Many companies host or participate in events, but not all take advantage of the video marketing potential these events offer. From live streams to recruitment videos, corporate events provide an excellent opportunity to gather footage that showcases your brand’s expertise and personality.
However, filming a corporate event requires different strategies than filming other types of marketing videos, like commercials. Before pulling out the camera, you need to either understand the ins and outs of event video production or hire a video production company to lead the way.
Video production plays a critical role in marketing, communication, and brand strategy. Event video production enables you to capture events as they unfold, allowing a wider audience to participate in your experience.
Not everyone can attend events in person, especially if an event isn’t local to them. For example, you may be in Chicago, but your audience could be scattered across the country. A professionally produced video, whether live or on-demand, provides a way for remote audiences, including potential clients, to engage with your brand.
As a result, these types of events also build brand value. They help reinforce your expertise and mission, building trust and credibility with your audience. They’re also a great investment, as filming these events gives you great footage to use for other videos.
Filming an event in a high-profile city, like Chicago, can amplify your credibility. Through live event video production, your audience can witness the key moments of your event, regardless of their location, leaving a lasting impression with potential clients.
There are several types of events you can film as part of your video marketing campaign, including product launches, corporate events, trade shows, and more.
You want to build excitement leading up to a product launch. Hiring event video production services for product launches is a great way to do that, as it allows you to capture the excitement on film and extend the moment beyond the walls of your building.
Conferences and trade shows are an excellent opportunity to film content for your brand. Depending on the conference, you can film things like keynote speeches, panel discussions, interviews, product showcases, corporate meetings, and more.
By filming at conferences and trade shows, you’re giving your audience a sneak peek into your industry. This, in turn, expands your reach and helps build your credibility and brand authority. Another benefit? It allows you to archive key moments for employees who couldn’t make it.
Another way to help build brand awareness and credibility is by filming corporate events, such as fundraisers, award ceremonies, and community outreach initiatives. These types of events showcase your brand values, foster an emotional connection with your audience, and position your company as a leading and impactful presence in your industry.
Filming events like team-building days, company retreats, or holiday parties can be a highly effective way to boost internal morale and company pride. However, there are additional benefits. Filming these types of corporate events also demonstrates your brand’s core values and humanizes your company, showcasing its authenticity and personality. Raw footage from these types of events is ideal for crafting videos designed to attract talent.
On the surface, it may seem like minimal video production is needed for live events. After all, you don’t need a script, actors, or a set. You can just show up with a camera, right?
Well…not exactly. There are several things you need to consider to make sure your event's video production goes smoothly, including:
All of these factors are important to consider early in the video production process, as they influence nearly every aspect of your video. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, consider contracting with event video production services.
By the day of the event, you should know the venue like the back of your hand. Make at least one visit to the site beforehand, if not multiple, so you know everything you need to know before the day of the shoot.
Factors such as power, layout, lighting, and sound are all crucial to a seamless filming process, allowing you to capture every key moment.
Test all equipment before the day of the event. If possible, conduct a test run at the venue a few days in advance to verify all equipment and procedures, addressing any issues that may arise.
Whether you’re hosting the event or just participating in it, you’ll need to consider permits and restrictions if you want to film. Some locations prohibit filming in certain areas, while others require a permit to do so.
Speak with the event coordinator to determine what potential roadblocks you may encounter. If you have control over where the event is taking place, consider a space that’s frequently used for events. For example, in Chicago, these locations would include Navy Pier or McCormick Place.
There’s a wide array of video production equipment to choose from, and selecting the wrong type can make it challenging to capture your event properly.
For example:
Test out different types of equipment as you walk through the venue to get a good idea of what will work in the space.
Nothing is perfect, and that includes video shoots. Multiple things can go wrong during filming, including tech failures, delays, and interruptions. By preparing ahead of time, you’ll be well-equipped for whatever the day brings.
Create backup plans for your shots and have contingency equipment available. If you’re filming in a busy city like Chicago, factor in elements such as traffic, load-in times, parking, and building access to ensure you stay on schedule.
When filming a business event, don’t just document everything you see. Highlight key moments, but also get a B-roll of things like reactions and behind-the-scenes footage. You’re not just filming, you’re crafting a compelling story that will leave a lasting impact on your viewers.
While filming, keep your end goal in mind. Are you making clips for social media or full videos for your employees? This will significantly influence the type of content you’re trying to capture.
Unless you’re only live-streaming, your work doesn’t end when the camera turns off. Now it’s time for the post-production process, where all the raw footage is turned into something cohesive and memorable.
During post-production, you or the video production agency you’re working with will splice the raw footage together into a streamlined story. Details such as color and audio will also be adjusted and enhanced to create a polished piece.
Depending on the goal of your video, you will likely want to add elements such as music, motion graphics, or text overlays. This adds energy and keeps the viewer engaged.
While in post-production, you’ll also need to adjust formatting depending on the platform you’re using to host the video. LinkedIn, YouTube, and Instagram all have different requirements.
Recap videos are common after events, as they provide a great way to show corporate executives, employees, and customers what they may have missed. However, events are also a great place to capture footage that you can use later for other projects.
There are many ways to repurpose existing video content, especially event content. It can be used for recruiting, sales, or social media to showcase your company’s expertise and personality. You can also use this footage to highlight and promote future events.
When partnering with a professional company for your corporate event video production, you want someone who knows the area and can help you navigate the ins and outs of events in your city. The production company you choose should be able to show you projects from similar venues or events.
Charter & Co is the production company of choice for businesses in the Chicago area. With over 100 clients nationwide and more than 25 industry awards, we have the expertise to craft exceptional videos for your event.
Contact us today to learn more about our services.
The cost of video production depends on several factors, including the time, length, and location of the event, as well as the services provided. Reach out to Charter & Co to learn more about pricing.
Event videographers film events like concerts, weddings, and corporate gatherings. They also edit the raw footage afterwards.
Making a video of an event is a multi-step process that requires careful planning and securing the right equipment. In addition to filming, you’ll need to edit and format the video correctly.
The four stages of video production are: