What Does Video Production Do?
In video production, the creation of compelling and impactful content goes far beyond just recording and editing. It's about embarking on a narrative journey that deeply resonates with the audience. This journey begins with strategic planning and a series of critical questions that set the stage for the entire production process.
As healthcare video specialists, we’re frequently asked what is medical video production? Or, what does a healthcare video production company do?
But in this post, we’re going to broaden the scope a bit to answer what does video production do?
As highlighted in my book, "Lights, Camera, Impact," the planning phase of video production, whether for marketing or internal communications, is crucial. It involves asking five essential questions:
The Five Essential Questions
Before embarking on this journey, there are five crucial questions every video producer must ask:
Who is the audience?
Understanding your audience is fundamental in video production. It's about knowing who they are, their preferences, demographics, and what resonates with them. For instance, a younger audience might prefer fast-paced, visually dynamic content, while an older demographic might appreciate more detailed, narrative-driven videos. Tailoring the video's tone, language, and content to align with your audience's interests and needs is crucial for engagement and effectiveness.
Where will they watch the video?
The platform where the audience will watch the video significantly influences its design and presentation. For example, videos for social media platforms like Instagram or TikTok are often short and optimized for mobile viewing, while content for YouTube or a company website can be longer and more detailed. The platform dictates not just the length but also aspects like aspect ratio, resolution, and even the pacing and style of the video.
What is your goal for the video?
Defining the objective of the video is vital for its success. Goals can range from brand awareness, education, entertainment, to driving sales or internal training. A clear objective helps in focusing the content and determining the call to action. For example, a video aimed at sales would emphasize product benefits and include a clear call-to-action, while an educational video would focus on delivering information in an engaging and comprehensible manner.
What's your story?
The narrative is what makes your video stand out. It's the storyline or the message that you want to convey to your audience. A compelling narrative is relatable, evokes emotions, and keeps the viewer engaged. It's about creating a connection between the viewer and the content. Whether it's a brand story, a customer testimonial, or a fictional tale, the narrative should be clear, engaging, and aligned with your overall objective.
How are you planning to promote the video?
Having a promotion strategy is as important as creating the video itself. This includes determining the channels for distribution, such as social media, email marketing, paid advertising, or partnerships. It's about understanding where your audience is most likely to see and engage with the video. Additionally, it involves timing the release appropriately and possibly coordinating it with other marketing efforts to maximize impact and reach.
By addressing each of these areas with careful consideration and strategic planning, you can ensure that your video production process is not only creative and efficient but also aligns perfectly with your communication objectives and audience expectations.
What does video production do?
Going behind the numbers.
The current industry trends in video production, as per the Content Marketing Institute's latest research, highlight several key insights:
Increasing Importance of Video: 67% of marketers acknowledge that video has become more important to their business over the last year. This underscores the growing recognition of video as a vital component in the marketing mix.
Popular Video Types and Platforms: The most common types of videos produced include social media videos (77%), branded stories (61%), how-to or explainer videos (59%), and interviews with influencers (54%). YouTube is the leading platform for video posting (79%), followed by LinkedIn (76%) and Facebook (72%).
Challenges in Video Production: The primary challenges faced by marketers include the time required for video production (69%), generating content consistently (56%), and producing enough video content (52%). These challenges highlight the need for efficient production processes and content strategy.
Emerging Role of AI in Video Creation: Currently, only 18% of marketers use AI to assist in video creation. However, AI's potential to revolutionize video production, from script generation to editing and visual effects, is increasingly being recognized. One in three marketers not using AI now plan to incorporate it in the next year.
Focus on Human Connections: Marketers are increasingly valuing video’s ability to forge human connections, with 43% acknowledging its growing importance. This reflects a shift towards creating content that resonates on a personal level with audiences.
Audience Preferences: It's important to note that only 30% of marketers believe their key audience prefers video over other content types. This suggests a need for a balanced content strategy that caters to diverse preferences.
Utilization and Effectiveness: A small fraction (7%) of organizations use videos to their full potential, with 63% still exploring its effectiveness. The majority of marketers (70%) find that video results meet their expectations, though there's room for improvement in strategy and execution.
Key Needs for Better Video Results: To enhance video effectiveness, marketers believe they need a more robust video strategy (60%), increased budgets (49%), more human resources (46%), and better distribution (35%). This indicates a need for more strategic planning and resource allocation in video production.
These trends provide valuable insights for communication executives in PR, marketing, HR, and internal communications, emphasizing the need for strategic planning, understanding audience preferences, leveraging emerging technologies like AI, and overcoming production challenges to create impactful video content.
Beyond the Lens: Emotion, Connection, and Impact
Video production is a powerful tool in the modern digital landscape. It's a way to tell a story, evoke emotions, and connect with people on a deeper level. But it's not just about the technical aspects of filming and editing. It's about understanding the audience, crafting a narrative that resonates, and creating a piece that not only informs but also inspires.
The impact of video production extends beyond mere visuals. It's a medium that can shape perceptions, influence decisions, and leave a lasting impression. Whether it's a short social media clip or a comprehensive corporate video, the goal remains the same: to create content that matters, content that moves people.
What is video production? It brings stories to life, connects with audiences on an emotional level, and becomes a strategic tool for achieving various communication goals. It's a blend of art, technology, and strategy, all coming together to create something that is not just seen, but felt and remembered.
