As many of you know, I recently made the transition out of TV news.
For 10 years, I wrote and delivered all sorts of reports. I was responsible for putting people on camera to share their message — whether it was a groundbreaking announcement or a response to a devastating event in their life — and everything in between. It was an exciting and humbling career, as I felt privileged to tell the oftentimes very personal stories in the community. But it was time for me to transition those storytelling skills.
As I explored my next step, I quickly realized we’re all going through transitions in our careers. Come to think about it, technology is forcing change for just about everyone in the work force.
We’ve ditched costly advertising for free promotion on Facebook.
We’ve traded boardroom meetings for a web cam and a Google Hangout.
We’re keeping our businesses relevant in 140 characters or less.
And we’re learning all about a company, a cause, or a current event in a mere 90-seconds.
I joined Elizabeth Christian Public Relations in late March. We are taking the reality of this transition and equipping our clients with the tools to evolve their messages with the times. Video is a large part of that.
Our ECPR clients are building state-of-the-art products, improving public policy, serving the community, providing unparalleled health care. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. All I need is 90-seconds to showcase that cutting edge surgery, take you on a tour of the largest JW Marriott in North America, and illustrate how the United Way for Greater Austin is changing lives.
These brief, made-for-web video clips not only tell a story, they connect the audience with the subject. In a fast-paced world, we have to get the message out there in the most effective and efficient manner, and I’ll argue video is the way. It’s personal, pleasing to the eye, and packed with information.
It’s been months since my alarm clock has gone off at 2:15 a.m. to host the morning news. And here I am, continuing to encourage people to let go of their camera-shyness and share their story, their company, their accomplishment, their call for action. It’s what I do best, and I’m honored to be part of the ECPR team as we thrust our clients forward, especially in a time of transition.
-Keri Bellacosa
Video Strategist, Elizabeth Christian Public Relations
