A new format of communication has emerged strongly in recent years: the Videocast. This involves being able to listen to podcasts and also to watch them. Video podcasts today garner thousands of views on YouTube and are very popular among young people!
Podcast and videocast: what’s the difference?
A podcast is an audio content distributed on the web. These are episodes that focus on a theme of one’s choice. It can be downloaded to a smartphone and listened to at any time. It is a popular format, often considered “easy to consume” because the episodes of a podcast can be listened to while doing other activities.
A videocast, on the other hand, is an audiovisual format. Here are different types of possible videocasts:
The interview, a very attractive concept in the world of podcasts, consists of inviting a person around a theme.
The monologue, shares your experiences with your target audience.
Testimonials, are predominantly used for product sales.
Live shows, can be likened to radio format, that is, live broadcasting. It’s the same concept, but filmed. Your audience watches your videos live from a platform.
Why is the videocast format attractive for your business?
The videocast is a distinctive way to enhance your brand image. Certain topics will allow you to highlight your sector of activity, inform about the launch of a new product or service… with the added bonus of video to humanize your brand. The corporate videocast offers your audience the opportunity to hear and see your employees, partners, clients… This format is ideal for creating a more personal relationship between the brand and its audience.
The benefits of the videocast for your business:
A format accessible to everyone and everywhere.
A way to retain your audience by creating multiple episodes.
A valorization of your company’s expertise.
An increase in notoriety thanks to shares on social networks.
An innovative media to strengthen customer relations.
The corporate videocast is an original way to stand out to your audience. This format invites your viewers to passively participate in a discussion around a theme related to your brand.
Do you have a videocast idea for your business and are looking for a partner to support you? Contact us!
Motion design offers numerous benefits for your company’s communication. It’s a creative, impactful, and easily adaptable format for social networks. Regardless of your industry, motion design is an effective tool for enhancing your branding strategy.
What is Motion Design? Motion design is an animation technique that brings graphic elements to life, such as shapes, words, or even characters.
In a motion design video, you might find:
Wording
Infographics
2D graphic elements
3D graphic elements
This animation technique allows you to strengthen your brand’s visual identity by creating videos based on your graphic charter.
Motion Design for Your Brand’s Storytelling
Motion design is an animation technique that allows you to do almost anything. The possibilities are endless, as showcased in this video by Spline. The release of their 3D modeling and animation software is an opportunity for the brand to share its story and build its brand storytelling. The choice of format itself conveys a core value of its identity: creativity. The message: Spline makes 3D art accessible, facilitates your creative process, and unleashes your creativity.
Motion Design for Presenting Your New Products
Motion design enables you to create impactful and modern product launch videos. It gives a high-quality image to your product. This format allows you to effectively explain to your buyers how to use your products. Microsoft understands this well with their video showcasing the new features of Microsoft 365.
The goal of this video for Microsoft is twofold. Firstly, it helps guide buyers in using their product. Secondly, it reassures prospects about the software’s ease of use. To achieve this, Microsoft communicates one of their key brand values: fluidity. This value is conveyed in the video through the smooth movement between graphic elements, creating a sense of comfort.
Motion Design for Your Awareness Campaigns
Motion design is an excellent medium for conveying emotions, and emotions are what make an awareness campaign successful. Android has grasped this principle well. In their new docu-series, Android proposes making the impossible possible. The first episode is dedicated to the journey of Anthony Rumolo, a deaf ice hockey player. He testifies to the positive impact of instant transcription, a new feature from Android.
Through this well-crafted docu-series, Android advocates the idea of technology serving humanity. The brand showcases the opportunities created by its devices within the deaf community. Android successfully delivers an emotion-rich awareness campaign.
Motion Design to Communicate Your CSR Commitments
Motion design makes it easier to assimilate complex information. It’s an excellent format for communicating a CSR strategy, which often involves multiple interconnected aspects.
It’s no surprise that Apple chose this format to present its plan to the public for achieving carbon neutrality across all its products by 2030. In this minimalist graphic video, wording and infographics are omnipresent. These elements help convey a complex set of information to a broad audience, making it more digestible.
This format is thus very useful for communicating to a wide audience, but it also works well for internal distribution!
Whether it’s for reinforcing your brand’s storytelling, introducing a new product, launching an awareness campaign, or communicating your CSR strategies for the coming years, motion design is your best ally!
Are you looking to create a video project or entrust its production to a video agency, and want to understand the audiovisual production process? You are in the right place. At Digital Video, we handle everything from the idea to its distribution. In this article, we explain the key steps in video production.
Table of Contents:
Pre-production: From Concept to Filming
Video Production: Live Action, Reporting, and Animation
Post-production: From Creativity to Deliverable
Pre-production: From Concept to Filming
Although a multitude of steps govern video production, it is generally divided into three main stages: pre-production, production (filming), and post-production. Whether it’s a fiction film, a corporate film, a report, a web series, or any other project, all video production begins at the beginning: the idea.
The Concept in Video Production
Regardless of your role in video production, a few questions may be useful in defining your concept: What is my objective? What message should the deliverable convey? Who is the target audience? Here are some points to consider before producing your video:
Define clear objectives. Be as specific as possible. You might already have an idea of the desired length, the call to action that this video should produce, or the key features to highlight. Do not hesitate to specify these elements if you are working with an agency.
Identify the target audience. What audience do you want to reach with your video? Understanding your audience will help you adapt the content of the video to make it more effective.
Determine the key message. Determine the message you want to communicate. What information or feeling do you want viewers to retain after watching the video?
Defining Your Objectives Before Video Production
The Script and Technical Breakdown
Once the idea is found, it must be translated into a script. The script adheres to specific codes, understandable by all members of a production team. It can be complemented by an intention note and a synopsis.
The person in charge of the film then generally undertakes the first version of a technical breakdown. Although it can take several forms, it describes what happens in terms of image and sound in a film. It includes the shots that break down each sequence, the duration of each shot, and the connections between them.
The technical breakdown can be accompanied by a storyboard. These two documents are reviewed jointly with the script supervisor and the director of photography (the person in charge of the film’s imagery).
Human and Technical Pre-production
The project is now on track to move to the next phase of video pre-production: mobilizing human and technical resources. Here, the person in charge of production budgets, seeks funding, and researches.
In parallel, the team is formed. Assistant direction, production, script supervision, image team, sound team: all the necessary people for video production are recruited and begin working on the project.
They search for the necessary shooting locations, hold castings in the case of a live-action fiction video production, and look for the necessary filming equipment. In the case of an agency such as Digital Video, this last point is done internally since all the technical equipment is already available in our premises.
Logistical planning also takes place at this stage, and nothing can be left to chance. Rehearsals and meetings cover all the essential points of the shoot, which is meticulously organized. The actors and director rehearse, and the assistant director sends a route sheet to the rest of the team.
An Effective Pre-production Ensures a Successful Shooting
Video Production: Live Action, Reporting, and Animation
The budget is confirmed and the deliverable schedule as well. The script is written, the technical breakdown finalized and reviewed with the script supervisor and director of photography. The entire creative team is ready: the visual and sound atmospheres have been defined in advance, the sets have been built if necessary. The production itself, whether it’s shooting or animation, marks the transition of your idea into reality.
Live Action Fiction Shooting
Live-action shooting is perhaps the most traditional form of video production, involving real actors, tangible sets, and a dedicated team to capture the scene. In the case of a fiction video production (whether it’s an advertisement or another format), the actors and director have done their rehearsals. The production management, makeup, and costume teams are ready, as are the technical teams. All that’s left is to shoot! Here are some essential elements of filming:
Actor Direction. The performance of the actors is crucial to bringing the script to life. The director works closely with the actors to ensure that the emotions, dialogues, and actions match the defined vision.
Framing and Composition. Alongside the director, the director of photography is responsible for the composition of the shots. This involves choosing camera angles, deciding how actors will be framed, and creating the visual staging of each shot.
Audio Capture. In addition to the image, audio is essential. A sound engineer ensures that the sound is recorded clearly and without unwanted noise. This may involve the use of directional microphones and high-quality audio equipment.
Corporate Film: Shooting an Interview
Corporate Films: Reporting
The shooting of a report differs from the production of narrative or advertising videos. From capturing a specific event to visually presenting a brand, to highlighting an activity or achievements, the work beforehand remains essential to maintain consistency with the overall communication strategy.
Once the teams, sets, and technical equipment are in place, every detail is worked to ensure the best possible image and sound quality. If necessary, the people interviewed rehearse to get used to the environment and instructions, allowing the team to make the final technical adjustments. When it comes time to shoot, several takes may be necessary for each scene, to provide the post-production team with multiple choices of shots.
In the case of video capture, the team must be quick and responsive. They favor mobile equipment to follow the essential elements of an event as they unfold, i.e., live.
Video Production in Animation
A distant cousin of traditional video production, animated video production follows a process of its own. It includes:
Character and Set Design. Characters and sets are created in 2D or 3D. This step includes designing models, textures, and visuals.
An Animated Storyboard. An animated storyboard is often used to plan the animation sequence, to define the movements and expressions of the characters.
The characters come to life through facial and body movements, or expressions.
Lighting and Rendering. Just like traditional shoots, lighting is set for each scene.
Special Effects. Any special effects are added to the video.
Sound and Music. Sound design, sound effects, music, and voice-overs are then added and bring the film to life.
Post-production: From Creativity to Deliverable
The images are in the box, and your video production is coming to an end. But before that, there’s one last step: video post-production. This step includes image and sound editing, mixing, color grading, and, if applicable, composing music or creating special effects.
The Creative Process of Video Post-production
Depending on the project, this creative phase can take several forms, but it generally starts with the selection of shots to keep in the final video. Once this is done, the film’s shots are assembled, and sound and image are synced. It is said that a film is written three times: during the development of the script, during shooting, and during editing. Many creative choices are made during this stage. Once this is finalized, all that remains is to edit and mix the sound elements.
The film is almost ready; all that remains is color grading, the last phase of video post-production. This involves color correction, which allows harmonizing the image of your video production.
Deliverables and Distribution
The video production has ended, and you finally have the finished product in front of you. All that remains is to distribute the film on your preferred channels. Is it a report for social media, an animation for your website, a film for an internal presentation, or an advertisement? The distribution strategy is essential to the process. It includes choosing distribution platforms, planning publication dates, defining target audiences and objectives.
Each distribution platform has its own specificities in terms of format, resolution, and recommendation algorithm. To improve visibility and engagement, make sure your content is optimized for each platform, or collaborate with an agency that will accompany you in this process.
Don’t forget to measure the impact of the video once distributed. Stakeholder feedback, the number of online views, the engagement rate, return on investment, and other indicators should allow you to measure the effectiveness of your campaign.
You can then adjust your video content based on these metrics to ensure an effective and lively production.
Choosing the Right Video Production Agency
You now understand the workings of video production, from concept to realization. It is crucial to choose the right agency to accompany you throughout this process. Corporate film, advertisement, capture, report, animation… Whatever your project, define your needs and objectives in advance. Then consult the portfolios of different agencies, and read the testimonials.
To choose your agency, a few criteria are essential. Creativity, the efficiency of processes, the equipment available, transparency in pricing, and deadlines and responsiveness are all factors that should influence your decision.
The most important thing is the chemistry with the agency! A positive relationship guarantees effective collaboration.
At Digital Video, we offer all this, and more.
Do you want to turn your vision into a video? Contact us. From scriptwriting, production to distribution, Digital Video accompanies you at all stages of your film’s realization.
In an ever-changing landscape, training is a strategic issue for businesses. To remain competitive and support their growth, more and more companies are investing in quality training offerings. The effectiveness of training is primarily measured by the rate of information retained by learners, necessitating dynamic learning content. To maintain a high level of attention throughout a training program, it’s crucial to use various learning aids. Among these, video remains one of the most advantageous learning tools. Without further ado, here are five compelling reasons to integrate videos into your corporate training programs:
1. Maintaining High Attention Levels Throughout Your Corporate
Training This is the first and most obvious reason, but how does it work? Our brain is extremely sensitive to sensory stimuli, which is why we pay more attention when watching a video. With its auditory and visual stimuli, video acts as a stimulant for our brain. Spreading videos at regular intervals during a training session helps to awaken learners’ attention and prevent the dreaded drop-off effect. Video aids are also useful in focusing learners’ attention on the key points of your training.
2. Facilitating Memorization
If sensory stimuli from a video more easily capture our attention, they also maximize memorization. In our brain, integrating information into memory involves activating the cerebral cortex. Sensory stimuli are what activate this part of our brain. Video, stimulating both our auditory and visual channels, thus facilitates the integration of learning content and promotes storage in memory. But that’s not all!
3. Easing the Assimilation of Complex Concepts
Video also contributes to the assimilation of complex concepts, particularly through 2D and 3D animation. 2D and 3D animation can depict sophisticated mechanisms through moving visuals (diagrams, graphs, etc.). This process encourages the creation of mental or cognitive representations, making complex concepts easier to understand and integrate into long-term memory.
4. Standardizing the Content of Your Corporate Training
Standardizing learning content can be very beneficial for a company. By basing your corporate training on standardized video supports, you can:
Develop sales pitches for your salespeople through product presentation videos.
Train your teams on a new tool (IT, mechanical, etc.) with tutorial videos.
Provide legal reminders to your employees (regarding compliance, for example).
Transmit best practices to your employees (teamwork, management, etc.).
Raise awareness among your teams about fighting discriminatory behavior at work.
5. Complementing Theory with Practical Insights
Training videos also allow you to supplement theoretical content with field testimonials. For instance, in training about compliance in a company, theory and practice go hand in hand. While it’s essential to remind employees of the compliance rules to follow, it’s equally useful to explain how to apply these rules in the field, as this differs depending on the profession. Field testimonial videos are therefore particularly valuable in this type of training.
Diversifying the content of your corporate training by integrating video supports offers your employees quality training. Stimulating attention and memory, standardizing content, and on-the-ground training – training videos provide new perspectives to meet the challenges of a constantly evolving context. And to ensure your employees don’t lose the benefits of your corporate training over time, you can also create a toolbox where they can find each training video produced, to revisit at their leisure!
Interested in creating videos for your corporate training? Contact us! From scriptwriting to production and distribution, Digital Video is here to assist you at every stage of your video creation.
Interviews are an essential part of digital communications, whether internal or external. However, speaking on camera is a difficult exercise. If you’re aware that the interview is an essential tool in your digital communications, but don’t know where to start, this article inspired by our latest Masterclass Express is for you. You’ll discover key strategies and techniques for engaging your audience.
Storytelling
Storytelling is the key to engaging your audience. Good storytelling isn’t just about presenting facts; it’s about weaving them into a narrative that resonates with the listener. By incorporating personal elements, anecdotes or inspiring examples, you create an emotional connection, making your speech both more effective and more memorable.
The power of anecdotes
Personal anecdotes create an emotional connection with your audience, making your message more accessible and easier for them to identify with. Choose anecdotes that reinforce your main message and are appropriate for your target audience.
Take the example of a general manager sharing his team’s achievements. Rather than simply listing statistics, he tells how his staff overcame specific challenges, and highlights their perseverance and creativity. This story has the advantage of conveying information, inspiring and motivating at the same time.
What’s more, anecdotes gain in power when they are visual. For example, instead of simply talking about the success of a project, describe the meeting room buzzing with enthusiasm or the look of satisfaction on the team’s faces. This makes your story more lively and engaging.
Be careful, however, not to overdo it. It’s crucial to strike a balance between professionalism and personalization, sharing your experiences and those of your team in an appropriate and measured way. The art of the anecdote, combined with a clear and engaging presentation, transforms your interventions into memorable and meaningful moments for your audience.
Making a success of your interview
The story you want to tell
Preparation also includes structuring your speech, by asking yourself a few key questions: what story are you trying to tell through this interview? What message do you want to get across? If you’re not sure where to start to find the story that fits your message, remember that a story always has a beginning, a middle and an end. For example, start by setting the context, followed by a challenge or problem, and conclude with the solution or outcome. This narrative structure helps to create a coherent and captivating story.
Whether your interview is aimed at attracting new talent, motivating your teams, or managing a crisis situation, identifying your objective helps define the story the interview needs to tell. It’s always useful to know numbers and statistics, but it’s the story that counts when you want to get a message across.
Know your subject inside out
It may seem obvious, but thorough preparation is the first step to successful speaking. It takes the anxiety out of speaking, and knowing your subject inside out gives you confidence and credibility. Understanding your audience’s expectations and interests enables you to tailor your message appropriately.
Body language, intonation and pauses
When speaking, whether filmed or not, voice intonation and the strategic use of pauses play just as important a role as the content of the speech itself. These non-verbal elements can reinforce your message, captivate the audience and make your speech more dynamic and persuasive.
Body language, posture and gestures
Adopt an open, confident posture. Stand up straight without being rigid. Use gestures to emphasize your points. Natural, measured hand movements can add expressiveness to your speech. Avoid nervous movements or tics that can be distracting.
Eye contact
Even in front of a camera, imagine you’re talking to a real person. This will help create a sense of connection with your audience. Look directly into the lens from time to time, as if you were searching for your interlocutor’s gaze.
Intonation
Vary your tone to maintain interest. A monotone voice can discourage listening.
Emphasize key words and change your flow to emphasize certain parts of your speech.
Don’t hesitate to practice before the interview! You can do diction and breathing exercises to improve the clarity and range of your voice, or record yourself. When you listen to yourself again, you’ll be able to identify where you can improve.
The art of pausing
Use pauses to give your audience time to digest important information. A well-placed pause can also be used to create suspense or emphasize a crucial point. Practice your speeches with intentional pauses. This can help structure your presentation and keep your audience engaged.
Impeccable aesthetics
The visual aesthetics of your on-camera presentation are a decisive factor in the success of your communication. Poor image quality, bad lighting or inappropriate staging can distract your audience and diminish the impact of your message. High-quality video production, on the other hand, can considerably increase the engagement and credibility of your speech. Attractive visuals reinforce your message and keep your audience’s attention.
Choosing the right video production agency
Choosing the right video production agency is crucial to ensuring that your visual aesthetics live up to your expectations. Opt for an experienced agency, checking that its style and previous achievements align with your vision. It’s crucial to communicate your objectives effectively and remain open to the creative ideas proposed by the agency, while ensuring that the core message remains true to your intentions. Plan review stages carefully and adjust as necessary to ensure that the end result reflects your standards of quality and efficiency.
By choosing the right video production agency and paying careful attention to visual aesthetics, you can create on-camera speeches that leave a lasting impression on your audience. With Digital Video, you have a dedicated partner to create interviews that capture the essence of your message and convey it effectively.
Call on our expertise to transform your interviews into moving, inspiring and effective stories.
