Alright I’ll admit it, I’m a hypocrite! I spend half my time encouraging, persuading and cajoling people to get in front of the camera and perform and I downright refuse to do it myself. There have been times when I’ve given it a shot (such as in our awful 2014 Christmas video) but I’m never happy with the results and it’ll be a long time before I’m back in front of the lens. No, I’m much happier to be behind the camera telling other people what to do.
You might be like me and hate the idea of appearing in a video, even if it is a video about your own company. But, if you can be persuaded to give it a go, there are certain advantages.
My specialist subject is?
It sounds obvious but the person who knows the most about your business and what you do, is you. You know the inner workings and what makes your company special. It might be that you need some outsider perspective to highlight these to you but you know it all and it’s up to us, the video production company, to get it out of you.
I’m a celebrity
It might sound a bit odd but if someone watches a video with you in, you immediately become a bit of a celebrity. A very minor one I grant you but nonetheless someone who is now recognisable. Clearly this is unlikely to result in paparazzi and stalkers but potential clients who have seen you in a promotional video might now perceive you as someone knowledgeable and trustworthy. No bad thing.
How much?
A factor that often outweighs all other considerations is budget. Actors, models, voice over artists etc all cost money whereas you don’t. You may need to put aside a few hours of your already busy day to appear in your own video but it could save you hundreds if not thousands of pounds.
Now that we’ve persuaded you to appear in your video, it’s our job to make you feel as comfortable and relaxed as possible. This way we can get the best performance out of you so that you come across well on camera and really help promote your product or service.
There are a few ways that we can help you.
Pre-production
Before the day of filming will make sure that everyone involved knows what’s going to happen – how long it’s going to take, how much equipment, how many people will be there and, most importantly, what’s expected of them.
If we’re filming an interview we will send you a list of questions but ask that you don’t over-rehearse and just concentrate on the key messages you want to get across.
If you’re talking to camera then you’ll have a fully realised script that we would have worked on with you to make sure that it’s going to sound good on camera.
To camera or not to camera?
Depending on the subject and style of the video you may decide whether you want to be interviewed or talk straight down the lens. Generally, people find it easier to be interviewed as it feels more natural and more like having a normal conversation with someone (albeit surrounded by lights, cameras, mics etc).
However, if you are delivering a message directly to a certain group of people or you really want to connect with the person watching the video, you may prefer to talk to the camera. This is probably more difficult but can be more impactful. It will also mean you will have to learn your lines or we may even have to use an autocue. Either way, we’ll find the best option for you.
Creating the right atmosphere
We always try to keep things relaxed and stress free on the day. We don’t use lots of unnecessary equipment and will generally use as small crew as possible. This way you won’t feel like there are loads of people staring at you, stressing you out. We allow plenty of time to film so that you’re not rushed which means we can go over the material enough times.
If you would like Echo Video to help producing a promotional or corporate video for your company please drop us a line on 01273 911345 and get in touch with Will or Andy.