Video Production and Storytelling
How Video Production Benefits From Good Storyteling.
12-minute read
In this article
We will be going over storytelling
The Importance of Storytelling in Video Production
Storytelling has been around forever and evolved through the years, yet all good stories share a common denominator which is structure. Although varying from one culture to another, all good stories have distinct parts with their own events and characteristics. The most common way to structure a story is as follows:
- Exposition: the setting and characters or acting elements are introduced.
- Problem or conflict: something happens to stray from the status quo.
- Rising action: positively or negatively, the initial problem develops, adding tension.
- Climax: the highlight of the story, the peak point of the sequence that demands the highest attention.
- Denouement: everything comes together, loose knots are tied and questions answered.
- Conclusion: if necessary, everything goes “back to normal”.
Storytelling in the Video Production Workflow
Storytelling is an important part someone’s video production workflow. It takes many forms throughout the creative process, from the initial writing of a storyline to the post-production and editing stage. Every decision made will impact the viewer’s comprehension of the storyline and should ideally push their spirit in the right direction. Video production is first and foremost a form of visual communication, which makes the elaboration of a storyboard almost unavoidable.
Storyboards are a key part of planning out a video’s structure as well as narration, since things can be shown or evoked rather than told. In a video production agency such as our own, storyboards are a way for us to make sure we stay on the right track, that being the client’s vision we are tasked with bringing to life.
Storytelling in Marketing and Advertising Video Production
Since the dawn of time, people have been telling stories to share knowledge from one generation to another, to express themselves and to connect with others. Stories give life to ideas and inscribe them into our reality. In terms of marketing and communications, this translates to forming connections with potential clients and customers.
“Stories make the world go round”
(quote from Why Storytelling Wins in Marketing, Forbes, Marie Hattar, June 9, 2022)
A video advertisement is structured like a story: a situation is introduced, followed by a need, want or problem requiring a solution. The brand in question then offers a product or service to fix the issue. Even if there isn’t a before/after type of comparison, the brand must position itself as an entity offering something that the viewer might want.
Storytelling in video production is a way for marketers to reach a vast audience and offer an immersive introduction and experience to a company, product or service. Unlike static images or GIFS, videos combine movement with sounds to resonate with the public as much as possible. The artistic vision and creative potential in video production makes it that a company or entity can express itselfand its goals to its clientele.
It also humanizes a company, promoting its sense of authenticity and relatability. Emotion allows the public to feel seen, giving them a sense of identity, representation and belonging. In an video ad, chances are the public will remember the story, its characters or even its song or jingle (which is its own story) before the brand name. However, every lasting impression matters when it comes to reinforcing brand image and memorability.
A recent study conducted by Wyzowl surveying 967 subjects including both marketing professionals and online customers, shows 91% of businesses use video as a tool to advertise. The remaining 9% claim a lack of time, money or resources to do so. However, 68% of marketers who don’t yet use video say they plan to in the following year. It is no question that the popularity of video production in marketing has been on the rise and maintains an all-time high.
Storytelling in Short Form Video Production
Advertisements shown on TV and preceding videos on platforms such as Youtube have become shorter.
On top of costing less because of the airtime, shorter advertisements sometimes work better as they don’t annoy the viewer as much. Aside from that, they aren’t given the option to skip it.
5-10 second clips can be just as effective as a minute-long infomercial when it comes to memorability. If a potential client or customer is really interested in finding more information, they will be more than capable of finding it themselves. It’s more about reminding viewers you exist, and that you have things to sell them.
The challenge with any video production is viewer retention. In the age of social media, the goal is to first stop the viewer’s continuous scrolling to capture their attention for just a moment. According to Wyzowl, 44% of people say they would rather watch a short-form video that is under 60 seconds rather than a long-form one, especially when it comes to product demonstration videos or explainer videos. The general gist is that watching a minute-long video will be not only faster, but easier to assimilate and remember. Today, short-form video content is popular on social media. From tiktok, to Instagram reels to youtube shorts, short-form content is all the rage and has been increasingly popular. This isn’t only because of our shortened attention spans. If anything, short-form content has contributed to our diminishing concentration skills and will continue to do so as we grow into a faster-paced society searching for instant gratification through online content.
Short-form content is also popular because of its efficiency and potential for attractive, dynamic clips. The clips can also then be cut and shared to other platforms, boosting its range of reach.
Certain platforms have developed their own “language” through samples of songs or audio recordings that are used time and time again. This collective knowledge developed by the community using the platform can be very niche and different from one group to another. A good example is Tiktok, where “sounds” are connotated and have a meaning of their own, regardless of what the video contains visually. This allows for juxtaposition of humor and seriousness, or the creation of a whole new form of connecting with viewers. Companies have been venturing onto social media to reach a broader audience, unrestricted by age.
The shorter the content, the simpler the story must become to be understood and memorable.
The goal here is to simplify and condense information as much as possible, without omitting too much or being overwhelming. Paired with audio, visual aids can go a long way.
5 Tips for Storytelling in Short-Form Video Production
1. Deliver the message
If your video is 30 seconds long, the viewer should know who you are and what you have to offer within the first 15. People have things to do, places to go, and don’t want their time wasted by a video that is stalling sharing the goods. That said, maintain a structure: a beginning, a middle and an end. A lack of organization will confuse the viewer. They will either skip, not care, or not remember.
2. KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid)
Don’t forget what you’re saying or selling. Avoid distractions with effects and transitions that stray from the main message. As much as they can make your video more dynamic, too many fun elements could take away from the content you’re aiming to share. Same goes for audio. As some projects may gain from having background music to add context, others will be weighed down by a cluster of information for the viewer to ingest, especially if it isn’t a music video.
3. Through the eyes of the audience
Become the audience. Put yourself in the shoes of a viewer (someone who might as of yet have limited knowledge about the subject at hand) to make sure your content in digestible. This will vary from country to country, but a lot of humans are used to reading from left to right and top to bottom. Make sure transitions flow in directions that make sense and won’t make a room full of people nauseous. Tempo is also important. Go too slow and your audience will be bored. Go to fast, and they won’t remember anything. A good rule of thumb is to try match the speed at which one can read aloud, so viewers have time to register the information.
4. Be yourself
That’s cheesy, sorry, but it’s true. Unless you’re required to evoke neutrality and professionalism in a corporate video for example, show your personality! Every second counts when it comes to short-form content, so try to add something unique whether it be a pop of color, a sound effect or something funny. This will also make your content more memorable, check out our Bobst case study for inspiration!
5. Conclude in a memorable fashion
People usually remember the beginning and end of things best, so make sure they stand out. Repetition is also an effective technique when it comes to drilling a name, a brand or an idea into someone’s memory.
Storytelling in Animation Video Production
Animation is a very powerful and useful tool in video production, as it is great way to express concepts that would be difficult to explain or record, whilst adding a sense of fantasy. Like most projects, an animation project would begin with a story line and story board. Since it doesn’t entail recording real footage, it also needs a moodboard. This is what defines the general look and feel of the production, the animation style, the color schemes, the texturing and more. One also needs to think about the music and script if there is a narrative element to the audio.
As mentioned previously, one of the reasons for animation’s popularity in video production is the sheer volume of possibilities. An animator’s imagination is their only real limit, as programs have gotten more and more advanced. It is also beneficial from a financial perspective since one doesn’t have to think about hiring and paying actors or renting equipment such as high-quality cameras and drone video footage for particular hard-to-reach shots. Beautiful landscapes can be drawn, constructed or generated instead of flown to, and animals can speak!
Storytelling in Documentary Video Production
Though it may not be as obvious, documentaries require a certain level of storytelling too. Similarly to how reality TV is more often that not scripted, documentaries also follow a form of narration. Think Sir David Attenborough explaining the trials and tribulations faced by a sloth in a single day, all of which could be considered less interesting without an audio weaving the animal’s actions into a story. This makes the viewer attached to something other than the sloth’s cuteness, it gives it a personality as well as a sense of continuity. We root for the sloth.
Storytelling is also important when it comes to viewer comprehension. On top of reflecting real life, documentaries must follow a logical order to feel authentic and natural. Some may have the goal to push an alternative angle or mindset, so that must be meticulously planned out too. For example, a nature documentary will often take a break between shots of fish and coral to focus on boats overfishing and smashing into reefs. This is an important aspect of storytelling, since multiple things are true simultaneously and must be given an equal importance.
Storytelling in Product Demonstration Video Production
Similarly to documentaries, product demonstration videos need to be well structured to properly represent complicated techniques or machines. Lately, we at Fullframe have been working on a demo video for “Novafoil 106” by Bobst, a Swiss company specialized in label and packaging manufacturing.
For the machine’s different parts and intricacies to be understandable, the shooting and later the assembly of clips must accurately follow the steps of the worker being recorded. Our producers used a drone and a couple hand-held cameras to provide overall shots of the machine as well as close-up detailed clips of the worker interacting with it. During production, a clear concern was making sure the final product reflected the actual procedure. For example, a far-away shot could not be followed by one that is so close it could almost be macro. This would confuse the viewers who would not know what they’re looking at. Explainer videos can be challenging as the subjects are often outside of our area of expertise. We must study the subject and attempt to translate its functionality as clearly as possible to people who could be interested in purchasing the product.
Conclusion
We’ve been over a few types of video production and the ways they implement and rely on storytelling. Whether it be short or long form, with or without audio, on social media or on TV, all video content tells the viewer a story and it must therefore be thought out. Making sure an audience correctly understands the message you’re trying to get across is primordial in any communication field.
More Resources for Video Production and Storytelling:
Spark up your Image!
Stand out for all the right reasons.
We help you communicate in a clear, creative and comprehensive manner.