I don’t need a Corporate Video

‘Hey man, why would we need a Corporate Video?’ I have come across at least hundreds of such people in my career who have always turned down the idea of a Corporate Video. It’s been 12 years now, I have been working in the field of audio-visual and I have made a number of such videos. Yet the naysayers were more. I had always wondered the reluctance to turn down a video.

Many times, from your side of the table you see things you want to see. So, I decided to peep onto that side and then slowly I started understanding the reluctance. There were hardly a few who didn’t want a corporate video at all. Most of them may want it, but they had their own respective reasons. So, I started digging further to understand their concerns so that we could let them enjoy the most powerful tool of marketing, a video.

1.     Documentary v/s Corporate Video

People normally misinterpret a documentary for a corporate video. They two have different audience and purposes. A documentary is prepared to document something in detail. The content or a subject is the most vital aspect here. The team needs to shoot extensively and do a lot of interviews in order to capture as much content you could. Then you sit together and review and edit further. It’s more like a journalist’s point of view. It’s used to explore something unlike a corporate video. It may be longer than a corporate video, even till 30 minutes or an hour. Though we don’t have much documentaries produced and viewed in India. There’s a special audience for them in abroad and we can watch them on some TV channels.

As the name suggests, a corporate video is made to exhibit a corporate profile of an organization. These are the videos purely used for marketing purpose. Therefore, they are backed with a strong marketing strategy. The script is written considering the strengths, features and offering by an organization. Every scene or shot of such videos is captured consciously and professionally. There’s no half-hearted beating around the bushes here. Good animation and graphic are supported to make it look better. A pleasant and convincing voice over narrates a corporate video that has to last not more than 5 minutes. It needs to be crisp, well shot and finely edited to give the complete idea about the organization and its activities so that people could buy the products or services they offer.

2.     Lack of proper knowledge:

Most people I have met told me that they have a videographer who does all videos for them. With due respect for the skills, a corporate video is altogether a different ballgame. A videographer can be a part of it and you need the same ingredients to make a video that a videographer might use – shooting, voice and editing.

A corporate video needs to be scripted well. It’s a marketing and advertising activity. So the communication has to be appealing and not only informative. There has to be a sense of selling in a writer to pen a script. The language needs to flow smoothly sans jargons. You need a Video Production house to produce a Corporate Video. They have the professional tie ups with the talent like Cameramen or Director of Photography (DOP), script writers, directors, producers, lighting experts, camera rental services, jib operators, sound recording engineers, editors, graphic artists, voice over artists, recording studios, animaitors, etc. They can hire the right kind of talent so that your video can look professional. A videographer might shoot a good video of your event or even of your factory and hand it to you. All you need is a set of professionals who are experts in their respective fields to create the best corporate video. It’s about the image of your organization. So, you can’t chance upon someone whom you think good because he or she shot your wedding well.

3.     Need of a Corporate Video

I have met people who say they don’t need a corporate video. Then I ask them do they have so much time that they can bring down each and every client to show their manufacturing set up? Or they must have so much money to entertain the clients while visiting their plants. Or simply they don’t need more business. If you want more business, then corporate video is a must for your organization no matter how big or small you are. Even if you are not a corporate yet, still you need a video representing your organization.

You can simply put it on YouTube or make a WhatsApp version of it. You can send a link of your video to your client instead of wasting the time of both of you. Things can start working instantly. These days, most of the businesses take part in trade shows or exhibitions. You can put a screen there and play your video in a continuous loop. If it’s good enough, your stall will get more footfalls and so as your business.

A corporate video is not a waste. It’s the best way to showcase your organization and send in a larger than life image.

4.     Costing factor

‘A corporate video is a very expensive affair.’ Or ‘we can’t afford a corporate video’ are some of the popular excuses I have heard.

Of course, like any marketing material a corporate video too comes with a cost. But definitely, it’s not exorbitant as it used to be. Thanks to the digital wave in camera technology, the equipment have become really handy and less expensive. At the same time they are really advanced and can capture the images really sharply. Same goes with the lighting. Earlier they used to need a lot of heavy lighting who used to consume a hefty amount of electricity. Now, a days a moderate lighting and camera unit can be fitted in a multi utility vehicle.

There are different slabs as per the requirements. One can use a very high end camera set up that is used to shoot feature films and also a DSLR that is available locally. It’s about lensing, the amount of shooting, number of days, the kind of lighting you are using, how much graphic is going to go in and what kind of voice overs you are using decide the cost of your corporate video. At the same time there is a very wide range of technicians. Their fees depend on their experience and skill. A technician can make or break a video no matter what kind of equipment you use. Their fees also is a vital part.

You can talk to your Corporate Video Production company about your requirements and they can come up with the best suitable set of equipment and technicians to fit in your budget. But you have to ask first.

So, folks hope you find that information useful and you might search a video production house in Pune or whatever city you are in so that you can start working on your corporate video. Guys, remember - Let the people see if your got it!