What does MacGyver and making a great video have in common?
He's your man.
The video content producer.
You see there is a big difference when it comes to hiring someone that helps you create your online video content versus a videographer you may have been referred too by a friend or colleague.
The major difference is the skill sets. A videographer according to the definition (and what I once was and still am to some extent when required), is an individual that focuses primarily on the capture of moving images and sound to tape, film or some form of flash memory using a film or video camera.
A video content producer is like your own personal MacGyver and he or she is going to be the one that will make all the difference. They are your “swiss-army, get me out of a this video making jam” resource who manages it all and usually becomes your best pal in the process. Their skills are diverse from script-to-screen, right down to ensuring that your videos are encoded properly for a variety of viewing formats like online and more importantly, for presentation day on your Windows-based, out-of-date, corporate IT locked-down laptop that takes 2 minutes just to boot up and never connects to anyone else’s network properly. Which by the way, seems to be the number one complaint among my clients who all wonder when they might be so lucky to get a Mac at work.
This person has experience in all facets of the video production business and process and understands what things to consider and look out for so you don’t have to. Things like:
- concept or idea development
- audience/brand considerations and messaging
- script writing and/or review
- multi-lingual versions and translations ( did someone say French?)
- mood/storyboarding
- location scouting/selection (forget the boring office)
- talent selection and/or recommendations
- talent/agent liase and contracting
- wardrobe selections/considerations
- specialised crew connections (i.e. crane, steadicam, tele-prompter operators)
- directing talent (without the asshole attitude, especially when it’s your CEO on camera)
- tips on how to get your boss, CEO, VP, etc ready for his/her big day of filming
- lunch and not ‘funeral sandwiches’, chips, or cookies, (we prefer Sushi and Burritos by the way)
- cinematic, lighting, sound and technical considerations
- cool motion graphic elements that make your video stand out
- cool, engaging, inspirational, unique soundtrack selections (not the same overused ones that come with the editor’s software package)
- voice narration (recommending you hire a professional and not the guy in finance who has a great voice but the personality of a gnat)
- editing/visual considerations
- timing/project deadline management.
Most importantly, they understand what you need to accomplish, the constraints in which you have to deal with internally and work to ensure they engage your target audience. And if all else fails, you can at least come to their studio and play on one their Macs just for fun if your’re ready to toss that piece of junk laptop onto the street.
See you in behind the lens soon.
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