“How does everyone feel about this scene?
Good?
Okay, good. Camera?”
“Rolling.”
“Audio?”
“Speeding.”
“Alright here we go. Three, two, one, actio-“
“Hold up, hold up, hold up!”
“What could possibly be wrong now! This is the 12th time we’ve tried to get the shot!”
“It just doesn’t seem quiiiiiteeeee right…”
Confessions of a Marketing Intern
If you have ever worked on a film set, you know that it can be quite tricky to get everyone involved in a production on the same page. This process can become more worrisome if you’ve never worked with (or hardly know) your fellow crew members. On the DHD Films Father’s Day video shoot several weeks ago, I faced all of these challenges, and more. One of my first tasks for the DHD Summer Internship was to work with the other interns to create a piece highlighting Father’s Day. The idea of creating a film that would represent the company seemed to be a rather daunting task. However, whether I was comfortable with it or not, the job had to be done. By keeping our video simple, stylistically building on videos previously produced by DHD, and choosing a visually compelling topic, we were able to create a successful video that had a large engagement across multiple social media platforms. By the end of the shoot, I would learn that video projects do not always unfold exactly as planned but that in the end, the final product is always worth it.
The Process
Before we could begin filming, we had to completely plan every aspect of the shoot (a process known as pre-production) to ensure the actually filming process would move swiftly and smoothly. After an entire day of hashing out ideas, writing scripts, creating story boards, and drinking quite a few cups of coffee, the concept for the film finally came together. We were prepared to hit the ground running the next day, planning to have the whole video shot before our lunch break and finalized by the end of the day. As it turned out, the nature of video had other ideas in store. As with every video shoot, it took some time to set up shots, block out the scenes ( meaning to determine where actors need to walk without leaving the video frame), and get a good take for each shot. The process seemed painstaking and – for a quick moment – made us consider if the video was even necessary. Yet despite the challenges presented by the shoot, we were able to work together to solve the problem and create an incredibly cheesy, yet funny, video that collected over 1,100 views.
At times it can seem that the challenges of making a video trumps the inevitable benefits. As I learned, these fears can certainly be a reality if you begin to loose sight of the final goal. Sometimes shoots take longer than expected due to difficult technical issues, an actor’s performance, or any variety of other problematic scenarios. As a company, it may not seem intuitive to invest resources into a project that could be teeming with issues, but the benefit of video is incredibly important. For instance, 1/3 of all time spent on the internet is spent watching video. Of this time, companies that include videos on their landing page experience a corresponding increase in conversation by over 80%. Furthermore, intent to purchase with these companies also increases by 97%. Videos are clearly very important and though the process may seem ominous at first, with just a few guidelines, you can streamline this process and create an incredibly effective video for your company.
1/3 of all time spent on the internet is spent watching video.
Keys to Success
One of the first ways to make the initial video production process a bit easier is to capitalize on material that are successful for your brand. A common misconception about creating videos is that you have to have to dream up a brand new, elaborate, and abstract idea in order for the video to be successful. Chances are, you have already done this in another non-video marketing campaign. By repurposing the same information in a video format you not only save time in the pre-production phase but you also build on concepts that are familiar to your audience.
Another way to ease your way into video is by keeping it incredibly simple. By simple, I don’t mean using small words and basic ideas that make your audience feel like they’re in grade school, but rather, focus on the content rather than high production value. Instead of pushing for Oscar-winning cinematography or a world-class acting performance, focus instead on delivering your message in a concise and effective manner. The audience will then be zoned in on the message of your ad.
Finally, while maintaining simplicity of the video, it is still important to choose a topic that is visually compelling. This does not mean you need to create incredibly elaborate cinematic content that would “Wow” Steven Spielberg. The easiest way to understand this is by looking at a brand that does this very well. A recent phenomenon that has infiltrated many Facebook feeds worldwide are the videos posted by Tasty. If you haven’t seen a Tasty video, you can watch one here. Apart from making the audience feel famished, these cooking videos truly capitalize on the concept of simplicity by conveying their message (the recipe) with only text on the screen. However if text were the only visual element of the piece, many users would skip the video and just buy a cook book. By combining the informative text with simple, yet visually appealing images of a recipe coming together step by step, the viewer is even more engaged.
As the other DHD interns and I discovered, creating video can be tricky, but also very rewarding. In the end, we were able to create a fun video for our clients and other prospective customers. By applying a simple message with intriguing visuals, chances are you’ll avoid the misconceptions that surround video production. You will be able to create an effective piece in a quick amount of time and – with any luck – experience a boost in traffic on your website, interaction with clients, and a greater intent to purchase. So what are you waiting for? In the words of Shia Leboeuf, “Just do it!”
To apply for our 2016 Fall Internship Program, click here.
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