People want a good video, but they don’t know how to create one.
After you’ve developed a story with emotion, you’ll need B-roll. That’s non-interview footage, and it’s basically footage of your programs, events and impact. It shows what you do; the impact you’re making; and it adds emotion. A little B-roll can cover up any edits made on the interviews.
I wanted to offer advice on how to get great footage, and describe what you should get footage of.
What Do You Do?
It’s one thing to tell people what you do; it’s another to show them. Your B-roll should highlight your product or service in action.
We’ve done quite a bit of work for nonprofits, and we always film their offerings. Take our work with AccesSurf. Their Hawaii Adaptive Surfing Championships (HASC) is one of their biggest events, and we knew it needed to be on camera.
People in the mainland need to see, feel and hear the HASC. We looked to film people smiling; surfing; helping each other; and giving high fives — all related to the main story on a community feeling.
These moments — high fives, fist bumps, people working together — can communicate emotions of joy, happiness, community. Sometimes, visuals can articulate emotions better than words.
Always make sure your B-roll captures the essence of what makes your product or service unique and enticing.
Showing The Experience Of Being With Your Organization
As you might imagine, it’s essential to show real-life customer experiences. Staging activities can be nice, but you ultimately want to keep the footage true to real experiences.
That means telling authentic stories in an authentic. People will be better able to connect with you and your organization.
For our skiing video, we wanted people to see what it’s like to go down a slop at 60 miles per hour with limited vision. Our Swiss skiers did extend their practice runs a little longer for us, but everything else was shot as naturally as possible.
“Seeing is believing.”
People often need to see things before believing in them. That’s why you need to gather B-roll that demonstrates your brand’s credibility and success.
This can include shots of your team receiving awards or accolades, positive media coverage, or snippets of influential figures endorsing your product or service.
This builds trust; boosts brand’s reputation; and encourage potential clients to get involved in your organization.
I hope this helps you map out a solid plan for your next video. We’re always happy to help, too.