We all grew up screen stars…of holiday videos (or uh-hum…blown out, black and white or faded blue Super 8 films, depending on our generation, and the skill of our parental auteurs.) We’ve seen how moments in time can stand still, or be brought to life with energy and genuine personality, thanks to a little movement.
 
The same is true of corporate communications today. Video says something about a company’s sophistication, and allows brands and executives to speak their truth (literally.) Ask SocialMedia Today, “Video means business…It’s not just marketers, communication, PR, and creative folks who must embrace video as part of their strategy…All organizations need the magic of this medium: government, nonprofit, small, large. If you want customers, donors, business, sales or influence, you need video.”
 
The Magic of Video
 
When it comes to making an impact with film and video, we clearly get what we invest. It’s what the industry calls, you guessed it,  “production value.” An investment in higher-end production value can benefit your business, and pay significant dividends. Higher-end can also mean potential reuse—an even bigger bang for your buck.
 

“We learned smart, resourceful, tactics to stretch production budgets at The Oprah Winfrey Show. (I worked on, or directed, creative teams for 20 years at the Show—we developed and drove The Oprah Show brand and visual identity throughout its history.) Creative producers and editors can repurpose footage from one, high quality, shoot for years to come, and for a multitude of uses—motion graphics, web video, trade show presentations, EPKs (video press releases) for industry and news organizations, advertising, web marketing. (*See more video ideas below) Great designers are able to utilize textures and ‘beauty shots’ of talent/executives (obviously well-lit, high quality images) to build gorgeous graphics, transitional elements, even the best looking Facebook and LinkedIn profile shots around. I’m not giving away any secrets a faithful fan couldn’t notice with a little careful viewing.” –Thalia Kalodimos
 
It takes much more than turning on a camera to make your brand a truly moving image. High quality means using skilled photographers, artful concept and composition, HD cameras; great portrait lighting; expert audio and direction; (and, at the very least, a puff of face powder for your executives.)
 
Here Virgin America takes high quality to 30 thousand feet. In this pre-flight safety video turned feature short, mundane information takes a brilliant flight of fancy even The New Yorker calls, “subtly brazen audacity at work.”
 
We are definitely the product of our multi-channel/multi-screen/multi-tasking society: the increase in audience engagement video creates is eye-opening. Research shows after 72 hours of viewing, audiences retain 10% of text, 65% of images, and 95% of video.
 
Now we’ve seen the light, and the power of the camera, who’s ready to take action?