Thinking of making a promotional film for your business or brand? Not sure how to go about getting that pitch perfect film which shows you at your best?
We can give you a few pointers to help you plan from the offset.
Thankfully, there is no one size fits all ethos in video production otherwise it would be a very boring industry to work in. There are a whole realm of possibilities and the sky’s the limit when it comes to production techniques and sources.
Kah Productions has been producing films for the broadcast sector since 2003. Our staff are all former BBC and ITV producers and crew who have, over the years, built up a wealth of knowledge and expertise in making high end films.
So if you are looking to find ways to enhance your business potential through the medium of film, how should you be thinking ahead and what are the pitfalls?
Three W’s
When clients get in touch wanting a promo film, we ask three questions.
What are your goals?
Who are your audience?
Where will your promo be viewed, TV or online?
Get ahead in the game by identifying the answers to these three imperatives.
We will also ask you lots of other questions, but we come to that further on into the process.
Quantity and Quality.
We all want engaging and informative content, but a great starting point is to decide how much time you need to get your message across. In our experience less is more. Aim to sell yourself within 3 mins. Attention spans are not what they used to be, and potential clients will make up their minds about connecting with you within the first 10 seconds of watching your film. This leads nicely onto my next point.
Be bold with your opening scene, sentence, image or graphic. Go for the
‘attention jugular’ Soft openers will result in soft responses. Think about your favourite speaker, author, music video, why do you like them so much? It is because they draw an emotional response from you and that’s the aim of the promo video too. Ultimately you are after a response from your viewers.
However do not rest on your laurels because you have come up with a brilliant opener. Just like a good novel, your promo needs a strong beginning, middle and end. The last thirty seconds will be your call to action but make it clear, concise, and memorable.
Keep the strong imagery going throughout. Video is obviously picture driven so devote a decent amount of time to thinking about which images will work for your product or brand.
Do not be afraid to get creative. Reconstructions, animation, graphics, music, and subtitles are all friends of the promo video and can be incorporated to add presence to your film, so it stands head and shoulders above the rest.
Slash the Statistics.
You may have impressive figures based on what you are trying to sell but as a rule people are turned off by statistics. Your potential clients will be more interested in how your product, brand or idea will benefit their lives and not a bit interested in your pre-production market research. Go for the human touch, remember you are trying to connect with real people not number crunching robots.
Let us Talk.
The most important aspect of producing a promo is collaboration and communication.
A good production company will keep you informed at each stage of development. Your input is valuable and necessary to ensure your vision bears at least some resemblance to the finished product.
Get in touch if you would like further information, get in touch.
www.kahproductions.co.uk
Kah Productions is a Bristol-based film production company comprising former BBC and ITV producers and videographers. We produce high-end films for the corporate sector, commercials, explainer videos, and promo films.
