trends in video for 2023.

In "Total Recall (2012)" - a retelling of the 1990 film, the main character travels to the year 2023 to uncover the truth about his past. As we also arrive in 2023 we’re hoping to peer a little further into the future to explore what video trends are likely to play out over the next 12 months. From utilising AI technology to virtual productions.

1. AI-integrated workflows

The first and most exciting trend is AI-integrated workflows. AI is already beginning to change the marketing landscape (in 2021, marketing and sales represented 20% of AI adoption across all industries) but we see this trend growing even more in 2023.?Here are some of the predicted ways we see AI changing how we produce video;?

• Automation of pre-production, such as scheduling
• Image generation for storyboards and pitches
• Scriptwriting and generating video descriptions
• Visualisation of written or spoken language into video content
• Voiceovers
• AI avatars for presenting, training, and customer service
• Video editing tasks such as clipping, colour grading, object tracking, and facial recognition
• Video analytics and detecting patterns or trends in viewer behaviour
• Personalisation of video experiences for viewers, by tailoring the content or format of a video based on a viewer's interests or preferences.
• Quality control by identifying technical issues in a video or detecting inappropriate content.
• Translating from one language to another

As AI continues to help streamline and improve various aspects of the video production process it should free up time and resources for more creative thinking.?

Remember the film "Her"? The main character falls in love with an advanced artificial intelligence system that he meets in the year… you guessed it 2023. Just saying!

2. Showing up as Human?

Yes, AI is quickly becoming integrated into our workflows (see above) and we’ll be seeing more and more AI-powered content. However, in 2023 humans should be stepping up and out from their brands to make regular honest personal content such as vlogs and profile pieces with a focus on radical empathy and emotional connections. Time to be human and connect.?

3. The evolution of video SEO

We all know video helps boost reach and click-through rate and when done right, it can also convince people to purchase a product or service but Google has now made video a key indicator for SEO going forward, meaning video is even more important as a key part of a content strategy.?

Video helping brands to rank better on search engines is one thing, but what about Social? Well, Google recently conducted a study that showed 40% of young people looking for lunch, go first to TikTok or Instagram before Google Search and Google Maps. ByteDance, TikTok's parent company, is debuting a powerful new search feature in China. Is 2023 year of TikTok SEO? Either way, if Tiktok is working on it you can be sure Instagram, Snapchat, and the rest won’t be far behind. So get ready to optimise your social video content for search discovery.

4. Silent video with captions

More and more users are watching videos without sound, so it's important to make sure your videos can be understood even with audio disabled. Adding captions to your videos is one way to ensure that everyone can understand what's going on and catch those key messages. However, to do even better is to creatively lean into the challenge and ideate a silent video rather than addressing it as an afterthought in post-production.?

As more and more people consume video content online, there will likely be a greater emphasis on making video content accessible to a wide range of audiences. This could include the use of closed captions, audio descriptions, and other tools to make video content more accessible to differently-abled people.

5. More professional-looking UGC

When it comes to social content, authenticity is key. Over the past few years, we’ve seen a rise in brands adopting the rough and ready user-generated “look” synonymous with influencers. But as smartphone camera features continue to improve with cinematic modes and built-in stabilisation combined with more powerful and simple post-production apps we predict that the UGC will look more highly polished in 2023. Will brands follow??

Either way, it’s key to connect with the audience on a personal level in an authentic way.?

6. More creative short vertical videos

So there’s nothing new with TikToks, Shorts or Reels. Short vertical videos are here to stay. But as the format evolves and becomes more competitive expect to see less of the accidental or random moments and more of the crafted and intentional.?The challenge is balancing the feeling of spontaneity with surprise & delight. The goal is to embrace the format’s strengths and encourage viewers to watch a video again and again.

7. Virtual Production

I’m not talking about the remote production techniques we all had to develop during the pandemic (thankfully); On-set virtual production is a process of using LED panels as a backdrop for a set. This allows for the creation of realistic environments that can be used for filming live-action scenes. Think real-time greenscreen. The use of on-set virtual production has grown in popularity in recent years, but will 2023 see widespread adoption??Here are some of the benefits of on-set virtual production include:

• Increased flexibility – With on-set virtual production, there is no need to build physical sets. This means that filmmakers have increased flexibility when it comes to choosing locations and setting up shots. Don’t like the lamp in the background? Swap it out with the click of a button.?
• Cost savings – On-set virtual production can save filmmakers money and time, as there is no need to build or rent physical sets.
• Environmental impact – Building single-use sets that get thrown away after the shoot can be hugely wasteful. Virtual production can eliminate this. What’s more, travelling to locations and physical sets can be vastly reduced too.?
• Enhanced creativity – with the ability to “shoot” in any environment and defy the rules of physics the applications and end results are only limited by our own imagination.

So, if you want your video content to be seen by as many people as possible in 2023, make sure to get AI to script some search-optimised, UGC-feeling, glossy-looking, short, vertical, video content shot in a virtual studio and, of course, produced by BearJam.?