Mullen Construction
Coastal North San Diego County · Since 1977

Ed's Video Shoot Guide

15 short clips, one afternoon, your phone. Ed reads each numbered line to the camera — one at a time. We do all the editing and turn them into 60 different ads. Nothing to memorize, nothing to perform.

🎬 15 clips total ⏱️ 30–45 minutes 📱 Any smartphone 👕 Same shirt, same spot
📋 Read this first · 2 minutes

How to record this (you've got this)

You don't need to be a videographer or memorize anything. Every numbered line in this doc is its own short, separate clip — just work down the list and record them one at a time on your phone. Have your helper hold the phone — Ed, your only job is to read the line like you're talking to a neighbor. Follow the four rules below and you'll nail it. When in doubt, do 2–3 takes and we'll pick the best.

🔊 Audio Most important

  • This matters more than how the video looks. Bad audio is the #1 thing that kills a clip — clear audio is the #1 thing that saves it.
  • Record somewhere quiet. No fans, AC, TV, traffic, or wind. Big empty rooms echo — a normal furnished room sounds better.
  • Get the mic close. Best: a cheap clip-on lav mic (~$20) or wired earbuds with the built-in mic. No mic? Keep the phone about an arm's length away, not across the room.
  • Test before you commit. Record 10 seconds, play it back, make sure the voice is crisp — then record the rest.

📱 Shoot vertical

  • Hold the phone upright (portrait), never sideways. If it's filmed horizontal we can't use it for the ads.
  • Frame Ed from mid-chest up, eyes in the upper third, a little space above his head.
  • Keep it steady. Prop the phone against something or have someone hold it — no shaky, walking-and-talking handheld.

💡 Lighting

  • Light on your face, not behind you. Face the window or the sun — never stand with a bright window or sky behind you (that turns you into a shadow).
  • Outdoors: open shade or early-morning / late-afternoon light is gold. Avoid harsh midday sun that makes you squint. A finished deck behind you is the perfect backdrop.
  • Indoors: face a window, add a lamp if it's dim. Even, natural light beats a dark "cinematic" look every time.

🎬 Record one line at a time (this is what makes it easy)

  • One line = one clip. Don't try to perform a whole ad in a single take. Say one numbered line, stop, record the next. We assemble them afterward.
  • Stay consistent the whole session — same shirt, same spot, same framing — so any clip snaps together with any other. That's the secret to getting 60 ads from 15 clips.
  • Mess up? No problem. Just re-record that one line. Give us 2–3 takes of each and we'll grab the best one.
  • Talk to one person — imagine a neighbor across the fence, not "a camera." Real and natural beats polished. Pauses are totally fine. It's okay to glance at the line between takes.
  • Order: read the ⭐ sample ad below once to feel the flow, then film top to bottom — Openers 1–10, then the 3 Stories, then the 2 Closers.
The one idea behind every ad: Homeowners in coastal North San Diego County aren't shopping for the cheapest deck — they're shopping for a builder they can trust to show up, tell the truth, and charge a fair price. These ads show them you're that builder — 49 years of proof — then invite them to a Custom Design Meeting & Free Estimate: you walk their property, design it with them, and give them an honest price.
⚠️ Two lines to okay before you start: (1) Clip 11 says "we back our work for ten years" — if your 10-year guarantee is worded differently, tell Spencer and we'll match it exactly. (2) Clip 11 also says "most of our decks start around twenty thousand." If either line doesn't sit right, just skip that sentence and keep going — the clip still works without it.

⭐ The sample ad — read once, don't film

this is what clips 5 + 12 + 14 sound like assembled
Just to feel the flow

"The scariest part of building a deck isn't the price. It's handing a contractor a deposit and praying he actually shows back up."

"You know the number one thing I hear? 'The last guy took my deposit and I never saw him again.' … We've been building in coastal North San Diego County for 49 years — you don't last that long taking people's money and vanishing."

"I'll walk your property, design it with you, and give you an honest price — no pressure, no games. Tap Learn More and book your Custom Design Meeting and free estimate."

🎣 The 10 Openers

each is 5–12 seconds · film all 10

These are the first 3 seconds of each ad — short on purpose, word-for-word. You never introduce yourself in an opener; they meet you in the story.

1
The resort morning · 28 words · ~12 sec
"Picture walking out your back door to a deck that feels like a resort — ocean air, morning coffee, the whole family out there. That's the backyard we build."
2
The stalled dream · 20 words · ~8 sec
"You've been picturing that backyard for years. The right deck turns your house into the place everyone wants to be."
3
The "impossible" yard · 19 words · ~8 sec
"If a contractor — or even an architect — ever told you a deck was impossible on your slope, keep watching."
4
The season · 27 words · ~11 sec
"The best days of the year happen on a deck. If yours is falling apart — or you never built one — let's fix that before the season's gone."
5
The real fear · 23 words · ~10 sec
"The scariest part of building a deck isn't the price. It's handing a contractor a deposit and praying he actually shows back up."
6
Burned before · 13 words · ~5 sec
"If a contractor's ever taken your money and disappeared, this one's for you."
7
The trust question · 17 words · ~7 sec
"How do you know a deck builder will actually finish the job — before you've already paid him?"
8
Not the cheapest · 21 words · ~9 sec
"Looking for the cheapest deck in Coastal North San Diego County? Don't call me. Cheap is exactly how people get burned."
9
49 years · 25 words · ~10 sec
"I've been building decks here in Coastal North San Diego County for 49 years. There's a reason we're still standing when the take-your-deposit-and-vanish guys aren't."
10
The relief · 26 words · ~11 sec
"If you've been looking for a deck builder you can finally trust — one who'll still be here in ten years — take a breath. You found him."

🥩 The 3 Stories

each is ~45 seconds · the middle of every ad

These are longer — take your time, and feel free to do them in a couple of takes. Glancing down at the page between sentences is fine; we cut that out.

11
Fair price + the backing · 105 words · ~45 sec
"Here's how I think about it. If you want the cheapest deck, that's not us — cheap out here means a corner you won't see until the boards are cupping and the railing's loose. We build with waterproof composite like TimberTech, glass and stainless cable rails — materials that stand up to the salt air — and I charge what it actually costs to do it right, not a dollar more. Most of our decks start around twenty thousand. Remodeler Magazine put us in the top hundred builders in the country, and we back our work for ten years. You're not getting gouged, and you're not getting garbage."
12
Still here · 104 words · ~45 sec
"You know the number one thing I hear? 'The last guy took my deposit and I never saw him again.' Or billed more than he ever finished. A while back a homeowner showed me another contractor's quote: ten thousand dollars. We did the job right for two. That's the difference. We've been building in Coastal North San Diego County for 49 years — you don't last that long taking people's money and vanishing. We show up when we say we will, we tell you the truth even when it costs us the job, and we'll still be here long after your deck is built."
13
The "impossible" stairway · 102 words · ~45 sec
"Years ago in Vista, a customer built a house fifty feet above the road. The slope was so steep his architect said pedestrian access was impossible — at any price. Guests had to hike up the driveway. So I went out with my transit, shot the grades myself, and designed a stairway with five landings that worked with the hill instead of fighting it. Two guys, one week — done. It's still standing. That's what 49 years teaches you: most 'impossible' backyards just haven't met a builder willing to do the math. Steep lot, tight setback, salt air — bring it. We'll design around it."

📣 The 2 Closers

each is ~13 seconds · the last line of every ad
14
The invitation · 30 words · ~13 sec
"I'll walk your property, design it with you, and give you an honest price — no pressure, no games. Tap Learn More and book your Custom Design Meeting and free estimate."
15
I come out personally · 32 words · ~13 sec
"I only take a couple of design meetings a day, and I come out personally. If you want your deck done right the first time, tap the button and pick your time."

✅ When you're done

Getting the clips to us (pick whichever is easiest)

  1. Basecamp: open the Mullen Construction project → Photos & Videos → 03 · Videos → drag the clips in.
  2. Or just email them to Spencer — if the files are too big to attach, reply to his email and he'll send a simple upload link.

Don't delete anything, don't trim anything, don't worry about flubbed takes — send it all. We pick the best takes and do every bit of the editing.