B
eginning with the basics, it all starts with a great story and a clever angle.
In the words of Stanley Kubrick, ‘If it can be written or thought, it can be
filmed’. Get together a rough script of the things you want to highlight,
hand it over to your production company and get a storyboard going.
This guarantees that you get exactly what you want out of the movie. So many
companies opt for the stock standard interview with the CEO and then filming
production activities such as open-cast mining or building RDP houses. This
boring approach might help your sales team explain what you do but, however,
you can get so much more out of a video. You must think like a Hollywood
producer. Look at any big budget movie: there are trailers and reels full of
special-purpose cuts of one movie to be used for television, news, actuality
programmes, the web, radio, social media, and so on. The list is almost endless.
The trick is to create your movie and thereafter, create versions for every purpose
you can think of. These could encompass exhibitions, your annual board meeting,
social media and, of course, your sales team. You are making a movie so make
sure you plan ahead to get exactly what you might need for various media in
the future.
Even though your CEO might be a great public speaker it’s always advisable to get
a professional voice-over artist or actor to present your company to the greater
public. I cannot stress enough how much more value this adds to the production.
It’s like watching an IT guy act or an actor trying to fix the server. Get a pro to do
the job and you’ll get it done properly.
You must endeavor to create an emotional connection with your audience. We’re
all human (well ...) and, whether you are generation X or Y, from Kuruman or Kwa
Mashu, there are universal truths, emotional hooks and feel-good factors that
affect all of us. Before watching a rom-com or action movie you might have some
idea of what the outcome will be. However, there is usually that one romantic
moment or mega-car-chase scene which makes it worth watching. This has
relevance, especially when you are creating a corporate video. You must reward
your viewers for watching your video. Give them that one goose-bump moment,
an astonishing fact or a wow factor. Highlight CSI projects, environmental
initiatives and great achievements. Make sure that the pictures, voice-over and
music ‘dance’ together to really pull at the emotions of your audience. Endeavour
to get them hooked and engaged with your movie. Movies pack much more
punch than text or photographs ever will. When I make a movie, I spend just as
much time in audio post-production as I do in the editing suite. Music, tempo
changes and beautifully-cut moving images must all work together to create a
three-dimensional experience that assimilates the viewer with your brand. All
these elements should work together to ensure that you get a great return on
your movie investment.
Albert Brooks wrote, ‘I got so good at writing to a budget, my brain was
restricting itself. I’d write: “It’s a stormy night”. Then I’d cross out stormy. I’d
write: “It’s a calm night”. Then I’d cross out night. Because you know how
much night costs. Nothing comes free in movies.’
You get what you pay for in production and, that said, video is all about
production value and showing an ordinary subject in an extraordinary way.
Production value, incorporating items such as aerial shots, animation, graphic
overlays and taking that extra time to ensure that the light is just right, will
make your video look wonderful but, unfortunately, costs extra money. You
should choose at least two of these items to add sparkle to your video and,
believe me, it will be well worth it.
Don’t underestimate your audience ... they all watch Hollywood blockbusters ...
and, although they might not be able to pinpoint what’s just not quite right with a
production, they can tell the difference between a bargain basement production
and a good movie. Spending that extra amount to create the lasting impression
you really want is often worth much more than the small budget saving you might
realise by not doing it. Movies don’t have to be expensive to be great: just well
thought out and well executed.
Ignus Gerber Productions
Ignus Gerber Productions is offering readers of Nex Media a special discount offer. Readers quoting the reference
Nex Media 2.3 will receive a 25 percent discount on the price of a full-day or half-day event in Johannesburg.
Call Genie Gerber on 011 783 0474 or e-mail
.
Nex Media •
Vol 2 Issue 3
29
