corporate video

5 Big Ideas: What Honda’s Mini-Documentaries Can Teach Non-Filmmakers

Thomas Clifford — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 09:47:20 -0400

9 Super Simple Ways to Rock Your Company Video

Thomas Clifford — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 10:21:25 -0400

It’s the small things that can make a big difference.

Anyone can implement these ideas. And the cool part? They’re free or next to free. See if you can sneak a few of these tricks into your next project. It will help your video story feel more believable and interesting.

9 Super Simple Ways to Rock Your Company Video

How to Create 11 Media Products in 3 Formats from 1 Video Interview

Thomas Clifford — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 09:49:52 -0400

Let’s say you’re about to bake a cake. You have a dozen eggs, 1 lb of flour, a carton of milk, etc. The recipe only calls for 2 eggs, 1 cup of milk, 2 cups of flour. What do you do with the remaining ingredients? Throw them away? Um– I hope not!

But that’s exactly what happens when most people finish their video projects.
They use what they need from the interview and throw out the rest of the conversation. What a waste! Let’s see if we can turn this situation around into something profitable.

Since When Are Employees Not Storytellers?

Thomas Clifford — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 08:52:25 -0400

You racked up meeting after meeting. The decision is in. Your team decides they need a video to help launch a new product. Now it’s movie time, right?

Wait a minute– have you thought about who is going to tell your story?
Who is going to share your message with the same amount of passion, energy and emotion as you and your teammates? Here’s a hint: your best storytellers are right under your nose: your employees. Before you jump into your video, let’s take a moment and step back to look at the “big picture.”

Can You Prevent Frozen On-Camera Interviews? Try The Defrosting Technique

Thomas Clifford — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 15:13:21 -0400

It’s bound to happen. It’s just a matter of time.

Imagine you are about to interview someone for your company’s video.
They enter the room. Your interview guest sits in their chair. You sit in yours. The camera rolls. You fire away at your first question.

Then you begin to notice something unusual.

About two minutes into your conversation, it’s clear the person you’re interviewing is visibly nervous– almost like they’re “frozen.”

You Can Thank the Web for Finally Giving Videos a Real Home

Thomas Clifford — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 19:17:19 -0400

So I’m on the phone with a fellow producer the other day and out of the blue I say…

“Finally, after all these years, videos now have a home on the web…and they’re not homeless anymore.”

“What do you mean?” he says.

What Is Next for Company Videos? 5 Thought-Provoking Links

Thomas Clifford — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 11:45:45 -0400

I’ve recently bookmarked so many interesting sites on how companies use video I figured it’s time to open the vault and share a few of my favorite discoveries with you. I hope you’ll find something interesting, useful and thought-provoking here.

Trust Me: Four Steps to Authenticity and Charisma

Thomas Clifford — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 13:31:58 -0400

One of the questions I get asked the most is “How do you get people to talk so naturally on-camera?”

The simple answer is it starts with my intention.

INTERVIEW PROJECT by David Lynch: A New Blueprint for Company Videos?

Thomas Clifford — Sun, 17 May 2009 11:52:11 -0400

How would I describe myself?
What were my dreams as I child?
What am I most proud of?
What are my plans for the future?
How would I like to be remembered?
What is the most important thing in my life?
Do I have any regrets?
When did I first experience death?

On June 1, people all across America will share their answers to these questions when David Lynch’s new “Interview Project” debuts.

3 Stage Evolution of Video Conversations

Thomas Clifford — Tue, 05 May 2009 09:36:01 -0400

"The eyes have one language everywhere." George Herbert / Welsh poet

7 Books to Help You and Your Organization Become Better Storytellers

Thomas Clifford — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 21:33:42 -0400

As I was recently rearranging my “ridiculously-way-over-stuffed-I-need-to-straighten-this-thing-out”bookshelf, I noticed over a dozen books scattered about; books on story,personal storytelling and organizational storytelling.

Instead of putting them back where they belonged, I made a tall pile on the floor. And then I just sat there staring at the pile.

Are You a Big Thinker?

Thomas Clifford — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 10:35:23 -0400

Do you enjoy challenging ideas?
Intrigued by new concepts?
Wish you could share these ideas with your friends?

In other words, are you a big thinker?

If so, I’ve got great news for you.

Big Think is here.

Big Think is founded by the producers of Charlie Rose and features short video clips of leading thinkers in business and society.

Is This the Future of Video Storytelling for Organizations?

Thomas Clifford — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 15:07:26 -0400

I don’t know how I missed this, but I did.

In February of 2007, The Washington Post launched “onBeing.”

The concept?

We need to get to know each other better and what better way to do that than by capturing everyday stories from everyday people?

The result? Short video stories that are:

Honda’s Corporate Documentaries: Smashing The Law of First Knowledge

Thomas Clifford — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 17:10:20 -0500

For some reason, we’re born to think that whatever we learn first about something continues to stay true.

“According to the first law of knowledge, people continue to believe whatever they learned first, regardless of later evidence against it.” (Tom Snyder/Kevin Kearns: “Escaping the Price-Driven Sale”)

Here’s a perfect example.

Someone says to you, “Want to watch a corporate video?”

C’mon. Admit it.

You’re rolling your eyes and thinking: “Are you kidding? They’re boring!”

The Resonance Principle: 12 Thought-Provoking Quotes

Thomas Clifford — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 21:02:32 -0500

While I shared the basic concept behind Tony Schwartz’s “Resonance Principle” in a previous post, I think it’s worth sharing and taking a direct look at some of Tony’s most important quotes from his books and interviews that shaped his ground-breaking idea. (My emphasis in bold.)

The Resonance Principle: Are Your Viewers Resonating with Your Videos?

Thomas Clifford — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 13:46:46 -0500

11 Questions to Ask Before Filming Your Company’s Story

Thomas Clifford — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 09:50:51 -0500

"What we call the beginning is often the end. And to make an end is to make a beginning. The end is where we start from.” T.S. Elliot

“Are we in sync?

“I hear what you’re saying."

“Are we on the same page?”

Hitachi’s True Stories | Simple Lessons in Emotional Video Storytelling

Thomas Clifford — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 16:37:34 -0500

Hats off to Hitachi and their team of filmmakers.

Why?

Because they used the simplest code in corporate filmmaking.

The Simple Power of Authentic Videos in Employee Communications

Thomas Clifford — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 09:49:11 -0500

Employees can be tough video critics.

Which makes producing internal videos that resonate with employees quite challenging.

How do I know? Because I spent 10 years as an employee and as a video producer with a Fortune 100 firm. My challenge was two-fold: produce the best stories possible that resonated with every employee. Not an easy task!

Let’s face it.

Producing videos that resonate with employees can be difficult.

• Boring videos? Click. Gone. Forever.

The Power of Motion Branding

Simon Burgess — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 12:53:42 -0500

With the introduction of television advertising over 60 years ago, advertisers quickly realized the benefits of the moving picture. Not only could television be used to convey information; it could be used to incite an emotional response, a reaction, a feeling.

What is The Power of Six Senses in Company Videos?

Thomas Clifford — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 19:51:56 -0500

Six senses in video?

Hang in with me.

When I first read Daniel Pink’s “A Whole New Mind: Moving from the Information Age to the Conceptual Age” four years ago, it reinforced how I believe organizations can use video more effectively and authentically than ever before.

Pink's six "senses" offers a new map

Dynamic Displays

Simon Burgess — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 15:01:59 -0500

Over the past year, we’ve fallen in love with digital outdoor displays and their potential to brand in completely new ways. We’ve created over 50 video ads for digital outdoor in that time, and there really is so much potential with the medium.

Be Transparent

Simon Burgess — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 15:00:53 -0500

Social media is playing an increasingly important role in branding these days. Company blogs, product ratings on e-commerce stores, technical support forums and viral video campaigns are all examples of opportunities for companies to reach out to their customer and change the way customers perceive them.

The Hero’s Journey: Telling Your Hero's Story

Thomas Clifford — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 14:29:16 -0500

The conversation ends. The camera stops. The lights cool.

You feel good. You caught it: a real candid conversation from an employee, a customer or senior management.

Here’s the thing

There’s a pretty good chance your head is swimming from everything that was discussed.

So how do you distill the essence of someone’s video conversation?

How do you make sense of everything that was said? How can you tell your hero’s story so it flows naturally?

The Hero’s Journey: Capturing the Video Interview

Thomas Clifford — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 19:30:51 -0500

The crew is ready. Your interviewee, or hero, is ready. You’re ready.

Now, the second part of the “hero’s journey,” the “initiation,” is about to begin.

Of course, this initiation is not a series of tests in the classical sense of the “hero’s journey.” Think of the “initiation” as a conversation; simply a series of explorations into someone’s point of view.