CHERYL GIBBS: Forget 10-man production crews - film it on a phone

I’ve been very lucky to travel around the world for my job and have learned an incredible amount about the trade and really enjoyed my career.

But things have changed and are continuing to change quite dramatically in my world.

For instance, gone are the days of 10-man production crews.

Now anyone with a phone can make money from capturing something interesting.

The power of YouTube and social media has meant there’s been a significant increase in online video and how people consume video content.

Just think for a second.

When was the last time you looked at a video online, either on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram or on a website such as portsmouth.co.uk?

I’m guessing it was probably today at some point.

Video is so incredibly powerful, but even that has changed now and brands and companies are being advised to document, not create when it comes to putting out video content.

This basically means that people want videos with access behind the scenes, character-led content that tells a story.

What they don’t want is a corporate video that doesn’t really tell them anything about who or what that company is really about.

This is the reason why I’ve just started a new company, SocialSavvyDigital.com, to help companies learn and understand how to utilise video without spending thousands of pounds.

The power that everyone with a smartphone has is quite amazing and I’ve seen a huge shift in how video is being captured and utilised for all forms of media – including television.

In the past couple of years mainstream channels have begun using video that people have shot on their phones within their programmes.

So if the quality and content is good enough for them, it’s good enough for businesses.

Use the power you have via your phone to get your message across.

I’M PRETTY SURE I CAN STRETCH TO FIVE MILES TO WATCH KIM

 Almost every lunchtime I go to the gym near where I work in Southampton and attempt a four-mile run.

I say attempt, because sometimes it just doesn’t happen.

But if I can I do a run on the treadmill and I’ve got into the habit of watching the Ellen show on ITV2 to pass the time.

I can’t wait for an upcoming episode where Kim Kardashian is the guest and will be giving her first interview about her robbery ordeal in Paris last year, where she was held at gunpoint and millions of dollars’ worth of her possessions taken.

What a horrible experience for anyone to go through.

I’m pretty sure I can stretch to five miles to watch this one!

DIRECTOR’S COMMENT ABOUT MY CAR GOT ME EMBARRASSED

It takes quite a lot to embarrass me – I’m not the type to get easily offended or go red if someone says something.

However, I did get rather embarrassed this week when I was at work.

We have a bit of an issue with the staff car park in that it’s a very odd shape and there’s not quite enough room.

It means we have to rotate throughout the day to allow some people to park in the temporary two-hour bays at the front of the office.

One of the directors was walking around the office trying to work out who the blue Fiesta belonged to when I piped up to say that it was mine.

To which she replied: ‘Oh Cheryl, I didn’t think it could be your car – it was so clean.’

Ouch!