camera
• How to produce videos that your audience will want to watch—over and over again
• Why clips produced on a Flip can be more engaging that polished, professional videos

We were also joined by CEO Mark Ragan during the Q&A, who shared some tips of his own on how you can use a Flip camera at events to record simple "man (or woman) on the street" interviews. At a recent conference in London, he shot an number interviews with attendees ad asked them all the same question, "What British communicators hate about jargon?". He was able to get a range of spontaneous and often humorous answers. He also recorded a brief introduction of himself to give it some context, by handing the camera to the last person he interviewed, then edited it all together in Windows Movie Maker on the plane ride home.

Some of they take-aways from the webinar to keep in mind are that you really have to consider have to consider your audience when you produce a video. Is your audience online or on mobile devices? Will the video play a big screen or little screen? Do you need a broadcast quality video production or will a $200 pocket video camera do the trick for you? Flip, Kodak or any other pocket video camera and cell phone cameras provide an immediacy of your subject matter. With the evolution of the UGC-generation we've accepted a lower quality threshold. Things that are little rough around the edges are seen as more authentic.

A Few Parting Tips

• When you're shooting your video don't forget to get a variety of shots as good B-roll.
• Anticipate any action, take charge and remove any obstructions that are in your way, rehearse your interviewees and do a couple takes. 
• Don't be afraid to ask them to start over if you need a shorter take or if they say too many "Umms". 
• If you're using a Flip, try to use a back up audio recorder that has an external microphone. There's a slide in the presentation with a few makes and model numbers you can try, or if you have more than one Flip, set one closer to your subject and splice the audio together when you're editing. 
• What's important though, is to have a compelling story that can be told in 90 seconds or less, good audio and lighting, and a steady camera. That will help not only hold your audiences attention, but also as the title of the webinar says, inform, engage and even entertain them.

Web Video Pick of the Week, "The Spark Series: Part 1, The New Dial Tone"

According to Trust Agents author Chris Brogan, “Social media… is the new dial tone,” a concept that is the subject and title of a new short documentary by Marc Ostrick, CEO and Co-founder of eGuiders and Michael Sean Wright, founder of nicefishfilms. The video, which documents their day at the Blog World Expo and the conversations with noted bloggers and reporters who describe the growing shift in media production and consumption through social media networks. This is the first in their Spark Series which explores the documentary style of filmmaking using consumer grade new media tools.

By shooting with Kodak Zi8 and Flip Ultra HD cameras they wanted to see how far they could push the limits of the technology by bringing a filmmaking sensibility to amateur event coverage video. They also used a few other accessories to increase the production value, like a Sennheiser ME 66 shotgun microphone and a Frezzi Micro-fill light, all of which all could fit into a bag. The soundtrack of the video was composed in Garageband.

The video discusses how the disrupters are becoming mainstream and as eGuider Brian Rothe says:

"The new dial tone is a dialog among media producers, technologists and bloggers who are looking to express their ideas in the stream of the real-time web."

Appearances in the new dial tone include:

Robert Scoble - Tech Blogger, @scobleizer
Don Lemon - CNN Anchor, @donlemoncnn
Hugh Hewitt - National Talk Radio Host, @hughhewit
Leo Laporte - Chief Twit, @leolaporte
Chris Brogan - Author, @chrisbrogan
Chris Morrow - CNN iReporter, @morrowchris
Ben Parr - Co-Editor, Mashable, @benparr

The next Spark Series will focus on Jeff Pulver's 140 Character Conference that will be taking place the next two days on October 27 and 28 in Los Angeles.

Follow the Filmmakers:

Marc Ostrick (OSTRICK) on Twitter

Michael Sean Wright (nicefishfilms) on Twitter