Mesa Verde National Park, Cliff Palace, Taken with GoPro Hero3+ Black Edition (Video Capture)
Last week a couple of our team members went on vacation with stops at the Grand Canyon and Mesa Verde National Park. While out in the world we took along a GoPro Hero3+ to find some interesting applications for an ultra-small, high definition video camera and we discovered some really interesting uses that didn’t require surfing, mountain climbing, or skateboarding.
The Engaged Video team specializes in helping our clients find their voice in the digital marketplace, and the GoPro is a great tool for engaging audiences with video in an immersive and dynamic way. This little camera has a number of advantages for organizations who want to provide their audience with a first person perspective on their work. It has a fixed focal length ultra-wide angle lens that records videos that are truly immersive. The perspective of the GoPro is very similar to actually sitting in the space where the camera is recording. Has your organization been looking for a dynamic way to provide your prospective patrons with a unique virtual tour of your facility? The GoPro was practically designed for just such a purpose.
As we hiked the trails at the Grand Canyon and visited the Ancient Pueblo Indian Cliff Dwellings at Mesa Verde National Park, we had a GoPro strapped to a head-mount and simply recorded entire hikes and tours. What we discovered is that the first person nature of the camera, the high definition video, and 60 frames per second resulted in a completely hands-free hike that provided us with some amazing video and still shots from the trip. The ultra-portable nature of this camera lends itself to being taken into places one wouldn’t normally take a DSLR with a telephoto lens. In fact, the GoPro makes a pretty solid argument for leaving such equipment at home and simply recording your adventures in 4K resolution with the intent to compile both videos and still-shot photos from screen captures after you get home.
Grand Canyon, May 2014. Taken with GoPro Hero3+ Black Edition, (Video Capture)
Going completely hands-free was an amazing experience. Having the camera on a head-mount meant that we could simply clip it, launch it, and forget about it until we got back to our camp site. That kind of freedom had us asking some really interesting questions about how our clients could use such technology. Has your organization ever been interested in finding ways to let prospective students or campers know what it’s like to take a class with your education team? What would it be like to strap a GoPro to one of your students for a session, and use that footage as an introduction to your education programs? That same footage could be utilized to support grant writing and fundraising efforts. This type of camera records videos that are intimate, candid, and give the viewer a sense that they’re going “behind the scenes” by experiencing the class through someone else’s eyes. The possibilities seem almost infinite with this camera, and that’s one of the reasons we chose to write an entire blog post on this amazing device.
How Much Does It Cost?
At $399.99 for the GoPro Hero3+ Black Edition the camera isn’t a cheap investment, but most organizations wouldn’t need more than the Silver Edition that maxes out at 1080P/60 FPS for only $299.99. The accessories necessary to accomplish some of the ideas we’ve outlined in this blog would amount to less than $8 for a Head Mount and another $19 for the open Frame Mount. Buyers should be aware that the GoPro doesn’t come with a memory card and these can run between $35 and $70 for the correct 64gb card. For the GoPro Silver you can get a SanDisk Ultra 64GB MicroSDXC card for around $38 right now. All told you’re looking at around $365 for a fully functional Silver Edition system.
Sometimes leveraging new technology might seem a bit daunting, but Engaged Video exists to help our clients find new ways to engage your audiences using the right tools in the right way. If you’re interested in investing in GoPro and understanding how this camera might benefit your organization don’t hesitate to contact our team for a consultation!
We will be inviting members of the Engaged Video team, and the community at large, to participate in this blog. We believe that each unique voice that contributes to this conversation will help reveal a more complete picture of the digital engagement process for our clients and partners.
If you have an idea for a blog post that is appropriate for this series please don’t hesitate to submit a suggestion to us via email at: [email protected] or by filling out the submission form right here on our website!
