Small business owners have likely asked this question many times. To determine a viable answer, a few additional questions should be asked.

1. What is the purpose for your video?

2. Who are the people you are hoping to reach?

3. What is the hardest part of your message to communicate?

4. Do you have a budget for the creation of your video?

Of course there could be many more questions, but let’s go with these so you can begin assessing the creation of a video.

What is the purpose for your video?

Sometimes communications like simple video blogs or  correspondence can be handled without professional help. If your spontaneity and home-spun delivery is of greater value than a tightly scripted, well thought out production, then a “do it yourself” video may be the way to go. Even so, if you are going to be doing these on a consistent basis, having a professional open and/or close to your simple production will do wonders. In a way, it tells your viewer that you are a professional organization, but you have chosen to give a more off the cuff presentation for this communication to illustrate that you are down to earth, and approachable.

A professional hand-model demonstrates a product for a closeup shot.

A professional videographer will be able to give you a brief 5, 10 or 20 second opening or closing video that represents the quality of your brand and your company’s overall excellence. Such openings and closings could cost as little as a few hundred dollars, or thousands, depending on the complexities. You would then add your spontaneous video to the pre-produced elements. You may even allow for your opening to be customized by adding the title of your blog or message within the pre-produced format. This approach gives your viewer a sense of your consistency, while allowing for your spontaneity.

Who are the people you are hoping to reach?

What does your target market look like?  If they are tied to sophisticated businesses, you may want to steer clear of a less than professional, homegrown approach. This may sound a little strange, but it often takes a seasoned presenter to come across natural, impromptu and believably homegrown. Ironically, I think it takes a greater skill set to give the illusion of being free flowing while employing proven delivery techniques to drive the point home. Put simply, if you cannot do your home spun presentation in a believable way, call in the professionals. It is better than risking your company’s credibility and your future success.

What is the hardest part of your message to communicate?

In other words, the more complicated or detailed your story or message, the more you need professional help to communicate it. Much can be done through animations, special effects, and other video techniques that will transform a complicated or detailed message in an understandable fashion. Naturally, the more simple a message, the more easily delivered it should be, otherwise, let the pros help you.

Do you have a budget for the creation of your video?

It is not the big budget, but the big idea that garners attention for your video. As a production company, we deal with projects of all sizes and scopes. The budgets may be small or large. But, what is most important is that there will be a professional look and feel to your finished product, regardless of the budget.

It is important that you tell a professional production company what your realistic budget is. That way we will know going in the kind of production they can recommend to suit your needs while staying budget sensitive. Professionals will know some tricks of the trade to make even a low budget production look like a million. In our experience these investments will be well worth it, and pay dividends in securing clients, and positioning yourself against the competition.

Summing it all up.

One final word about consistency. It is very important that your message and brand have ongoing common denominators, no matter what you do or say. No matter your decision about a professional or non-professional video production, be absolutely sure that your message is unwavering. Protect your brand. People gravitate to other people who know what they’re doing and conduct themselves in a trustworthy, dependable consistent way. It is your image, treated wisely.

One of the benefits of BizVid Communications being in the video production business is the variety of client projects we get to involve ourselves with.  In any given month we can be producing a video that details the business of using under-water equipment, or documenting surgical procedures in the O.R., or even the E.R. 

We recently received a call from the Department of the Navy asking us to produce a series of videos for their Marine Corps officer recruitment program.  We jumped at the chance to support this bigger cause.

After the deal was sealed, we arranged a rather complex six day taping schedule.  On three of the days we were on-location at MCRD, the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego. We spent the remaining time at the Marine recruitment center in Riverside. 

All on-camera talent was provided by the Marines and they were superb.  The project consisted of two scripts, each about 44-pages in length. 44 pages is a lot of copy for professionals, let alone amateurs, to learn. We were a little nervous about keeping to the taping schedule not knowing if the on-camera talent could handle the required memorization load.  But they did and, in fact, we finished in a little less than the required six days.

Upon completing the Marine Corps video project, the symbolism of that accomplishment hit us. Working with such a dedicated group of people, it reminded us of how BizVid pledges its own dedication to the welfare of our video clients. It is a call that we answer every time we are called upon, no matter the size or scope of the project.   

A few months ago, BizVid Communications was commissioned to tape a documentary in Israel and in the Palestinian Authority.  So we packed up our cameras and equipment and made the long trek to the Middle East. 

After 21 days of taping, we returned to assemble a 90-minute documentary which investigates the conflict between the two rivals.  Once completed, the documentary will premiere in the UK and then make its way to other venues as determined by the distributor.  This video clip is a behind-the-scenes highlight of just one aspect of this adventure.