* but only if you have Windows 8.1 and the latest version of Internet Explorer... for now :)

Youtube has been gradually rolling out support for videos shot at 60 frames per second for some time now. It's mostly been limited to corporate clients running promos for 60fps game demos, but their reach has recently moved into the First Showing realm (albeit in a very limited fashion)! Roll-out will be spotty for some time as it becomes more widely accepted within the Youtube framework, but in the mean time, check out the tour at the bottom of this post that was shot with our Sony A7s shooting full HD at 60 frames per second. For the time being, you'll need to be running Windows 8.1 with the latest version of the Internet Explorer web browser - other browsers will be supported soon! Make sure you go full-screen with this one, and that you have a fast internet connection. If you click the 'gear' icon on the bottom right corner of the video, you should either see or be able to select '1080p60' as the playback mode. If you can't see this as a playback option... check back soon :)

Why is 60fps so smooth? I'll draw upon my past education for the answer (thank you, Bachelor of Fine Arts!) It all comes down to something called 'persistence of vision'. Our eyes are built to view still images, and they do this very well... up to a point. Once a certain threshold is reached - it is around 16 frames per second - the human eye can no longer differentiate between single images. Our visual cortex combines them into one string - a moving image. Film and video technology is, at it's core, a workaround for us to trick the brain into seeing movement in still images!

The history of cinema has had a number of different standards for what constitutes the "best" rate at which films should be shown. In the beginning, it was very non-standardized: camera operators hand-cranked film cameras, so it came down to the 'style' of the shooter. With the advent of sound, a consistent speed was required, so that sound-sync could be achieved (the first systems were separate film & video tracks). After much trial and error (and politicking!), 24fps was established (and largely remains) as the standard playback frame rate. An interesting sidebar note is that many 8mm home film cameras back in the day shot at 18fps because it used less film and so was cheaper to shoot!

We won't get into how frame rates made their way into television and video. It's a seriously sordid story which, if you really care, you could ask me about when next we meet. But I'll wrap this post up by saying that "the more frames per second, the smoother the apparent motion". Note that I don't make a subjective judgement call on whether it "looks better", because what's "best" is, quite literally, in the eye of the beholder. To some viewers, high frame-rate video looks... fake. Like a soap opera. But for our purposes, a high frame-rate tour means a higher apparent resolution, better apparent detail and an all-round smoother experience. Like you were there. If you would like a more 'filmic' look to your tours do let me know and I can knock it down to 24 fps. But to see as much as possible, smooth 60fps is the way to go.

Go Full Screen (Windows 8.1, Internet Explorer only as of Jan. 26, 2015), choose 1080p60 from the 'gear' menu, and check it out below!

Happy 2015 to you and your family! By most measures, it seems that 2014 was a very good year all around and I trust that the same will be true for the year coming up.

2014 was a very exciting year here at First Showing. It was certainly not without its challenges (I have resolved to not bike quickly down very steep hills!) but all things considered, my team and I had a fantastic time working with all of our clients, new and old!

I recently purchased the Sennheiser EW-100 wireless microphone system to record property tour voice overs. This professional-grade system offers natural, full-range, hands-free recording of your voice describing the property as we walk through it during shooting. This is a great way to feature elements of the listing that might not be apparent.

NEW! With the A7s camera, I now have the capability to broadcast the video signal as I record it. You can now watch in real time on my tablet as we walk through the property, so your comments can precisely match what's on-screen. What the camera sees is what you see!

I have had many requests from clients for integrated aerial video and/or photos. I have been flying model rotor craft for many years now, but have not brought the technology into my business owing to regulatory issues. Transport Canada has recently issued new rules regarding commercial UAV use, and I am investigating if and how this can benefit both my business, and your tours. Next time we meet, let's discuss how aerial imagery can help you sell properties!

All that said, I now offer my clients...

In September, I hired a pilot to take me on The Grand Tour around the area so that I could put together a library of area aerial photos. My coverage for the shoot extended from Wasaga Beach to Collingwood, Blue Mountain, Thornbury and the Beaver Valley up to Lake Eugenia. My coverage was quite extensive, and if you've got a property in the area that you would like to feature, it's likely that I've got an aerial of it. Check out the gallery here:

First Showing Gallery Tour



There is a little map animation that shows the flight path I took, this should give you a ball park idea of the area that specific photos were taken. If you have any questions or would like to include an aerial photo in your tour package please let me know.

You've engaged First Showing to create a state-of-the-art property tour. The video walk through; the photos; the property page... It all looks fantastic, and your clients are pleased as punch.

Now what?

Creating an effective property tour is just the start of the job. Once it's produced, make sure that your marketing – and therefore your marketing dollars – are easily discovered. But that's not all that I recommend. I strongly encourage you to also ensure that potential viewers know precisely what they're going to see. Read on to find out why I think this is important.

Most people, of course, start their web search at Realtor.ca, especially in our market where such a large proportion of buyers are from out of town. And many (but not all) potential buyers know about what they might find when they click the tiny, easily missed 'Multimedia' button. So make it simple for them! Everybody reads the listing description, so consider saving a few valuable characters to put words like these directly in the property description: "Click 'Multimedia' button above for High Def vid walk thru and pro photos!"


Why those words? Two reasons. First, it's a call-to-action, and you are offering a simple way for the viewer to become further engaged. You are also describing exactly what they can expect when they click the link. Why is that important? Because what you're offering is unique and highly effective. Go to MLS and click on a bunch of Multimedia links. You may find a gallery of sub-standard photos (if you find one at all!). You might also find a "video tour" that consists of, well, the same photos – but moving! – on a YouTube video. Sadly, the words "Virtual Tour" and "YouTube Video" have become synonymous with either the same property photos in a simple YouTube slide show, or pictures in a poorly designed interface.

So tell them what you've got. Tell them what they'll discover. A Hi Def video walk-thru. Pro photos.

What about the property description on your personal business page? I encourage you to use similar wording in ALL of your property descriptions, no matter where you post it: "Make sure you view a High Definition Property Walk Through of this home by <clicking clicking the virtual tour button below>". Make it easy, make it visible, encourage people to discover!

Many people these days are also turning to YouTube itself to search for properties. Video, after all, works on so many levels. There are many resources floating around that tell you how to get on the first page of a YouTube search but I'll let you in on my little secret: Get the YouTube video title right. Make it clear, make it concise. Make it what people are going to search for. No need to make it a vanity title with your name and business, just the facts, please!

Don't believe me? I went to YouTube today and typed in "home for sale in collingwood". There were 20 results on the first page, and 19 of the 20 were First Showing property tours, including all of the first 17! Note the tour titles to find out why they ranked as they did.

The important thing is to ensure that your First Showing marketing dollars are placed where people can find them. Yes, our tours are only one little piece of the puzzle, but I firmly believe that they are a very important piece that potential buyers want – and need – to market and sell their properties.