Preparing yourself for your first corporate shoot
Is it your first corporate video shoot? SmartCuts Creative has got all the tips and tricks to get your to succeed on camera. Based in Switzerland? We can be your go-to creative agency.
10 minute read
There’s no doubt that video is the most popular form of content today. Video marketing has come a long way in recent years, and there’s no signs that it’s slowing down. 90% of customers rely on video to decide whether to make a purchase. What’s more, 83% of marketers claim video gives them good ROI. Videos are everywhere and businesses can increase conversions and brand awareness through video content. Whether you are a small or large business owner, you will most likely make video content to bring awareness to your brand, and let customers and clients know exactly what your brand is about. Corporate videos can look different depending on your industry and the purpose behind the content. You can look at this example of an employee testimonial video by TFE.
You shouldn’t let your fears of appearing on camera get in the way of being part of a corporate video for your company. If it’s your first time appearing on camera for a corporate video, SmartCuts Creative has all the tips to not only be confident on camera, but also to be ready for an entire corporate shoot. Here’s what you should expect!
Corporate video shoot preparation
1. What to expect from a corporate video shoot
2. The benefits of corporate videos
3. Know what you want to say
4. Improve your on-camera presence
5. What to wear
6. Example corporate video shoots
7. Podcast/YouTuber recommendations
What to expect from a corporate video shoot
A corporate video must reflect the spirit of the company and convey its values, but it must also be attractive to reach as many people as possible. Corporate videos help you show the world what your company is like, provide important facts and introduce your team. Tell the world what your company does and how you work. Every corporate shoot might look different depending on the brand and the agency or production company you work with. Here are some key steps you might expect to happen on a corporate video shoot:
- Pre-shoot preparation: the video will be planned out, in terms of location, shots, and content. A great corporate videographer can plan the entire shoot without asking too much from your business.
- Setting-up the equipment: Videographers need lighting, microphones, and cameras on tripods. Most likely, you will turn up with all of this already set up. If not, use this time to practice what you are going to say.
- Documentation: Call sheets are typical for corporate shoots. These are used to organise timings so that things go according to schedule. Familiarize yourself with this schedule before the actual shoot so that there isn’t extra stress.
- Different locations: For a lot of corporate videos, they are shot across various locations. Note that the crew will spend time getting the scene right before they shoot so it’s completely normal if it takes a bit of time to adjust the lighting or camera equipment to get things looking perfect.
The benefits of corporate videos
As established, video content is extremely important and should be a key component in your marketing strategies. Corporate videos provide many benefits for brands. Here are some key benefits:
- Confidence: Showing yourself visually to the client increases their trust in you. By showing yourself to your public you transmit closeness and transparency. The more the customer sees of you, the more comfortable he/she will feel with you.
- Understanding your brand: Video can raise the level of understanding of what brands want to say. Sometimes, things can be better understood visually, so advertising concepts are applied to project the image you want from your company, making everything clearer.
- Competitors: How do you differentiate yourself from your competitors? With your corporate video you can highlight and communicate your uniqueness, your strengths and those values that distinguish you as a company.
Know what you want to say
In other words, be prepared. Typically, when you shoot a corporate video, you’re not always working with professionals in front of the camera. Whether it’s a client’s customer, or an individual from within the business, the chances are they may be nervous when they’re speaking on camera. As a creative agency, our job is to make you feel comfortable.
Write a script that you are happy with. You can always invite a scriptwriter into the production, but obviously that will build into your cost. In our own studio we have a teleprompter on set, where the script can be sent to us ahead of time. This means that you can read along as you are filmed. Way before the actual shoot, you can practice your script by yourself. Try reading it in the mirror, that way you can assess your own body language. Maybe even present in front of others so that you are ready to film in front of an entire film crew as well. This will calm your nerves down.
Improve your on-camera presence
Being confident on camera is challenging. Knowing what you’re talking about is key in making you feel less anxious. So how can you improve your on-camera presence? Getting people’s attention is hard. Making a corporate video engaging should be your top priority because you want your clients and customers to listen to what you are saying.
Here are some important things to keep in mind:
- Warm up: talk to yourself while they are setting up the equipment.
- Project your voice: you must speak louder than you usually would.
- Clarity: pronounce each word. This is particularly useful for those who listen and don’t watch.
- Avoid being monotone: try mixing and changing your speed pattern and volume of your voice to add some flavor.
What to wear
You may be thinking that clothes are not important, but that is not the case. One of the first questions you should ask as you prepare for your corporate video shoot is, “what should I wear?” Not only should you feel comfortable on camera, but you should remember that your wardrobe reflects what you stand for. Your corporate video communicates your brand’s voice, identity, and values, so you certainly don’t want to send the wrong message about your brand with the wrong clothing choice.
You can watch this quick video on how to dress successfully for a corporate video shoot. However, we’ve also got some key points right here:
- Wear solid colors: simple, solid colors work best on camera. If you wear patterns, it can be distracting on camera. That applies to accessories as well, like scarves.
- Wearing black: you can absolutely wear an all-black camera, but sometimes all-black can interfere with certain backgrounds. You may accidentally create a ‘floating head’ effect.
- Look sharp: Make sure your clothes are clean and wrinkle-free. What’s more, if you’re doing a sitting shot for the corporate video shoot, make sure that your clothes fit nicely when you’re seated.
- Feel comfortable: we want you to feel comfortable. Everyone has a color that they feel they look best in. If you feel comfortable with what you’re wearing, and how you look, you’ll most likely feel better presenting on camera.
Example corporate video shoots
By now, hopefully you’ve gained some helpful insights. However, maybe you need some inspiration. Here are some example corporate videos so that you can see what to expect.
1. Pilatus Aircraft corporate video.
This corporate video is great because it highlights why the employees love their job. It’s encouragement in video form. It’s best used as a bright declaration for new employees and those who might be nervous about starting out with your company. Using different people in the video is also great because it means people won’t get as bored watching it.
2. Grenadier Homes customer testimonial video.
This customer testimonial video is great because it cuts between the customers talking and shots of what they are talking about. This makes the video easier to watch. Noticeably, everyone is talking very clearly which makes a video more appealing.
3. Four Years from Now – event highlight video.
Finally, this corporate video is great because it showcases parts of the event for viewers, but it also shows people who were part of the event speaking. There is a great balance within the video. The shots are also different throughout which makes the video very pleasing to watch.
Podcast/YouTuber recommendations
Finally, here are some quick recommendations for further tips other than the ones we have given you in this article:
1. YouTuber, Marisa Murgatroyd. Her platform is particularly useful for entrepreneurs trying to find their true voice as they build their online platform. This particular video is useful as she quickly delves into some tips on how to be confident on camera. Her videos are engaging and she is great at presenting.
2. Podcaster & YouTuber, Ben Amos. We’ve mentioned Ben Amos in a previous blog post. Why? Because his videos are all about video marketing. With video content being extremely important for brands, his content is very relevant. What’s great about this video is that he just gets right into the tips on how to present on camera. I found it particularly important that he talked about poses at the beginning of the video.
Conclusion
And there it is! Hopefully this article was useful for you. Corporate videos are extremely important for brands and companies. If you work at a company, the chances are, you might be asked to be involved in one. Hopefully these tips and tricks make you feel more at ease as you prepare for your first corporate video shoot. SmartCuts Creative regularly produces corporate videos, just take a look at this shoot we did for BOBST, a Swiss-based company that supplies machinery and services to the packaging industry. This corporate video was mandated to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the folder/gluer line of its machines.