FILE UNDER: "Better Think Twice"

It's tempting to tell your corporate video producer how much time is needed to complete your project.

Telling your producer how many days of filming and editing your project needs is like telling your auto repair shop how many hours they have to fix your car.

Bad move.

Here's the question: How do you know how much time a project needs before discussing it with a producer or director?

Fact #1: You don't.

Fact #2: I don't, either.

That's why I start with understanding your story.

What is your video story going to accomplish when it fades to black?

If you can answer this single question, the time needed to tell your story will take care of itself.

The single biggest key to capturing an engaging and honest interview is creating a feeling of comfort and safety for the person being interviewed.

I've been interviewing 30 people for the past two weeks for a large film, so the art of interviewing is very much on my mind now.

In this post, I'd like to share with you one secret I've learned from filming hundreds of interviews over the past 23 years.

Understanding and implementing this simple technique will help you capture ideas, feelings and dreams from your interviewees; or, as I like to call them, your "heroes."

The "Hero's Home:" The Interview Set

The two pictures below are photos of an interview set for a corporate documentary I'm currently producing and directing. Since I have many interviews to capture for this program, we created a mini-studio in a quiet and large conference room. This will be the "Hero's Home" over the next five days of filming.

Feeling Nervous? Probably!

Imagine yourself arriving on this set for an interview. Chances are you might be filled with a bit of anxiety and perhaps even some nervousness. That's pretty normal. But hopefully you wouldn't be as nervous as this person was...

A long time ago, I had someone totally freeze-up at the start of the interview. I'm talking the "deer-in-the-headlights-I-ain't-saying-anything" kind of freeze-up!

Experience has taught me that most people need about fifteen minutes to warm up to the camera and then the interview is really off and running. By then, nerves have settled and the stories are flowing. The hero is now comfortable sharing their journey and story with us.

But this interview stopped the clock. Boom! Uh-oh. What am I going to do to make this person feel comfortable? What do I say? To make matters worse, I had other interviews lined up for the day. This one moment was about to throw off the entire production schedule...not a good place to be in.

"I Know You're Nervous. It's OK"

So we stopped filming. I leaned my chair forward so no one else could hear me and I whispered this to my "hero" interviewee:

"I know you're nervous. I understand how you feel. But you know what? You are totally free to say whatever you like. There's no need to edit yourself and second guess what to say. You know why? Because not only am I the director here on the set, but I'm also the guy in the edit room two weeks from now taking your words and telling your story the way you want it told. Your words are safe with me. I'm here for you."

"Really? I can say what I want?" was the response. "Yes, you can."

In that moment, I gave this person permission to speak freely. It worked beautifully and we moved on to capture some really great feelings and ideas.

On Being a "Story Steward"

Before I record any conversation, I tell the "hero" to speak openly from their heart. I tell them not to edit their thoughts and second-guess what "corporate" wants them to say.

But here's what I learned a long time ago: the hero doesn't know who is the steward for their story. They don't know who is crafting their story once they leave the set. They have a certain level of apprehension while speaking in an interview. They're thinking, "Who's seeing this after I leave? Who's editing my words and ideas? Who's taking care of me when I'm not here anymore?"

The "Green Light" Effect: Create a Feeling of Safety and Comfort for Your Interviewees Heroes

Telling your "hero" ahead of time that their words and ideas are carefully entrusted to the film director or "story steward" gives that person a "green light" to say what's on their mind. This secret solves the fear that a hero sometimes faces before the interview starts. The door is now open to a real heartfelt conversation.

The hero knows who is responsible for telling their story they way they want it told. They also know it's not some disembodied corporate person they have to please...they feel safe and comfortable.

And feeling safe and comfortable on camera, like feeling safe and comfortable at your own dining room table with your family, is how the heart loves to tell a story.

---Tom

I am delighted to share with you my interview on Phil Gerbyshak's, "Make It Great!"

If "Make It Great!" isn't part of your daily reading, you're missing out on a ton of thought-provoking news. From leadership tips to personal growth insights and fascinating interviews, Phil is a "go-to-guy" for reading material you won't find anywhere else.

Phil's interview with me covered lots of ground, including:

what has been the best advice I ever received;
how a day with Seth Godin crystallized my vision and mission;
what is the one thing anyone can do to become a better storyteller, and
how to work with the "suits" when creating a corporate video.
"Blogger's Fog"

I remember soon after starting this site struggling with "Blogger's Fog." You may remember the feeling; figuring out blogging etiquette, the new technology, finding your voice, etc. At some point, I bumped into Phil and before I knew it, his hand and heart helped me through the mist and haze of the virtual world. No matter the issue, small or large, Phil was always there for me.

Thanks, Phil, for embracing my work and sharing my ideas with your network. I am most grateful for this opportunity.

---Tom

P.S. Be sure to grab Phil's feed or newsletter updates.

P.S.S. Phil's heart is as huge as his unforgettable smile! That's just how Phil is.

It's one thing when dreams turn into reality.

It's even more remarkable when reality exceeds your dreams!

This site is one year old and what a year it's been!

I remember registering for this blog a little more than a year ago. Then reality hit. Boom! I have this thing called a "blog." Now what?

So I found myself:

Staring at a blank screen for several days.
Dreaming of what to say.
Thinking, "Where is this journey going to take me?"
Well, now I know. Kind of.

Here's what I do know.

The journey so far has revealed dozens of remarkable friends and countless hours of heartfelt conversations.

I also discovered that "Bringing Brands to Life!" fills a huge void in the world of marketing and branding. I am delighted to be a "voice" that extends and deepens this conversation.

So as we move into another year of dialogue, I invite your feedback on all aspects of the site to make it more meaningful to you and all readers. Your suggestions on design, content, blog tools, etc. are needed and deeply appreciated.

Thank you for helping me turn a dream into a reality.

I am blessed.

---Tom

Funny how a title effects people.

For example, C-E-O. It's just three letters.

But when the CEO arrives on a film set, the energy quickly shifts from warm and friendly to "Uh-Oh!"

Everybody scrambles. Fear strikes the heart. People are uneasy. Unsure of themselves. Unsure of what to say. Unsure of how to tell the CEO they need another take. And another. And another.

C-E-O. Three powerful letters, right?

Think again.

The camera doesn't care who's in front of the lens.

The camera can't differentiate between people and titles. Which, in a funny way, is truly liberating--for the CEO and the marketing team. Expectations can be re-set. New opportunities can be created.

The camera creates a level playing field for anybody that stands in front of it. Everybody gets the same treatment.

Forget the titles. Drop the fear. Take a breath and relax.

What does the camera care about? Emotion. That's it.

So the next time your CEO is going to be on-camera, remember what C-E-O really means...

"Chief Emotion Officer."

Is there really a difference between these three roles?

Yes, there is and it's quite easy and helpful to learn the simple distinctions between them.

When a video story project has several team members on it, it creates the opportunity for roles, expectations and lines of communication to get mixed up.

In the world of corporate videos, understanding these three key roles during a project is just as important as understanding the roles in your other business projects.

Let's take a look at three roles every video story project will start with:

1. Executive Producer
The executive producer enables a story by...

--Obtaining the money.

--Hiring the producer.

--Developing and maintaining various key relationships throughout the life of the project.

2. The Producer
A producer enables a story by...

--Hiring the right people.

--Managing the money.

--Managing the time.


3. The Director
A director enables a story by...

--Discovering the frame.

--Hiring the right crew.

--Capturing the narrative.

When producing a corporate video, the executive producer's role is often played by the client--the one one with the money and the vision. This person or team makes the video possible.

The producer and director roles are often rolled up into one person: the producer/director.

Think "right-brain" aspects for the director role: imagines, dreams and discovers many possibilities to capture the story and narrative.

Think "left-brain" aspects for the producer role: handles logistics, attends to the details, creates schedules and analyzes all possible outcomes.

In a producer/director, these two roles are always in motion like a ping-pong match.

Remember: if you are the executive producer, understanding the two hats a producer/director constantly wears during the life of a project will help create better lines of communication and ultimately, a better story.

A pretty good view of my past two weeks for two major corporate videos coming up.

Three weeks on the phone. 100 emails. Scripts. Tweaks to scripts. Conference calls with board members.

All for two days of filming.

This is the producing part I talked about in an earlier post discussing the differences between producing and directing.

Successful corporate video stories seamlessly integrate both left and right brains.

(Tom on the left; Phil on the right.)

From Phil Gerbyshak's Make It Great! blog.

In May of 2007, I attended the first Successful and Outstanding Blogger Conference in Chicago, IL. One of the most amazingly talented people I met there was Director Tom Clifford. I had been reading his blog for a while, and we had talked on the phone, but having a bite to eat with Tom, Timothy Johnson and Mike Rohde before the conference even officially started was a GREAT way to get warmed up to learn from some of the blogging greats.

Fast forward to right now...Tom's first published work came out in the form of a ChangeThis manifesto: Bring Your Brand to Life, all about the power of telling your corporate story, and can be easily applied to telling your personal story.

So it's my distinct honor to share Tom Clifford with you in a nice interview I'm calling "Corporate Videos Make It Great!" Ladies and gentlemen, Director Tom Clifford!

INTERVIEW EXCERPTS:

Phil: Who has been the most inspiring teacher in your life?

Director Tom: Deepak Chopra stands out as the most significant teacher. Deepak's incredible gift to synthesize and convert a variety of difficult subjects (quantum physics, mysticism, science, medicine, etc.) into teachable and accessible lessons is something I find valuable and practical. Deepak's ability to teach ancient and sacred teachings through the lens of modern science has been a long time interest of mine and serves as the backdrop for all that I do.

Phil: You went to a day long event with Seth Godin and shared all about it on your blog. It seems as that event was a turning point in your blogging and your exposure. What happened that day or right around that day that catalyzed that change?

Director Tom: That was an amazing day, indeed! In a nutshell, Seth confirmed my mission to help others learn about the power of corporate videos.

I started bringing brands to life in my blog beginning in August of 2006 because I couldn't find a site for people in communications, PR and marketing firms, etc. to get on-going support producing engaging corporate videos.  I've been producing and directing for a long time, so it was time for me to start sharing that knowledge to whoever could benefit from it. I placed a stake in the ground, wrote from my heart and the readers found me. It's simply been a miracle!

Seth crystalized my efforts. He immediately "got" what I am doing and encouraged me to continue. No question, that was the high point of the day!

A great short and recent interview on the role of India in the future.

If you have a moment, head on over to LinkedIn's "Answers" section where we're kicking up some dirt.

A month ago, I posed this question: Is corporate video art?

Of course, how you define art will determine your answer. To jump start the conversation and get you thinking, I copied a few art definitions from Wikipedia:

"...art is a (product of) human activity, made with the intention of stimulating the human senses as well as the human mind; by transmitting emotions and/or ideas."

"Leo Tolstoy identified art as a use of indirect means to communicate from one person to another."

"Art is something that stimulates an individual's thoughts, emotions, beliefs, or ideas through the senses. It is also an expression of an idea and it can take many different forms and serve many different purposes."

So...is corporate video art?

After reading Wikipedia's page on art, I decided to post the question again on Linkedin's "Answers" section.

You'll be totally amazed at some of the answers.

Swing on over to LinkedIn and see what the buzz is all about. If you are a member, add your own ideas.

---Tom

Happiness is 1/3's our choice; 2/3 karma. By studying our internal and external worlds, we can begin to make better choices for ourselves. Ultimately, leading to higher levels of consciousness...or happiness.

On top of the Colorado Rockies.

I was filming for a week with my film crew on a ranch and the peacefulness was beyond measure...even addicting. Nobody wanted to leave.

The trick is to see everywhere as sacred.

Filming stories and discovering heroes for organizations is my dream come true.

When I studied television in college, I realized the powererful effect video has on people.

For almost 25 years now, my gift to capture authentic stories for remarkable organizations has made a difference in so many lives.

For that, I am most grateful.

My father; my hero. He died in 1988.

He often talked about the need for more heroes in our world. 

Now that it is 20 years later, I know what he meant.

This series of short corporate documentaries from Hitachi is the finest I've ever seen.
There are five in the series, five minutes each. Worth catching them all.

Fr. Bede Griffiths, unquestionably!

Bede was a Hindu-Christian monk and mystic who lived from 1906-1993. He spent a large part of his life in an ashram in southern India.

He was a leading figure in integrating Hindu-Christian systems of thought and I had the remarkable pleasure of meeting Bede in America several times with Wayne Teasdale, my good friend who also passed away.

Being in Bede's presence stilled the mind immediately and any doubts or confusion one had quickly dissipated.

He was a saint and true visionary.