I know this happens to all of us corporate communications people, someone comes up to us and casually says "Let's make a video." Just like that. Like it's easy. Like it's just something simple you can throw together this afternoon.
But we all know, this is easier said than done.
Most communicators will agree that we all have the same obstactles standing in our way:
1. Time
2. Money
2. Technology
3. Creativity
Dealing with Time Constraints
Clear some things off your place to make room for video, don't add video on top of it. Find something on your editorial calendar that would make more sense being visual and change the medium from written word to video.
Another idea is to try something small. Try a quick take of raw footage like asking your employees a simple question and giving them 60 seconds to answer.
Lastly, Rocky tells you to focus and do it right. This will help you in the end to save time editing and and keep you on track.
How to Save Money
We can't have "shiny object syndrome" if you're looking to save money. The best of the best equiptment comes with a price tag. Look for a cheaper option and stick to it until it is impossible for you to complete the task then purchase something higher.
What type of investment should we put into these videos? There are three things to consider: speed, audience, and shelf life. You should manage the expectations of the requestor to make sure you're making the right decisions for the right instance.
If this is a video that is going to just be posted on Facebook and after a few weeks it is going to fade into the shadows, then all you need is an iPhone video and a simple editor. But if you're creating a new corporate overview, you may want better equiptment and editing software and you may even want to contract it out for the best quality.
Lastly, keep it simple! First pilot the program and see if you can get leadership and legal buy-in. Don't make it an investment without buy-in.
Dealing with Technology (or the lack thereof)
Just like with everything, it's important to be mobile. At some point you will need to go to where the news is happening. Make sure you're prepared for that. But there is also a need for an in-house studio with quality video, sound, and lighting. The studio set-up would be more for projects that are high quality and with ample time permitting.
Especially in the case of the studio, this may be a big investment and going along with saving money so it might be worth investigating whether or not outsourcing to a vendor. Vendors often time have world-class equiptment and software paired with the talent and skill your department may not have in house.
How to get Creative
Walk the halls of your company and find stories. There's no need to create stories, there are good ones out there... you just have to find them! Put your reporter hat on and be a brand journalist.
Having a hard time feeling creative? Get inspired by being a consumer of media by other creative souls. Try industry related books, case studies, and success stories from other companines' campaigns.
Lastly, remember to come up with cathy titles. This is something I need to remember for my blog...
As a part of the social media and digital communication world, we've been hearing for years that visual is the way to go but beyond pictures, visual is hard. Hopefully with these tips from Rocky we can all begin to produce better corporate video.
NOTE: This was written live during the #RaganDisney conference. Please stop by later for a more robust edition.
