Every so often I'll get the odd request to produce a "corporate video". Usually this term gives me frightening visions of stuffy grey suits, lifeless boardrooms, and monotonous scripts that go on and on and on... But once these cerebral images have passed, I can see the request for what it really is - a "business video". Some may call it a "professional video" or a "promotional video". And some even more laid back folks like myself might refer to it as simply a "video".

This blog post is meant to help you discover all the ways that video content has changed (and some might say, improved) since the glory days of the "corporate video".

There is no denying that we are living in a video world and all the radio stars are out there either being killed or amping up their TikTok game. Video has been so ingrained into our society that most people don't realize just how many videos they are watching every single day.

Want to learn a new skill? Watch a video on YouTube!

Want to unwind after work? Scroll through Instagram!

Want a quick laugh that turns into a deep feeling of unworthiness and self-loathing? Spend an hour on Tiktok!

We are video calling, zoom meeting, and screen recording more than ever. We are in the video age. Welcome!

So, back to the corporate video.

When video first emerged as a communications format it was very exciting! Can you imagine? Suddenly having the ability to skip writing the novel-worthy training manual and make a cool, chic, new-age training video instead? Hell yeah!

I'm going to fast forward so this doesn't turn into a history lesson. But basically, since video was first introduced to our world, it has become more and more accessible and therefore more ingrained into our lives.

Most people own a smart phone, which have not just one, but TWO cameras (front and back) on them. And I think the newer iPhones have something like 5 (or was it 50?) cameras built into them. The pandemic even brought back the importance of the webcam; technology I hadn't used since the dawn of the Photo Booth selfie in the early 2010s. We are very comfortable with being on camera, around cameras, and behind cameras.

So the magic and mysticism of the video has been almost completely shattered. No one's mind is going to be blown by simply setting up your camera and talking at it. People still watch this kind of content, but it has become commonplace and even expected rather than getting a reaction like "whoa, how'd they do that???"

There are obviously big budget films, tv shows, and commercials where the cinematography and format are something to marvel at. But chances are if you're reading this blog, you're not James Cameron looking to get some tips before directing your next blockbuster. You're like me; a small business owner or entrepreneur who is wondering how to make video content that is engaging, does what you want it to do, and doesn't make you feel like a total phoney. I got you.

Let's talk about video standards. I feel that video standards have been both raised and lowered. Hear me out.

Video format standards have been raised. Let's say you own a cupcake company. No one is going to be overly impressed that you own a DSLR and were able to take a really beautiful shot of your cupcakes, freshly iced on the bakery counter. They might be impressed by your cupcakes, but the actual look of the footage isn't going to seem like anything out of the ordinary. This is the quality that consumers are expecting from businesses.

However, video format standards have also been lowered. If you shot the same cupcake scene with your phone and turned it into an Instagram reel or TikTok video with some trending audio on it, I can almost guarantee that video would get more views and engagements than the DSLR video - even though it may not look as nice or professional.

People are just loving the phone footage right now. And there's one reason why: It feels very authentic.

Authenticity!!!

Authenticity is something I've been preaching since I started making videos. Even during my stint making "corporate videos" (ahhh!) I would try my best to convince the people on camera to just "be yourself" and "do what you usually do" and "pretend I'm not even here".

And now with everyone having at least 2 cameras in their pocket at all times, there is an expectation that you should be using those cameras to capture a slice of your life and share it with the world. Your customers / fans / followers want to see you for who you really are. They want to see your face and hear your voice and find out what your life is really like.

But there is a catch!

What people actually gravitate towards is the curated version of your life. They don't want to see you being bored, struggling, having awkward conversations, having a bad hair day, contemplating your life and why you started this business in the first place. They want to see you living your best life!

Some of you, including myself, are going to have a knee-jerk reaction here and think, "Wait, I actually liked that post my favourite influencer made about how hard it is to ______" Fill in the blank with any trending topic. Yeah, okay, you can make one sad post per month MAX. And you've gotta do it right.

The people that do well on social media are folks who present a life that their followers like to dream about living. Their followers like to imagine that they could one day be that cupcake baker, and how glamorous or cute or fulfilling that would be. Even though being a baker is very gruelling work (don't they wake up at like 3am?) and running a business is most of the time not glamorous or cute. But that doesn't matter, because the side of your business that you're going to be making content about is the cute n glamorous side.

Another example: in additional to being a videographer, I am also a musician. When I see fellow musicians posting videos that do very well, they are doing something cool in the video that the average person doesn't typically do. Such as: a behind the scenes video of life in the tour van, a look into their dressing room right before they get on stage, a clip of the adoring fans cheering at the end of their show, etc.

In the name of authenticity I'm going to let you in on a little secret: being a musician is actually not that glamorous. For the following reasons: touring is extremely emotionally and financially exhausting, your dressing room is often a too-small-stall in the basement bathroom, and fans are seldom "adoring" - if they even show up!

But nobody wants to see videos of you being moody in the tour van, being scolded by the booker for showing up late for sound check, and packing up your merch table after not selling a single thing.

We all have good days and bad days. Days where we feel on top of the world and days where we feel under the weight of it. Your job is to hone in on those good days and capture content that shows off your life and business in the best light.

Your videography skills don’t need to be amazing, just passable. So often I see reels on Instagram where I think “Wow this really could have been edited a lot better” and then go on to find out they have hundreds of thousands of views. As long as it feels authentic and shows off a slice of life that the average person doesn’t have access to, it will be engaging!

So in a world where everyone has a camera in their pocket, is there still a purpose for folks like me, who make a living from creating videos for other people? Well, I sure as hell hope so! But the answer is yes. You’re still going to need that high quality video at some point - whether it’s the Introductory video on the homepage of your website, or the music video for your new song, or the series of instructional videos or behind-the-scenes videos that you can’t shoot on your own.

Making videos is a lot of work, and I commend all of you who are running your business and keeping up with social media at the same time. Small business owners are some of the most badass people I know, making big things happen with limited resources and time.

I hope this blog post has given you some new inspiration for your video content and how to make it not so “corporate”. There’s no way to know if something works until you try it, so be brave!

If you have any questions about videos, I’d love to chat!

Cover photos by Sam McGhee via Unsplash

The New "Corporate Video"