How to Capture Great BTS Footage

Behind the scenes. There’s something “exclusive” yet also really relatable when it comes to this kind of footage. Almost like letting your audience in on a secret (something we all love). But BTS footage benefits go well beyond this for your brand. And the best part? It’s not that hard to obtain. How to capture great BTS footage for your brand? You’ve come to the right place.

What Is BTS, and Why Is It Important?

BTS is as it sounds: behind the scenes footage. It’s capturing what your audience doesn’t normally see: the prep work, in between takes, post-production, etc. You know all those big Hollywood movies you go to see in theaters? Have you ever wondered what it was like in-between shots? Well, BTS shows you.

But why is it important? Why would anyone care? Fact of the matter is, don’t YOU care? Don’t you find it fun to see “exclusive” content, highlighting a person or product you follow. It makes you feel included. It makes you feel involved. Which is exactly what you want your audience to feel when it comes to your brand.

Other Benefits of BTS

But don’t let’s stop there, because the benefits keep on giving. For starters, BTS is one of the most “relatable” forms of video content you can produce. It shows you and your team being human, maybe making mistakes and laughing about it, goofing around on set, or focusing on your work, finishing the final product.

Hand-in-hand with this, it creates exceptional brand awareness. Use this as an opportunity to showcase brand personality! Nobody likes boring, and no one is going to buy from boring either, so be sure to infiltrate your video content with your brand’s sense of humor, fun, and overall values.

As an added perk, BTS is also a great way to repurpose unused video footage. Be sure to take a look at any discarded footage from your previous shoot–it may be perfect to piece together a fun BTS reel! Adding to this, when you’re filming a current video project, take a few shots of BTS, in case you want to create one later.

Ways to Create Great BTS Footage

As with all good video content, there are some elements that make up solid BTS material. To help get you started, we’ve curated a list of some of our favorite ways to capture BTS:

• Capture ALL aspects of shoot day (hair/makeup, highlighting gear, interacting with crew and cast, etc.). Be sure to showcase the energy on set, and keep it fun!
• Keep it pro quality. Just because BTS is a more “casual” feel, does NOT mean you sacrifice quality. Shoot different angles, and add depth in shots. Be sure to use high-level gear, pro sound, and lighting.
• Include licensed background music. If you’re using music in your video (and we generally recommend you do), ensure it’s licensed and legal to use. Click here for where to find it.
• Keep it short. We recommend no longer than 30-60s, as this is usually adequate enough time to get your points across, while not losing your audience’s attention. If you feel you need to use more time, as you have more to tell, just make sure it brings value to your customer.
• Include brand logos/product placement. Remember, BTS is still an opportunity to promote your brand or product/service. Be sure to include brand logos within or at the tail ends of your video, as well as placing your product in shots, so as to give it added exposure.
• Interview crew/actors on set. While dialogue is not mandatory in BTS, it can add a lot. Ask some fun questions to the crew, client, or cast on set. Questions could range from the more casual “Coffee or tea?” sort, or a bit more formal “What outcome do you hope from today’s shoot?”.

Examples of Great BTS Footage

Want some visual inspiration to get you going?

Here’s one from one of our video partners Studio Lab in NH. It’s a great example of BTS with a bit of humor, as well as letting the audience in on “how did they make that happen?”.

This next one shows how to incorporate product and brand placement basically, well, everywhere. It also has no dialogue, but relies on the action, shown through different camera angles, lighting, and constant movement.

Remember, there is so much you can do when it comes to captivating BTS footage, so get creative and have fun! Adhere to the elements above, and you’ll find you can do a lot with very little.