How do I make my corporate video fun?
It’s a valid question. We see a lot of brand anthems, and let’s face it. Sometimes your business just isn’t sexy.
But, that doesn’t mean it isn’t valuable! And, it doesn’t mean that your message isn’t worth hearing.
That’s why you’ve decided to use video to communicate your message. Because it’s effective, impactful, and compelling.
But, you want your viewers to enjoy your video. You want them to see the value and get excited about working with your company.
While there are many creative angles to make a real splash with your video, it’s ‘Have Fun at Work‘ Day, so we’re focusing on FUN.
Here are 4 tips to make your corporate video fun, captivating, and enjoyable.
1. Music Selection Matters
It’s difficult to overstate the importance of your music selection when making a video.
Music is such a universal experience. Regardless of race, religion, or creed, we feel something when we listen to a particular track. Music drives an emotional response and creates a mood. It can make us sad or excited or anxious. It’s an incredibly powerful tool.
You want to fit your desired tone and the creative intention can make or break a video.
In fact, it’s so powerful that it can act in stark juxtaposition with your footage.
Think about it.
A scary scene from a horror movie. A moment of tension in your favorite fantasy series (Star Wars vs. Lord of the Rings vs. Harry Potter?).
And, now change the music.
Maybe pick a bright, bubbling tune. Or perhaps a clownish horn solo. Or maybe even a twinkling pop melody.
Suddenly, it’s a totally different scene. It’s a completely different feel. And consequently, a completely different effect on viewers.
With great power comes great responsibility. Use it wisely. And, have fun with it.
2. Timing is Everything
Like music selection, pacing contributes to the je ne sais quoi of a video. It helps you establish a mood and guide your viewers’ emotions.
It’s a way for you to deliberately choose moments in particular scenes that directly contribute to the building of a certain feeling.
Cuts should flow in a way that you don’t actually notice them, but you still feel their effect. Sudden cuts create a sense of excitement, high energy, and buoyancy. There’s a wide variety.
Your music selection will drive the pace of your editing, making the visual movement of each shot match the musical element.
After all, timing is everything.
Often, the pacing relies heavily on the music selection. The speed of transitions will align with the rhythm of the music.
Consider the way the visual cuts will work with the beat of your music selection. To keep the mood light, choose music with a faster, flitting speed.
3. “Honor the space between”
Post-production editors use video transitions to connect one shot to the next in a way that complements the overall feel of the video.
While a transition’s primary purpose is to move the video along from one shot to the next, it also functions as a way to build the overall mood of a piece.
So, when you’re trying to keep things light and make your video fun, fast, choppy transitions are an easy way to contribute to a high energy mood.
The quickness creates a sense of humor even in the most dramatic and emotional of transitions.
But, you can also use shapes in your transitions to engineer a sense of fun and childlikeness.
Wipes can often give your video a kind of comic book feel, like in Star Wars.
Or, overuse of a zoom transition can also create a comedic effect, even in tense moments.
4. Motion Graphics Grab You
Motion graphics are really just a fancy word for a type of animation that involves giving movement to graphic design elements.
They’re attention-grabbing and emotionally captivating, both powerful tools when crafting your visual story.
And, motion graphics are a wonderfully unique way to communicate your message in a subliminal, yet effective way to your audience.
The color and shapes of your graphics largely contribute to the emotion of a piece.
Fun, quick graphics add to transitional elements to give your video a theme. Or they can reinforce your brand standards in a way that’s fresh and compelling. They are an instant pathway to communication of tone and video intention.
And, you’re only limited by what your motion graphic designer can do. Unlike live-action video, motion graphics are truly what you dream it to be (budget notwithstanding, of course).
So, use them wisely.