shortstories' DOs and DON’Ts of Video Production

You are probably aware of the growing importance of video to businesses looking to market themselves; but what makes the difference between a ‘good’ and a ‘bad’ video? As someone responsible for marketing, you need to know that any video you commission will reflect your business well. You need to trust that the production team understands what you want to say. 

The best way to build this trust is through effective communication and robust processes that both the client and production company understand.  

Here is a short (but not exhaustive) list of DOs and DON’Ts

1 DO: Think of your audience 

ALL THE TIME - from brief through to final edit.  How will they benefit from watching your film? 

Making a film can be hugely enjoyable and satisfying for the client and the production team but what’s the point if it doesn’t connect with your target audience? An experienced production team will be able to guide you.

85% of consumers want to see more video content from brands - HubSpot

2 DON’T: Tell us how brilliant you are; SHOW us

What is the difference between a presentation and a film? Moving pictures! A live presenter might use a thousand words to describe how a product works. A film can show us in seconds. 

When planning your film, think about the opportunities for shooting pictures that tell the story - it’s usually more ineffective than listening to a talking head sitting in an office.

By 2022, online videos will make up more than 82% of all consumer internet traffic — 15 times higher than it was in 2017 -  Cisco

3 DO: Know what you are looking to achieve. 

How does the film fit into the overall plan for your project? What are the benefits it will bring? How will you measure your ROI? 

Sometimes success can be measured simply by the number of clicks; one client made a fortnightly programme for employee engagement purposes. If the number of clicks matched a certain percentage of their workforce, their programme had been successful. For other video projects such as the launch of a specific product, it could mean how many direct leads can be attributed to the video. 

There are a countless number of ways success can be measured, but it is vital to know what is right for your project.

43% of content marketers found out one of their biggest challenges was a lack of in-house skill (filming, editing, etc.) - Statista

4 DON’T: Over-fill your film

You are burning to tell the world about your wonderful product or service. You want to tell us why it is the best thing. You want to show us your clients who eulogise about it. And you want to fascinate us with how it works and achieves these incredible results. But DON’T! 

Keep it simple. Use your film to make a strong, clear and bold impression. Arouse people’s interest. You can go into the details later when you are in conversation with them.  For your film, think about the headlines of your product/service and focus on those; these will create the best initial impression. 

52% of marketers say video is the type of content with the best ROI - HubSpot

5 DO: Manage the feedback process - have confidence in your vision

Various stakeholders may need to see the film before launch but beware of feeding back to the production team by committee. 

For example, a client once had issues when the team responsible for branding were checking graphics in a film but made comments on the choice of messaging. A re-edit was commissioned to try to incorporate their thoughts but the film lost its focus and became unclear. After further deliberation (and cost), it was finally restored to its original edit.

Be clear about your sign-off process.

14.9% of Millennials watched 10-20 hours of videos per week - Statista

6 DON’T: Mistake your film for ‘Titanic 2

The films for businesses that work best are informative, clear, helpful and keep the audience watching to the end. They are not designed to be an emotional rollercoaster. 

You are telling a simple story about your product or service, so command of the narrative is important, but don’t expect your film to be a life-changing experience for your audience.  Be realistic - you are not making ‘Titanic 2’. 

78% of Marketing Professionals Say Videos Helped Increase Sales - Wyzowl

7 DO: Keep it simple 

As a client, you know what the messages are; the filmmaker knows how to bring them to life. Everything in the film needs to support the messages. 

Adverts exemplify this point succinctly. The client identifies what is desirable about a product/service and the creative team presents it in a way that commands our attention.

Clear communication helps make the most of both areas of expertise.

According to Animoto, 73% of consumers have been influenced by a brand’s social media presence when making purchasing decisions - Animoto

8 DON’T: Underestimate the time it takes to make a good film.

Making a film takes thought, detailed work and application at every stage from Pre-production through to Post-production. 

The end product may only be 60 seconds long, but if it is going to be a worthwhile 60 seconds, it takes time to make it properly.  Work with a production team who will schedule and cost each stage realistically and accurately to avoid any nasty surprises for you, the client.

71% of B2B Marketers Use Video Marketing, while 66% of B2C Do - socialshepherd

9 DO: Find the right home for your film

Which platforms best serve your target audience? What kind of marketing will the film benefit from? How do you maximise exposure? 

Making a great film is not enough if it sits in the corner of a website that nobody ever visits. It is surprising how many companies fall into this trap. To prevent this, one client successfully trailed their new Identity film on social media platforms. They succeeded in driving traffic to their homepage to watch the full film and thereby maximise the value from the spend on video. 

Digital video purchases in the UK in 2022 were up by 54% - Statista

10 DON’T: Forget your production team. 

An experienced producer will have made hundreds of films on a whole range of products and services. She or he will have a feel for what makes your product interesting to the audience. 

You know your business inside out, but make use of their fresh set of eyes when deciding on the messaging of the film. 

To Sum Up

If you are making a film for your business, imagine you are telling a story. Like a good story, it needs a beginning, a middle and an end. You need to keep your reader interested so that they ‘turn the page’. Use narrative, action and detail to keep their attention. A good story, told well, is a very useful thing. It helps people to learn. 

I hope this short guide has been useful.  Please feel free to get in touch if you have any questions. 

The life cycle of video production with shortstories'

1. Client contacts shortstories' about making a video
2. After the initial conversation, the client will complete a short briefing document
3. shortstories' creates a proposal document offering different creative options, each one cost and schedule
4. The client comes back to shortstories' with a decision on which creative route and/or further questions
5. The approach, schedule and budget are finalised and agreed upon.
6. Pre-production begins which is the phase when writing and logistical planning take place. 
7. Production is when filming and recording take place 
8. Post-Production is the editing stage when all the different elements of Production are pulled together and shaped into the final film(s).
9. Sign off from the client
10. Delivery

Timescales vary depending on the size of the project. Contact us to discuss further and get an estimate of time.