Working with raw footage

Many of our clients request “raw” footage that we have captured so that it can be used in a variety of different ways. Most often, clients wish to use that raw footage to create their own social media videos or reels. While it may seem straightforward for those that are adept at using simple tools to create social media content, there are a couple of roadblocks to be aware of when planning to use raw footage.

Why does it look so bad?

Raw footage tends to look “bad” to untrained editors at first glance. Desaturated, soft, and low-contrast is how raw footage looks when it comes straight out of the camera. This is because most of our raw footage is shot in a professional format called LOG that is meant to be “color graded” in the editing suite.

Color grading means applying various tools to the footage to make it look beautiful and cinematic. Often, we start with a “LUT” (look-up table) to translate the LOG footage into something that looks “correct.”

But most non-professional editors don’t know where to begin with color grading. Here are some tips.

How to grade the footage

The best free video editor with grading capabilities is Da Vinci Resolve. Even though it’s free, this is one of the most powerful color grading apps on the market. However, the learning curve is steep. We recommend searching for YouTube video tutorials on the subject if you’re planning on doing your own grading.

For those that own the Adobe suite, Premiere Pro has the color grading tools you need within the Lumetri panel. Again, YouTube is the best resource for learning this process.

Why is the footage not graded as part of your workflow? Don’t you need to grade it all?

Since color grading can be a time-consuming process, no, we do not grade all of the raw footage by default. With any editing workflow, much of the raw footage gets left on the cutting room floor, so it would be a waste of resources and budget to grade every single clip if many of those aren’t being used in a final deliverable. So we only grade clips that are going to be used in a project, meaning most of the raw footage never gets graded unless we come back to it at a later date.

I’m not doing that. Can you do it for me?

Yes, we can. We can create a basic grade for your raw footage and export the files for you in a format that’s ready for further editing as part of your social media workflow. However, it does take time and labor and expertise and subscriptions and other resources to get this done, so we do charge our standard hourly rates to prepare raw footage into graded footage. Feel free to reach out to us if you need a price quote for this service that is not typically included in most project budgets unless specifically requested in advance.

How to create a “Run of Show” for your event

Planning and executing a live event requires precision, timing, and clear communication. A well-organized “Run of Show” document is essential to keep your team on track, ensuring that every part of the event flows seamlessly. This guide will walk you through creating an effective “Run of Show” document to help make your event a success.

What is a Run of Show?

A “Run of Show” document is a detailed, minute-by-minute event plan that outlines what should happen and when, for every stage of an event. It serves as a blueprint, coordinating everyone involved in real-time so that all elements are executed smoothly.

Essential Elements of a Run of Show Document

  1. Title and Date
    Start with the event name, date, and location details. These basics set the context and make the document easy to reference.
  2. Key Contacts
    List essential contact information for event organizers, stage managers, and any other key personnel. This helps the team quickly find contact details in case of urgent needs.
  3. Timing and Segments
    Break down the entire event into time segments. For each segment, specify:
  • Time: Start and end times for each part of the event.
  • Activity or Segment Name: A brief title like “Opening Remarks” or “Award Presentation.”
  • Duration: Keep track of how long each segment should take to avoid running overtime.
  1. Content Description
    Detail what should happen during each segment. Describe key actions, transitions, and any speaking or performance notes. This level of detail keeps everyone aligned and ensures no one is left guessing what comes next.
  2. Cue Points
    For each segment, add cues for lights, sound, and video. Clear cues provide stage, audio, and lighting teams with the information they need to manage transitions smoothly. Use simple, actionable instructions, like “Begin walk-on music” or “Dim lights for video intro.”
  3. Personnel and Assignments
    Include who’s responsible for each part of the event, from on-stage speakers to tech support. Knowing roles and responsibilities helps everyone understand where they need to be and when.
  4. Special Notes or Contingencies
    Add any special instructions or contingency plans. This might include alternate plans for timing changes, speaker delays, or unexpected technical issues.

How to Format a Run of Show Document

1. Use a Table Format for Clarity

A table format is ideal, with columns for each key element (Time, Segment, Content, Cues, Personnel). A clean layout makes the document easy to read and follow under time pressure.

2. Use Color Coding Sparingly

Use color coding to mark key moments (like breaks or critical cues) but don’t overdo it, as this can distract from essential information. Use consistent colors to designate things like audience-facing moments versus behind-the-scenes actions.

3. Create a Digital and Printed Version

Having both digital and printed copies ensures accessibility. Distribute the digital version in advance, and bring a few printed copies for stage managers, event coordinators, and technicians who may need quick reference.

Sample Run of Show Structure

TimeSegmentDurationDescriptionCuesPersonnel
9:00 AMDoors Open15 minGuests arrive, music playingStart house musicEvent Coordinator
9:15 AMOpening Remarks10 minWelcome by host, brief agendaSpotlight on hostHost, AV Team
9:25 AMKeynote Speaker20 minIntroduction and main speechDimming lightsAV Team
9:50 AMBreak10 minCoffee and networkingReset stageAll staff
10:00 AMPanel Discussion30 minPanelists discuss key topicsFade up lightsPanelists, AV Team

Tips for an Effective Run of Show

  • Double-check with all departments (AV, lighting, catering, etc.) to confirm alignment with cues.
  • Keep it concise. Long descriptions slow people down in high-pressure moments.
  • Review and revise as the event approaches for any last-minute changes or updated cues.
  • Communicate the final version with all stakeholders to avoid confusion and ensure everyone is up to speed.

The Bottom Line

A well-crafted “Run of Show” document is a game-changer for live events. By organizing every detail and ensuring that your team knows the exact timing, cues, and responsibilities, you’re setting your event up for success. It’s all about preparation and clarity—so when the big day arrives, everyone can focus on creating an unforgettable experience.


This guide is designed to make the “Run of Show” document both effective and easy to follow, helping every member of your team keep the event flowing smoothly.

Screen Content Specifications

In order to properly display your content on our screens — whether you are employing traditional projectors or an LED wall — here are some tips.

Optimizing Content for Projection Screens at Live Events

Creating visuals for projection screens at live events requires careful planning to ensure clarity, impact, and smooth display. Here’s a guide to optimize your event content for projection screens, focusing on maintaining high visual quality for a seamless audience experience.

1. Aspect Ratio: 16:9 is Key

For most modern event projection systems, the 16:9 aspect ratio is the standard. This widescreen format is visually engaging and ideal for presentations, videos, and other content. Ensuring all graphics, videos, and slide decks adhere to this aspect ratio prevents awkward resizing or letterboxing, keeping the visual flow professional and clean.

2. Go Large with Fonts on Slide Decks

When it comes to slide decks, readability is paramount. Here’s a quick guide to ensure fonts are visible from every corner of the room:

  • Font Size: Aim for a minimum of 24-28 points for body text and at least 36-44 points for headings.
  • Font Style: Choose bold, sans-serif fonts (like Arial, Helvetica, or Calibri) for maximum clarity. If you must use unique or rare fonts, please include the font files in your email to us with your slide deck.
  • Color Contrast: Use high-contrast color combinations (such as white text on dark backgrounds) to enhance readability, especially in dimly lit event spaces. Darker backgrounds are usually better than lighter backgrounds.

3. Video Resolution: Stick to 1920×1080

When displaying video content, 1920×1080 pixels (Full HD) is the standard for clear and sharp visuals. This resolution matches most projection capabilities, ensuring smooth playback and avoiding pixelation. Whether you’re showing branded content, speaker intros, or recorded videos, producing in 1080p keeps visuals crisp and professional.

4. Designing for Brightness and Contrast

Event venues often have varied lighting, which can affect screen visibility. Here are a few tips:

  • Avoid Overly Light or Dark Slides: Balance color intensity to prevent washout or eye strain.
  • Test Brightness Levels: If possible, test content under real event lighting to make adjustments.
  • Simple, High-Impact Design: Limit slides to essential information and visuals. Overloading slides with text and images can overwhelm and distract.

5. Content Format and File Type

  • Slide Decks: PowerPoint, PNG, or PDF formats are usually event-friendly, as they preserve fonts and layouts well.
  • Fonts: If your presentation relies on fonts that aren’t in common usage, please include your font files with your presentation files. This is not necessary for PNG or PDF files, though.
  • From Canva: If you use Canva for your presentation design, consider exporting the slides in PNG format. You are welcome to “share” your design with us, but note that sometimes this doesn’t work quite as well as downloading and sharing actual files. We may have to spend time following up with you if you share a project, and note that if you edit a project after you’ve shared it with us, it’s likely that we won’t see those edits, since we will have already downloaded and converted your presentation.
  • Videos: Save videos in MP4 format for easy compatibility across most projection systems. Bitrate should be at least 25 Mbps for HD files, and 75 Mbps for 4k files.

By following these guidelines, your visuals will enhance the audience experience and ensure clarity from any seat in the venue. Make sure to test your materials ahead of time, and you’ll be ready to deliver impactful visuals that elevate your event.


This approach keeps content professional and polished while addressing the specific needs of projection setups in event settings.

We’re Hiring!

Aaron Yates and Kerrville Photo are hiring for various exciting positions on our team. We are a fast-paced, hard-working provider of all kinds of services and products, from traditional photography and videography to event management and audiovisual services. The positions we need to fill are described below.

Job Title: Audiovisual Technician

In the audiovisual industry, these positions might be titled V1, V2, A1, A2, etc., but in small-town rural Texas, all of our technicians eventually become efficient and competent in a variety of trades, including video camera operation, projection, LED screen operation, video switching, sound reinforcement, sound mixing, and more.

We are looking for individuals that have availability on a part-time and somewhat seasonal basis to assist with various events in the hill country. These events range from Friday night football games to charity auctions to fundraising dinners to corporate meetings and social functions.

No experience is required! But competency with technology is a must. The applicant should demonstrate exceptional technological mastery of computers and electronics and be willing to learn and expand their arsenal of capabilities every day! Training may include hands-on in-person training from Aaron and his team as well as “homework” such as watching online courses or YouTube videos.

Job Duties & Requirements

  • Setting up equipment such as cameras/tripods, projectors, screens (LED and projection), speakers, audio systems, and related audiovisual gear
  • Operating video cameras, including traditional manned cameras, unmanned cameras, and PTZ cameras
  • Operating sound systems from microphones to mixers to speakers and subs
  • Operating video switchers such as vMix, Blackmagic ATEM, OBS, and more as needed
  • Producing live streams and recorded events using LiveU Solo, standard RTMP streaming connections, or SRT and other protocols as they evolve
  • Planning and preparation of events with event organizers, such as creating scripts and runs-of-show, organizing and converting content such as PowerPoint slides and video segments, supervising rehearsals, and coordinating with the organizers to build the equipment at their venue
  • Note that this work is very physical by nature. Workers will be required to lift 50 pounds of equipment, spend long hours on their feet, and they’ll definitely get their steps in every day. It’s not uncommon for us to record 15,000+ steps per day!
  • For outdoor work, conditions and temperatures vary greatly. Friday night football games might be hot or cold, wet or dry. Employees will be expected to continue working even in less than ideal conditions (as long as it’s safe) and should always dress according to the weather and the environment.
  • Travel is sometimes required for our technicians. In most cases, the employees can travel in our work vehicles. Occassionally, an employee may be required to meet us at a job site in their own personal vehicle. For any jobs outside of Kerr County, the employee will be compensated for mileage at the standard IRS rate. A valid driver’s license is required.
  • Ability to work cooperatively with a team of other audiovisual technicians as well as clients and guests at various events.

Work Hours and Availability

The nature of event work is sporadic and seasonal. Events take place at various times of day, creating time demands that are unusual and taxing at times. Events might happen on a weekend evening or a weekday luncheon. Potential hires should have flexibility in their schedule to accept assignments that may require odd hours, early mornings, and late nights.

All of our part-time and contract employees have the ability to accept or reject any specific gigs, and most of the time we have a lot of advance notice about an event — typically weeks or months ahead of time. Not every employee is required to attend and work every event. We tend to collect a pool of potential employees and then offer the jobs to qualified workers who then check their calendar and get back to us with an acceptance or a rejection of the specific job.

However, once one of our employees commits to a a job, we excpect them to KEEP THEIR COMMITMENT. In this business there is no opportunity to “call off work” at the last minute. Our clients DEPEND on us to execute the project on-time and to the best of our ability EVERY TIME.

Compensation

For most projects, employees will be paid according to a day rate, with either half-day or full-day compensation depending on the length of the workday. Starting pay is $250 for a full day and $150 for a half-day, which basically equates to about $25-30 per hour. Pay will be commensurate with experience and performance, and those with more skill sets will be better compensated.

Job Title: Real Estate Media Pro

Aaron Yates started out as a real estate photographer and videographer, working throughout the state of Texas and beyond to capture beautiful imagery of homes and ranches. This is still a large part of our business model, and we are looking to expand our availability and reach by hiring and training a team of photographers/videographers who can consistently, independently, and quickly produce beauitful real estate marketing materials for discerning clients in the Texas hill country.

The applicant doesn’t need any of their own equipment. Everything you need will be provided for you. The applicant should demonstrate a high level of comfort with professional photography/videography tools such as cameras, tripods, flashes, gimbals, etc., or be VERY willing to learn quickly.

We will provide training for real estate media work. The employee will work solo most of the time after completing the training, but occassionally will be required to work alongside one of our other team members or Aaron Yates to be a “second shooter” on big and important real estate projects.

Job Duties & Requirements

  • Work solo or alongside another team member to capture photographs, videos, and floorplans of homes and ranches throughout the hill country
  • Use professional gear provided by our team including cameras, tripods, gimbals, lighting, etc., and be responsible for this gear while it is in your possession
  • Use a shared calendar to indicate availability for bookings, and be willing to receive and accept booking quickly via email or text message
  • A valid driver’s license and personal transportation is required to get to and from projects around the hill country
  • Exceptional competency with technology is a must, including computers, smart phones, and camera systems

Work Hours and Availability

The hours will vary widely depending on demand and the requirements of each specific job. Most real estate projects are shot during the weekday between 9 AM and 5 PM. Some projects require later hours, such as for twilight shoot and sunset shoots.

We’d like our employee to share a calendar with us that shows us when they’re available and not available, and jobs will be scheduled for the employee based on that availability calendar.

As the employee gains experience and trust of our customers, the number of bookings is likely to increase. Seasonally, demand varies. In the winter, there is not as much demand. During spring and summer, demand increases dramatically. Therefore the hours and bookings will vary based on time of year.

Compensation

With the workers using our equipment and being scheduled by our team, they must be paid as employees and not contractors. The employees will be paid on an hourly basis, and pay will be commensurate with experience and performance, with starting pay of at least $50 per hour for qualified applicants.

Employees will also receive compensation for mileage based on the standard IRS rates.

Job Title: Sales Professional

As we expand our client base and reach, we need a self-motivated commission-based sales person to recruit new clients for our audiovisual services. The specific services we’re looking to promote include:

  • Live streaming of sports, conferences, webinars, corporate meetings, concerts, fundraisers, general purpose events, etc.
  • On-premise screens like LED walls, projectors and screens, etc.
  • On-premise sound reinforcement services including speakers, microphones, and other sound-related equipment and services
  • Videography and on-site filming of events either to use as a recorded program or a live “IMAG” display on the on-premise screens
  • Program management and operations, such as cueing music, cueing videos, operating graphics/slides, etc.
  • Traditional event photography services
  • “Posed” photography booths for keepsake images

Job Duties & Requirements

  • Applicant will choose their own hours and work days and must be self-motivated and self-sufficient
  • Applicant will be taught about our services and capabilities so that they can explain the value-add to the potential clients
  • Applicant will make contact with various potential clients and leads and will provide information, pricing, availability, and answer questions
  • Applicant should be able to find potential leads on their own, as well as handle leads that are provided to them by our team
  • A valid driver’s license and transportation will be required so that the applicant can meet with potential clients, visit venues, and deliver marketing materials around the hill country area

Compensation

Sales persons will be compensated based on a percentage of the total revenue from all projects/clients that are retained as a result of the sales effort. The commission percentage will likely be around 15-20% of the total invoice and is negotiable based on the sales person’s skills, reach, and influence with our target markets. Bonuses will be paid from time to time when exceptional performance is noted.

Yahir Vasquez Football

Thank you for purchasing a digital photo package! Your photos can be accessed, viewed, and downloaded using the widget below.

Personal Use License

Your digital purchase allows you to print these images anywhere you like and to share them on social media, personal websites, etc, with a perpetual non-exclusive personal license. The license only requires that you do not share these digital files with other potential customers on your team, nor can you use them to sell any types of products or services.

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to Aaron Yates at 830-377-9058 or [email protected] .

Thank you!

Gallery

Links

To view more photos from this series, visit the link below.

https://gallery.kerrvillephoto.com/Sports/Ingram-Middle-School-Fall-2024

Hensley Football

Thank you for purchasing a digital photo package! Your photos can be accessed, viewed, and downloaded using the widget below.

Personal Use License

Your digital purchase allows you to print these images anywhere you like and to share them on social media, personal websites, etc, with a perpetual non-exclusive personal license. The license only requires that you do not share these digital files with other potential customers on your team, nor can you use them to sell any types of products or services.

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to Aaron Yates at 830-377-9058 or [email protected] .

Thank you!

Gallery

Links

To view more photos from this series, visit the link below.

https://gallery.kerrvillephoto.com/Sports/Ingram-Middle-School-Fall-2024

Tenley Smith Cheer

Thank you for purchasing a digital photo package! Your photos can be accessed, viewed, and downloaded using the widget below.

Personal Use License

Your digital purchase allows you to print these images anywhere you like and to share them on social media, personal websites, etc, with a perpetual non-exclusive personal license. The license only requires that you do not share these digital files with other potential customers on your team, nor can you use them to sell any types of products or services.

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to Aaron Yates at 830-377-9058 or [email protected] .

Thank you!

Gallery

Links

To view more photos from this series, visit the link below.

https://gallery.kerrvillephoto.com/Sports/Ingram-Middle-School-Fall-2024

Krueger Cheer

Thank you for purchasing a digital photo package! Your photos can be accessed, viewed, and downloaded using the widget below.

Personal Use License

Your digital purchase allows you to print these images anywhere you like and to share them on social media, personal websites, etc, with a perpetual non-exclusive personal license. The license only requires that you do not share these digital files with other potential customers on your team, nor can you use them to sell any types of products or services.

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to Aaron Yates at 830-377-9058 or [email protected] .

Thank you!

Gallery

Links

To view more photos from this series, visit the link below.

https://gallery.kerrvillephoto.com/Sports/Ingram-Middle-School-Fall-2024

Harper 30 Acres

Listed by Kasi Hennigan with 1HOME4U Team at Keller Williams in Kerrville.

Tivy Antler Football 2024 Highlights

Find all of the highlight films produced for Tivy Football via the Tivy Booster Club for the 2024 season.