Recently I’ve had some questions about my post last week where I introduced a service called Animoto. Animoto does in about 20 minutes and for a few hundred dollars what would have taken about 8 hours and $5000 worth of video equipment to do just a few years ago. It allows members to upload digital pictures and music, press a button that says “create video” and wait for 20 minutes or so for the program to analyze the images and music and build a montage with the kind of style and impact usually only evidenced by highly skilled directors and editors.

I see multiple potential uses of this program for law firms. However, I do not mean to imply that it is a one stop video solution. It’s not. I simply mean to imply that I think it would be a great supplement to your online video program. For instance, most firms are involved in various types of community events, sponsorships, high school programs, etc. One suggestion would be to have a member of your staff attend and take lots of pictures. After the event, choose the best 40 images, sign up for an account with Animoto and build your first montage.

Here is an example that may help you brainstorm possibilities. Last week, some of my family went on vacation to Florida. We arrived home Friday evening. On Saturday, I went through my pictures, uploaded about 40 into Animoto, uploaded music and hit “create video.” Here is the result:

I was reading in the New York Times that a lot of big companies are investing more dollars in sponsoring high school sports teams and giving them the kind of glitzy experience generally reserved for college athletes.  As expected, the focus was on football.

Now I love football.  My nephew is a football player and is off to play college ball next year.  But you know what, I have a niece that is a fabulous softball player and her team gets none of the royal treatment.  She too will be playing college ball next year but I don’t imagine there will be any big sponsors for her team.

Having been around girls softball teams for the last 10 years I can tell you that these girls and their parents are a passionate and cohesive group.  I see this as just the kind of opportunity that PI attorneys look for.  It’s a chance to really penetrate a niche audience.

My suggestion is, skip the football team and look for an opportunity to support a girls softball team.  You will be gaining a loyal audience that I can almost guarantee will give you far more than you give them.