Throughout my years of producing marketing videos for large businesses, I’ve noticed a tendency among clients to request a single video that answers all possible questions and covers every single product and service the company delivers. I call this the “kitchen sink video.” Oftentimes, this occurs over a democratic effort to please everyone.

These used to be called “corporate overviews.” But that never made sense to me. Do you ever see “overview” style commercials for Coca Cola or Nike? How about an overview style infomercial, Netflix show or anything? Perhaps “overview” is a loose term leftover from the old days of corporate films.

Corporate films are alive and well. A quick search on vimeo.com reveals many powerful and incredibly beautiful and effective films being made today. They harness the powers of what makes a great film: powerful imagery set to an inspiring story that evokes emotion. 

Yet, there’s still a tendency to make the be-all and end-all corporate film that encapsulates everything about the company. Everything means all products, services and departments, history, vision statement, interviews, and the list goes on.  All of this information amounts to a very long video. It has become a laundry list of information that appears to be taken from a brochure: A blunt instrument; a sleeping pill. Yes, a lost opportunity to tell the world what the company is really about.

In simple terms, you can take a high road or a low road. The low road is choosing the easy, more expository route that lists all of the obvious things a certain company has, like an attentive customer service department or award-winning software (zzzz). Then there’s the high road, a place where fewer go: the righteous path that brought the company to where it is today.  Here the company confidently and proudly displays pride in their story of success. Stuff like how it took a lot of hard work, character, ingenuity, and bright minds to solve problems and become an industry leader. We want to hear this story.

Avoid wall to wall narration that leaves no room to inspire the viewer with human stories. Let the visuals and music inspire faith in your company. Of course, that product does look beautiful in a carefully lit scene. But it looks even better when we know the story behind it. Give us the blood, sweat and tears – the pride that goes behind the invention and how it has affected our lives. Save the technical bulletins, white papers and case studies for the brochures and web pages. Of course, not all subjects lend themselves to an emotional story. The point is that we should never inundate the viewer with minutiae: sell the sizzle.

Finally, a company needs multiple short films. One film cannot do it all. Find stories within your company and bring them to life with all the great video technology we have at our disposal. Social media is always looking for a good story to share and go viral. Shine the light on what we really want to know: your story. 

Chase Roberts is the director of video production company VISIONSOUND FILMS, located in Southern California: https://visionsoundfilms.com
He also operates https://videocrew.com a Los Angeles camera crew video crew service provider for producers and directors of documentaries, commercials and corporate video.

How to manage the scriptwriting process

The script is more than likely to be the toughest part of the entire production process. After all, the script is really an invention. It’s a solution to a problem, whether sharing a technical insight, conveying a solution that only a particular product can provide, or putting a brand head and shoulders above the rest.

“We need a script. So, who writes it?” Hopefully an experienced video production company or producer will take the reins before a client has a chance to ask this question.  But this is not always the case. Long before consulting with a producer the client may move forward with the scriptwriting process internally: “Isn’t this something that we can do in-house? Who knows the subject-matter better than us?”

Thus begins the process of handing off the job to an internal product expert with an already busy schedule. And the days turn into weeks, and the weeks turn into months. Then we come to find out that the job was handed off again to a newly hired admin who’s even more overwhelmed by this request. Most people have never written a script. But how hard is it?

In most cases, everyone will know the importance of a well drafted script. However, despite the best intentions, the client or inexperienced producer may prolong the writing process for a number of reasons. These include a failure to collaborate or share in the writing process. On the other hand, sometimes the client or producer will seek the approval of dozens in an effort to share responsibility. In the right hands this could be a good thing. In the wrong hands this could lead to more delay and a loss of quality control.

Consulting numerous opinions on the script does not have to be a sign of weakness or indecision. Multiple stakeholders and subject matter experts (SMEs) should be consulted for their valuable opinions. However, rarely does everybody agree on every word in the script. A responsible project manager will consider conflicting opinions and also avoid the “kitchen sink” approach. This is where everything but the kitchen sink is thrown into the script in a democratic effort to please everyone. The result is usually a watered down, lengthy and monotonous video that fails to focus on the real story.  

The job of the video production company is to guide the client – to help them define their objectives and write the script. This begins by finding their comfort level. Suggest ideas that perhaps may seem crazy at first but may be an actual solution to their message. Once the objective of the film is well understood, it is time to gather the information to write the script. Take ownership. Be of service by coordinating with the company’s SMEs. This can begin with a request for existing marketing and technical information, including white papers, technical bulletins and marketing resources. It all depends on how much information the company has on hand. Schedule a meeting with the SMEs. Interview them. With enough time set aside, take this opportunity to ask a lot of questions and work through obtaining good answers to begin writing the script.

The video production company must manage the scriptwriting process and help educate the client throughout all phases of production.