In the past 15 years, the availability of inexpensive recording formats for video has continued to improve, from hand-held MiniDV cameras of the late 1990s to current High Definition cameras available at the local BestBuy. While everyone now has access to HD quality cameras, the gap between professional video work and amateur work is still just as wide as it was decades ago. Everyone can go buy a hammer and nails at Home Depot, but you wouldn’t hire just anyone to build your house, so why would your standards for crafting an effective marketing video be any different? In both cases, a weak foundation will lead to disastrous results. Professionals train and practice for years to acquire the skills to produce the best-looking images, they use more advanced support equipment, and professional corporate video production companies understand more about your marketing and intended results than a mere amateur or hobbyist videographer.
The Quality of Your Video Reflects the Quality of Your Company
A professional videographer or cinematographer has often studied their art and craft at a professional institute, or under the mentoring of numerous experienced workers in their field. All of their years of experience adds up to an understanding of how to light a scene just right for the medium on which they are shooting, not to mention the proper camera placement to evoke a certain emotional response. Think about the difference between a well-lit tour of a building, which looks inviting and warm, and a dark and flat video of the same building. Even once the project is shot, the difference between a professional editor who understands how to cut footage together in a specific manner using all of the available tools versus a hobbyist who understands little about theories of editing or marketing impact is enormous.
Your company’s image depends on the image you project with your marketing. If your video looks like amateur work or is thrown together haphazardly, your potential clients will see your product or service the same way, not only discouraging them from choosing your company whatsoever, but certainly lowering their willingness to spend money on your brand. Perceived value is very important to customer purchasing decisions. Any money you save on marketing by using a “do-it-yourself” approach to video work or hiring an amateur will be lost many times over in missed opportunities with potential clients who are turned away by amateurish marketing efforts.
Sophisticated Equipment Leads to Polished, Effective Videos
Professionals use a variety of additional tools to enhance the image, including cinema lighting kits with a variety of diffusion tools to shape the light just perfectly, camera support equipment like smooth-motion fluid tripod heads, dolly gear for tracking shots, jibs (mini cranes) for sweeping, grand exterior shots and nifty interior angles, plus many thousands of dollars in editing equipment. A professional editor will often use anywhere from 5 to 10 different software programs to complete one project, all with a very specific purpose as part of the whole, which is crafting the best, most professional video possible with today’s technology. An amateur will not only lack the knowledge for how to use all of these programs together, but likely will not have access to the resources that a professional company has available to make a project shine.
A Professional Corporate Video Production Company Takes Your Marketing Seriously
An amateur videographer, or weekend warrior, even with the best intentions will likely not have much of an understanding of the way in which marketing plays a role in video creation. Crafting a nice, professional video is still not very useful for your company without an emphasis on message, delivery, and emotional impact. Your company needs a professional corporate video company that understands how to position the video within your broader marketing campaign, which includes an understanding of social media networks, video sharing Websites like YouTube, Vimeo, and dozens of others, and can deliver the video in a variety of formats that work for all mediums. The ability to write professional marketing copy, review marketing materials, and coordinate with professionals in media creation and filmmaking allow a professional company to create a video that is worth the money you spend on it.
With a professional production company crafting your videos, you will give your message the best chance to stand out amongst the competition, not only because of the quality of the video but because of the company’s understanding of video as just one part of your overall marketing campaign. Just because you choose a professional corporate video production company should not mean you have to spend huge sums of money, however. With today’s technology being relatively affordable compared to several decades ago, many companies can offer professional results on reasonable budgets. The headache and lost business of working with amateurs or trying to do it all yourself is not worth the few dollars saved, when considering how much lost business you risk by alienating your potential customers with videos that reflect poorly on your brand and company image.