If you're planning a corporate video shoot at your workplace, here are a few pointers to make the process less intimidating — and to prepare you and your team for when the video production company's film crew arrives

Talent

The people who will actually appear in your video may be concerned about what they’re going to wear. There are a few rules of thumb here.

• Don’t wear stripes or heavy, detailed patterns as these can cause a distractive strobe effect on camera. Wear block colours.

• Wear clothes that are appropriate for the audience, the topic and the personality of the presenter.

• Women should simply wear make-up they might wear to go out. It shouldn’t be heavy but something to add colour under video lights. However, if the person does not normally wear make-up, it is suggested not to wear make-up on camera. The most important thing is to feel comfortable with your make-up choices.

• Men should not wear make-up unless you intend to hire a professional make-up artist.

• Be careful with accessories. They should not distract from what is being said, and they should not make noise or brush across the microphone.

• Think safety requirements for the environment in which you will be filming. Wear appropriate PPE, no matter who is presenting.

• Ensure you have written permission from any people appearing in the video.

Locations

Where are you going to film? There are a few things to consider here, too.

• Blank walls in the background are bad! Depth is one of the most important things to consider. Separation between the subject and the background makes for a much nicer scene.

• Locations should be relevant to person appearing on camera. If they normally work in an open plan office, try using this space to add some dynamics to the shot. If they work outside the office, let’s see their practical work environment. It may be harder to control the sound than a boardroom or studio, but it provides much better context to the video.

• Executives should not be filmed behind a desk as can look defensive. If the boardroom is the best location, use some artwork in the background or you can have a banner printed, but don’t use the normal corporate banner. Your video production company can help you design a banner appropriate as a background for video.

The filming process

What happens when the crew arrives?

• We’ll usually spend half an hour to an hour with the person appearing in the corporate video production, while the crew sets up. We work through the interview away from the camera. This relaxes the person and prepares them for the interview process.

• During the filming, the person may be asked the same question several times in different ways. This helps to ensure the right messages are in the answer and the length is just right.

• After the interview, we’ll film any required additional footage to support the content from the interview. This might include going through the motions of doing your job, interacting with others, and so on. Again, you might be asked to do things multiple times so we can get different angles of the same sequence.

Knowing a little about the process can help people feel more comfortable. A good production company is there to make your presenters and interviewees perform with authenticity. They can also help you frame your message by structuring questions or even a short script. Every production is different. Trust in the professionals you hire.

ThinkFrame Media provides full-service video production, including writers, producers, the best crew and editors, to make your video communication the best it can be.

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