Andy Musgrave

Bringing in a video professional for a job can feel expensive and I totally get that if you're new to it then it can look like a substantial sum of money, but it's important to keep in perspective exactly what that cost is getting you... On a lot of occasions experienced video folk are going to be bringing tens of thousands of pounds worth of gear to a shoot. It doesn't matter how big or small that project is, even a simple talking head could involve five figures worth of gear - all that would take is a camera body and a couple of lenses. Renting that equipment alone would cost in the hundreds! Then there's actually having the person there to operate that equipment. Someone that intricately understands lighting, framing, aperture, shooting in LOG, how to do interesting camera movements and also be able to record audio to a premium level if required. And then you have the editing aspect of bringing a video to life. Milling through footage, picking out the best bits from interviews, weaving together a story, colour grading, picking out music and inevitably having endless encounters with warp stabiliser. Point is, no matter how small the shoot may feel, there's a lot of financial and time investment that has already been made on the creative side. That is why the costs can feel high if you're a business dipping your toes into video production for the first time, but if done well then video can be an enormous asset that serves multiple purposes - brand awareness, promotion, recruitment, social media... The list goes on! If you're a business interested in using video in 2025 and would be keen to know more about what certain projects cost, feel free to message me anytime!

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Something I'm particularly proud of at Bobbin Productions is having a zero bad vibes policy when it comes to hiring. The world is full of talented creatives. So we only choose the proper lovely ones. Why? Because nothing gets better results for our clients than having a room full of positive can-doers, loving their work. I've encountered some bad eggs in my time. A few of them have even slipped through my net and onto our sets. But they've never been asked back. I even have a google sheet called "the sh*tlist" of rotters who we won't work with. There are two names on it. Do we need a spreadsheet? Obviously not. But it was the closest thing I could think of to an inoculation. In a world where technical skill and creative ability is abundant, the things I find myself hiring for are: Curiosity. Temperament. Problem-solving. Dependability. Kindness. What do you look for in a teammate?

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Using LinkedIn as an earned channel to build your brand is such an underrated tactic.

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🎮 How does a small city like Dundee go from industrial roots to being a global gaming hotspot…? Find out in our latest #PlayableFutures article - in partnership with Ukie GamesIndustry.Biz and Amazon Web Services (AWS)

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𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐤 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐓𝐕: 𝐈𝐓𝐕 𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐚, 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐟𝐥𝐢𝐱 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐬 I was pleased to see ITV's new drama, Red Eye, launching simultaneously on ITV1 and ITVX. This seems sensible: I'm not a fan of streaming exclusives. Yes, audiences are moving to streaming, but I'm not convinced by a strategy of purposely inconveniencing the others. The neutral position is to launch big new shows on broadcast and streaming at the same time. Those who prefer streaming watch the streamer, those happy in the old paradigm watch the broadcast channel. Why launch a show exclusively on streaming and withhold it from your most loyal and remunerative viewers? The logic seems to be that you are trying to push them from somewhere they are comfortable to somewhere else. But why? One answer is that you merely have an eye on your next results release and want to announce high and growing streaming numbers. But that is not a good reason to make life difficult for your most loyal customers. Ironically, we are also digesting the news that Netflix will cease reporting streaming numbers or ARPU. I sympathise. As the Sky business became more complex, it was increasingly tedious to be judged on a single satellite number when profit, the real focus, reflected ad revenue, commercial revenue, broadband, distribution on other platforms, etc. There is much speculation about Netflix's motivations – do they expect a subscriber slowdown, is ARPU set to fall? I'm more curious where this leaves the other streamers, still hooked on the quarterly drug of trying to please the markets with eye-catching subscriber number regardless of progress towards profitability. I think they will look increasingly foolish. Exhibit A: Peacock this week celebrating 54% subs growth yoy, but still losing $639m in the quarter. Finally, more this week on whether the streamers will come for sports. Apple has set out its unique stall, saying it is only interested when it can acquire global rights, and is said to be in line for the FIFA Club World Cup in 2025. Apple is apparently paying $1 billion for global rights for this newly formatted, four-week summer tournament, featuring 32 teams from the across the globe. That’s an extraordinary sum for a tournament few will care about. It’s a one-off, in the summer, when players would prefer to rest, for a title with no serious heritage. And the wrong teams will be there: e.g., Chelsea and Auckland are in, Liverpool and Arsenal are not (and I speak as a Chelsea fan from New Zealand). Perhaps it will work in the US, the host nation, relevant because the US is due to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup. But this hints at the problem with Apple’s policy. They think they are buying global rights, but it’s a delusion. Just as for the MLS, if 90% of the interest is in the US, you are really just buying US rights, and ignoring all other territories. And you are left “winning” the rights that no one else wants.

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BBC and Channel 4 are denying it... But should and are they really considering it? Both companies in the UK are publically funded via the licence fee but are very seperate companies. Both are not doing well, funding is dropping with TV licence fees cutting by 500000 last year... Not sure if you need a TV licence to watch Now, Apple, Netflix etc... i guess not as that would be a tax on many peoples phones! So merging makes sense to me. Share 'content', share news, share crew and share audience and advertising over networks. Channel 4 is aiming at the Club 13-30 market, while BBC is aimed at 0-12 and 30+ market. What do you think? Should they merge, who else in the industry should merge?

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Congratulations. You’ve (NEARLY) Done it. You’ve “Stayed Alive ’Til 25” 2024 has been a challenging year for the UK film & TV industry, with strikes in Hollywood creating production delays, rising costs squeezing budgets, and global economic uncertainty impacting investment decisions. I’m not sure when I first heard the oft repeated phrase “Stay Alive Until 25” – but it was probably about the middle of the year. It’s a remarkably resilient industry – with people who are used to weathering tough times – but it’s taken a hell of a battering over the last few years. A lot of the smaller production companies – and all of the independent small companies and freelancers that work to support the film & tv industry – from make-up artists to carpenters, IT support to editors, agents to actors – have been hanging on by their fingernails.   But ’25 is nearly upon us – and the future’s looking pretty good. Building on the UK’s world-leading expertise we have major infrastructure expansions transforming our production landscape. The incredible expansion at Shepperton Studios is virtually complete – revolutionizing UK production capacity, while other projects such as the state-of-the-art developments at Shinfield near Reading and Medina Studios on The Isle of Wight add to the rich mix of production facilities available – reinforcing the UK’s position as a global filmmaking hub. Major streaming platforms are doubling down on British content, with Netflix, Amazon, and Apple TV+ all expanding their production footprint across the nation. These purpose-built facilities are attracting tentpole productions and creating thousands of new jobs in the creative sector. Our world-class crews, competitive tax incentives, and rich storytelling heritage continue to make the UK an irresistible destination for global productions. From high-end TV dramas to cutting-edge VFX work, British talent is in high demand. The numbers tell an exciting story: planned investment in UK studio space exceeds £1 Billion, while training initiatives are building a skilled workforce ready to meet growing industry needs. This isn't just about London and the South East – regional production hubs in Manchester, Leeds, Hull and Glasgow already up and running, or in development. As we head in to the New Year, the UK is positioned to strengthen its role as a global content powerhouse. The creative industries remain one of our greatest exports, and the future looks bright. Let’s make the most of it! #UKFilm #TVProduction #MediaIndustry #CreativeIndustries #BritishFilm #ContentCreation #FilmIndustry #ProductionUK #SheppertonStudios #UKStudios

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A PRS PPL music licence for a small shop* is now £496.87 (inc vat) per year! ...£745.30 (inc vat) if you're caught playing music without a licence 😳 That's right.... If you want to play music in your shop (regardless of size) you need a music licence from PRS PPL. 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐝𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐚 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐜 𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞? Under The Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, a business needs permission from the copyright holders (the people who create music) to play their music publically. When you play music, whether for your staff and/or customers, it's classed as a public performance of the music. By purchasing a music licence from PRS PPL you are granted permission to play the music on behalf of the copyright owners. If you play music without a music licence you're committing copyright infringement. This means a fine will be issued when you're caught (hence the higher licence charge above). 𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬? Yes, if you play royalty-free music you don't need a licence from PRS PPL. However, you still need the copyright owner's permission to play their music. That's why using a specialist royalty-free music provider is important. They will give you this peace of mind usually in the form of a royalty-free licensing certificate. 𝐈 𝐝𝐢𝐝𝐧'𝐭 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐈 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐚 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐜 𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐞, 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐈 𝐝𝐨? 👉 Get organised and don't delay in sorting this out. 👉 Find out how much a music licence will cost by checking the PRS and PPL tariffs. How much you pay will depend on the size of your business and the music delivery method. 👉 Explore your options. Royalty-free music is cheaper than paying for a PRS PPL music licence and the quality is superb so it could be the perfect option for you. *Small shop = under 100 sq meters in size 👉 For more detailed information and links to resources take a look at our recent post. https://lnkd.in/eZzu-2ah #retail #retailers #charityretail #shop #shopowner #indieretailer #shopsmall #highstreet

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Happy New Year, lovely people! Just in case your 2025 vision board includes working with me, I thought I'd repost the animation below* about some of the things I 𝗰𝗮𝗻'𝘁 help you with... However, if you like the idea of: - making more money; - simplifying your messaging; - saving yourself time; and - improving your customers' experience then maybe you'd like to work with me after all 😄 Please get in touch to see how I can help you with: - creating an engaging and informative report about a recent project (or your achievements during 2024); - jazzing up your website with some bespoke icons to showcase your wonderful services; - designing some accessible instructions and/or a sleek PowerPoint presentation to help answer your Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs); - some beautiful artwork for your office to reflect your organisational values; or - creating the animation, infographic, graphic design, illustration and/or simplified written copy of your dreams! *I also wanted to repost it because how often do you see a HEINZ Away From Home baked bean tin catapulted from a seesaw?! Video description: Text on a lilac background reads "You probably won't want to work with me if...". Scene 2 shows a crowd of colourful people and the text "You like your customers to feel confused". 5 question marks appear over their heads. Scene 3 shows a brown wallet of notes and coins labelled "yuck", under the text "You hate making a profit". Scene 4 shows Bill Murray in the film Groundhog Day, with the title "You love repeating yourself". A speech bubble repeats the words "over and". Scene 5 shows a line of colourful dominoes under the text "or you want your messages to be as complicated as...". The music starts, and a pointing hand appears and knocks over the first domino, starting a chain reaction of: - The unlit match attached to the last domino striking against a matchbox. - The flaming match falling and lighting a candle. - The candle's flame burning through a rope. - The rope unravelling through a pulley, dropping the bowling pin attached to the rope. - The bowling pin landing on a seesaw, flinging the baked bean tin on the other end into the air. - The tin knocking into a ping-pong ball labelled "e", causing the ball to bounce down some stairs and through a wiggly tube. - The ball exiting the tube next to a line of other balls, with letters spelling out "message", next to the word "this". Scene 6 shows Katie waving under the text "If you do want to work with me after all", next to a mirror reflection of a smiling person labelled "Your (lovely) face here". Scene 7 shows Katie's contact details, and an illustrated cup of coffee. #AccessibleMessaging #VisualCommunications #GraphicDesign #Animation #InclusiveMessaging

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Are you a filmmaker or part of a film production company, then claiming Film Tax Relief (FTR) must be a part of your funding strategy. Film tax relief is available for British qualifying films if they: either pass the cultural test: This is an easy process. You only need 18 points to qualify. They ask questions such as if the film is in English, the number of cast and crew who are British, locations in the UK, if the theme of the script is British. My current application has 39 points and that is only because it is not fully crewed: Qualify as an official co-production: Intended for theatrical release: Have a minimum UK core spend requirement of 10%, including those made under official co-production treaties. Tax relief is available on qualifying UK production expenditure on the lower of either 80% of total core expenditure or the actual UK core expenditure incurred. There is no cap on the amount which can be claimed. The film production company responsible for the film needs to be within the UK Corporation Tax net. There are several companies who will advance up to 90% of the Film Tax Credit prior to the start of your production to ease cashflow. Even if your film is a low budget film, don't miss out on applying for FTC to finance your work, 🎥 Lights, Camera, Tax Relief! 🌟 For more details, visit the official HMRC or BFI pages. #FilmTaxRelief #CreativeIndustry #FilmFinance #UKFilmIndustry

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How Proof of Concept Secured Our Film Funding – A Conversation with Steven Crowhurst In Episode 5 of Documentary of Creating a Short Film, we sit down with director Steven Crowhurst to discuss how a strong proof of concept can be the key to unlocking funding for your film. Watch 'Documentary of Creating a Short Film - Episode 5: Interview with Steven Crowhurst' on our YouTube channel, 'Aki Studio London', to discover how to turn your vision into a funded project. Link in bio. #AkiStudioLondon #ShortFilm #ProofOfConcept #FilmFunding #IndieFilmmaking #CreativeProcess #StoryDevelopment #FilmmakingTips #BehindTheScenes

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On #WorldSuicidePreventionDay (10 Sept), I’m very pleased to announce that Inside Job Productions has been awarded a two year grant by NHS England to establish the Suicide Prevention Film Unit, based out of Wandsworth Prison in London. As the World Health Organisation (WHO) declares today, suicide is a major public health challenge with over 700,000 deaths each year globally. Each suicide has far-reaching social, economic, and emotional consequences, deeply affecting individuals and communities worldwide. Nowhere more so than in prisons, where health and social challenges are greatly amplified. This will be the first film production unit of its kind, recognising the importance of sharing relevant information and supporting informed conversations around the reasons why people choose to take their own lives or self-harm in our prisons today and how we can better support them during times of crisis. By putting prison staff and prisoners at the heart of the production process, we will ensure that the film and digital media content produced is authentic and therefore accessible to all. We’re proud to be picking up on one of the WHO themes of #WorldSuicidePreventionDay 2024: #StartingTheConversation. The primary purpose of producing the film content is to support and encourage conversations between individuals who may be considering suicide or self-harm and those who are there to support them. These conversations may explore coping mechanisms when you are struggling with life inside prison, or they may be about flagging up existing services or suggesting new ones. As well as using the conventional routes for disseminating film content in prisons, including in-cell TV, we will also be facilitating a series of screening events inside the prisons which will provide a safe space for prison staff and prisoners to view the films and discuss the content in some detail, motivated and aided by experts in the subject matters. We are currently assembling a strong coalition of volunteers who will provide the project with this invaluable support. We would be delighted to welcome more of you to this eminent group of suicide prevention champions. We look forward to taking this important new project forward with your support. https://lnkd.in/ecm_ZUyF #WorldSuicidePreventionDay #StartTheConversation

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Don’t blame bad work on a bad brief I’ve always believed you don’t need permission to make great work When we started NUSA STUDIOS, no brands wanted to work with us, we had no portfolio, no experience, no industry clout, no contacts but we knew we wanted to create great work We’d spend hours watching Vimeo staff picks and scheming up creative projects (mostly surf films despite the fact we were awful at surfing) One of the biggest leaps we made as a business was making a spec ad for a brand, they never got back to us but it did allow us to us win a project a few months later for a very well known sports apparel brand because we had the perfect portfolio piece to show for it I really rate Nils Leonard’s ethos of calling Uncommon Creative Studio a studio, not an agency because they want to exist independent of their clients, they don’t need permission to create great work, they can go out and just make it themselves No matter the quality of a brief, any great creative will know that the brief is the floor and you should be aiming for the ceiling With all that said - brands, plz write good briefs, ty #video #videoproduction #film #filmproduction #creativeagency #socialmedia #socialcontent #contentmarketing #advertising #brand

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"Any country with a massive cultural export, that money very rarely ends up in those countries." This week, our interview with Earn Your Leisure went viral! With over 1M impressions across social media and some of the biggest Afrobeats artists and teams reaching out, I thought the industry already knew… Genres from around the world are growing at an exponential rate, but those local economies are rarely benefiting. With EVEN, that is changing. But why has this happened, and why is it happening in 2024? Our research and conversations with artists this year point towards two main factors: 1. Lack of Infrastructure Support: The profits generated from cultural exports, such as music, often benefit foreign companies that distribute the content. They set the payout rate, and the creator is only paid after the company is paid. Most companies don’t even make an effort to support global currencies… and we know what happens when that happens. 2. Intellectual Property: Developing countries often struggle with enforcing intellectual property rights. This year, I have met numerous artists across LATAM and Africa who didn’t know who had distributed their music on streaming platforms. While they were happy to be on those platforms, they had never received a single penny from those streams. EVEN now supports 140 currencies (more than Shopify) and 30 global payment methods (e.g., M-PESA in Kenya, PIX in Brazil, AliPay in China, Paystack in Nigeria, and many more). EVEN has artists and labels in over 110 countries. Now that artists and teams can own their creator businesses, what will this do to the global music industry? It’s time for artists and teams from around the world to get EVEN. #musicindustry #musicnews #nigeria #afrobeats #globalization #dtc #superfans

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1 billion streams. I’ve been thinking a lot about this milestone—not just what it means for Steven Bartlett and The Diary Of A CEO team, but for what it represents in the media industry at large. I have worked for nearly 25 years in media. Long before iPhones, social media, streaming, YouTube, the creator economy, or podcasts even existed. I’ve watched this industry reinvent itself time and time again. Every new wave brings innovation, potential—and resistance. The moments that stand out to me are the ones where people moved through resistance, pushed past judgment, and worked with urgency to create something extraordinary. Those moments don’t just shape where we’ve been—they’re defining where this industry is heading next. That’s what we’re creating at Flight Studio: a company building what’s next in media. Steven is the first British podcaster and the first Black podcaster to achieve 1 billion streams globally. This is an extraordinary achievement. Seven years ago, Steven bought a microphone and started this podcast with the words, “I hope nobody’s listening.” Well, SB, they’re definitely listening now. For us at Flight Studio, this is just the start of the new wave of media and I’m excited to build alongside likeminded people who share that vision. ❤️

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We've just closed a job ad for a videographer role and the number of applications has broken a record for us. 323 That's a lot right?? It's definitely felt like a lot when I've been working my way through them over the last few weeks. It's been exciting to see the talent that's out there but also pretty disheartening to acknowledge what this means in terms of the number of people out there looking for these kinds of opportunities. For those who are applying for these kinds of roles, here's a few tips which might help you get yourself nearer the top of the pile: - Be eye catching Visually creative CVs immediately get more attention than Word template CVs. It's a visual medium so be visual. - Make it easy for the employer Figure out the key thing they're looking for (eg relevant examples of work, relevant experience) and make those as easy to access as possible. We're busy with loads to sift through, the sooner we can get to the good stuff the better - Read the job ad We include specific requirements for applications in our job ads and lots of people fail to read them. It takes a bit of time and effort but everything has been included for a reason so if you don't read it all you could easily miss something key - One size doesn't fit all For you this may be the latest in a long line of jobs you've applied for, but for the hirer this is a big deal so don't let them feel like you're just ticking a box to apply. Generic cover letters are a big turn off. Show you know the company and understand the role. - Provide evidence This is particularly relevant for video/film roles; we want to SEE what you can do, not just read about it. Showreels are valuable tools but they must be kept up to date. If your showreel is 3 years old, you may be missing out on us watching some of your best work. It's challenging out there but if your work is good and you're great to work with then there are opportunities out there so keep plugging away.

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Why are we not talking about this? 2 years ago I was at the height of my teaching career enjoying the bliss of finally being paid a salary which I felt came close to what I worked hard at University to achieve. I did everything right to please my co workers and my employers. What I didn't see coming was the sudden death of my then fiancé at the time. I was crushed. Concentration and focus was a thing of the past because now I lost the man who helped me balance work and life. Now I was left alone to balance it all with a roller coaster of emotions. If I had the chance to talk to your leadership staff and employees , I would share that 1. When grieving, work-life balance doenst exist. 2. When grieving individuals are forced to choose between two extremes , freeze or fight. 3. When grieving the mind speeds up or slows down which can affect effective work-life balance. I breakdown these points in my signature talk entitled: "I'm grieving, can't you see. Using my S.T.R.E.T.C.H. Framework. The truth is ,the world doesn't pause to give you an opportunity to grieve. Hire me to talk at your next Professional development Day HR C Trainings Employee workshop Teacher's Professional development Day. For Bookings and Inquiries please email [email protected] Grief can help you GROW Or it can kill your FlOW. Let me know in the comments what makes the work-life balance concept challenging while grieving?

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Exciting news - You can finally invest in Sooper Books! I’m excited to announce our partners Simon Hood & Charlene Mitchell-Hood at Sooper Books, backed by all five tycoons on BBC Dragons’ Den, have just announced their debut Crowdfunding Campaign! Now, for the first time ever, the public can invest. The opportunity ahead of Sooper Books is extremely exciting, and with the hot discussions of IP driving Film & TV, ultimately, the goal is to create a suite of characters that can define the next generation of children’s entertainment. With a large and growing audience, we believe they are in a unique position to keep creating world-class characters with Emmy Award-Winning storytellers, and use the data to determine the most popular ones. The top characters will then be turned into feature length stories and pushed out into different verticals for licensing (books, toys, clothing, TV, Film, etc). If you’re interested in investing, I’d suggest joining the priority access list to beat the rush. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to myself or someone on the team! https://lnkd.in/eYmSkPyb P.s. Joining the list is not a commitment to invest. You’ll have time to review all the necessary details. They’ll be accepting anything from £10 to £500,000, so it really is for everyone! #crowdfunding #angelinvestors #startups #sooperbooks #dreambayentertainment #IP #animation #illustration

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Sure Cover Group Increased their website conversions by 25% using an explainer video. Whilst being a leader in white goods cover they wanted something that set them apart from competitors. SCG decided to go with a short explainer video that condensed their service into a 30-second clip. We walked them through the step-by-step process and had the video ready and on the website in under 6 weeks. As a result, they had: - 32% decrease in website dwindling time - 25% increase in website conversion rates - Improved SEO score And to top it off - Improved customer engagement - More informed buyers - increasing both sales and lead gen Not bad results for a quick “30-second explainer” right It’s time we start putting some respect on explainer videos 👏

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