***How To Start And Profit from Your Own Desktop Video Business*** (a special report) This file reveals the facts about an exciting communication revolution going on right now called, Desktop Video. It will also disclose why the window of opportunity for independent video producers is wide open right now, and how you can start making good money (up to $10,000 or more per month) almost immediately in your own exciting business. Before we get into all the details, though, I'd like to tell you about a friend of mine. His name is "Guerrilla" Bill Myers, and he's really the reason I'm writing this report. He's the one who taught me all about desktop, or as he calls it, "Guerrilla" video. About six years ago, Bill was so fed up with the rat race, he up and quit his $40,000 a year government job. While he was looking for something to do (and somehow to earn a living) he got an idea... He Was Going To Make A Video. No. He had no experience with video (or even photography). None whatsoever. He hadn't the slightest idea how to run a camcorder. Heck, he didn't even own a VCR! All he had was an idea for a video tape on a subject he knew interested a certain group of people. And $300. That idea turned into the "Pirate Video." It documented different devices people were using to unscramble satellite TV signals, and he compiled the tape from footage supplied by the manufacturers of the devices. Not knowing any better, he then placed a small ad for the tape in a publication called "The Black Box Newsletter." What happened? He Made Over $40,000 In 90 Days! That's when Bill decided there might be a future in this video business. A few years later he was bringing in over half a million dollars a year. And he has more than doubled that today. And he did it all from his quiet little studio in the Backwoods of Arkansas. But he's not there anymore. Today, he's just getting settled in his new home...in New Zealand. That's right. He sold his house in Hot Springs, his two Mercedes, and much of his video equipment. He put his business on automatic pilot. And flew off with his wife Karen to start a new adventure "down under." And he got there with the power of Desktop Video. And you know what? There's no reason you couldn't do the same thing. Really. I mean, I don't know whether you want to move to New Zealand or not. But what if you could start your own business today...a business you could run from your home...a business in one of the fastest growing industries in the world...a business doing something you love...a business that could legitimately earn you $50,000, $100,000...even half a million dollars per year...this year? Don't scoff. It's already been done. And Bill Myers isn't any smarter than you. Others are doing it as we speak. Besides that, the opportunities available now are bigger than ever before. Advancing technology allows you to create broadcast-quality videos faster and cheaper than ever before. And the demand for special interest and how-to videos (the kind you can produce and sell) is expanding every day. By the time you finish reading, you'll know more about this hot new industry than all but a handful of people throughout the world. And with this knowledge, you will have an excellent start if you decide pursue it. With that said, let's start with... ***The Opportunity*** You probably already know that DTV is a technology that's changing the world. If you don't agree, just think back a few years. Computers were mysterious machines hidden away in huge buildings. Nowadays, small personal computers are everywhere. And it happened so fast! Twenty years ago only big government agencies (NASA & the IRS) had access to computers. Today, kids go to grade school with computers tucked away in their lunch boxes. And it's become hard to get a proper job today, unless you know at least something about computers. The same thing is happening with video production. Until just a couple years ago, only a handful of very wealthy corporations and governments could afford the equipment needed to produce the powerfully persuasive medium of TV and video...the rich and the powerful. This made for an exclusive club. If you didn't own your own equipment, you could expect to pay $1,200 a minute or more for a professionally edited video production. And if you couldn't afford it, you didn't get to play. But, as you know, something has changed all that...desktop video! The New Gutenburg Press? I envision a day when currently emerging video technology will be mentioned in the same breath as Gutenburg's movable type printing press. The low-cost and easy-to-use printing press changed western civilization, making education possible for the masses. Common people had easy access to information for the first time in history. And the world embarked on a massive information revolution that hasn't slowed down since. For almost 400 years, the communication revolution was a two-way street. As long as you could read and write, you could be an information provider and reach the masses. TV has changed all that. Today, for better or worse, most people rely on pre-recorded or live video for news and entertainment. Everyone owns at least one TV; most people have two or more. And about 80% of the English speaking world (half a billion people) has access to a VCR. The world revolves around TV But there is a problem. Until very recently, TV programming has been controlled by the few. Big corporations and big government. The average guy has been left out. And it's starting to show. Most intelligent people are sick and tired of what's being shown on TV (aren't you?). The networks create programming to reach the widest audience by appealing to the lowest common denominator. Which means they feed us a steady stream of mindless pabulum. You have no choice. You either stoop to their level of entertainment and watch what they have to offer, or you turn the set off. It's no wonder network ratings are down, while video tape sales and rentals (as well as small "niche" cable programming) are skyrocketing. People want something different. Something they are not getting on TV. And that's where you come in. But there's more. You've heard all this talk about the "Information Superhighway," right? Within a few year's time, the technology is going to be in place for everyone in the county to have several hundred channels of television programming and instant access to an almost endless supply of video information. There's only one problem. There isn't an "almost endless" supply of video information to be had. In fact, in the larger scheme of things, it is rather finite. Once this system gets into place (and it already is in some areas), the hardware providers (major phone, cable, and computer companies) are going to be starving for quality video material to justify their technology. I hope you're starting to see why many consider desktop video to be one of the greatest opportunities in America today. However, let's not limit ourselves. DTV is really a worldwide opportunity. Not just limited to the U.S. Other potential markets also include Britain, Europe, Australia, South America, even Asia. Everyday people all across the globe are looking for the type of information you can deliver--if you choose to ride the wave of this revolution. ***But How Do You Make Money At It?*** First, to make any money with desktop video, you must recognize that DTV is a business. And to be successful, it must be run like a business. There are some crucial differences, however, between a DTV business and almost any other business. Differences you're going to love, including... The Multiplier Effect It's a sad fact that most people go through life selling the most precious thing they have (time) at giveaway prices. No matter what your profession, auto mechanic or physician, an hour is still billed as an hour. It can only be sold once. Unless that hour is videotaped, and sold over and over and over. That's what you do as a video producer. You leverage your time. Your effort is multiplied. Each of your videos becomes a small business. A mini gold mine, if you will. You can earn income over and over and over again, by selling your videos to thousands of customers. And long after your effort to create the video is but a distant memory, the money keeps rolling in. While you're out producing other mini gold mines. Everyone knows that to make money, you should "buy low and sell high." Good advice to be sure. But most people don't follow it. If they buy for $30 and sell for $40, they are happy with their $10 profit. Of course, by the time they pay the IRS, their overhead, and their employees, they end up with little to nothing for their effort. But the video business is different--you buy for $3.00 and sell for $40.00 (or more). And usually that means about 1200% profit for each copy of the tape you sell. EXAMPLE: Right now I sell a three-video tape set entitled, "How To Earn $30,000 a Month With Low-Budget Direct Mail Projects." It costs me approximately ten dollars to reproduce the product, including a few copied sheets of paper. I sell it for $139. How do the buyers feel about that? They're ecstatic! You see, it's the information they're buying...not the videos. And when they watch the videos and realize the knowledge contained really does tell, specifically, how to make enormous amounts of money... They Couldn't Care Less if The Videos Cost Me $100 to Produce...or Ten Cents! And the best part is, the income can be all yours. By copyright, you are the sole owner of the contents of your video. That means 100% of the gross income is yours. You don't split with some supplier. You don't have to pay royalties. You keep it all. Of course, you will have to pay income taxes...everybody does (or is supposed to). Now for the downside...this video business can put you into a top tax bracket overnight. But hey, that's what happens when you make a lot of money. Now some good news... ***Small Is Beautiful!*** You probably agree that having your own business--being your own boss--is the best way to become financially independent (not to mention the most rewarding way to live life). You'll never make a lot of money digging someone else's ditch. Need I say, though, that starting a traditional "Main Street" business can be a daunting task? Fortunately, this video business is different. Very different. You can start working from home, in your spare time. This takes little investment, maximizes profits (low overhead), and can create solid earnings for years to come. And even though your profits can expand quite rapidly, your actual business staff does not have to. With the technology and outside services available today, it is actually possible to have a one-person international, multi-million dollar business...and operate it from your kitchen table! It's up to you however big you want to get. ***Is This the Lazy Man's Way to Riches?*** Not in the least. That's a dream. Anything worthwhile takes some effort, determination, and (usually) some money. However, if you have a small amount of capital, common sense, and are willing to follow the steps--you can succeed with desktop video. Most likely beyond your wildest imagination. All you have to do is get started. You'll find it isn't how hard you work, it's how smart you work. When you work all week for someone else in exchange for a paycheck, only one thing is certain; you start all over on Monday morning. Unless you are made obsolete. Which is happening a lot these days. People getting laid off to cut costs. Or their positions being eliminated for the sake of efficiency. And, with the economy the way it is, things will probably get worse before they get better. The problem with most businesses is that to make a little money, you must risk a lot of money. In retail you sell purchased inventory for profit. But once sold, you must re-buy inventory to profit again. So usually you risk a hundred dollars to make ten. Something is wrong there. With video productions, you only have your initial production costs (usually your own labor) to worry about. You get to sell copies of the finished tape over and over again--to as many people who are willing to buy them. And no matter whether you sell just one copy or 100,000 copies, the initial production costs remain the same. So while your up front cost is fixed, there is no cap on potential profits. This can get real interesting! ***How Much Money Can You Make?*** I hear about people all the time who are making a little extra money by videotaping weddings, birthdays, even funerals. And yes, there are many ways to make a little money with video production. But this isn't our goal--making just a little money. What I'm talking about is becoming totally financially independent and making a rather comfortable living (whatever that means to you), solely through the videos you produce and take to market. But you have to learn to say "No" to the requests for weddings and birthdays. Even "No" to the occasional industrial video. The only way to make a real income with DTV is by making special interest tapes you can sell to the many niche markets overlooked by mainstream producers. Markets they think are too small. But markets plenty big for you and me. Selling just 350 tapes earns you $l0,000. And that's not bad for a few hour's production and editing time. Most videos you produce and market will sell for $40 to $70 each. You'll sell them directly to a nationwide (and worldwide) audience mostly through classified ads and direct mail (we'll talk about this later). Starting out, you'll probably only sell an average of 7 tapes per week at $39 each, so your income will only be $273 or so for the week. Disappointed? Don't be. $273 times 52 weeks is $l4,l96 per year. That's for starters. You'll probably produce a new video once a month. That's l2 a year. And if each sells just one copy a day, by year's end you'll be earning $468 per day, $3,286 a week, or $l70,000 a year. And the videos can continue to be good money makers for years to come. Which means the money still rolls in whether you are working or not. But wait, we're assuming that all l2 of your first year's videos sell just one copy a day. Guess what happens if you hit on a topic that goes platinum overnight? Imagine the kind of income you earn from a video that sells 2,000 copies a month! It's astronomical--sometimes $5,000 a day from just one tape. That's what happened to Bill when he first started out. Believe me, it can happen to you. When it does, it will be tremendously exciting. Especially since most of that money stays warm in your pocket. No need to split the profits (except with the IRS). You own the product. Of course, it won't exactly work like this for you. One of your videos may be an absolute flop. Then again, some will really take off. That's the beauty of this simple business. You don't risk disaster with one failure. So what if one of your videos is a flop? Just do another one, it may be a hit. Remember... You Don't Have To Make a Big Splash to Make a Lot of Money! And it's easier than you think. You can do this at your own pace. You can keep your present job until the money starts to roll in, then go full time when you feel confident of your future. Each of your video projects will make a certain amount of money...but even more important, with each new production you will gain skills that will make your next production even better. ***Will Anybody Buy Your Video Productions?*** The world is a big place. Over half a billion English speaking people with access to VCR's. And all you have to do is come up with a topic that will get about 300 of those people to reach into their pockets and buy a tape from you. Think you can come up with a topic that a few of those half billion people will want to see? You can try as many times as you like. And you don't have to produce the tape until you get some orders for it. And if you do sell to those 300 people, you get to pocket $l0,000. Now consider this. If you needed information on how to build a small cabin in the woods for under $5,000, would you rather see some slick Hollywood actor read lines about how to do it, or would you rather watch someone who's actually doing it? A real person who really knew what he was doing. Which tape would be worth more to you as a viewer? The one with the real people! And that's the kind of tapes you can put together...because they offer your customers real information he or she can use, presented by real people they can relate to. At the same time, these tapes offer you, as a producer, the best opportunity to make money. And they are the easiest to produce. With real people in real situations. Of course, you shouldn't expect to win an Oscar for any of these productions. But you will be able to build up quite a stack of "Georges" from them. Video can be an extremely educational medium. More of the five senses come in to play with a video. You hear, see, feel, learn and understand. I love to read! But there are many things I would rather watch on video. It's simply easier to learn some things when you can see it done. They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Now a picture can be worth thousands of dollars...to you. ***How To Choose a Subject For a Money Making Video*** People want information today. Knowledge is power. And people want specific knowledge and information that makes a difference. Information not offered in school or shown on network TV. They want real information learned in the school of hard knocks. Viewers are tired of polished Hollywood actors who can't do anything but read lines on a TelePrompTer. People want to see real people. And that pretty much describes the type of videos you can produce...with real people on both sides of the camera. What's there to make a video about? Anything that people want. And that's a key point. Make videos with information people want, and you'll make money. Make videos with information people need, and you'll go broke. Because... People Buy What They Want, Not What They Need! And finding out what people want is easy. Just look at their buying habits. Look at their hobbies, their special interests, their passions. Find something they spend money on...and give them a video on the same topic. And they will buy it. What's your passion? Cars, photography, making money? If I offered you a video that would show you how to make more money with less work, would you buy it? Give people what they already want and you will be successful. But still, you ask... "What can I make a video about that I can sell and earn me profit? Almost anything. Really. As long as you don't try to compete with network TV or Hollywood, you have a good chance of earning a good living producing 'how-to' videos. By becoming an Information Provider. By saving people money and time; by teaching a new skill, by getting them a better job. Provide information important to them. I'm sure this is rather abstract to you right now, but trust me, with a little direction and a little thought, your mind will be ablaze with money making video titles. Just think, thousands of people make a fortune providing information in books and reports. You have a great advantage by using video. Many things are easier to learn on video. On most subjects, there are hardly any videos available (you can take practically any best-selling "how to" book and turn it into a best-selling "how to" video with very little work--of course you must get permission if you copy the actual words). And most people would just plain prefer to watch a video as to reading a book. Stretch you mind. Take a common idea and give it a new "twist." Be creative. But keep it simple. I know of a guy who produced a tape that was simply a Macaw (that's a bird) speaking three separate phrases for an hour. He marketed the tape to other Macaw owners as a way to train their birds to speak. Good idea? You bet! He's made over $20,000 from that one tape. ` In another example, I heard about a guy who called up Bill Myers with a problem. He had been looking for a video topic for months, but hadn't found one he liked. They talked about a number of possibilities, but still nothing struck his fancy. Then he mentioned that he had just traded in his small motor home for a big RV, and he had saved several thousand dollars by buying a used one. Said he spent almost a year researching all the different makes and models and had done a fairly thorough job of learning how to buy a used RV. Amazing. Do you know how many people own Recreational Vehicles in the U.S.? Over twelve million. And did you know that there are several RV Trader publications where people list their used RV's for sale? And did you know that you could buy a full page ad in the RV Trader for less than $l75 a month? I wonder how many of those people reading the RV Trader would be interested in a video that showed them everything they needed to know to get the best used RV at the best price? Think the tape would sell? Maybe a few hundred copies? Maybe a thousand or more? Maybe even enough to buy an RV? Remember, you only have to sell a few hundred tapes to make a very good profit. ` OK, maybe you don't know anything about RV's. How about yachts or airplanes or Mercedes (...or...computers!...)? A tape on how to buy any expensive item that people want but don't know anything about is a potential best seller. And easy to advertise. Since all you have to do is place an ad in the RV Trader, Airplane Trader, or Boat Trader, whatever. The possibilities are truly limitless. ***Successful Video Marketing*** In this business, you don't need an expensive office, lots of employees, or big overhead. You don't have to knock on doors or beg retailers to stock your tapes to make money. Instead you use direct response advertising in national newsletters and special interest magazines reaching people interested in the topic of your tape. Or through the mail with a rented list of buyers of a related product. One cheap and easy way to start is with a small classified such as this: Get rich with your own Mini-Gold Mine! Call for free information packet. l-308-548-2893. When people call you (or your answering service), you get their name and send them out what we call a "response pack." That consists of a letter and all the reasons why they should buy your tape. And then if they find your tape and offer appealing, they buy, usually over the phone paying with a credit card. It's that simple. And it's a proven method that allows you to reach a nationwide and worldwide market easily and cheaply, without expensive premises and big overheads. Live where and how you choose...no one ever sees your office and studio anyway. Of course, you'll have to get your master tape duplicated so you can send copies out to your customers. Starting out, we recommend that you use a duplicating service, where it will generally cost you less that $2.50 for each tape you have made. Later you may want to set up your own duplicating facilities. ***Is There Room For You In This Business?*** Let's see...there are over 6l0 million English speaking people on this planet with access to VCR's. And they create a huge demand for tapes. But did you know there are less than 800 video studios worldwide turning out new video productions? Now compare that with the how-to book market, where over l,000,000 authors turn out over five million books each year. And then consider that most people would rather watch a video than read a book. Think there is room for any new tape titles? Maybe a million? Maybe ten million? Why isn't everybody getting into this business? Quite frankly because most people would rather watch TV than make TV. Just look down the sidewalks as you drive to work tomorrow and ask yourself, "How many of these other people even know about desktop video, and if they did, would they recognize the tremendous possibilities?" Remember, not everyone is as smart or motivated as you. Probably a very small percentage of our entire population would even take the time to read this letter, like you have. And this is a level playing field. It's equal opportunity for all. No matter who you are and where you are, you can be a part of this...if you want. It's up to you whether you'll be a player or a viewer. ***So How Much Does It Take To Get Started In The DTV Business?*** This is the good part. Most people think that it takes big bucks to produce a video. And, for the most part, I want them to continue to believe that. But the inside secret is that you can produce quality video productions with little or no up-front investment...even if you don't own any equipment at all! If you have a good idea for a video (remember the idea or topic is the gold in your gold mine), then you have crossed the biggest hurdle. The rest...the talent, the studio, the equipment can be rented. Of course, if you have money to spend, and you want to put together a first class video studio, you can do it for under $5,000...and that includes the computer, the editing equipment, a professional lighting and audio system, and a case of blank tapes. A system like this will be more than enough to produce high quality video tapes, and can start making you money the first day you set it up. Bill found that by renting his system out on an hourly basis he was able to pay for it in 27 days! You can do the same. But video gear can be expensive. And if you get started in the wrong direction, you can blow a lot of money in a hurry. And end up with worthless toys. So no matter what you do, be sure to read the next section. ***A Basic Video Primer*** The video format you choose now will affect every other aspect of your future in the video business. Your decision is critical. And the wrong decision will cost you thousands. Here's why. Your customers' home video recorder (VHS) plays back at 270 lines of resolution. Any video with resolution below this level appears grainy, washed out, out of focus, and off color. If you shoot in VHS (1st generation), by the time you edit (2nd generation) and make your duplicates to sell (3rd generation) -- the resolution will be well under 230 lines. The quality just won't cut it. Your customers won't be happy, and you'll be continually giving refunds to irate customers. And this just isn't fun (or profitable). If you have no equipment now, consider yourself lucky, and start looking at 3/4 inch U-matic gear. This is the same professional equipment used by most of the studios and provides professional results. And while a new U-matic editing system might cost $45,000 you can find a used editing system (player, controller, recorder) in excellent working order for under $2,000. Combine this with you camcorder, and you're ready to go. And the results -- oh, they are impressive -- people will notice. And having 3/4 inch U-matic editing capabilities opens the door of opportunity for you. You'll find a steady stream of clients wanting you to produce everything from TV commercials to industrial videos, simply because 3/4 inch equipment labels you as professional. And if you want to rent your equipment out to help pay for its initial cost, 3/4" is the only way to go. But before you buy any equipment, be sure to research the current market thoroughly. Still, if you must invest in consumer quality gear, invest in S-VHS or Hi8. Starting with 400 lines resolution in S-VHS or Hi8, you have room to spare. Your customer gets everything he pays for. But there are still problems with Hi8 and S-VHS...color crawl when converting to VHS is probably the most noticeable. And genlocks for S-VHS and Hi8 cost twice as much. At the end of this report, I'll give you a source where you'll find pages of listings every month on equipment and studio supplies...equipment that will help you build your own studio. Sometimes, there are 3/4" decks for under $300 and studio cameras for under $500! ***Here's a Typical Desktop Video System...*** A. Video Acquisition Gear 1. Camera -- Should be high resolution format with good optics. 2. Tripod - An absolute must. Be sure to get one built for video. Bogen is the best. 3. Separate Monitor - Very essential. Shooting without a monitor is sometimes like shooting blind. 4. Lighting - Use professional video lights. 5. Audio - This is easy and inexpensive. Use a Radio Shack lavaliere mike ($27.95). B. Video Editing Equipment 1) 2 Decks 2) 1 Controller 3) 2 Monitors C. Titles, Graphics, Animations Professional graphics, titles and animations can set your productions apart from those of a tourist with a camcorder. Without graphics your video is just home movies. With them, you have a commercial product. the ability to add graphics -- good graphics -- is what DTV is all about. And today, for the first time ever, you can buy a low cost computer system to create titles, graphics, and animations that rival those of Hollywood. What system you use is your prerogative. IBM, Mac, Amiga. Is doesn't effect your ability to profitably sell your video productions, as long as you can create a quality product. You want something easy to use. Be sure to not waste money and time on bells and whistles that won't pay off in dollars. If you're reading this report, you already know about DTV computer systems, so I won't spend time explaining this. ***Now The Power Of Video. . .*** There's one other thing about desktop video you should know. It gives you the power to change the world. No kidding. Your video productions can have a real impact on people and their future. You can show them how to have a better life, how to earn more money, how to be happier. Through video. You can have an effect on local, statewide and national levels. Nothing is so powerful as a good video piece. And politicians understand this. They know that careers in government have been made or destroyed as a result of a good or bad video segment. Consider the effect the Willie Horton ads had on Michael Dukakis' bid to become President of the United States. If you want to influence the direction of your community, you will find a video studio can be a very powerful tool. Placing ad spots on TV is very inexpensive (as low as $l.00 a minute on most cable systems), and is a good way to get your voice heard in your community. If you want to get a point across, nothing can compete with the right commercial run at the right time. For a long time, video was controlled by the few. Now we have a chance to make a difference. Think about this along with everything else I've said in this letter. ***To Sum Up*** To really understand what this "video revolution" is all about, all you have to do is look in the November '89 issue of Omni magazine. They devoted the entire issue to forecasting major changes in the 90's, and included predictions from several of the world's top scientists. According to these experts, video will become a part of almost everything -- education, communication, entertainment, shopping, health care, home security, finance & investment, even warfare. Now, four years later, we can't deny the validity of these predictions. Video is quietly seeping into more and more parts of our lives, and at a faster and faster rate. With the information superhighway in progress, which a couple of years ago was only a faint glimmer...and the radical, massive innovations in computer technology that seem to come along about every second...it's impossible to know what the future will hold. Except one thing... It's Going to Involve Video! Those of us who are getting involved today, at the level where we are interfacing computers with video, are on the leading edge of this revolution. And we will be the "old pros" at this stuff when corporate America begins looking for experienced people to show them how to adapt video into their business. This will be a golden opportunity for you and me to influence and change American society (for the better I hope). So get ready! Because if you decide to hop on now and learn the techniques that are going to let you profit massively from desktop video, over the next few months, you're going to enjoy the adventure of a lifetime! I wish you the best of luck. P.S. Did you see the article in the Wall Street Journal about Desktop Video? It said the demand for special interest videos is growing at a rate of 600% per year and consumers are starting to collect and use these videos like books. The article also suggested that people who produce these special interest videos are going to get rich by filling the demand of VCR owners looking for something different. Hmm. Maybe we're on to something here! ___________________________________________________________________ ***RESOURCES*** --For a catalog of high quality, used video equipment, call Pro Video & Film Equipment Group in Dallas, Texas. Their number is: 214-869-0011. --For a free issue of "The Video Marketing Letter," originated by Bill Myers and now considered THE source for the latest guerrilla video marketing techniques, call: 1-800-927-2527, ext. 3172. --For general information on video production, check out "Today's Video" by Peter Utz, published by Prentice Hall, ISBN 0-13-925033-6.