How to create a business promo video for an affordable price
The video has a price and it is often rather high! Not all companies are able to put in € 1,500, or even much more, for a small institutional video spot of around 30 seconds. Fortunately, there are other ways to make videos successful if you are on a budget. From simple editing software to motion design solution, the possibilities for creating professional videos cheaper than in an agency are numerous, if you are ready to get your hands dirty. But using business video maker can ease up your budget and manpower needs both.
How much does it cost to have your video made in an agency?
The average cost for the production of an institutional video is around 1000 to 1500 €. Of course, there are different types of videos, longer or shorter, or more or less difficult to produce. Here is, to start, a quick idea of the budget to plan if you want to go through an agency, depending on the type of video to be produced:
Whatever your video production goal, going through a professional therefore requires a certain budget. If you do not have such a budget at your disposal, you will have to do as much as possible yourself. This is why we will detail below the different steps to follow to succeed in your video on a limited budget. As you make the whole editing and video making work done in promo video maker you can have the best solutions there.
Pre-production: how to properly prepare your video?
Why make a video?
The question may seem trivial, but not to ask it would be a mistake. At each stage of the creation, you must keep in mind the reason that led you to make a video. Why? Just to keep you from going in multiple directions, kind of getting carried away by your creative spirit. Making a video is fun, but above all it is a tool that must maintain a specific goal and stick to it throughout the creation process. Using the movie maker online can be a good solution in this case.
Prepare a storyboard
Once the objective (s) of your video have been clearly identified, don’t go head-down, camera in hand! Take the time to prepare a clear storyboard for yourself and possibly the teams who will help you produce your video with the business video maker. The storyboard should define the main stages of your scenario. Ideally, a storyboard is cut out in a shot, or in sequence. Each sequence is described by a short text which explains the purpose of the latter, sometimes embellished with a small drawing supposed to represent – summarily – the setting in which the filming of this sequence will take place.
Timer your sequences
One of the main pitfalls when preparing a video is time. If you want to make an institutional video, it should not exceed 1m – 1.30m. This short amount of time may not seem sufficient to you if you are not used to video, but it is indeed the maximum recommended length for a promotional video on the internet. This is why it is important to properly time your sequences, and to get to the point. Digression is, without a doubt, the number one enemy of corporate video. Take the time to properly schedule your sequences to ensure that your message will pass effectively in less than 1.30m.
Think about the decor and other accessories
This is one of the keys to a successful video. If your decor doesn’t inspire the viewer, they won’t listen to you. Many amateur videographers skip this step, either because they don’t think about it or because they don’t think it’s important: big mistake. The decor you select will set the tone for your video. Instead, favor “warm” environments, with color and, above all, light. In general, the video increases the emotions tenfold. If your decor is neglected, the viewer will see it as particularly ugly. If, on the contrary, your decor is neat: the viewer will have the impression that you are in an exceptional environment. You probably know the maxim that “television makes you beautiful”, it is partly true,because video professionals know how to play on your emotions perfectly, in particular thanks to the decorations, make-up, lighting, etc., so don’t neglect them. Give them the chance to show their best with video maker online.
Practice speaking in front of the camera
In your video, you may want to speak to present, for example, your company or a specific product. In principle, this is an excellent idea: seeing the founder of the company speak about his product, with passion and precision, can engender a lot of confidence for the spectator, who will thus be easier to convert as a customer. But it’s an exercise that requires preparation if you want to give your best even in front of the camera! To do this, here are some key tips to put in place before starting filming:
Define the value proposition: Like we said, you have a minute, or 1.30m at most. Obviously, you won’t be able to present your project in all its depth in such a short period of time. This is why you must prepare your speech, in order to make it as simple and effective as possible.
Prepare your text: It goes without saying, but many don’t. Before you start shooting, prepare your text to the word, so that it fits well with your storyboard and the sequence in which it is inserted.
Practice: If you are not familiar with the video, we recommend that you prepare in two steps. The first, repeat your text in front of a mirror and, if possible, wearing the same clothes as those planned for your shoot. This will help you feel more comfortable on D-Day. Then, once you feel ready, do some practice in front of someone. It is not an easy exercise, especially if you are a little shy, but it is by far the best way to prepare yourself. If you can convince the person in front of you, you will hit the mark with your audience with your video.
Production: how to film well?
At this point, your storyboard is frozen, and timed. You have your 1.30m of video, leaving you a small margin of 5-10 seconds which will allow you either to give a little more time to a sequence, or to leave space for your dressing (we will come back to this more late). Once you get to this step, don’t make the mistake of going back to your storyboard. It is a recurring pitfall that we observe among amateur videographers. By wanting to modify elements of the video too much, you end up never doing it and that’s not the goal, of course. And that’s it.
