5 Steps to A Captivating Brand Video
A great brand video transcends words and conveys a feeling. It can show the world what you’re all about, and why you’re awesome. When done right, it just feels magical.
The creation process of making an amazing brand video generally follows 5 steps:
Let’s de-mystify this 5-step process by going through what each of these steps entails.
We’ll also use a recent video creation as an example: The captivating Brand Video for Farmer’s Creed — a new craft beer company launched in Ontario — which was one of my favourite video productions of 2021.
Check out the Brand Video for Farmer’s Creed :
This project had no shortage of adrenaline and movie-worthy shots: from capturing that smokey moment when the farrier presses a red-hot shoe into a horse hoof, to flying the drone right alongside dozens of galloping horses, and even standing lens-to-horns with some gorgeous but intimidating longhorn cattle!
A big shout out to the amazing people at Farmer’s Creed Beer and the local farriers and farmers who are featured in this video!
Curious what it takes to make a brand video like this?
Let’s walk through the video production process using this Farmer’s Creed brand video as an example.
Step 1: Video Production Consultation & Custom Quote
If you’re thinking of working with me (or any video production company, for that matter), it’s important to check out the video producer’s “reel” — a sample of their work — to get a sense for the style and quality of their video productions. You can click here to watch my reel>> . If you like what you see and think you may want to work together, it’s as simple as taking 1 minute to fill out this questionnaire to request a custom quote >>
From there, we can setup a call or zoom meeting to discuss your brand / company or idea for the video project. We can discuss the overall concept and the narrative structure (for example, is it going to be an interview style video, scripted video, animated video, or a video that communicates with music and maybe text titles?). Then, a quote will be drawn up based on the specifics of your project. Depending on your budget, we can try to adjust the scope of work to suit your budget. A brand video can be an investment, but if done correctly, it can have a high payoff. <link to “Why Create a Brand Video?”>
Farmer’s Creed Beer liked the work they saw in my portfolio. Once we had a quick conversation, I was able to put together a custom quote based on what they envisioned. I could execute on what they needed, within their budget. What’s amazing is that we were able to create this extremely high production value video for a remarkable price-point because 1) we kept the film crew to the efficient size of 1. That’s right. Just me. From smooth, moving gimbal shots, to drone shots, I had them covered. <Link to 5 Factors that Impact the Cost of a Brand Video>
Step 2: Pre-production
Script, Shot List, Equipment Prep, Shooting Schedule
The second stage is all about planning and preparation. Filming day(s) can often be the more expensive stage in video production, so pre-production planning helps us be efficient and ensure we only book as much filming time as is necessary.
For most videos, the pre-production stage involves writing a script and/or preparing interview questions.
Once a script is prepared, we work together to compile a shot list of the visuals we need to accompany script to tell the story.
Finally, we create a shooting schedule and book the time needed, at the right locations, to capture the shots.
In the case of Farmer’s Creed, they already had a poem they wanted to use to tell the story of their brand. We just had to condense the poem to focus on the most important messages, to fit it within the desired video runtime. It was important to the brand to show local farmers, farriers, and longhorn cattle right in the community that their company sprouted in.
Step 3: Production / Filming Day(s)
Filming days are when we get to execute so much of what we’ve been planning for, and capture the amazing visuals on video!
Thanks to the pre-production planning, things like composition, dynamic camera movement, and lighting, will have already been charted out; but sometimes we need to adapt on-the-go and be flexible!
Step 4: Post-Production
Editing, Sound Design, and Motion Graphics
Now it’s time to sort through all the footage and audio we recorded, find the gems and best takes, and edit together it in a way that accomplishes our communication objectives. The editing style and music are thoughtfully crafted to match the brand. Most importantly, these post-production decisions need to engage our target audience.
In the case of Farmer’s Creed, we were reaching out to farmers and recognizing their tough work ethic and valiant core values. The music selected was slow, rhythmic rock that was exciting and upbeat, but also felt deep. Voice-over was done in post-production as well, and we auditioned several voice actors until we found someone whose voice had so much soul, it deepened the meaning of the farmer’s creed poem and blew us all away!
Step 5: Distribution / Sharing Online
Now for the really fun part: sharing your brand video with the world! Some of the best places to show your amazing new video are:
Your brand YouTube channel
On your website
On your Facebook page
On your Instagram feed, reel, and or stories
Public TV screens
Broadcast TV
When sharing your video online, you may want to share shorter clips of the video in your stories or reels. You may even want some or all of the video formatted for best viewing on social channels (i.e. square or portrait orientation for Instagram). Wherever you’re presenting your video to connect with your audience, we can make it look amazing!
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A great brand video connects with your target audience by appealing to our universal desire to be the best version of ourselves. Check out the 5 steps it takes to make an awesome brand video!