Creating an engaging, on-brand business video is no walk in the park. While it seems like a simple enough task, any business videographer will tell you there are an array of different steps to keep in mind to make sure your business videos are conveying the right messages in the right ways to your audiences. Luckily, we’ve been creating beautiful, impactful business videos for small business and corporations years–we’ve got the entire videography process down to a science.
Here are a few tricks of the trade:
Don’t Overlook Your Script
Every business videographer knows that the key to a great brand video is a great script. And while the scriptwriting process will always look a little different from business to business, there are a few elements every business owner should keep in mind:
- Decide on your overall goal and stick to it: Your script will be the roadmap of your entire video. Make sure it’s leading to the right destination! Whether you’re looking to drive traffic to your website, cement your company’s image, or generate leads, you’ll need to come to a consensus on what you want this video to actually do before you start writing.
- Use Your Brand’s Voice: This is your chance to bring your brand to life. Whether you’re a local dog-sitting business, a serious accounting firm, or a warm and compassionate healthcare practice, make sure your brand voice shines through your script.
- Cut the Fluff: Don’t let your message get lost in the shuffle. Make sure that every word counts. Overuse of words and phrases and needless repetition will not only obscure your message but will be extremely detrimental to keeping your audience’s attention. Speaking of…
- Hook your viewers from the beginning: If you’re able to capture your audience’s attention in three seconds, there’s a 65% chance they’ll watch for 10 seconds, and a 45% chance they’ll make it to 30. Whether you start out with an attention-grabbing visual or audio clip, the beginning of your video has to make an impression.
Choose the Right Equipment & Focus on the Details When Filming
Before you jump into filming your business video, take a second look at the equipment you’re using. Choosing the right camera and equipment makes all the difference in achieving a professional brand video. Consider factors like camera resolution, lens type, frame rates, and sound quality when you do this. Each of these things will make or break the visual and audio quality of your finished video, so make sure to choose the best equipment you can for the best results.
Once you’re ready to get the cameras rolling, keep a special eye on the lighting and sound quality of each shot. The more high-quality footage you have to work with in the editing room, the better. In addition, while most shots will be outlined in your script, if you find that one isn’t working for you when you’re knee-deep in filming, change things up. Filmmaking is a constant, everchanging creative process, so don’t be afraid to rework things as needed.
Don’t Rush in the Editing Room
It can be tempting to rush through the post-production process so you can finally get your business video out there for the world to see. Our advice? Resist this urge.
Proper editing takes time. Depending on the size of the project, it can take as little as a few days or as long as a few months. If you want to produce a polished, professional video, you can’t miss any important details. This post has a great step-by-step guide as to how to streamline the post-production workflow from organizing raw footage to building the rough cut, visual effects, and more.
Set the Mood with Music
A business videographer always takes their time in the editing room once it’s time to select music because they know just how much power it holds. Music can help elicit certain emotions from your audience, create a pace for the video, and emphasize certain themes you’re trying to highlight. There are a rules-of-thumb to follow when selecting music for your business video:
- Avoid using copyrighted material unless it is licensed.
- Be careful with choosing a song with lyrics. When used incorrectly, it can be distracting to the audience.
- Whenever possible, consider syncing the sound with the visuals to create a rhythm, or tempo, that moves the narrative along.
Let’s say you’re a medical practice, and you’re creating a video introducing patients and potential patients to your practice and all its staff and providers. Stick with upbeat, lyric-less background music to keep things positive without detracting from the subject material at hand.
Work with A Seasoned Business Videographer to Make the Entire Process Easier
Diving into a video project without any experience in videography can be a massive undertaking. If your business is looking for professional help to streamline the process, our team at One Forty Films would love to lend a hand. To learn more about our capabilities as profesional brand videographers, take a look at our portfolio.
