Must-Have Media: Talking Head Video
Covered in this post—
The role of talking head videos in corporate communication
Types of talking head videos for Chicago businesses
The production process: creating impactful talking head videos
Transform your corporate communication
For years, the thought in video production was that you couldn’t break the fourth wall. Talking heads videos took that notion, crumpled it up, and tossed it out like yesterday’s newspaper. Don’t know what we are talking about? This is the blog for you.
No, we aren’t talking about THE Talking Heads, the infamous band that made their mark in the late 70s and early 80s. We are talking about video clips that feature a subject matter expert looking and speaking directly into the camera.
Talking head videos have become a staple within the business world for marketing, training, sales, customer service, and more. On the surface, they are easy to produce, but things can quickly go awry, which is why so many businesses in Chicago are opting for a professional touch.
At Mark Campbell Productions, we understand the role that high-quality professional videos have in your overarching content strategy. With our team of experienced videographers and production professionals, we can help your vision come to life.
The Role of Talking Head Videos in Corporate Communication
Claiming that a talking head video is simply a person speaking into a camera is like referring to a Ferrari as just another car. There is more than meets the eye, which means it pays to get it right the first time. Like every other piece of content that your business produces, talking head videos impact how your audience perceives your brand, potentially impacting your bottom line.
Within the marketing world, talking head videos are all about brand trust and authenticity. Each video serves as a small window into your world, giving you the opportunity to establish trust and increase credibility with your audience.
The human element cannot be overemphasized, especially as AI has quickly risen within the marketing industry. Showcasing executives on your team, subject matter experts, and other key stakeholders is simply something that even the best AI cannot touch.
These videos also give you a platform in which you can deliver clear and concise messaging to a specific audience. While this aspect might be similar to something you would see in an AI-generated video, the fact remains that a personal video is substantially more engaging and interesting than a bot that has lip-sync issues, where sound and video don’t quite match up.
Types of Talking Head Videos for Chicago Businesses
Now that we have established why it is important to have high-quality talking head video, how do you put it into practice and create magic?
1. Executive Address: These videos connect stakeholders within the company with employees. These are great for the traditional State of the Union messages or special recognition items, such as promotions.
2. Customer Testimonials: There is no better marketing tool than word of mouth. When customer testimonials are inserted into a talking head video, it amplifies the message as it can then be shared with prospective customers via email or social media.
3. Expert Interviews: Trying to establish that your team is the best in the business? Thought leadership is a great way to go and talking head videos can help you get there faster. Shorter videos make great social media content that can be shared, helping your brand gain traction faster.
The truth is that there are endless opportunities for Chicago businesses when it comes to talking head videos. This is because they can cover any and every subject that impacts your business or industry.
Pro Tip → Share how you will use the content with the videographer so they can provide input and a fresh perspective.
The Production Process: Creating Impactful Talking Head Videos
Hopefully, you are as excited about the potential of talking head videos as we are. If you are considering hiring a professional videographer to help with production, planning is essential.
Going into any video session without a clear understanding of the goals and expectations can interrupt the process and leave you with a less-than-stellar product. Here are a few tips for each stage of the planning process to get you started.
Pre-Production Planning
Pre-production is all about clearly defining objectives and your target audience. If you don’t know what the goal is, or who you will be talking to, even Steven Spielberg won’t be able to help. This is one of the biggest differentiators between a professional and an amateur, and it cannot be glossed over.
An amateur will likely show up the day of, turn on the camera, and let the subject do their thing. This is like trying to catch lightning in a bottle. A professional will work extensively on the front end and should ask a wide variety of questions to make sure they are making your vision become a reality.
Filming Techniques
Getting captivating results doesn’t happen without proper planning. As you plan your video shoot, it can be easy to solely focus on the subject – what they will wear, what they will say, and how they will say it. These are important aspects, but so is location.
The setting is just as important as the person, as it creates additional points of interest and engagement. Putting a subject matter expert in a cubicle, or a windowless office, screams Pizza Hut training video from the 1990s.
Work with your videographer to find suitable locations within your office, or in the nearby neighborhood that can make for a more interesting end product.
Editing and Post-Production
The legwork for your subject might be done once the camera stops rolling, but the real work is just beginning for a production team. The editing and post-production process is one of the biggest parts of the project and it is one that you should ask detailed questions about as you search for a Chicago-based videographer.
Items such as touch-ups and editing should be the bare minimum. No one is going to get everything right on every take. But a great editor can extract anything that should be omitted and stitch everything back together seamlessly.
Avoid videographers who don’t have a well-defined process or who cannot give you concrete delivery dates. Reputable production teams will be able to spell it out with ease, even if the project is unique.
Transform Your Corporate Communication
Very few marketing mediums give the subject the ability to directly talk with the audience like a talking head video. This type of content can be an amazing catalyst for your business, or put your team in a negative light if not created carefully. Keep in mind – with great power, comes great responsibility.
The Mark Campbell Productions team has worked diligently with businesses around the Windy City for the past 14 years, establishing themselves as the trusted name in corporate photography and video production. Backed by an experienced team, we are ready to help you build your brand, one video at a time.
Visit our website or contact us at (312) 219-4339 to learn more about our suite of services and our team and get your quote today.