Your company has a story to tell, so how do you want to present it?
Sure, you could use a detailed article or a flashy landing page, but if you’re going to drive engagement and interest in your organization, you’ll need to leave your text behind.
That’s because a corporate video is the best way to express your company’s mission.
A well-made corporate video production can be exactly what your organization needs to convey your values, goals, and culture (without boring your audience to tears).
Studies show time and again that Internet surfers vastly prefer video to text-based content, so if you want your brand to stay relevant, it’s imperative to hop on the video train
But what does an excellent corporate video look like? We’ve got you covered. In this article, we’re breaking down the core elements of an effective corporate video and highlight ten of our favorite examples from over the years.
It’s true, video content is king right now… Corporate video productions are popping up right and left from all kinds of businesses. The use of video for high-impact, intelligent marketing is on the rise — and for good reason. This format is a fully customizable, direct communication format that gives you a lot of bang for your buck. If you want to investigate the corporate video game to help grow your business, here’s a comprehensive primer to get you started.
What is a Corporate Video?
At its core, a corporate video is any video production that encapsulates your company’s core message, values, and services. It can have a wide range of uses, including advertising, publicity, and employee orientations.
Simply put, a corporate video is a professionally produced video created for a business, product or service in order to engage customers and grow the business. Small businesses and Fortune 500 companies alike have seen huge success in using videos with many different styles and approaches across every platform. Though not all corporate video formats are applicable to all businesses, any type of operation can benefit greatly from investing in video production.
Now, let’s be honest: corporate videos get a bad rap. The mere phrase “corporate video” probably evokes images of emotionless executives in new suits going on and on about the company’s values, all to a gentle yet generically upbeat backing soundtrack.
Let’s be honest: those kinds of corporate videos aren’t anything special. But your videos don’t have to follow in their footsteps.
Instead, your corporate video should reflect the personality of your organization.
Are you upbeat and trendy? Laser-focused on innovation? Work hard, play harder? Whatever sets your company apart, your corporate video should crystallize it in cinematic form.
Why are Corporate Videos Needed?
High quality video is a hot ticket in today’s digital age — a direct medium that combines visuals, storytelling and sound to inspire your audience and motivate them to act. Big or small, veteran or startup, adding video to your arsenal can be a bold move toward success. Here’s why:
Video is versatile. Whether you want content for commercials, websites, Facebook ads, trade shows, ad buys or Amazon pages, you can say anything you want, ANYWHERE you want.
Video gives you a voice. Need to explain a complex product, introduce your brand, get audiences excited about new technology, or even teach people how to use a product properly? No sweat. Your video message is fully customizable. Use scripted scenes to evoke emotion or humor, or get straight to the point by speaking directly to your target customers.
Great videos enhance brand image and boost engagement. Add a video to to your website, social media or e-commerce platforms and watch them perform better. Use it to keep website visitors lingering longer, bring attention to trade show booths or make your client’s social media look like a superstar.
Corporate Video Facts
The numbers don’t lie! Videos help businesses get real, measurable results:
40% of consumers respond better to visual information than plain text.
Including video in a landing page can increase conversion by 80%.
57% of clients say video increases their confidence in a business.
Including video on your site increases chances of a first page ranking by 53 times, and gets 41% more clicks.
54% of senior executives share work-related videos with colleagues weekly.
Website conversions improve by nearly 300% when a high-quality video is embedded on the page.
People spend on average 2.6x more time on pages with video than those without video.
What Can a Corporate Video Accomplish?
Investing in corporate videos can be a smart move, leaving you with an asset you can use over and over to showcase your brand, product or service. Here are just some of the many ends videos can accomplish for a company:
Corporate videos… elevate the perception of your brand.
Corporate videos… increase your search rankings.
Corporate videos… drive traffic to your website.
Corporate videos… increase conversions.
Corporate videos… present case studies.
Corporate videos… visualize a concept or idea.
Corporate videos… show off a happy customer.
Corporate videos… assist with sales and marketing.
Corporate videos… demonstrate features.
Corporate videos… show how to do something.
Corporate videos… give an overview.
Corporate videos… simplify and explain.
Corporate videos… get customers excited!
Engaging Corporate Video Examples
Here are a few elements that any good corporate video should have:
- Clear messaging. No production should leave the viewer scratching their head and asking, “What was the point?” Your video should have a crystal-clear purpose and message to convey to your audience.
- Engaging design. Maybe your organization can thrive by pulling an executive aside to ramble in front of a camera for five minutes about your company’s values. If so, all power to you. For most other organizations, though, you’ll need to invest plenty of resources into creating an engaging visual design, including bright colors, a memorable script, and sharp graphics.
- Know your audience. Who does your organization serve? Your corporate video should be targeted toward that same audience. Be sure to understand your viewers ahead of time and develop a video to speak to them directly.
These are just a few of the aspects you should keep in mind as you’re producing your video. In the meantime, let’s take a look at these principles in action by going over ten of our favorite corporate videos and analyzing what makes them tick. You can learn more about corporate videos by following this corporate video guide.
Quest
Quest is a complex company. As a B2B organization providing IT solutions to large organizations like healthcare and governmental organizations, it can be tough to explain its services. However, this brief video manages to take the many facets of Quest’s business model and simplify them to be understandable to even the most general, uninformed audiences.
Better yet, the simple design and organization of the video help keep things engaging. Consistent use of colorful graphics ensures that the audience always has something new to look at. Meanwhile, the simple script hits all the major touchpoints – such as reliability and service – that make Quest a trustworthy organization. It’s a prime example of a great corporate video.
Microsoft – “Hybrid Cloud Flexibility”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qw54iT1BI_8&t=12s
Pretty much everyone is familiar with the Microsoft brand, but the same might not be said for the organization’s hybrid cloud platform. The cloud can be a complex concept to explain, but Microsoft’s video on their cloud service does an excellent job simplifying the subject and making it engaging. This video uses compelling graphics, smooth animations, and a straightforward yet engaging script to keep the viewer interested and convey the service’s main selling points.
By showing a literal cloud carrying buildings through hectic landscapes, the video visualizes Microsoft’s cloud services’ benefits. The laser-focused script is precisely targeted toward the primary audience, effortlessly addressing the main problems the audience faces, articulating Microsoft’s solutions, and conveying the support systems in place to ensure a smooth customer experience.
Watermark
Watermark’s leading service might sound niche on the surface: it’s a branding app that makes it easy to add watermarks to images posted online. However, this promotional video does an excellent job portraying the wide range of audiences that can benefit from the company’s services – everyone from professional photographers to Instagram influencers can benefit from more secure images with this app.
The video also showcases an appealing yet straightforward 2D animation style that is sure to appeal to a wide range of audiences. Its bright colors, diverse cast of characters, and upbeat personality make the video accessible to a wide range of audiences – which is precisely the message this video tries to convey.
Spotify Running
Spotify Running is a prime example of an organization that’s looking at how its audience uses its product and provides new features accordingly. This quick advertisement for Spotify Running, which plays music according to your running pace, makes it crystal clear that Spotify is listening to its audience.
By using a range of bright colors, catchy taglines, heart-pounding music, and dynamic camera angles, this video makes the features of Spotify Running crystal clear. It’s less than a minute long and gets right to the heart of what makes Spotify Running great for athletes.
Shopify – “Mobilizing Entrepreneurship”
Not all corporate videos are about flashy advertisements and sales pitches. Others tell poignant stories that tie into the company’s core ethos. Shopify’s engaging “Mobilizing Entrepreneurship” video tells a compelling story about people from diverse, difficult circumstances who find a new beginning in the world of online business.
Even though this video contains only a handful of indirect mentions of Shopify, it presents a touching narrative that creates a powerful, positive image of Shopify’s impact. The video is structured more like a short film than an ad, and could even be repurposed into a YouTube Short to reach a wider audience. with apparent conflict and likable characters, and a compelling narrative flow. It might not get direct sales or growth, but videos like this can have a considerable impact on an organization’s reputation by garnering more interest than your typical sales pitch video.
Airbnb – “Living a Richer Life”
Sometimes, the best way to promote your brand is to let your customers speak on their own. Airbnb showed this firsthand with their “Living a Richer Life” video, where the company’s hosts take the stage to explain how they benefit from listing their houses on Airbnb.
This video feels refreshingly genuine compared to your typical corporate video, all thanks to its clever usage of real-life people rather than in-house marketers or presenters. By featuring plenty of diverse voices from around the world, this video keeps it clean and straightforward by letting the hosts speak for themselves. In doing so, it feels all the more convincing by the time the title card slides in at the end.
American Express – “Imagine What You Could Do”
What do you do when your company has a reputation problem? Create videos that sets the record straight. That’s exactly what American Express did when it wanted to pivot its image away from the traditional, stuffy financial services reputation it had had for years and instead make a name for itself as a technological innovator.
This video uses appealing 2D visuals and a comforting blue color scheme that grabs attention and ties back to American Express’s core brand identity. The upbeat script also hits home the message that the company is a cutting-edge tech firm, using examples of its recent work to position it as a welcome destination for self-described “tech junkies.”
HubSpot
HubSpot faced a common problem: offering so many services at once, just what is HubSpot, anyway? The popular marketing platforms address this issue head-on by putting together this brief video marketing that explains the critical services of HubSpot’s key benefits and services, outlining how they can help clients.
It’s a tried-and-true video featuring a presenter as well as a handful of other background actors. However, simplicity is the key here, as this no-frills video concisely demonstrates everything that makes HubSpot such a powerful tool for its audience without overwhelming viewers with dense technical details – it can do that after they sign up.
Slack – “Animals!”
Let’s close things out with a modern classic of corporate videos. Slack’s one-minute ad presents an office filled with animals who use the company’s workplace communication platform to pioneer innovation. This plot could easily have worked with human actors, but Slack made the video infinitely more memorable and amusing by using animal characters.
This video does an impressive job of balancing between funny visual gags and genuine demonstrations of Slack at work, helping teams work together. While the novelty of seeing animals in an office might be what first hooks you (keep in mind that this ad was released before Zootopia), it’s the way that it effortlessly portrays how Slack can help organizations run well that sets it apart.
Types of Corporate Videos
Completely original and tailor-made, corporate videos can be created to do pretty much anything you can dream up. Here are a few of the most popular kinds of corporate videos:
- Website videos
- Product videos
- Testimonial videos
- Announcement videos
- How-to / Instructional videos
- Training videos
- Team leader interview videos
- Company profile videos
- Investor presentation videos
- App demo videos
- Crowdfunding videos
- Explainer animation videos
- Lifestyle videos
Website videos
Videos that live on a website have been shown to extend the time visitors spend there. They can increase engagement and better explain what a business, product or service has to offer. An auto-play silent video serves as an intriguing addition to a home page background loop, or plant one on the “About” page for a quick explanation of your company.
Sample website video: https://thesparkhouse.com/portfolio/releash-high-fashion/
Product videos
Whether it be an e-commerce store or an Amazon page, a product video production can help point out key features, differentiators and uses as well as show off the various lifestyles or ideal customers for your product. Photos are limiting and can be confusing for consumers to fully understand things like quality, sizing, etc. But video allows you to provide a realistic perspective, as if they are actually touching and feeling your product.
Sample product video: https://thesparkhouse.com/portfolio/uag-facebook-ad/
Testimonial videos
There is no more direct and believable way to convince someone you’re the best choice in the market than to let them hear it from a third-party testimonial. Whether it be a real customer or an actor, a testimonial can show off why people love your company or product and be that last push needed to close a new customer.
Sample testimonial video: https://thesparkhouse.com/portfolio/gmc-capital-one-card-lana/
Announcement videos
Have a new product, service or technology that your company is launching? Debut your newest releases with an announcement or training video to let your employees and future customers what is now (or soon to be) available to them. Create a buzz before the release and appeal to your customers’ drive to be an early adopter or just “in the know.” Or, if you have some great news to share within your company, you can send a company-wide video announcement to get everyone on the same page instantly.
Sample announcement video: https://vimeo.com/246341810
How-to / Instructional videos
People probably aren’t Googling your product, since if they knew about your solution, they would have already bought it. Instead, they tend to search for the problem they want solved. If you have a video that explains how to fix their problem with your product, then your target customers will find you, trust you and become a customer! Videos help you gain traction as a thought leader in your industry by teaching your customers something new. If people look to you for expertise, they are more likely to purchase your products over your competitors’ when that time comes.
Sample instructional video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBUUx-0EE-k
Training videos
Proper training is essential for both your employees and your new customers, since precise understanding of how to use your product will increase overall customer satisfaction and retention. Also, with today’s digital world, many customers prefer to watch an instructional video rather than open a user manual. Training videos can help get everyone speaking the same language. If you want your employees talking and acting in a certain manner or style, creating a video can help teach them these nuances.
Sample training video: https://thesparkhouse.com/portfolio/cambro-dry-shelving/
Team leader interview videos
As you know, many of your customers are not just working with you for the unique products or services you offer; it’s also about the people and culture of your company. What better way to highlight your top team than with a high quality team leader video that truly shows off your company’s style, attitude and passion for what you do!
Sample interview video: https://vimeo.com/237953696
Company profile videos
Need to quickly explain what your company does, how you do it and why you are a better choice than your competitors? Use a video that can be hosted on your website, sent in an email or presented in a kickoff meeting with a new client. There is no more direct and personalized way to help others grasp and understand the culture of your company than to let them see and hear it straight from the team.
Sample company profile video: https://thesparkhouse.com/portfolio/entrepreneur-the-innovators/
Investor presentation videos
Looking to show off the big picture or the next huge opportunity? Investors can be picky and may not have a ton of time to read into your investment. An “at-a-glance” investor presentation video can get them excited — and do it quickly! Show off why now is the time, build excitement, highlight the numbers and get that investor on board.
Sample investor presentation video: https://thesparkhouse.com/portfolio/rich-uncles-brand/
App commercial videos
With app stores featuring videos and not just screenshots, an app video is a no-brainer. Show off your amazing game play and intuitive user interface, or just intrigue viewers with a trailer of the experience. Increase downloads and create customer excitement with an app demo video that drives downloads.
Sample app demo video: https://thesparkhouse.com/portfolio/playworks-playbook-app/
Crowdfunding videos
Everyone knows that videos are a HUGE part of making a crowdfunding campaign successful. It needs to engage an audience, explain your campaign and drive contributions. Crowdfunding videos are a surefire way to make sure your story is told the way you want it, and a great way to get those backers excited!
Sample crowdfunding video: https://thesparkhouse.com/portfolio/argus-haters/
Explainer animation videos
You may have complicated products, processes or services that need to be explained quickly and in an engaging way to your customers. Explainer animation videos can help solve that problem. Since target customers usually don’t have the time (or focus) to read through pages of information, it’s a sure bet that they’ll be willing to watch a minute-long explainer animation!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6A6bGFTv7B4
Sample explainer animation video: https://thesparkhouse.com/portfolio/college-entrepreneur-contest-entrepreneur-magazine/
Lifestyle videos
As all of the successful brand leaders know, customers aren’t just buying a product or service; they are buying into the lifestyle of your brand, too. It’s easy to TELL your audience about the kind of lifestyle your product supports, but why not SHOW them what you’re all about in a video that evokes emotion and action? Creating scenes filled with fun times and happy people while integrating your product is a highly effective medium for demonstrating just how your product enhances that lifestyle.
Sample lifestyle video: https://thesparkhouse.com/portfolio/dice-featuring-kevin-skibba/
Corporate Video Delivery Methods
Think about your audience, then align your corporate videos that deliver well-crafted messages to specific, strategic viewing avenues, like the following:
Online videos
With the digital world living online, there is no better way to get a lot of eyeballs on your corporate video than to put it online. Videos can live on your website to engage visitors, on YouTube to target people researching your brand or on social media sites like Facebook and Instagram geared at folks just discovering who you are and what you do.
TV commercials
The fact is that traditional TV is still the reigning champ when it comes to getting a lot of views in a short amount of time, so commercial ad buys are always a smart move. Whether it be a local spot or a national TV ad, putting a commercial on TV will ensure your brand is seen by the masses.
Direct response
Looking to move units and increase engagement asap? Sometimes it’s best to focus on selling your features, rather than promoting your brand. Direct response is all about driving that call-to-action right now and in the short-term.
Facebook and Instagram videos
These days, people are living on social media and video, and videos are a great way to engage and capture those audiences. Both Facebook and Instagram have amazingly specific targeting ability, allowing you to place videos that hit viewers of a certain gender, age, income and other demographics. Drive likes, website views and sales by using corporate videos on these and other social sites.
In-store videos
Retail brick-and-mortar is not dead! The trick is to make sure to put effort into engaging and exciting your store visitors. In-store videos allow you to show off new products or services, promote sales and events or just entertain while guests are waiting to make their in-store experience a good one.
Building a Corporate Video Budget
There are many contributing factors in determining the budget of a video, so it is crucial that you build the budget with great attention to detail. One of the major contributors to a corporate video budget is going to be the concept. The concept will create the list of requirements, but how those various items are sourced can also change the budget. Here are a few of the aspects to consider in a video budget, with some tips for cost-saving.
How many actors are needed?
With each actor, there will be added costs for the time spent casting them, their payment and buyouts, releases, hair and make-up, wardrobe and craft services (they have to eat!).
A good way to save money here is to limit the amount of actors in the concept or to source employees or friends and family to play the various nonspeaking roles.
All speaking/acting roles should be played by a professional actor.
How many locations are needed?
Many national TV spots have multiple exciting locations in them, but each one comes with extra costs, including rental, permits and travel. It is usually very challenging to film multiple locations in a single day due to lengthy setup time and scheduling conflicts.
A good way to save money here is to look for no-cost locations. Corporate videos can be filmed in a functioning office location or even one of the employee’s homes.
You can also fake a single location to look like different locations with decorations or props.
What props are needed?
Often corporate videos will require the purchase of props — things that need to interact with the product, actors, etc. Sometimes props are used just to decorate the scene and make it seem more realistic.
A good way to save money here is to use items already in possession. For instance, if the actor needs to use a cell phone in a shot, they can use their own. Many things will likely need to be purchased, though, so look out for props that can be returned after the shoot!
What wardrobe is needed?
Depending on the concept of the corporate or creating training video, various wardrobe or costumes will need to be purchased or rented.
To save money, the actor can provide his or her own wardrobe options, but again, seeking out shops that allow for returns is a great cost-saving trick.
How many shooting days are needed?
To keep the budget as low as possible, corporate videos are often filmed in a single day, but depending on schedule or concept, this isn’t always possible.
If there are multiple executives that need to be interviewed and they are in different locations or have different schedules, multiple-day shoots may be unavoidable and require a substantial budget boost.
Should advanced or complex shots/scenes be added?
This is similar to the amount of shooting days. If the corporate video shoot is very complex or if the scenes take a long time to set up and shoot, the production may require multiple days of shooting.
Should visual effects / graphics be added?
The more visual effects and graphics that are required for the corporate video, the more expensive it will be.
How many videos should be made?
When creating corporate videos, it is common to work in multiple edits for various deliveries. If more deliverables are added, the budget will need to be increased.
Get Inspired by our Corporate Video Library
We have a complete library of corporate videos that will help get your creative juices flowing!
The Complete Corporate Video Process
Ready to move forward with a corporate video or two? Here are the various steps that a seasoned video production company will guide you in, starting from the idea stage to a polished finished product:
Set a goal for the video.
Every corporate video should accomplish a distinct goal, whether it be introducing a product, engaging visitors on a website, encouraging someone to learn more or driving people to a purchase. Once a goal is set, the production team will make sure to check back along the process to assure they are achieving what they set out to do.
Creating a video concept.
Creating a corporate video is like building a house: You can go as big or as small as your company wants or needs. Should this video be a simple interview with the founding team in a walk around your offices to show who the company is and what they do? Or is it a lifestyle spot that requires actors, locations, elaborate scenes and props? The concept will set the stage for how much work, budget and time will be needed to execute a corporate video.
Determine where this video will live.
Where will a corporate video be featured? Whether the video is placed on a website, tradeshow booth, TV or on Facebook, this decision will change the approach to the style and execution of a video. Did you know that 85% of Facebook videos are watched WITHOUT sound? Nuggets of wisdom like this will help the production company adjust the way the team presents a video, in order to assure that viewers understand the finished version while on the go, without any audio.
Set a deadline.
Most videos will have a deadline built in. Is this video going to be used for a tradeshow? A tool for a product launch? Or partnered with a new website launch? All of these can drive a reason for a deadline. Rush projects are always an option, but most video productions will take 4 to 6 weeks to accomplish.
Establish a video budget.
After setting some specific goals, next the team needs to decide what that goal is worth to the business. If the video will increase website engagement, how much is that worth? If it drives more sales to a landing page, what are those results worth? Remember, there are also exciting video benefits that may be unrelated to the original specific goals, like enhanced brand perception, customer excitement, increased overall engagement and much more. Other things that can affect budget that should be taken into account are:
Actors
Does the script require actors or extras to produce the video, or will it only require your team members or employees?
Locations
When making a video, special locations and permits are required in order to tell the story. Should these locations be outsourced, or is it possible to produce the video in existing locations like the client’s offices, storefront or an employee’s home?
Props
Does the video require props or decorations outside of what the company produces? If the client makes iPhone cases, do they have iPhones available to be used inside them? If diving goggles are the featured product, will the shoot require fins, a scuba tank and a boat in order to properly demo the product?
Shooting days
The most efficient way to produce a corporate video is to limit the amount of shooting days. The production team’s job is to think of ways they can fake a single location to act as multiple, or schedule locations that are close enough together to film in a single day. Each time another shooting day is added, the budget will increase with each crew member (normally producer, director, camera, AC, gaffer, key grip, grips, audio, hair and makeup, PAs and more!).
*See Building a Corporate Budget for more on this topic.
Pre-production
Now that the corporate video is coming to life with a goal, concept, display plan, deadline and budget, it is time for the real work to start. Planning and prepping for a video can make or break a production, and there are a lot of things to keep in mind as the team moves forward. Let’s get started!
Script
Whether it be an explainer animation, an interview-based video or a full-blown narrative commercial, the first steps to preparing a production is to write out the script. The video production team offers copywriting services to help build the script to perfection. Most likely there will be breaks and pauses throughout the video, but a good guide is that you can fit about three words per second of video. It’s important to keep the script short and concise so the video doesn’t get too long.
Script breakdown
Often done in a two-column table, the next step is to break down the script into visual chunks. The production team will place the script on the left column of the script page, with a description of the visual elements on the right side. This is a good phase to check in with key stakeholders and members of the project to assure everyone is on the same page and imagining a similar end video.
Shot list
The video shot list is most likely done in collaboration with the director, director of photography (DP) and producer to ensure everyone is following the same vision. Every shot needs to be listed out so that each department can prepare what lighting, movement, effects, props, actors, etc. are needed.
Itemized breakdown
Once the corporate video script is locked down and the visuals get planned out, the next step is to itemize what elements of the shoot need to be sourced or planned for. The production team will circle or highlight every actor/character, location, prop, wardrobe description and special effect, earmarking them as action items that need to be sourced before production takes place.
Casting
If there are actors needed, the first task is to create a list of all of the actors and extras that will needed for the video. It is advantageous to reuse people throughout the video as background characters in order to reduce the amount of actors hired (and paid!). Each character will need a description to find the right fit— everything from gender and age to height, features and attitude.
For smaller roles or background actors, it is sometimes possible to get away with online casting only. For more key performances, it is recommended to do Skype video auditions, or even in-person auditions to assure the perfect actor/performance is found.
Location sourcing and permits
Each location in the corporate video will need to be chosen carefully. If the location is not a key aspect of the concept, it is best to find a freely sourced location from either a team member or employee’s home or their personal connections. If that is not possible, a location scout will need to source possible rental locations and pull the needed permits and requirements for each. Depending on the size of the production, you may have to hire security, police escorts and road stoppages.
Props / Wardrobe
Here is another great spot where it is possible to save budget if the team is resourceful. Using props such as phones, couches, bags, etc. that are already available at the location will help keep the costs low. Also, finding items that can be purchased for the shoot and returned afterwards is a common trick of the trade when it comes to keeping the budget tight. When there are unique items required for a shoot, they can either be purchased or possibly rented from prop houses based out of Los Angeles.
Wardrobe can often be sourced from the actors’ existing wardrobe (which normally fit best anyways), but if there are specific wardrobe needs, new items can be purchased and returned after the shoot. Just like props, in some cases the specialty wardrobe items need to be bought or rented for the shoot.
Shot schedule
Although confusing, shot schedules are often out of order of the actual flow of the video script. This is to optimize the shooting locations, props, actors’ time and location availability. Each shot from the shot list is broken into individual shooting time frames, and each of the props and actors are scheduled into their slotted times.
Production day!
Even with weeks of planning and pre-production, the actual production of a corporate video usually happens in a single production day (often 10-12 hours!). Here are a few things that will take place on production day.
Craft services
Breakfast, coffee, drinks, snacks, catering, etc. need to be planned out and provided for the actors, crew and clients to make sure no one has to leave and slow down the shoot day.
Equipment prep / rental
All equipment, including camera, lighting, audio, props, wardrobe, hair and make-up, need to be prepped or rented for the shoot day.
Actors / Talent releases
All actors and extras will need to sign agreements giving consent to use their likenesses. The releases will also detail the rights as to where and when the spot can be used in compensation for their pay rate.
Crew / Payroll
All crew will have to be documented for payroll and tax tracking for their rates.
Location / Permits
Locations need to be paid and issued permits if needed. The logistics team will also coordinate with any security or police required on set.
Hair and make-up
All actors and extras need go through hair and make-up before they can be placed in the spot to be filmed.
Scene lighting and prep
Each scene will need to be pre-lit and designed with any props, actors, etc. before any filming can be done. Depending on the complexity of the scene, this can take anywhere from 15 minutes to a few hours.
Walkthroughs and blocking
Before the camera crew starts rolling any shots, the entire team (including actors) need to walk through the shots to assure the director, actors, camera crew and clients are all on the same page as to what is to be captured. The walkthroughs/blocking stage is where creative changes are often added based on last-minute ideas, weather changes and other factors.
Shooting and circle takes
During shooting, notes are taken about each shot — whether the performance was good, the lines were delivered correctly, any outside noises were heard and whether the camera had any issues. The director’s favorite takes are circled so that the editor can go directly to those and start editing without searching through the bad takes.
That’s a wrap!
With a small celebration, the production day ends. The DIT (digital imaging technician) will transfer the day’s video footage, photographs and audio files to an external hard drive for backup and ship to the post-production team.
Post-production
Even if a shoot day is pulled off successfully, if the post-production isn’t on point, the corporate video will fall short of its true potential. Ensure your finished product is the best it can be with flawless execution of these stages:
Transferring and organizing
With today’s high video resolutions, the files can be massive! Each card is often well over 500 GB and takes a few hours to transfer to the editing stations. Once the files are transferred, the editor will need to organize them by video and audio, various scenes or separate videos that are being created.
Syncing and trimming
A tedious next step is to sync the video footage with the audio recording. It’s interesting to note that the editor actually uses the famous film “clapper” to sync the exact moment when the audio recording has the clap noise to when the video footage sees the clapper close.
“Story cut”
First, the post-production team needs to lay out the story of the corporate video — no need for music, sound effects, titles or color correction just yet. It is really important to make sure the flow and storytelling feel is there before adding any bells and whistles. Many times the video’s story cut is kept internal at the post-production house.
“First cut”
Adding music, basic titles and graphics, a simple pass of color, etc. makes the corporate video’s first cut presentable for the client or general audience to view and provide input.
Client review
Best done with a dynamic video collaboration tool such as Frame.io, the review stage allows key stakeholders to assess, comment and collaborate on their vision and thoughts of the video.
“Final cut”
The editing team then takes into account all of the comments and recommendations from the client and gets to work finalizing the corporate video.
Graphics / Titles
With the video is finalized, a higher level of artistry, animation and live action can be added to the graphics and titles in order to bring the production to its final state.
Visual effects
Any visual effects — fixing skin tones, skylines or removing logos — happens near the very end of the the post-production process.
Color mastering
Depending on delivery via TV, online or elsewhere, various levels of color mastering will be needed to make sure every viewer is seeing the same colors and tones that the director desires.
Audio mastering, music and sound effects
The final step before exporting is to mix all of the audio, dialog, sound effects and music so the video can be clearly heard and is not distracting no matter the display format (TV, car, headphones, phone or laptop).
Exporting for delivery
An often overlooked piece needed for a successful video is to properly export the video files with the correct settings for the final delivery — again, the protocol will differ depending on where the video will live (YouTube, Facebook, TV, etc.).
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