The Dont’s of Producing a Corporate Video

We would like to thank all of our clients for their valued business last year and extend our best wishes to everyone for a Happy Holiday Season.

Last month we shared some of the Do’s of Producing a Corporate Video and this month we’re going to focus on the Dont’s. No matter what length or budget you have planned for your next corporate video, you must use effective planning at every stage of the project in order to produce that creative and successful video, affordably.

The various stages of production are as follows:

• Ideas
• Production budget development
• Script treatment and script development
• Production (including directing, crew, locations, editing and final presentation)

The most successful videos include a central idea or theme that presents the intended message to a specific audience. The objectives of a corporate video must inform and entertain viewers during a brief presentation that have a beginning, middle and end.

Basic programs can be just as effective as fancy productions. The script is the foundation of any video project. If the script is weak, then all the special effects in the world will not make a difference. After all, it is better to hear a prospective customer say, “Boy, what a great product!” than “Wow, what a great video!” (read more)

DONT’S

1. Use a print writer to pen your video script.
The way to communicate successfully in print ads or brochures does not translate to video. It is a visual medium and the words and the video must compliment each other.

2. Include your CEO on the video if he or she is not good.
Once you write them into the script and shoot their interview, who is going to tell them they don’t look or sound quite as good as you want them to? We once worked with a very prominent local company that uses video extensively. They have a well known CEO who is too important (in his eyes) to ever do a second take. What his in-house people are afraid to tell him is that he always looks and sounds so stiff that it gives a very amateurish look to the entire video.

3. Settle for video that is not dynamic
There is no excuse for videos that are boring. There should always be a way to shorten them up and make better use of music and effects to keep your audience interested. Pacing seems to be the hardest thing for writers and producers to learn.

4. Make the video too long.
Brevity is the soul of wit—and video! It is better for your audience to pay attention and want more, than for them to be given too many details to remember and end up not caring.

5. Make the production process a painful experience.
Just because you’re worried about the final product (after all, your reputation and perhaps even your job may be on the line) is no reason to not enjoy the process and let your production team enjoy it, too. By partnering with your production team, you will get that extra work and attention to detail from them that will help make you look good!

X2 can help you realize your goals of creating a professional, affordable video that will help your messaging or sales process.