A Video Series for Efficiency of Communication Potential in Corporate Films

There was a fun moment at a recent Tribe Pictures planning meeting. In the midst of our discussion someone asked how much ”stuff” can we pack into a 3-minute corporate film? (Okay the word wasn’t really “stuff” but at the risk of sounding like George Carlin I will be cautious.)

After the laughter subsided, everyone knew that the question, in very few words, expressed a daily challenge we all have. Invariably, the communications professionals who commission our works are on point, with clear objectives about message and the desired response of the audience for which we create film/video. But corporations are corporations, so as the script is run up and down the halls from office to office, the goals and desired messaging frequently grows. There are always ways to meet the needs of all the interested parties. Sometimes a film gets longer (there are pros and cons here), or different techniques, like embedded graphics and background staging, are implanted to address secondary objectives

After the meeting I could not get the question off my mind. And I wanted to propose another option:

Consider a series of videos instead.
In 2014 Tribe produced a film series for a major energy corporation and we’re all very proud of the results. Instead of producing a film with a bulleted list of values scrolling across the screen with a sound bite or two about each, we produced a series of films where each value was discussed in depth with employees at locations worldwide. We got more “stuff” in those films than our client believed possible!

As one Tribe’s number watchers, I like the series concept. However, I also respect clients’ budgets, and believe that preplanning a series creates efficiency in production.
Another client of ours, in the healthcare industry, came to us with a plan to produce quarterly internal videos that featured the relatively new CEO. This series not only served to enhance and soften his image (he was unfortunately viewed as aloof and mercurial), it also allowed the communications team to address several key messages over the course of a year with a four video series. Planning ahead for this editorial calendar helped us pass on some savings to our client.

In the end, there is greater value in this approach since more “stuff” is communicated, with better clarity for improved transfer of message, done more efficiently.

A series also leverages and flirts with the powerful psychology of anticipation. Think about all the TV series or sequel films you have looked forward to. When quality is delivered in a series, the psychology of anticipation adds multiples to the impact.

So what’s the take away? As you plan and explore the next communication challenge that you want film or video to solve:

– Open your thinking to all the messages you want conveyed instead of a forced ranking of key messages, limiting your messaging.
– Open your thoughts to planning multiple productions where synergies exist and efficiencies of production preplanning can be realized.
– Dream about your audiences (i.e., constituents) anticipating the next release and you leveraging that feeling!

For inspiration, take a look at the examples of series videos we’ve included on Our Work page or contact us to share more specific examples.