Are you ready to create a video for your company but have never been to a video shoot? Ever wonder what it’s like being on set for a day? Our team at Shattles Communications had an idea for a video that would capture the spirit of our company through on-screen interviews. We turned to Spotted Yeti and recently did an all-day video shoot with them, and we wanted to tell you a little bit about what you can expect.
It starts before the cameras even roll
Some of the most important work starts before the video shoot. Whether you are starting with just an idea or a fully drafted script, there are a few must dos before the camera starts to roll:
- Schedule a kick-off meeting with Spotted Yeti to discuss your idea, gather their recommendations and review next steps.
- Share what makes you YOU: To help tell your story, share brand guidelines and available graphics to help make your video come alive and represent your brand.
- Get your thoughts on the page: Will your video have a scripted voice-over, be read from a teleprompter or be more casual? Not writers? You can turn to a marketing partner like us for help with a script and align with Spotted Yeti on the storyboard development. Once the script and storyboard are approved, it’s time to schedule the video shoot.
- Pick a date and location: Spotted Yeti’s team worked with us on a date, location and how we wanted to present ourselves on the video, including the background, whether we would sit or stand and what we would wear. Now, it was time for the video shoot!
(Left) Sabrina Shattles, President of Shattles Communications
(Right) Barbara Grimsley, Senior Communications Manager, chatting with Tess Wojahn, Graphic Designer
Bring yourself and maybe an extra shirt
We scheduled 9 a.m.-2:30 p.m. at the Spotted Yeti studio for our video shoot. Since we started early, Spotted Yeti greeted us with coffee and a smile.
Our team came with a few wardrobe options and any other things we might need to get camera-ready (makeup, hairbrush, toothbrush, etc.).
Molly Berrens, Spotted Yeti President, gave us some great recommendations on what to wear for our video shoot, including:
- Don't wear all white or all black.
- Do not wear clothing or accessories with logos from other brands.
- No thin stripes or plaid. Solid, rich colors or simple patterns are best. The background for our video was purple, so Molly recommended that we pick clothes colors that would complement and not clash.
- Avoid loose jewelry, which has the potential to make noise.
We also brought laptops and cell phones so we could still check e-mail and keep projects moving while we were on-site during the video shoot.
Lights, camera, action
When it was time for team members to be interviewed, they sat in the studio, and Spotted Yeti asked them some practice questions to test audio and make everyone feel comfortable. This also helped adjust for the best lighting and to avoid glare.
Our team got to listen and collaborate with Spotted Yeti on the video while it was being filmed. We hopped in to fine-tune messaging, give feedback on how each person was framed and more.
(Left) Michelle Taute, Chief Creative Officer
(Right) Hillary Wood, Art Director
The schedule may feel full, but it goes fast
An all-day video shoot can seem like a marathon and a sprint all at once. During our shoot, each team member had 30 minutes scheduled for being interviewed on camera. It seemed like a lot of time at first, but as our team got in the studio, started working with Spotted Yeti and conducting interviews on camera, the time really does fly, even with an hour break for lunch.
Take a breath and have fun
Everyone has different comfort levels when it comes to being on video. As a marketing agency, we are often the ones working behind the camera. So, if a team member started to feel nervous, Spotted Yeti asked questions in different ways. This gave our team a chance to explain a subject in a variety of ways, putting them more at ease.
The Spotted Yeti team kept the mood light and calm and really helped everyone get comfortable being on camera.
After our video shoot, Spotted Yeti gave the first sneak peak of our video about two weeks later. It has been fun to see our idea come to life, and we are excited to share it!
Ready to tell your story? Learn how Spotted Yeti can help!
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