AKIN’s first skills’ workshop – a sell-out success!

Akin members enjoyed a smartphone video session at the Victoria Institute on Tarrant Street, run by Jane Mote, Josh Kershaw, and Connor Whitfield from the Arundel-based video production company beechtobeach.

As a group, we were a motley crew. The initial round of, 'What do you hope to gain from today?’ threw up a mixed bag of experience (for which read mostly ‘inexperience’).

Thankfully, they were ready for us! We had all been given detailed briefing notes in advance. We knew how to clean up and prep our phones and download the required apps.

On the day, our name badges divided us into iPhone and Android users, so we had allocated helpers to take us through each stage of technology.

The workshop was carefully structured to take us through the basics of shooting a professional(enough) smartphone video (think stability, lighting and sound).

Anyone who has ever tried to learn a new skill knows the best way is just to do it, which is precisely what this workshop enabled us to do.

Within the first hour, we were all shooting footage on our phones, soaking up valuable advice on angles, shot length and lighting from the experts as we worked.

When it came to editing, the beechtobeach team took us through the best apps available in an easy-to-understand (even for me!) way.

The result was a selection of smartphone videos that reflected our businesses, brands, and passions. And a lot of smiles as we all realised what we had been able to achieve.

Pamela Huxford, from Martin Huxford Lighting said, “Martin and I are two confirmed technophobes. It was a revelatory experience to see how easily we can put a video together. Films will follow!”

In less than three hours, we had learnt how to capture key shots, edit, add music and overlay text. Our videos might not win an Oscar any time soon (or ever). But this workshop has unlocked the potential for us to produce videos we can use to sell what we do.

That’s a hugely powerful tool for small businesses and the self-employed.

Let's hope this is the first of many AKIN workshops.