For many of us, corporate video production is the bread and butter of the business. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or just starting out, here are some tips to make sure you nail the job.
Corporate videos can be a little tricky at times, you’re often dealing with people with loads of public-speaking experience but very little to no on-screen experience. That being said, here are a few handy tips to keep in mind on any corporate job.
1. Ensure your talent is PREPARED
As I just mentioned, often times your talent will have little to no on-screen experience. One way to help with this is to make sure they have a copy of the script and/or interview questions, well before the shoot so that they have ample time to prepare. You will be able to tell within a few seconds of shooting just how prepared they are, so you also need to be ready to coach them through it, if like many they crumble once they see the flashing red record light.
2. Use a Two-Camera Setup
By using a two-camera setup, you can cut between cameras in the edit to eliminate all the “umms” and “ahhs” and pauses that even the most seasoned professional can make when delivering their lines or answering questions. This also adds a dynamism to the video that you can’t get by shooting wide on 4k and cropping in every time they make a mistake.
3. Hide Your Lapel Mic
This can be a tricky one, as often people (I’m looking at you ladies!) wear clothes that can be a challenge to successfully clip and hide a lapel microphone on to. If the talent is moving around a lot, you also need to be weary of the sound created from the mic rubbing against clothes. If this is all too much, it’s best to have a small visible lapel mic than terrible audio.
4. Shoot B Roll AFTER the Interview
Takes notes during the interview of the key points you may want to use in the edit. This is so that you can structure your edit around these key points with relevant cut aways. There’s nothing worse than getting into the edit and finding you’re missing a key shot that will help you tell the story and engage the audience.
5. Have Fun!
Often times, your corporate video shoot will be a fun break in your client’s day. People will often be incredibly nervous about speaking in front of camera, so it’s your job to make them feel relaxed and at ease. This is a tough skill to develop, as you may be focussed on getting the shot right without any consideration for the talents nervousness. So ALWAYS have a (clean) joke or two ready and NEVER tell them how much they suck on camera. If you do need to say anything critical, the compliment sandwich always works best :).
