Choosing the right style and approach for your video is crucial. It will affect directly the overall feel, vibe, and yes even the message. The adage ‘the medium is the message’ rings true. Here are some thoughts and styles to be thinking about for your next video project or series.
“Talking Heads”: Passive Interview Style Versus Direct to Camera
We like to refer to ‘talking heads’ as the people on camera doing, you guessed it: talking. While there are probably tons of ways to deliver content stylistically, generally you need to fit into 1 of 3 styles when talking on camera:
- Directing conversation to someone else on camera
- Speaking to a person off camera
- Talking to the camera
You should ask yourself a few questions when choosing the style for your ‘talking head(s)’.
Do you want it to have a more documentary feel? The passive off-camera or talking to someone on camera will most often fit this.
Want to engage directly with your audience? It may be best if your eyes meet with theirs (the camera’s that is:) It’s like saying ‘hey look at me’.
Is your message more story and going for sentiment that’s warmer? Interview style may be best.
Are you trying to add humor or an outgoing personality to your brand? Direct at camera my work well for this.
Adding Emotion: Levity, Tear-jerk moments, and Other Stuff We Humans Feel!
Some brands have done an amazing job at getting your expectations high for their next ad. You almost begin to correlate their company’s ads with funny or sentimental or beautiful cinematography. In turn, you expect that when they begin to roll, they’ll deliver on this every time.
Discuss with your team the emotions you want to provoke in your next marketing story or video. Knowing ahead of time will really help in every aspect of the production. This could include including the way you film. For instance, happy and funny may have brighter scenes with tons of color. Whereas a doc story may need more dramatic.
By the way, it may be great to produce a variety of different emotion-inducing videos. Keep it fun and don’t get boxed in.
To Script or Not to Script
We have seen both ends of this, for good and for bad. Some people need a script. And they deliver well on it. Others simply do not and it feels sooooo fake when they read a TelePrompter.
Most editors love a script for simplicity of what to cut together. But there are times to also just film and ‘see what comes out’. As much as this may grate on our wanting to pre-plan everything, sometimes this is where the true ‘gold’ is.
Oh, and if you do choose to script your video, consider hiring a writer. This can make a ton of difference!