ProMotion Media has recently been asked (several times, actually) whether we could take pre-existing footage and edit it into a marketing video for a prospective client. There are a few caveats when shooting your own video, however. Aside from just the raw footage, lighting and audio are major concerns as well. We have successfully incorporated footage from outside sources into edits produced for our clients on numerous occasions. A fine example of this is the 2011 Sun “Millies” awards that we edited for ESC Events to showcase the event and what goes into its production. We took footage shot by ITV to intro the video with. ITV is obviously a very reliable source for outside footage. We have also used footage provided by a 2012 Western Gazette Pride award nominee of his charity work in Africa along with fresh content to produce a 45 second intro video for his nomination. The end result was seamless and worked perfectly. So how do you decide on whether to shoot your own video or commission a professional to do it? You may want to do both! I just read a very interesting article pertaining to this conundrum on the Content Marketing Institute website. It suggests that a mix between professionally made and user generated videos is the way to go.
“What we found was strong evidence of incremental benefit with exposure to both forms of media,” Frank Findley, Vice President, Research and Development at comScore, said in a statement. “Professionally produced content and (consumer generated) product videos drove strikingly higher lifts when used together than when either was used individually. While marketers may already be familiar with the effectiveness of professional video content alone, these results suggest that even greater returns can be had by combining their use with authentic, user-generated content.”
It goes on to say “Professional videos are important tools in helping viewers understand the importance of the key messages presented by a company or brand. Consumers were more apt to understand the described benefits and features of the products in professionally produced content, the comScore/EXPO study found.”
“User-generated videos, on the other hand, are easier to relate to, perceived as being unbiased, and were considered more believable about verifying specific product claims, such as superiority
and convenience. They generate an emotional intensity about a product, and in doing so help drive communication about a company’s key messages.”
“When used together, all of the perceived gaps get filled in and consumers become more confident in their purchase decision, resulting in better sales effectiveness,” said Jessica Thorpe, Vice President of Marketing at EXPO.
We would be delighted to discuss your video needs and show you how we can add value to your video program. But with the myriad apps that are available now for shooting and editing your
own video on smartphones as well as the continuous evolution of other user friendly video cameras, there is no reason not to get started now and shoot your own web ready video. If you do shoot your own video, send us a link; we’d like to see it!