The viewing habits of the masses have changed drastically over the years. They have quickly become accustomed to cinema-quality videos and anything short of that can be deemed as ‘boring’.
Corporate videos are usually at the opposite end of the spectrum from cinema-quality. In fact, corporate video production tends to get a negative reputation for being uninspired and uncreative. However, it is possible to create an informative corporate video that also engages viewers throughout its entirety.
This blog post provides tips and tricks that will help businesses create interesting corporate videos. Although, it’s important to note that video production is not for everyone.
It takes a lot of resources to create a video, but without an aptitude for the format, you could still end up with something lackluster. Jungle Films is a video production firm in New Jersey that can save you time, energy, and money by creating high-quality videos that meet client expectations. Learn more about Jungle Films here. In the meantime, check out these 8 ways you can create interesting corporate videos.
The Shorter The Better
Attention spans are dwindling as the internet evolves. Viewers can barely sit through a 5-minute video, let alone a 20-minute one. There’s always fat to be trimmed on a video, especially in the early drafts.
If you have a clear objective in mind for the video, then you can watch the edit and clearly identify the shots or scenes that aren’t essential.
Jungle Films for example created a quick testimonial video that manages to effectively tell a story in 30 seconds.
Start Off Strong
Screenwriting teaches that the first 5 pages are the most important pages of a script.
Why?
Because if the reader isn’t hooked in the first 5 pages, they will direct their attention elsewhere.
This is similar for corporate videos. The beginning of your corporate video is extremely important because it needs to set the pace and grab the attention of the viewer.
There is a primary objective when creating a video just like there is a primary reason viewers are watching the video. Generally, viewers get hooked when videos directly address the purpose of the video without any meandering.
A good example of this is with Hubspot which created an About Us video that grabs your attention by going directly into the problem the company was trying to solve when it was first created.
Show Don't Tell
As video is a visual medium, you should strive to show and not tell, which is where b-roll comes in. B-roll is extremely valuable in corporate videos.
Proper use of it can help create strong visuals to supplement voiceovers. However, a lot of b-roll these days can look generic and commonplace. The more relevant and unique your b-roll is, the better.
B-roll can also help pace the video. Shots without movement quickly become dull and it’s a good rule of thumb not to hold on those shots (or really any shot) for too long.
Dissolve, a stock footage and photography company, uses b-roll ingeniously in this video to poke fun at most corporate videos.
Tell a Story
According to a study from Prezi, 90% of their respondents felt a strong narrative was critical in capturing and keeping their attention.
This figure also explains why viewers today have the attention spans of a goldfish, and yet also binge-watch entire seasons of TV.
Storytelling grabs attention better than any other method in a video. Telling a story that is relevant to both the viewer and the purpose of the video is one of the best ways to engage a viewer completely.
Of course, not all stories are equally entertaining.
Some stories will always have more entertainment value than others. However, this is where planning becomes essential.
Part of the process when planning a corporate video is discovering a compelling story to tell. The story could come from a myriad of places like clients who have exciting testimonials or employees who can tell a captivating story about their experience with the business.
Finding the story is half the battle but when you do, make sure to put it front and center in your video.
Ttweak productions put the spotlight on Dr. O.H. Frazier, an MD that played a huge role in the development of artificial hearts and had an amazing story to tell.
Add Motion Graphics
Whether it’s for a logo or to add a stylish visual flair, incorporating motion graphics is a great way to spice up your corporate videos.
Motion graphics give creators an incredible amount of versatility, ranging from adding 3D text to creating entire animations.
Adobe After Effects gives users a straightforward way to add motion graphics into videos and there are a lot of free templates that can make it even easier.
The Cleveland Clinic, for instance, used 3D text to supplement the emotional tone and eliminate the need for a narrator in one of their videos.
Animated Videos
While motion graphics combined with live-action footage can convey a down-to-earth idea in a sleek way, animation can bring any idea to life.
The flexibility that animation brings allows businesses to explain complex or abstract concepts. Animations also have universal appeal, which increases overall engagement.
Nothing is off-limits with animation and with more technological advancements every year, animation becomes more cost-effective to produce.
Slack used animation effectively to create a lighthearted video to promote their business in a way live-action never could.
Casting
If you haven’t learned from watching Nicolas Cage movies, bad casting can make or break a film, and unfortunately for corporate videos, that fact is even more true.
In corporate videos, viewers aren’t spending an ample amount of time with your actors which means they will be judging the cast largely on first impressions.
Who you choose to act in your videos could decide whether or not the viewer walks away thinking about your video or the acting in your video.
If you’re using employees or clients in the video, then you’ll need to make sure whoever you choose is comfortable on camera.
Cameras tend to magnify personalities and anyone who is already shy will come off extremely awkward on camera. In any case, it’s important to make whoever you’ve cast as comfortable as possible while the camera is rolling.
Alex Zahn, from the Independent Films team at Netflix, seems very comfortable as he tells his story in their corporate video.
Get Creative
A good idea is one of the most powerful things in this world and sometimes a creative idea is all you need to make a corporate video interesting.
A barebones video with an entertaining metaphor or unique concept can be just as effective as a video that costs millions of dollars.
Apple created many successful minimalist commercials with only a white cyc wall and a few actors. The idea in the video is as simple as it gets but, of course, it always helps to have a well-known actor as well.
A New Year Brings New Opportunity
2022 is right around the corner and every year the statistics for the video industry get even more impressive.
It’s clear that video is becoming more important each year and in order to keep up with the times, make sure to try out these tips to make your corporate videos more interesting.
Alternatively, if you want to leave the video production to the professionals, you can always contact a video production company like Jungle Films to produce high-quality videos for you.
Contact us today if you want seasoned creative professionals to create videos that attract viewers and drive engagement.