A few recipients of the weekly ModComms mailers have asked if the content could be made available on the web for them to link to. In answer to this, i’ve decided to incorporate each one into this blog.

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Spotlight on: Effective video communication

If you’re interested in the theory of media and communications, you’ll almost certainly have come across the work of Canadian academic, Marshall McLuhan. Whilst at university, I remember him writing that all media is an extension of a person’s senses. Every piece of media we consume or use amplifies or intensifies our senses. So, newspaper is an extension of the eye. Radio is an extension of the ear, and so on.

This helps us understand why video is such a powerful way to get your message across. Even in its most basic forms, it stimulates both eyes and ears simultaneously. We know that video has plenty to offer, so this email is all about maximising the effectiveness of your video communications.

Why use video in communication?

Whilst open to debate, research by theorist Edgar Dale suggests that people retain twice as much information via audio-visual means than by reading alone.

Video solves many line-of-business communications challenges:

• Bring your distant leaders out of abstraction and let their personality come through.
  Make geography less of a barrier for dispersed teams.
  Convey complex initiatives in a simple yet engaging way.
  Bring the outside world into the company - improve morale and build a consistent ethos.
  Video is now as easy to distribute as text. The same piece of content can be seen across multiple media, including broadcast, DVD, internet, podcast, mobile phone etc.

Here’s our quick guide to video production - follow these steps and you’ll be well on your way to producing engaging videos which carefully meet your corporate objectives:

MESSAGE
1. Pre-production: Get the message right. It’s the foundation on which everything else depends.
2. Format: How your video is viewed affects how it’s produced. (Cinema screen vs web video etc)
3. Creative approach: What sort of look and feel do you want? What emotions do you want to evoke in the viewer?

SHOOT
1. Technicalities: Composition, lighting, sound!
2. Interruptions: Plan for them. For busy executives, it’s a fact of life!
3. Logistics: Make sure everyone knows where they need to be, and when.

POST PRODUCTION
1. Shot list: Compile list of material captured
2. First cut: Your editor should produce a draft version for your approval. Nowadays this is usually mounted on a password-protected internet site for download or streaming.
3. Final edit: This includes completion on the basis of feedback, sound adjustment, picture grading, formatting and archival.

PUBLISHING
1. Finished piece is distributed via appropriate mix of channels.

Need help producing video content?

Very recently, a major pharmaceutical company requested assistance in producing a short series of videos to communicate strategic change within the business.

The modcomms team worked quickly to establish a treatment in close collaboration with the client, and then shoot and edit the pieces in order they were live on the corporate intranet to coincide with the release of their in-house magazine.

Maybe you’re in a similar position? Just get in touch for more information.

Signing off

If you’d like to see examples of previous video work, feel free to get in touch. Alternatively, just visit the ’services’ section of the website and click on ‘video and dvd production’ for more information.