How to Create Quality Video Content in the Midst of COVID
Ways Companies Are Using Video to Communicate Effectively
It’s time to rethink your communications strategy. Communicating on an infrequent or as-needed basis doesn’t work. If there is ever a time to over communicate, it is now. Internally and externally people need to hear from you. They need to feel a connection with humanity and that’s exactly what engaging video does.
Many clients are asking us how they can produce quality video now, and how they can use video to fill voids such as in-person meetings and trade shows.
Below are some of the projects we’ve done since March with little to no in-person contact with our clients. We hope you can use this information as a springboard to how you may execute communications to build and maintain quality relationships with partners, investors, suppliers, customers and internal teams. With a little bit of creativity and out-of-the-box thinking, you too can create video that inspires and engages the human spirit—just when we need it the most.
Video Content Examples for Internal and External Communications: Company Meetings, Product Launches, Updates and Announcements, End-of-Year/Holiday Message, Updates and Announcement Videos, Investor Pitches, Conferences, Fundraising Galas
Company Meetings
Whether or not your company had to pivot because of COVID, your internal teams need to know what’s going on today and what the future holds. Studies show that frequent company meetings are one of the best ways to build a strong company culture. Using a high quality, prerecorded video with enhanced animated graphics, b-roll, or a montage of photos ensures your message is effectively communicated. Not to mention you are respecting everyone’s valuable time and there will be no “technical difficulties.” This can be coupled with a live Q&A session to allow for audience participation.
How we make it happen:
We send over tips and tricks for presenters/interviewees to get the best picture and sound from their remote location.
We direct remotely via Skype, Teams or Zoom and help them position cameras, get the right lighting, and produce quality sound. We can even ship a small camera package with high quality webcam, light, and microphone if need be.
We record digitally from our studio where we then edit and fine-tune, enhancing it with B-roll, product shots, photos, music, and/or animated graphics. Whatever you need to convey the right message.
The end result? A well-edited, highly impactful company presentation.
Substitute for End-of-Year/Holiday Message
The end of the year provides a perfect time to share end-of-year news, celebrate company accomplishments and congratulate your employees’ hard work. Use your year-end message as an opportunity for executives and managers to share on a more personal level without directly about work, deadlines and projects. Just because you can’t be in person doesn’t mean you can’t celebrate and give out employee awards.
How we make it happen:
We send over tips and tricks for presenters/interviewees to get the best picture and sound from their remote location.
We direct remotely via Skype, Teams or Zoom and help them position cameras, get the right lighting, and produce quality sound. We can even ship a small camera package with high quality webcam, light, and microphone if need be.
We start with a brief presentation of year-end results and thank you from senior leaders.
Sprinkle in awards and other pre-recorded acceptance speeches.
We direct shooting remotely via Skype, Teams or Zoom.
We record digitally from our studio where we then edit and fine-tune, enhancing it with B-roll, product shots, photos, music, and/or animated graphics. Whatever you need to convey the right message.
The end result? An end-of-year message that brings employees together.
Updates and Announcement Videos
The globalization of business has created synergies across the world. But with travel restrictions in place, the once vital in-person meeting or in our client’s case, plant walkthrough, seemed impossible. We needed to virtually fly investors and customers halfway across the world to witness plant operations firsthand.
How we make it happen:
After a discovery session, we determine the best way to communicate the announcement and prepare a script.
We send a small crew to your location.
In order to make viewers feel like they are there, we can get creative by using cameras attached to gimbals, helmets, drones, or even on products or packaging.
We edit and fine-tune the footage adding voice over narration and graphics.
The end result? A virtual trip to the plant—without the need for a mask.
Investor pitches
The purpose of an investor pitch is to grab attention, tell your story, and then pique interest. And nothing does that better than video. Presenters don’t need to be nervous, because we can reshoot and edit as much as need be.
How we made it happen:
We meet with each presenter/interviewee remotely to discuss messaging and shoot location.
We can either direct and record their presentations remotely or send a small crew to interview them from the comfort of their own homes.
We edit and fine-tune in our studio, combining presentation slides and close-ups of the presenter, and adding B-roll, product shots, photos, music, and graphics. Whatever you need to help convey your ideas in a compelling way.
The end result? The perfect pitch—well planned, well edited, and no nonsense.
Conferences
Set up the schedule, and we’ll record and edit your presenters giving their presentations directly from their homes. With the right editing, we can interject presentation slides and the presenter, making viewers feel like they have a front row seat to the conference. Just add links to the videos on your website.
How we make it happen:
We meet with each presenter/interviewee remotely to discuss messaging and shoot location.
We can either direct and record presentations remotely or send a small crew to capture the presentation from the comfort of their own homes.
We edit and fine-tune in our studio, combining presentation slides and close-ups of the presenter, and adding B-roll, product shots, photos, music, and graphics. Whatever you need to help convey your ideas in a compelling way.
The end result? A virtual front row seat to the conference.
Fundraising Galas
The most important thing you can do during your gala is to share your company’s compelling story. One of our favorite projects was for Friends of Prentice, an organization advancing women’s health and working in partnership with Northwestern Memorial Hospital’s Prentice Women’s Hospital. The video was used at a gala to show how impactful the numerous teams at the hospital are on people’s lives. Watch this award-winning video.
In addition to your company’s compelling story, your fundraising gala video may include celebrity segments, heartwarming videos, award presentations, musical performances, and instructions on how to donate online or via SMS. We can use professionally recorded videos, videos recorded on phones, and digital elements to build a seamless program that engages your audience.
How we make it happen:
We meet with each presenter/interviewee remotely, and help them position cameras, get the right lighting, and produce quality sound. We can even ship a small camera package with high quality webcam, light, and microphone if need be.
We can start with a short presentation from leadership, and then a video that shows the impact you are making.
Sprinkle in interviews of employees or the board of directors, awards and pre-recorded acceptance speeches.
We direct remotely via Skype, Teams or Zoom and record in our studio.
From here we edit and fine-tune, enhancing it with B-roll, product shots, photos, music, animation. Whatever you need to convey the right message.
The end result? A video that engages viewers emotionally and makes an impact on your bottom line.
Why Produce Video During a Pandemic?
Bringing all of the components of video production together—with your safety in mind.
Research from earlier epidemics shows that positive messaging focused on transparent communications is the most effective.* With a little bit of creativity and out-of-the-box thinking, you too can create video that inspires and engages the human spirit—just when we need it the most. Contact us to brainstorm.
* “Communicating During an Outbreak or Public Health Investigation.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 13 Dec. 2018, www.cdc.gov/eis/field-epi-manual/chapters/Communicating-Investigation.html.
