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Learning More About “Corporate Video Trends”
Crews Control was asked, “What are corporate video trends in America right now?” So, we did what any large video production staffing company would do. We polled DPs, Camera Ops and Producers all over the country that we assign to corporate video shoots. We asked what styles, deliverables, types of communications and messaging are trending in enterprise video. Buzz phrases like “shallow DOF”, “film look”, “user generated content”, “increased communication”, and “video for phones and tablets” floated off many tongues. Some of their answers surprised us and others were par for the course.
Style Is Everything
With the shift from reality TV to grand episodic shows with movie quality production values, the average viewer wants a more dynamic image. The viewer doesn’t know how or why it is better just that it is. They want that experience to translate over all viewing experiences including their work benefits package video. The trends for corporate video in 2013 are using large sensor cameras with prime lenses to achieve the shallow DOF “film look”, more movement, and green screens or backdrops masking office settings. Our trend tracker shows 18% – 23% of our shoots in 2013 use a large sensor camera. The cameras used range from Canon DSLR 5D to the Arri Alexa (see a full list of cameras below). Increased movement is achieved with dollies, jibs, camera sliders, or more sophisticated motion controlled systems for time lapse. Green screens or backdrops are used 15% – 18% of the time on our shoots in 2013. Whether our clients are using snazzy graphics packages or just want to clean white backdrop there has been a resurgence of masking office backgrounds.
- AG-AF100, Alexa, EOS 5D, EOS 5D Mark II, EOS 5D Mark III, EOS 7D, EOS C100, EOS C300, EOS C500, Epic, NEX-FS100U, NEX-FS700U, PMW-F3, PMW-F5, Scarlet-X
What We See On Site: The increased use of buzz words in the corporate vocabulary doesn’t equal the planning needed to carry out the look intended.
Tip: Time in pre-production is time well spent. Make sure that the space provided for each shoot is adequate to employ the use of a dolly, jib, and prime lenses indicated in the script. Talk to your DP in advance to see what is possible for the time and room assigned.
Delivery Made To Order
The end deliverable often shapes the other production values on-site. File based cameras and mobile recording devices used in conjunction with tape based cameras make up 93% – 96% of our shoots in 2013. The projects that we work on are seen on multiple platforms including mobile, tablets, web, intranet and webcasts. With some many channels for corporate content we are seeing the use of enterprise video services like Wistia to host videos and provide analytics and support tools.
What We See On Site: With so many file based formats often the Producers on-site and Editors don’t have the most up to date drivers, plug-ins and viewers for the camera requested.
Tip: Make sure that the correct software to view the files and import the footage into your NLE is up to date before the shoot. The Production Manager assigned to your shoot can send you the correct links to download what is needed. Often the software is free or has a very small cost. Put your editor and crew in touch before the shoot; this is a fail safe way for the editor to get what he or she needs and will reduce costly communication errors.
Video Everywhere
There has been an increase in internal and external communication for our corporate clients. Sales teams are employing the use of video to highlight products and services on site with iPads as well as on the web for potential contacts. The C level continues to beef up their presentations with video. Product Support teams use video to answer user generated content online and for crisis management. Safety and procedural training video libraries are available to the workforce for reference to view and revisit the information. Human Resource departments are adopting video as a way to relay employee benefits.
Maintaining Messaging
Corporate messaging is being managed by a number of job titles within the branding, marketing, public relations, in-house video departments, and corporate contacts from non-media related departments. All with varying levels of video production expertise. Each shoot comes with a shift in duties on-site which may result in a loss of message. Video is cheap, the mentality of overshooting and then letting the editor piece together a story may also skew the message. User generated content is big in 2013. Corporations are taking a cue from consumers to rebrand their products and services. The use of cross branding print and video is emerging in 2013. Consolidating concepts, talent, locations reduces cost for print and video campaigns.
What We See On Site: Often, our crews are the gatekeepers on location to make sure that nothing falls through the cracks and a high level of production values are maintained.
Tip: The corporate message can easily be lost if it isn’t relayed to the crew and managing contacts on-site. No matter what your level of video expertise pick up the phone and discuss the shoot with your crew and on-site contact. The video will be on message if everyone is on the same page.
The original article was published on CMMA’s blog.
Nice and informative article. Appreciated your job. Corporate videos are very useful to define all video communications which are used for internal or external corporate messaging, employee training videos and promotional videos for new products or services. Thanks for sharing!!!