5 Things I've Learned Making 400+ Videos in 2015

My company, Rebel Pilgrim Creative Agency, makes hundreds of videos every year for clients and partners around the world. We are storytellers who love what we do. You may find yourself in need of a video. If I could tell all of our potential future partners some things before they seek our services, it would go something like this:

1. Your desire for a video is always a secondary desire.

Something prompted it. There is always a root problem you are trying to fix by the time you reach out for creative help. We spend a lot of time with our partners making sure that they know why they've decided they need a video. Who is your audience? What do you want them to do? You don't really want a video. You want a tool that creates change.

2. You may need 100 (or more) videos.

This scares a lot of people when I say it. It isn't for shock value. It's true. If part of your goal is to use videos as content marketing and brand building, a few videos/year won't do the trick. You need a long term strategy to get a massive amount of content on the web. It will pay off exponentially in time, but it probably takes longer than you think. There are cost effective ways to get this done. It's a very effective strategy, but it takes a time and financial commitment to see it work.

3. We can't compete with your 23 year-old nephew who makes videos.

(And he can't compete with us.) We're professional storytellers, writers, cinematographers, strategists and editors. My team has produced 7 feature films. Your nephew (or friend, or guy who owes you a favor, or college roommate) may be very talented. He or she may even give you a video that might work for you. Use him if you want to take a risk and save a few bucks. (I get it...I really do.) But use a professional media company when you can't afford to get it wrong. A bad video can do far more damage to your brand than you think. 

4. Emotion, emotion, emotion.

Make sure your video creates an emotional response. I'm an INTP who is also a CEO. I love things that are logical and spelled out.  I want to see the ROI on any investment my company makes. But here's what I've learned the hard way: Every decision people make is an emotional decision. Feelings create action. Data creates thought (inaction). You want people to do something. Therefore, you need them to feel something.

5. One video should communicate one truth.

That's it, really. Almost everyone we've made a video for wants TOO MUCH information in their piece. It's natural to want to cram in every feature of your product or benefit of your service, but the more you say the less people listen. We spend a lot of time convincing people of this. When we fail to convince them, they get a less-than-desirable product from us. (At some point we have to give people what they want.) Avoid the temptation to kill your video with data overload. The best media pieces say one thing - and they say it very clearly.

I'd love to hear your thoughts below. 

To see some of our work, head on over to rebelpilgrim.com.