Video is vital for businesses, by the end of this year video Internet traffic will account for over 80% of all digital consumer trade.
We caught up with local, and larger than life, videographer, Damian Sciberras who runs Short Stop Video, for our very first interview.
If you’ve ever met Damian, you will know just how contagious his passion for his business, and positive outlook on life really is.
An absolute gent to work with, and a professional businessman through and through.
Background
Damian enjoys the ups and downs of being self employed, the challenges it brings, the freedom and the overall flexibility to choose what and who you work with.
At school Damian, described himself as the average student, studying performing arts before heading into employment as a Casino Dealer.
After working as a Creative Arts Technician, Damian (then aged 32) returned to further education whilst running a small entertainment business, retraining in Music Technology at the University of Plymouth and graduating with a 1st.
MY EDITING STYLE IS INFLUENCED BY MY MUSICAL BACKGROUND, REPRESENTING THE AUDIO WITHIN THE VISUALS IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME.
Flexibility
Alongside the challenges that University life brought, Damian was also running a small business doing events and entertainment and that was going far to well, with which to give it up.
With diverse experience playing, creating and producing music for over 25 years, Damian’s life-long interest with creative arts paved his way into the video industry, after he organically purchased a video camera to document his travels with his wife.
BY THE END OF THAT TRIP, I WAS CREATING PROMOTIONAL VIDEOS FOR BUSINESSES BASED IN INDIA. THE PROGRESSION WENT FROM A HOBBY TO PROFESSIONAL WITHIN A YEAR
Diving into Short Stop Video
After returning to UK, Damian started Short Stop Video back in April 2018. Since then, he has built up quite a large portfolio of work.
In the past 12-months Short Stop Video have worked with a plethora of clients including: Public Health England, Devon & Cornwall Police, The Shekinah Project, Scripture Union, Mission Aviation Federation, Asian Restaurant Owners Network and the Love Sports Project to name a few.
Many of the clients that Short Stop Video produce content for are spread across the South of England, including Exeter, Bristol, Milton Keynes and London. However, one of Damian’s goals is to build relationships locally and work with more businesses and organisations within the area of Torbay.
The business produces high-end video content, specialising in video marketing for the web and social media; promoting products, events, charities, initiatives, brands and businesses.
A large amount of the profits that the company made in year 1 have been reinvested back into the company. This enabled Short Stop Video to extended their equipment inventory, gaining access to more resources, assisting in the production of more cinematic video content.
ADVANCEMENTS IN TECHNOLOGY HAS CREATED GREATER ACCESS TO FILMING RESOURCES, ALLOWING SMALL BUSINESSES TO PRODUCE HIGH-END VIDEO CONTENT.
Damian admits that learning how to get the most from the equipment you have, is still the most important. The fundamental skills like capturing moments and story telling are as significant as they have always been. Providing more options than ever before, new technology can also be an obstacle in honing your craft, standing in the way of producing effective results. Finding that balance within the creative process can be beneficial to any workflow.
Competition
Like most industries, Damian is not alone when it comes to producing high quality videos, and he recognises his local competitors. However, Damian admires a lot of the work that is out there and looks to work more collaboratively than competitively. Having connections to a range of skilled professionals can assist in delivering larger and more diverse projects.
Damian is ambitious; keen to take on the larger, more innovative projects, and uses his extensive knowledge, contacts and experience to effectively create and complete a high-quality service, from the planning and filming stages through to the final edit.
95% from Referrals
Whilst predominately Short Stop Video uses social media to market business, Damian has found 95% of all his business coming from word of mouth or referrals.
On a shoot, people will often see his style of working and make enquiries. Damian believes it is important to encourage this interest in the video industry and regularly shares his knowledge on equipment and processes.
It is perhaps this genuine love for the industry that results in requests for business cards – immediately believing that Damian knows what he is doing, which he certainly does!
Short Stop Video does not cold call and rarely receives cold call enquiries. Other than face to face networking, Short Stop Video keeps social media/website accounts current, relevant and active – this affordable marketing strategy has freed up resources to enable Damian to invest in both the equipment he uses and honing his skill set.
The Internet
The demand for Damian’s work is heavily reliant on the Internet, if it wasn’t for this modern marvel, then his job would not exist in it’s current form. The Internet has fully changed the way in which consumers digest media. It has broken down barriers for smaller businesses to market their own products and services to a larger audience.
Utilising visual content online, websites, forums, YouTubers, and social media influencers can gain a global reach that would previously be unheard of. Back in the 1990s, traditionally large size corporate’s would market their products or services on TV to advertise to prospective consumers. Smaller businesses may only have had the resources to advertise in a paper, magazine or a listing in the yellow pages!
This impact on the marketing and advertising industry has meant that TV broadcasters are starting to see a decline in companies spending money on TV advertising. Today we’re seeing the rise of online marketing, with increasing rates being paid to social media channels and profiles to advertise on their platforms.
IF A PROJECT IS MARKETED WELL, VIDEO CONTENT CAN REALLY HELP MAXIMISE A CLIENTS INVESTMENT.
Vision for the Future
Damian’s major passion is the environment – supporting eco ethos both in his local community and business sectors. His vision for Short Stop Video is to work with more local businesses that are positively impacting the environment, building towards a greener society.
Living a plant-based lifestyle, Damian supports meat-free initiatives and waste reduction. The goal isn’t to rule out companies that aren’t exploring these climate neutral options yet, but to raise awareness and highlight its significance.
Short Stop Video is continuously striving to reduce environmental impact, so much so, that to encourage businesses they now offer ‘climate concessions’ – exclusive monetary incentives for clients requiring videos of eco positive products/services/initiatives/businesses.
Damian would love to be known for being the vegan videographer, in his words the greater good is far more important than his bank account.
MORE SUPPORT AND INCENTIVES SHOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR BUSINESSES WHO WANT TO GO GREENER
Help and Support
When looking for help with those all important business decisions, Damian often turns to his peers and business colleagues including his wife Joelene, and close friends, business owners Will Reddaway and Toby Chant. Damian also finds advice online and gains support from the Torbay business community at networking events. To find out more about Short Stop Video, we highly recommend you take a look at their website and give Damian a call to arrange a meeting.
