WEDNESDAY 27 APR 2022 10:46 AM

EIGHT ESSENTIAL KEYS TO 'GENUINELY' EFFECTIVE CORPORATE FILMS

Yemi Sawyerr, founder and creative director at LiteSwitch TV, shares eight essential keys to navigating the world of corporate film production with confidence.

Communicating ideas through film - can be really confusing, crazy expensive and is often deliberately convoluted. 

So much so, that we built our entire LiteSwitch offering around the ethos and belief of “Production, Made Simple.”

No jargon. No hidden fees. No Stress. 

So, with that in mind, we have put together eight simple thoughts, that may help you navigate the world of corporate film ‘production’ with a little more confidence. 

  1. Authenticity is key. Communicate with a tone of voice drenched in honesty and integrity. Big claims and exaggerations will be counter-productive to your ultimate goals. You don’t need to create a business persona… you just need to be - you. Doing so engages your audience, builds trust, and helps instigates growth.
  2. What do you want your audience to know? This is the question. Make a list. Try to answer more questions, than you ask. That is way more satisfying for the viewer and it builds into the “shareability” of the piece. Think about how you would like the viewer to feelafter watching your film too.
  3. Be specific. All businesses are built by humans. (For now!) So, address people directly. Say someone’s name, mention their job title, mention a moment you shared. The more specific the better… it shows care, effort and attention to detail. You might be worried about dating the piece. But the benefits far outweigh the concerns. 
  4. Repurpose a film you’ve already created, across multiple different digital platforms. Break down the film into micro-content, and re-use those for social media and adverts. A single three-minute film already on your website, could yield a further four or five short, shareable gems. 
  5. Self-deprecating humour,when done right, can be absolute gold. Don't be afraid to occasionally lean into areas you know you need to improve on. Or conversely lean away from any rigid, stuffy, reputations you may have built up. Your audience will thank you. Now, we’re not suggesting you be frivolous with past failings… just be gently self-aware.
  6. Simplify. Don’t try to say everything in one film. Say what you want to say, then stop. That’s it. Consider your films the start of the conversation… not the entire conversation. Yes, it’s important to maintain the osmosis of your comms… but too much data will not help. 
  7. Start as you mean to go on. Keeping your colleagues and clients informed and included – is vital to any business. So start-stop film content - without a clear plan… can feel a little, confusing.  Be consistent with your output. Again, this feeds back into being authentic.
  8. Animate. If you're unsure about using animation...start very small. Get a feel for the process, see what works for you. Look at other examples that have really impressed you… and work back from there. “I like this…but can we create a simpler version?” Then when you're more comfortable, you can start to plan your masterpiece.

Corporate films really do breathe new life into your key messages. They can generate dynamic, measurable results - so stay agile and actively, honestly engage with your audience. This is where the progress resides.

At LiteSwitch TV we genuinely believe that you can make production, simple. Hopefully these ideas go some way towards helping you achieving that goal.