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From our perspective, a story-driven video is a most simple, yet most difficult feat to create. Story driven videos are not "generally" created, they are strategically and purposefully made, and based off of the one goal of the project. It’s one thing to pick up a camera, press record at a business meeting, and create a video that highlights the business working on a project of some sort. It’s another to be able to walk in and gather content that aids in telling the story of the planned effort it took for the business to launch a new outreach program that would positively affect teenagers within their local area -- that’s a story-driven video.

 

Planning with Story in mind.

If you notice, the difference is not per se filming different angles, or changing camera settings. However, those things can help! The main difference is what happened before the videographer came to capture the business meeting. Did he or she have the story in mind, or was it more of a ready, fire, aim sort of thinking? Did the videographer meet with the company before and receive clarity on what they wanted--or was it just a quick meeting to know when to show up and grab a few shots? Here at FilmStory in Valdosta, GA, we fight for clarity in the story. It’s almost as if nothing else moves forward until all parties are crystal clear on the goal and the story of the project. Remember video production is just the tool in which we use in order to tell the story.

 

It's Not About You.

Secondly, it’s very easy in this day and age of hired professional video production to unconsciously add sub-par unnecessary video clips to the final product of the video. In order to make a story-driven video, every shot in the final product must be relevant in building the story. This process, in particular, is one that requires the practice of sifting through and finding the best shots that aid in telling the story, compared to shots that are not needed in order to do so. As creatives, we tend to want to use everything that we’ve filmed into our final product. According to popular videographer and owner of Fulltime Filmmaker (an online video production course), Parker Walbeck only uses five percent of the footage he films for his final products, which means the content of the story comes first before his creative desires.

 

So what does it take to make a story-driven video?

    •  All parties must become crystal clear on the purpose of the video and the         story that’s trying to be told.

• In post-production, only content that aids in telling the story can be used in the final product. Personal desire to see your footage in the final video becomes secondary.

• Lastly, all of your film techniques - Interview dialogue, camera angles, and supporting footage captured must facilitate bringing the story to the forefront of your final product; making your cameras and technology small and their story giant!

 

More Blogs

StoryTelling through Video Production

Initial Meeting Process for Story Telling

Equipment needed to tell the story

The How to Guide for Great Video Production!