35mm
16mm
2"
1"
3/4"
1/2"
Betamax
Laserdiscs
D2
Betacam
Betacam SP
D-beta
8mm
HI8
DV
DVCPRO
DVCAM
DVCPRO HD
HD-DVD
HDV
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Seems like the more things change, the more some things stay the same.

Story. Beyond formats. Beyond time.

---Tom

Why the Format Does Not Matter

I bet you didn't know that a filmmaker telling a corporate story has temptations, did you?

It's true.

Temptations are simply everywhere; in meetings, on phone calls and writing emails.

Temptations are constantly present and just simply impossible to avoid. So, how do you handle them? Easy. Acknowledge them.

Here are five temptations almost every corporate filmmaker will face at one time or another.

1. Faceless Scripts

Temptation: Write a script without a hero or "face."

• Writing a "faceless" and unemotional script instead of capturing personal and interesting stories is easy. This single strategy has given corporate videos a bad rap for many years.

Instead, capture personal stories from heroes within the organization. Personal video stories are compelling, emotional, engaging and of course, memorable. (Making it memorable and remarkable is what it's all about, right?)

2. Fast Budgets

Temptation: Quick! Throw out a number!

• Thinking you can provide incredible customer service by turning a budget around in an hour to a client from an email they sent you is a serious and rising temptation in the digital age.

A conversation is really what the client is trying to engage us in. It's just that email technology got the better part of them. What do you do? Simple. Pick up the phone and...D'oh!...have a conversation! (And having conversations is what it's all about, right?)

3. Forget About the Future

Temptation: This video story won't matter later on.

• Thinking short-term, not long-term, is easy to give in to.

Remember, digital stories have a long shelf life. Critical thinking in long-term planning with clients is important to get the most bang for a client's buck. (Fiscal responsibility is what it's all about, right?)

4. Razzle! Dazzle!

Temptation: Think fancy.

• Using tricks and effects to "wow" the viewer is especially tempting what with so many technological advances in the camera and editing room.

Tricks and effects do not tell stories. People tell stories. (The story is what it's all about, right?)

5. Being Selfish

Temptation: Thinking of yourself.

• Thinking only about yourself, your demo reel and possible future awards while forgetting about your audience is a disservice to the power of storytelling.

Remember...a video story is the beginning of a conversation for a client and their audience. (Which is what it's all about, right? See #2 above.)

It's easy to give in and do the minimum. Fight these five temptations relentlessly and the video story you are about to tell for your client will capture the imagination of your audience.

Which is ................ Right? :-)

---Tom

5 Temptations of Every Corporate Video Filmmaker

In an earlier post, I mentioned the five temptations of every corporate video filmmaker.

This post will take a brief look at the five temptations from the perspective of a potential corporate video client.

1. Commodity? Story? It's Your Choice

• If you think about it, stories are living ideas. They can remain in consciousness for a very long time.

Your corporate story is no different.

Commit to capturing your corporate video story in a way that will survive the ups and downs of everyday business cycles. Imagine five years from now showing your story; will it will be as fresh and alive as the day you produced it? If not, it's time to re-think your message. (Making it last is what it's all about, right?)

2. Deadlines. You're Kidding, Right?

• Temptation: Sooner is better than later.

Not always. Sure deadlines are a part of life. But rushing into a project with a false deadline without understanding the complete picture can potentially weaken the power of your story. Providing realistic deadlines will serve your story well in the long run. (And a powerful story is what it's all about, right?)

3. Guess How Much I Have?

• Temptation: Let the producer guess what our budget is.

Thinking you'll save money by having a producer guess your budget is counter-productive to teamwork.

Entering a video project requires an incredibly high level of trust. Guessing games deteriorate that trust.

Engaging in open and honest conversations about budgeting will help a producer capture the best story for you, the best way. (Fiscal responsibility is what it's all about, right?)

4. Just the Facts, Please

• Temptation: Hide emotions.

If most boring videos can be attributed to a lack of emotions then it seems obvious that capturing emotions will create a more memorable film. Obvious, but rarely done.

For example, emotions can show themselves through:

• frustration

• passion

• overcoming obstacles

• leadership

• values

Capture your audience by capturing emotions. (Your audience is what it's all about, right?)

5. I Get to See the Questions Ahead of Time, Right?

• Temptation: Revealing questions to your heroes beforehand.

A good way for your hero or interviewee to freeze up on camera is to show them the questions ahead of time. Resist the temptation! Why?

By showing questions ahead of time, the brain immediately wants to memorize the answers. When it comes time to the actual filming, the hero can't get a sentence out. All the answers they memorized becomes a blur. Not good.

The secret to a perfect interview is to give your interviewee a few ideas about what you want them to share. From their heart. From their gut. (The heart is what it's all about, right?)

Remember...

A video story is exactly that.

A story. In video.

Which is what it's all about.......right? :-)

---Tom

5 Temptations of Every Corporate Video Client

Seth Godin has us thinking about bad judgment vs. beliefs.

Which reminds me...

In 1983, I was pulling cables as a grip. A far cry from producing.

It was a Tuesday night. I saw a short film that captured the dedicated staff of a local hospital making a difference in their patient's lives. It was incredibly moving.

In an instant, during that fade to black, I knew my life would be different.

I knew the rest of my life would be spent capturing an organization's soul to create and promote positive changes in the world.

I believed in the power of personal stories then.

I believe it now.

Bad judgment distorts the potential healing power of a video story. Perhaps a new belief can create a new story? Perhaps without bad judgment we can see the inherent greatness each of us have.

Believing in the transformational power of a video story can change someone's life in an instant. Like mine.

Or yours. Or your customer's. Or your employees.

---Tom

Corporate Videos. What's Your Belief?