Happy Birthday, Collette!

Happy Birthday to our Infomercial Production Company President, Collette Liantonio. Collette, you're the best!! Click on the picture below to see Collette's Birthday message from her staff at Concepts.

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Concepts TV Produces Pajama Jeans For DRTV Marketer Hampton Direct!

by Kristy Pinand-Dumpert, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Concepts TV Productions

I for one wake up in the morning and sometimes just want to stay in my pajamas. After all- what’s more comfortable than lounging around in your pj’s? And I’m pretty sure wearing my pajamas out in public or to work WILL get me some attention. Negative attention that is. All I have to say if thank goodness there’s Pajama Jeans!!

Concepts TV is always presented with new and exciting products but selling jeans on TV is a first! When DRTV Marketing mogul, Hampton Direct, sent us the product, we were cautiously optimistic about this infomercial. Stylish, sexy looking jeans that feel as soft and comfortable as pajamas? I mean seriously, does it get any better? BUT at a $39 price point in short form and a choice of 8 different sizes, it definitely had it challenges. But DRTV veteran Collette Liantonio loves a challenge. Her creative background combined with Steve Heroux’s marketing acumen and the offer building expertise of Sonia Makurdsik, a marketing consultant for Hampton Direct, Pajama Jeans was sure to be a hit!

The challenge? How to capture the fashionable, stylish side of jeans and combine it with the comfort of pajama bottoms. So our DRTV producers put on their thinking caps and decided to shoot the majority of the spot in front of a green screen for that fashionable’ edge. We combined it with other scenes of people lounging in them around the house to stress the soft, comfortable pajama feel. The end result? Well, all I can say is move over Snuggie because the latest rage is Pajama Jeans! The View, Good Morning America, Jay Leno have all feature the Pajama Jeans sensation.

What do Pajama Jeans have that the Snuggie doesn’t? My voice! That’s right. I indeed was chosen as the final voice of the Pajama Jeans campaign (blushing). I get to do all the internal scratch tracks. In fact my colleagues even nicknamed me pipes’. Sometimes I am fortunate enough to be chosen as the final infomercial voice. And that’s exactly what happened with Pajama Jeans. In fact- we even voiced it with another VO artist but after hearing that cut with her voice versus my voice, our DRTV client decided to use me instead! (Yippee) It’s very rewarding turning on the television and hearing myself everywhere. I’m loving it- although my husband doesn’t. Now when Ryan turns on the TV to relax, I’m STILL in his ear!


Directing The Tots

By Dana Conklin, Senior Producer/Assistant Director, Concepts TV Productions

Even the most meticulous producer can experience difficulty on set when dealing with the most unpredictable of talent children. At Concepts TV we’ve done hundreds of commercials featuring children and we’ve definitely amassed a few ingenious solutions to work with the wee ones.

Recently Concepts TV Productions filmed a non-profit commercial for March of Dimes, one of the world’s leading non-profit agencies. The storyboard called for a stadium filled with crying babies, and then indicated that each child should cry and then disappear one by one. To execute this concept, we ordered a row of stadium seats and cast 15 babies between the ages of seven and nine months (pre-crawling age). Each baby was strapped securely to the seat with a production assistant, or ‚“baby wrangler,” discreetly hidden behind each chair for safety’s sake. We gave each child a toy to play with, and when we wanted them to cry on cue, we took the toys away from them. But instead of crying, they all laughed! 15 babies sitting in chairs laughing! After brainstorming, our TV producers decided to use the same approach, but replaced the toys with their mothers. We had each of the mothers stand in front of her child playing with him, and when the director called ‚“Action,” the mothers left the room all 15 babies cried on command! We got the shot and the scene was so moving, we won a Silver Telly Award for the March of Dimes commercial.

Even more recently, we shot a TV Commercial for a child’s cup that could not be knocked over. We wanted to shoot a comparison test, so we hired a toddler to sit in his high chair and eat Teddy Grams out of a regular cup and then do the same with our ‚“hero” cup. We thought the child would spill his snack out of the regular cup. Instead, he carefully ate them one by one and if one dropped on the high chair he picked it up and put it back in the cup, looking in his mommy’s direction the whole time. Unfortunately (for us) this toddler was so well trained he wanted his mommy’s approval! To encourage the toddler to make a mess the producers started throwing food on the floor. At first he looked back and forth between the producers and his mother, waiting for someone to get in trouble he then happily spilled his cup and threw his food. Money shot! Once we broke his good habits, we gave him our no-spill cup and continued to throw food. He tried his hardest to pick up the cup to throw it no luck! We got our shot!

Whether you’re watching the kids light up as they explore a new product or seeing them behave in unexpected ways that make for unforgettable memories‚Äîas a producer, it’s always a fun and different experience every time.

 

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Concepts TV Has Produced the Gayest Infomercial Ever!

Infamous celebrity blogger Perez Hilton has dubbed Happy Chop, the chopping machine that minces foods fast, as ‚“The Gayest Infomercial Ever” and he loves it!

Happy Chop was produced in 2009 by Concepts TV Productions for Thane Direct Inc. and it features the avidly gay writer, performer and overall funny man Frank DeCaro as host. DeCaro currently hosts his own comedy radio show ‚“The Frank DeCaro Show” on Sirius XM Satellite Radio.

So what was our President Collette Liantonio’s reaction to the flamboyant blogger’s claims of Happy Chop being completely ‚“gay, gay, gay”?

A resounding laugh that could be heard throughout the office.
http://perezhilton.com/2010-08-24-the-gayest-infomercial-ever

10 Tips for Cutting DRTV Commercial Costs

By Collette Liantonio

After years of relentless media rate increases, the direct response industry is enjoying (indeed rejoicing in) the abundance of inexpensive airtime. Lower rates translate to a lower cost per order and the greater possibility of a product succeeding in DRTV.

But while many marketers are prospering during this golden age of direct response, the cost of creating DRTV spots and infomercials has risen dramatically. By working with a creative team with a winning record and following these 10 smart tips, a savvy marketer can realize tremendous cost savings.

COST-SAVING STEPS

1 Infomercial talent: Hire the best demonstrator/host you can afford. An infomercial is only as good as the host. An on-camera spokesperson who can sell with integrity is worth every penny. Pay them fairly up front or negotiate a sales commission or rollout bonus, but always hire a seasoned pro. Negotiate all rights to TV, packaging and home sopping appearances for local and international broadcast. Negotiate prior to airing for future years of success.

2 Product offer: Shoot all possible product configuration. Whether you are offering four widgets and two bonuses or six widgets and doubling the deal, plan to capture all configurations on days of the shoot. Rather than waste valuable time arranging and re-arranging products, shoot all the products on a green screen and then you can ‚“cut them out” and reconfigure the offer in the edit suite. This is invaluable when you are testing the viability or more than one offer and helps to avoid costly re-shooting.

3 Location: Don’t build an elaborate set or pay for an expensive studio. Scout a large, tastefully decorated home with a mellow homeowner and pay a fraction of studio fees.

4 Crew: The biggest production costs are the crew and equipment. Anyone straight out of film school can operate a camera, but good lighting is crucial to commercial production and can make or break a product’s success. Poor audio or washed out video can seriously impact the credibility of a production and the belief in the quality of a product. Lost credibility translates into lost sales.

5 Testimonial development/Sound bites: While testimonials are of secondary importance for a short-form spot, they are the lifeblood of the infomercial. Clients should spend the time and effort developing testimonials in-house. Only then should they hire the production team to make the final selections. The interview process is a very labor-intensive expense that can be managed more efficiently by the client.

6 Travel expenses: If it’s necessary to travel to various locations, whenever possible utilize local crews rather than flying your crew to the location. Use the same format (HD, SD, or Digibeta), but save the costs of hotel and airfare. When using testimonials from around the country, fly them to you and shoot them all in two or three intense days at one location.

7 Catering: Skip the ‚“L.A.-style craft services” and feed the crew and clients good deli or top-shelf pizza. (No Chinese food or your crew will go to sleep after lunch.) But always feed the crew on time and treat everyone to an afternoon ‚“sweet treat” pick-me-up. A well-fed crew works harder.

8 Audio/Music: Skip the ‚“original score” and use a needle drop. Don’t get crazy-music is very subjective. Just don’t let it be too noticeable. The voiceover is a vitally important element. Don’t skimp on experienced voiceover talent. Do record additional offers or later ‚“tweaks.”

9 Editing: The magic of most DRTV productions is created in the edit suite. The pacing, the angles, the sound mix, eye-catching graphics, the elegant touches it all takes place here.

10 Creative: There’s no substitute for experience if you don’t have any, hire the people who do and then work together to create a hard-working show that will bankroll the more expensive production you’ll work on next time.

Don’t get too creative on your first try. Use the ‚“problem-solution” DRTV formula to see if your product is a home run, marginal or a dog. If it’s a dog, walk away and don’t send good money after bad. If it’s marginal, tweak it by testing price points and offers. If it’s a home run, buy your producer a good bottle of Piper Heidsieck or (my favorite) Malbec wine and plan your rollout.

The Right Producer – The Right Media Buyer

by Collette Liantonio, President, Concepts TV Productions

With a maximum of one minute plus 40 something seconds of sell time, literally every second counts. Select an experienced short form, producer who knows how to make the most of those precious selling moments. The experts rely on a proven foimula with a problem/solution approach. Different products require different formulas. Gadgets, Books, Magazines or Beauty Aids each have different formulas. But all formulas create the urgent need to "Act Now." Media rates are deeply discounted and traditionally bought on the basis of proven past performance. Choose a media buyer who has managed successful short form campaigns.

When To Use Short Form

  1. To sell products with a price point of twenty dollars or less
  2. To sell products with higher price points with a payment plan
  3. To drive retail campaigns
  4. To generate leads
  5. To test price points and premiums
  6. To test retail markets
  7. To drive direct mail and print campaigns
  8. To create brand awareness in a cost effective manner
  9. To distribute samples or free offers

Why Use Short Form?

1. Test More Efficiently

  • Price Testing, Offer Testing, Premium testing are all accomplished more efficiently in terms of time and money.

2. Drive Retail

  • Spot campaigns drive retail sales better than any other medium. It's the preferred length to achieve the frequency and reach necessary for retail sales momentum

 

 

Crazy Casting Calls

Although infomercial casting usually goes swimmingly, there are notable exceptions. DRTV Producers at Concepts TV Productions know firsthand how misleading a headshot can be! One of our funniest stories occurred while producing a TV commercial for Cubic Zirconia earrings. Hundreds of headshots were submitted, but only a few were selected to model the sparklers. We did our casting solely from headshots. One model submitted a recent Polaroid of herself. She was just as beautiful as her headshot! The day of the shoot arrived: the crew was lighting the set; the makeup artist was working on our models. ­Our clients were anxious to meet her‚ and then she walked out for her close-up. But‚ she had only one ear lobe! Funny? Not at the time! She did look beautiful from one side though.

Another favorite story of ours involves a DRTV Diet Commercial. This specific casting was for actors who would reenact the real success stories from dieters. We selected talent we’d used in previous DRTV Commercials and we auditioned some new faces. The shoot ran smoothly, our DRTV Producers got all the shots needed, and there was just one model left. At 4pm on the day of the shoot, our last model arrived, and she was 8 months pregnant. Not exactly the ideal spokesmodel!

Direct Response Television Producer and founder of NJ Based Concepts TV Productions, Collette Liantonio has been in business for over 30 years with hundreds of DRTV success stories in Infomercial Production. Of course some of her DRTV Commercials are intentionally funny, such as “The Potty Putter,” a legendary gag gift spoofed as one of America’s “funniest commercials”! “I knew the actor in Potty Putter would be perfect for the part‚ he was my oldest son and my L.A. Producer. He loved the humor,” says Liantonio.

 

Location, Location, Location

By Dana Conklin, Senior Producer/Assistant Director, Concepts TV Productions

NJ based DRTV Production Company, Concepts TV Productions, does not limit its shoots to the Garden State. When a script calls for sunny weather in mid January, this production company knows exactly where to go! Destination Shoots, like destination weddings, involve enormous planning and the devil is always in the details!

The first step in any destination shoot is to secure the right crew. Everyone claims he can film but DRTV Producers always get a list of referrals & an infomercial demo reel of recent work. Make sure you have a written agreement, specifying your understanding of lighting, equipment & crew members. Always have them sign a written agreement in advance regarding the negotiated price for the day of the shoot. Forgotten details, such as overtime rates and mileage reimbursement, may turn out to be big issues. Determine in advance when the shoot tapes will be turned over to the visiting producer. We recommend having a check for the full payment including a little extra petty cash and here’s why: Concepts TV Productions flew to Texas to film a bull riding segment for a fitness infomercial. We had checks for each vendor to be presented upon completion of the shoot. When the shoot was over, we gave the crew their payment in full, but they still tried to hold our tapes hostage! The crew claimed there was a ‚“possibility” of overtime due to travel time. This detail could have been a disaster but thanks to our preparation with petty cash, the problem was easily solved!

Always find a hard-working local Production Assistant who is familiar with the area, so you don’t waste time or money scouting. They can send you pictures or Skype! Get a contact name for each location & secure a permit in advance. The last thing you want is to be shut down the day of the shoot!

Choosing talent from across the country can leave you feeling uneasy, because you can’t meet them before the shoot. When choosing a headshot, always ask for a recent photo or cell phone snap shot just to be sure it’s not an old photo. If the talent will be speaking on camera, have a phone audition to be sure you are happy with the accent or tone of voice and to be sure they are able to read lines back correctly. Even if you’re booking through a talent agency, be sure to get the talent’s direct contact information in case of any emergency. The most important tip we can give is to always have back up talent on call! If a talent doesn’t show it can ruin your whole day and waste an expensive trip so always have a plan B!

Filming a DRTV Commercial internationally presents its own set of challenges. While shooting an infomercial for a nutritional supplement in Seoul, South Korea, we discovered that the local makeup artist only had foundation to match Asian skin but we were filming a Caucasian host! We have also learned the hard way that in some countries there are delicate gender issues. For example, the male D.P. has ‚“issues” with a female director. The solution? A male interpreter who called, ‚“Action!”

DRTV Infomercial leader Concepts TV Productions won an Aurora Award for the Best International Infomercial in 2008 for their production of Hooked on English. This was produced by Concepts TV Productions in New Jersey and filmed in Mexico City, Mexico. While filming in Mexico, the Director of Production requested additional toilet paper. Apparently we asked the wrong person where the toilet paper was and learned the hard way that hierarchy and job delineation are very important. How do you determine who handles the toilet paper? We suggest making a detailed call sheet of each person who will be on set, and what their duties entail. Not all cultures are as egalitarian and casual as the New Jersey home turf.

Great Tool For Reviewing TV Spots

Producing great Direct Response spots is rewarding, but a lot of work. Everybody’s job gets a little easier with an easy video review/approval process. We recently discovered Xprove, a great system for viewing footage and leaving comments. With 2 way file exchange and customized online review, Xprove helps everyone get on the same page and focused on the most important thing making a great DRTV hit.

Concepts TV and file sharing

As Seen On TV Products Thriving During Downturn

 

New Jersey mother holds the key to DRTV blockbusters

BOONTON, NJ, As unemployment numbers hit their highest levels in decades and recessionary news dominates headlines, direct response television (DRTV) advertising of personal products and home goods is thriving. Surprisingly, the most successful spots aren't coming from slick urban studios in Los Angeles or Manhattan, but from an idyllic Victorian house in Boonton, New Jersey, the headquarters of Concepts TV Productions, a direct response and video production studio known as one of the major hit-makers of the industry.

Founded in 1983 by Collette Liantonio, a pioneer in the DRTV business, Concepts TV Productions has created some of the most memorable infomercials ever produced, including Ambervision Sunglasses, Topsy Tail, The Abdominizer, Contour Pillow, and The George Foreman Grill. Over the past 25 years, Liantonio and her team of DRTV professionals have been helping manufacturers and inventors achieve billions of dollars in sales for their home and beauty products, which range from pasta pots to hair accessories to pedicure tools, to name a few.

DRTV thrives during economic downturns primarily because of a trio of factors, says Liantonio. First, as more people are unemployed or simply staying at home to save money, television viewing numbers are increasing. Second, more people are looking for do-it-yourself solutions that help them solve everyday problems for less money, so effective household items, one of Concept TV's specialties, typically sell very well. Finally, national advertisers have cut their spending, so the cost of advertising time is plummeting, allowing Concept TV's clients to score high-impact media buys for relatively modest budgets.

Strong television advertising programs drive consumers to the retail store more effectively than any other medium, she says. In addition, Liantonio brings her own background to each project.

"As a mother and grandmother, I understand first-hand that we all need solutions to our everyday problems. I like to bring that knowledge to every shoot and really try to master how these products can help relieve life's little challenges and make things better," she explains.

That personal experience with household products has led to the production of six of the top infomercials on television today including:

Heat Surge Fireplace: Shot on location in the heart of Ohio Amish country, this 30-minute infomercial helps people save money on their heating bills.

Twin Draft Guard: Another money-saver, this innovative product prevents drafty windows and doors from adding to home heating and cooling costs.

Barack Obama Victory Plate: This commemorative porcelain plate celebrating changes has been in high demand since the election.

Wonder Hangers: As more people downsize their living space, this space-saver is a perfect solution for crowded closets.

Pro Caulk: Easy-to-use and affordable, this product helps people save the hundreds or thousands of dollars it costs to hire professionals to re-caulk tiles and other areas in the home.

EZ Combs: Following in the legendary footsteps the Topsy Tail and Hairagami, EZ Combs hairstyling tool creates beautiful hairstyles without the cost of a salon.

Beneath the warm, accessible style of the studio lies a team of skilled professionals, and Concepts TV's success has been widely recognized in the industry boasting literally hundreds of awards recognizing excellence in production. Concepts TV also has multilingual capabilities and expertise reaching the Hispanic market. With market conditions ripe for DRTV, Liantonio and her team are more optimistic than ever about the medium's prospects.

"You don't need a big agency to produce successful DRTV spots. You need a studio that understands the medium and the products and is excited about both. Our team has been working together for years. We've mastered the formula and nothing makes us happier than to hit another home run for our clients," she says.

For more information about the services provided by Concepts TV Productions, visit www.conceptstv.com or call 973-331-1500.


Post Production Insight

 

 

 

 

 

 

by James Nolan, Vice President and Senior Editor, Concepts TV Productions

One of the challenges we often face with half hour shows is picking the best moments from interviews. Off-the-cuff insights often make for the most interesting television; its important to balance those Eureka moments with more straightforward testimonials that reinforce the best features of the product. So, to distill the best moments from countless hours of footage, interview transcription is key. We are excited for improvement upon video transcription apps - Adobe Premiere's searchable speech tool is a good foreshadowing of that helpful technology, but it's not there yet.

Each member of the production/post-production team using Final Cut allows for a seamless workflow. Producers can dedicate plenty of time to reviewing footage and sending clips to the approval team (clients, creative director, influential client's daughter, etc.) Helpful suggestions and creative direction can flow back and forth. The online suites can focus on artistry and fluid storytelling, and spend less time bogged down on finding the right shots.

Ease of access to Quicktimes via web delivery systems allows for constant review of ongoing edits. One client was slated to fly to the Tristate from Asia for the edit, but the constant back and forth with quicktimes allowed the client to fully comment without having to make the trip.

Automation features in the Adobe products are helpful technologies and can really cut down on post-production time. Once a style for before/afters is decided upon, the graphic artists can fly through executing multiple composites.

DRTV marketers' biggest mistake with infomercial planning is not allowing enough time for post-production. A line cut can be delivered very quickly, but allowing for all the subtleties of a great longform show, the producers need time to digest the fluidity of the show and the logic of the accented points of the show, as well as giving time for artistic styling to ameliorate the overall feel of the show. Some of these aspects can be planned for and executed before the shooting, which will drastically reduce headaches. Don't wait to get going on animation plans even during the pre-production process.

Childcare In The Workplace

by Collette Liantonio, President, Concepts TV Productions

I am a 58 year old female entrepreneur, who has raised three children while starting and running a now 25 year old business. Many consider me a feminist. since 10 of my 12 full-time employees are women at the executive level. I vehemently oppose bringing children to the office, since the practice infringes on the rights of other employees. At best, children are distracting, and children deserve true quality time as well as employees.

Shortly after starting my business from my home office, I was visited by two gentlemen from Japan who wished to create an infomercial for a "wok". I carefully instructed my nanny to please make certain that my 18 month old child take her scheduled nap at the time of the business meeting. After scrupulously following, the international business protocol of deep bowing and respectfully examining their business cards. our meeting was abruptly halted by the enthusiastic entry of my toddler carrying her potty chair. She sat on her potty chair and did her business, as we had so painstakingly been working on for the past month. Rather than disrupting her training, I clapped for her "accomplishment" with a big smile on my face. My clients also clapped. My 18 month old daughter was successfully trained as of that week; however, I did not "land" the account.

That same week I began searching for office space, because I came to the conclusion that it's impossible to serve two such demanding masters. My business is thriving, and has grown one-hundred fold. My toddler is now in her last year of her ivy-league university, and we all learned some very important business lessons.

 

Where I Work

by Collette Liantonio, President, Concepts TV Productions

In a unique turn of the century 2 family Victorian home in quaint Boonton, a high tech TV production company (upstairs) shares their production offices with the owner's elderly parents (downstairs). While so many in the sandwich generation are torn between personal and business responsibilities, this special arrangement combines both aspects in a mutually beneficial environment. There's a swimming pool, a big barn, barbecue and a vegetable garden enjoyed by the staff, the visiting clients, and the senior citizens.

While so many elderly parents are abandoned because their families are too busy this arrangement combines the working and family aspects in a mutually beneficial environment.

When mom developed acute emphazema, I found myself traveling to her home in Queens, New York with increasing frequency to make sure her nursing care was adequate. My increasing absence from the office took its toll.

Our Solution? I sold my office condo, and renovated a two family Victorian one mile from my home in Mountain Lakes, NJ. I created a handicapped accessible ground floor apartment on Main Street in Boonton for my parents. Our office staff and editing facility moved to the 2nd and 3rd floors. There is a barbecue and swimming pool for lunch time or after work gathering where my staff and family often mingle.

The old barn behind the Victorian serves as our "prop barn" for our theatrical costumes, etc. When our staff runs out for lunch we often run errands for the "seniors." My dad double checks our "bookkeeping" (He's a retired office manager.) Many of my oldest clients have gotten to know my parents and my parents often join our company parties and holiday events. Ironically, as a child growing up in Brooklyn, our apartment was on the second and 3rd floors above my dad's office where he ran a moving and storage company.

Many of the TV products which we sell are targeted for Senior Citizens and we've product tested some health aids on mom and dad. Additionally since mom was not ambulatory she watched TV and reported the latest TV product inventions to our staff so we could keep ahead of the competition!

When we'd need a quick product shot in a home environment, we'd often visit my parents apartment to tape the segment. They enjoyed the entertainment and we accomplished our product goals. Sadly, mom passed away in October after 4 years in our office/home. Our entire staff actually feels the loss. But dad continues to help out with our bookkeeping and we all look forward to our pool parties in the spring.