Visual Concepts Inc.

As a Director of Photography/Producer who has been creating corporate communications for the past 22 years I’m noticing a trend in the market place that is somewhat disturbing.  It appears that medium and large agencies are trying to position themselves as experts regarding the uses and methods of incorporating video elements into websites.  Let me say that Visual Concepts started as a video production company when the delivery system in the corporate world was more often than not a VHS machine.  It was tough in the 80’s to produce marketing and training video that was “broadcast quality” and it had to be dubbed to the mushy world of 200 lines of resolution.  I know that DP’s all over where happy when the DVD finally eliminated the VHS!  So, we have gone form VHS, to DVD to the web.

The web today is what I call a “fluid” medium.  What that means is that it is ever changing and moving images be they Flash or video will continue to become a bigger part of the internet experience.  So, as agencies, who in the past have been so focused on print and TV advertising are now attempting to convince the market place that they are ready to be experts on integration of moving images into the web.  When you go with the agency route you’re bascially creating a “middle-man”  agencies usually have to go out of house to production companies to produce the video for web.  Often agencies are also used to working from “television ad” budgets.  You will be paying more.

I’m proud to say that Visual Concepts was born as a video business, because that was the electronic medium that was available to us in 1986.  We have looked at each and every technology break through (web, blu ray) as a opportunity to create on a different canvas, if you will.  We have been ahead of the curve with Flash, and video elements and the whole integration and design is to have visitors experience the most the electronic communications world can deliver.  Just saying that video on the web is powerful is not enough.  One aspect will never change: it’s always been the design and delivering of the message that has to be done with great care and understanding of the audience and the medium.

Ric Serrenho