We share our 10 essential things to remember if your brief is to produce the best corporate video for your company.
Embarking on a video production project can be a daunting experience. There will be lots of factors that you will want to get right and so much that you could include within the film. It’s really easy to loose sight of the basics and we’ve been sent countless briefs from marketing departments that seemed like trouble even before a single frame of footage had been shot. The worst examples of which occur when we receive a brief that has clearly been developed by committee and is essentially every single idea submitted cobbled into one big mess!
There are however, some basic elements that-in most cases-should always be included in your film regardless of what else you wish to shoehorn in there. Some of these elements have their roots in basic salesmanship and have not really changed since the dawn of time (no matter what you’re SEO expert tells you). So here’s our short guide to producing the best corporate video possible.
1 – Start with who and what you are
Whether you use a voice over, interview extract or graphic, set your stall out right from the get go and communicate what you do and who you are. Don’t assume that just because the viewer clicked play that they already know you.
2 – Shiny happy people
A promo film full of miserable looking people wont make me warm to you or your product. If you are filming real people make sure someone interacts with them to provoke smiles for the camera. Remember they are not actors and very few people walk around wearing a constant grin so a little encouragement goes a long way.
3 – Make sure that you film’s storyline is basically NOT one long list!
Remember you are selling here. One of the oldest rules in the book is to highlight benefits NOT just the features. By simply banging on about what you offer tells the customer nothing about how your product/service can enhance their life!
4 – Ensure any staff that appear in your film are clean and presentable
This sounds like a no-brainer but you’d be amazed video how many shoots we’ve been on where staff have turned up looking like they’ve been on a night out with the grinch! Modern HD film will show up every little spec (so make sure fingernails are clean and scrubbed also)!
5 – Include a customer in your film
As a viewer I’m naturally suspicious if the entire cast of any promotional film have an obvious vested interest in telling me that they can turn water into wine! Therefore having one(or more) of your customers on screen telling me about why they love your company will add some authenticity and validation to your film.
6 – Future proof your film
You don’t want to go to the time and effort of producing the best corporate video you can only to realize that half the products/services featured are being updated next month. Re-editing can be costly so plan to produce and release your film to get the maximum usage within your product cycles.
7 – Look busy!
If you deal with the public and plan to have shots of exteriors/interiors where you customers will be then try to schedule filming for a day that is busy. Filming on busy days can be challenging but it’s usually worthwhile as it generates great feelgood shots and demonstrates your established popularity.
8 – Include a reference to your website.
Ideally you should bring the URL up as a graphic at some point but if not make sure you mention your site within the film.
9 – Ensure that your production agency archives all the footage.
You may wish to re-visit your film a few years down the line and create an updated version so when agreeing your initial budget with your production agency ensure they include full archiving of all footage and files.
10 – Close your film with something exciting!
Make sure your film doesn’t just peter out and lose impact. Include a strong CTA at the end. Maybe think about including an exclusive offer at the end of your film which will not only add punch but will also give you an excellent way to track the films effectiveness.
We hope you find the above useful and that it helps you produce the best corporate video possible for your brand or organisation. However if you have any further questions then please do not hesitate to contact us on the link below.
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