Company’s reel is definitely something that brings up the value of the business. It is an awesome marketing tool and, most of all, it helps make your brand easier to spot among the competition. Besides all of that this is also a great opportunity to showcase how you work, your atmosphere, your workplace, or your super team. We recently released a company’s reel ourselves, so we have some tips and tricks to help you take your reel to the next level. However, remember that what worked for us may not necessarily work for you. These are typically our observations. Ready?
Let’s go!
Professional equipment & lightning
This is something that really benefits the video. Lighting is one of the most critical aspects of creating a film because it allows you to set its desired mood. Poor lighting can make a somber situation seem too light, or it can make a comedic situation seem more serious than intended. Pinpointing lighting directly on specific objects or people helps persuade the viewers to direct their eyes to the intended spot, which guarantees that important aspects of the video are not missed. If you add a really, but really good camera, I would say you’re halfway there. You don’t have one? Just hire a professional crew that does it on a daily basis. Hiring is over budget? So in that case, focus on lightning. Just get some lamps, softboxes, etc. and combine them with the budget camera like Sony A6500. I bet this way you’ll be able to achieve really pleasing results.
Write a scenario before shooting
Another important thing is to write your scenario before shooting and consult it with key individuals and a video crew if you have them. Analyze what you want to show and whether you want to have static shots or maybe handheld/gimbal ones. What is the tone of the video? Do you want it to be more professional, or maybe more casual with a pinch of humor? Another step is to write down what shots you want to have, and by saying that I mean scenes in which someone is working, talking, having a meeting, or maybe some chill room shots, etc. You get the point.
Balance
The right balance is the key for a successful company reel.
What do I have in mind by saying the right balance?
A fair weight of professional and casual scenes. You definitely don’t want to show too many professional, working-like scenes because people might think of your company as a workplace that is not conducive to employees.
On the other hand, you cannot make too many causal scenes, because people will think that you’re doing everything besides your main job. I would say 65/35 % (work/other) is a good balance but generally it will depend on your company’s tone. Some companies will feel great about showing only what an interesting group of people they have onboard, and the actual footage of work will be just a little add-on.
Don’t forget to consult
One of the most important things in my opinion. Don’t forget that a video is not for you. It’s for your clients, co-workers, friends, and family. Try to look at it from the perspective of one of the groups mentioned above. Try to think of what you would like to see in that kind of video. What would be valuable for you? Don’t think with your own personal preferences.
Music
Well-chosen music is a big part of the video’s success. In our opinion, the most important thing is that the music is memorable, quite rhythmic, and quite dynamic. Consider adding custom sounds for different scenes, which will imitate the real ones, or using additional sounds to further enliven the animation. Thanks to this treatment, the feeling of the video changes globally, but it is not necessary and usually well-chosen music does the job ?
Color Grading
If you have a company that makes your video, you can skip this point and go to the final one. But if you’re doing it by yourself, please don’t forget to color your final version. Well-chosen color grading can drastically change the outcome of the video. Just make sure you color it according to the decor of rooms, the atmosphere in the company (usually nice warm colors work here, but it is not a rule), or even the weather or used lightning. I would say it’s one of the hardest parts to make a video consistent through all of the scenes, so if you have the chance, the best way would be to give it out to the professionals.
Animations
And here we have it. King of the jungle. One of a kind – Animation!
Yup, that’s right. The most valuable thing which will definitely upgrade your company reel. It’s a great way to show your best projects, breathe some life into them. Have an animated onboarding? Awesome, just show it! Think about some of the transitions (in/out) of the video, add some small additions in the form of a video overlay (emojis, code, etc.). You can even try to bring some life into your company’s ID. Animations really can help you stand out from the competition. Don’t forget that everything should be quite dynamic. You don’t want your audience to fall asleep!
And that’s it, folks! I hope you got something useful out of this. It’s our first time shooting this kind of video, but we’ve certainly learned a lot of lessons that we’re happy to share with you in this article. By the way, take a look at our company reel for yourself!
