Award Winning Fund Raising Productions

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We are veterans of many fundraising campaigns — not only as film producers but also as leaders of the campaigns themselves.  That gives us special understanding of the strategy and tactics of fundraising…and helps make our fundraising films more effective and useful in the field.

We help our clients take complete advantage of today’s new video distribution options, from DVD to video email, and architect the films so that they can be extraordinarily flexible in daily use and grow legs, making them very long term investments.

Video is a powerful tool to tell your story in a compelling and inspirational manner. The effective combination of visuals, words, and music can touch the hearts and minds of your audience, moving and persuading them that your organization is worthy of support.

Over the past three years, we have created (among other things)

• a comprehensive video capital campaign toolkit for Stocks For Tots, an organization that helps the parent organization, SCAN (Stop Child Abuse Now), raise funds to help open, operate and maintain parenting centers through Iredell County in NC.
• two highly successful fundraising films for Saint Therese Catholic Church  in Mooresville, NC.

In the past three months, one of our productions was responsible for raising over $1 million dollars in a debt reduction campaign for a church in Mooresville, NC.

Another video produced in May 2005 continues to generate an average of $60,000 a year for a non-profit child abuse prevention organization in Iredell County of North Carolina.  That's $120,000 in less than two years.

With our proven track record of performance, we offer you our uncompromising commitment to quality and excellence. We assist nonprofit organizations, associations, corporations, and government agencies with their fund raising needs.  We will gladly provide contact information from any of our clients for your reference.

In addition to the emotional and storytelling ability of a video presentation remains one of the most versatile delivery mediums available.  Video has become an integral part of interactive CD's, DVD's and websites. Our clients benefit from multimedia and video presentations that involve viewers using stunning sound, video, animation and visuals that take them back in time or into the future.  Collectively, the scenes and messages captured by our cinematographers come together in a powerful emotional appeal that moves people to action.

We possess the distinct advantage of being master storytellers. We spend time with you to understand first hand what makes your organization special and then formulate a message and vision that will convey that to your supporters and achieve the results you need.

Did you Know?

• The human brain processes visuals 400,000 times faster than text.
• Visual aids have been found to improve learning by up to 400 percent.
• Nearly one third of the brain is devoted to processing visual information
• Forty-six percent of people have visual learning preferences, 35 percent have kinesthetic (touch) learning preferences, and 19 percent have auditory (sound) learning preferences.
• When a presentation consists of primarily auditory information, it ignores the learning preferences of over 80 percent of all persons.
• Use of color in visuals can increase retention by as much as 25 percent for visual learners.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Why should we consider using a video for our campaign?
2. Isn't video being replaced by the internet and interactive CD's?
3. How long does it take to produce a video?
4. What does a typical video cost?
5. Why should we hire a production company when we have an on campus production facility?
6. How do I cut through all the techno-babble I'm hearing from vendors regarding digital video equipment, expensive editing suites, film and high definition?
7. How does video increase efficiency in communicating idea and concepts

1) Why should we consider using a video for our campaign?
Other mediums remain the choice for providing campaign details and outlining what the campaign goals are. Video remains the choice for getting away from the details and focusing on why your audience wants to become involved. Videos are ideal for presentations to large groups at a campaign's launch to public. They are also a great lead in to one-on-one discussions with potential donors. An emotional video sets the tone for why there is a reason to support the campaign.

2) Isn't video being replaced by the internet and interactive CD's?
Quite the contrary. The internet and interactive CD's, in addition to DVD's, are all superb delivery methods for video. Video remains the most powerful visual medium and possesses outstanding versatility. Interactive CD's benefit from being able to deliver detailed information using animated effects as well as sound and video. Use your video as a true video on VHS or DVD, but also use it for additional information on your course catalog and recruiting CD's.

3) How long does it take to produce a video?
Many factors need to be considered when planning a video. Many require multiple onsite visits to capture various activities such as sporting events, social events and other scenarios. Since many activities occur only at certain times of the year (ie: graduations and homecomings, weddings, etc.), this can affect the time necessary to complete the video. For that reason, it is not uncommon to have productions last from 3 to 9 months. However, once all shots are gathered and scripts written, the editing process is usually completed within 4 to 6 weeks.

4) What does a typical video cost?
The same factors that influence time to produce a video also affect cost. Multiple onsite visits, the overall duration of the video, the number of shots, and any graphics or animation all impact cost. Therefore, it is nearly impossible to give a "typical" budget. With a bit of discussion regarding the particulars of a project, a budgeting summary can be determined. We urge you to call to discuss budgeting.  We also offer a special program where only charge a small percentage of the funds raised during the funding campaign.  this way you don't have to worry about budgets.  It allows you to focus on the day-to-day operations of your organization.  We will use every creative tool available to us to produce an effective presentation that will get results.  YOUR success is our payment.

5) Why should we hire a production company when we have an in-production facility?
While most in-house facilities do a fine job covering activities and capturing informational video, the fact is that they are simply not setup to produce the emotional documentary style videos required for fundraising.  A production company such as Lancer Entertainment Group
 has dedicated professionals each specializing in a particular aspect of production from writing, directing, editing, lighting and graphics. Experience in the production of fundraising videos brings with it the expertise of a skilled director who is an expert at interviewing subjects and getting the key comments that play such a critical role in a successful video.

6) How do I cut through all the tech talk I'm hearing from vendors regarding digital video equipment, expensive editing suites, film and high definition?
Throw up the red flag when a dominating part of a vendor's presentation focuses on their equipment and its cost and you are feeling pushed towards a high cost production utilizing things you can't begin to understand. While the use of professional equipment is vital, the use of cutting edge, excessively expensive equipment is not. Additionally, it's important to also avoid the "weekend videographer" who uses a consumer level digital camcorder. Video is an art form. Lancer Entertainment Group
 approaches each project as a blank slate and strives to understand your institution and its needs. Then, and only then, can we begin to know how to tell your story and capture the visuals needed. We rely on the ability of our crew, from cameraman to gaffer (lighting) to director.  We use professional production cameras and as situations dictate, we rent specialized lenses, lights and cameras. Beware of vendors that have made an enormous investment in the latest technology and feel each project must possess the latest and greatest. Their investment can lead to unnecessarily inflating the cost of each video they do to pay for their equipment.  Again, we can provide allt the "bells and whistles" in a percentage fee-based production so you don't have to wonder if you are getting the most bang for your buck.

7) How does video increase efficiency in communicating idea and concepts
Showing the proper images on a large screen at the right moment boosts learning and long-term results improve. Visualizing concepts helps people to understand faster and better. Their memory will be based on correct images. Visualization can support learning in a variety of ways. The use of moving images such as video and computer animations aid easy understanding: they make optimal use of the co-ordination capacity of the short-term memory. For additional enhancement of memory large images are important because these create more permanent impressions in the long term memory.