You wouldn’t think a video about sexual consent would be a viral hit but the Thames Valley Police video – with over half a million views in its first week – has become just that. So what is so good about it as piece of communication?

A big idea.

The production company invested time upfront getting the big idea. There are 100s of ways this subject could have been approached and it would be easy to dive into one of the first that came up. But in spending time early on they have been able to deliver a brilliant film and spend almost no money on production!

The power of analogy.

In complicated or tricky areas using analogies can be highly effective. You don’t have to explain everything – the brain fills in the gaps allowing you to keep the piece short and focussed. They have picked a brilliant analogy here, which shows how ridiculous – or disgusting – it appears when you suggest forcing an un-conscious person the ‘drink tea’.

A tight script.

Having hit on a great analogy they kept the script really tight and to the point. They resisted the urge to cover every possible angle but kept ‘on-message, even making great use of repetition to drive it home.

A good tone of voice.

Avoiding temptation to be ‘trendy’ they kept it simple and to the point. They even managed to inject a bit of humour.

Visually interesting.

You might think it odd that working for a video production company I list the ‘look’ of the film last. While this definitely stands out, it is the above points that are the most significant things that make it a great film.

At Gripped we love using analogies – we created a whole campaign about Return on Investments for a global FMCG client that used a hot air balloon as the link to RoA. It was a ‘soar-away success’.

If you would like to talk about how we can help you get your message across do get in touch.

[email protected]

If your job involves filming your CEO or senior leaders, the following tips from a company who have done it many, many times might help.

Be brave.

CEO’s that just nail it are rare. Even though you may be dealing with some big egos, our experience is that if you can make clear, helpful suggestions that will make them look good on camera – they want to hear your advice.

Have fun.

It can be quite stressful on set but a little light hearted humour does wonders to put everyone at ease and help the contributor perform at their best. Try and set the tone as soon as they walk in – a relaxed team will deliver a relaxed filming experience.

Be pragmatic.

Your contributor will want to spend as little time as possible. Don’t delay filming trying to correct a small visual problem, or fiddling with the positioning of a light. Get it all set up before they arrive and when they are there just spend the time filming.

Know when to step in and when not to.

If you hear a mistake it is far better to interrupt and step in. It takes two seconds to do a re-take but it’s a nightmare trying to patch over a factual error in the edit.

Water.

Always have a bottle of water ready. Even the most experienced people get ‘dry mouth’ and you don’t want to waste time running out for water. It shows you care and understand the stresses of filming.

Give the crew enough time to set up.

Yes of course you can point an IPhone and film in two seconds but it takes time to set up a great shot if you are using professional kit, sound and maybe lights or autocue. Allow the film crew enough time to set up before your start.

Run through.

If you are using an auto-cue get the script up on screen and read it through yourself – out loud and on camera. This will help you spot all the points in the script that read badly or cause you to trip up. This will make a real difference and increase the chance of the person your are filming being able to do it in one take.

If you would like us to help film your leaders call Peter Walter on 07775 566005 or mail [email protected]

We saw this ad on YouTube and thought it would be a great way to connect staff from sites around the world.

https://youtu.be/l8Y5MDVhZDQ

Imagine if this installation was set up in your offices and factories? The person ‘in the poster’ could be a senior leader from ‘Head Office’, or a range of junior staff.

• Build excitement around an up-coming event
• Engender a sense of community
• Create a sense of fun
• Build huge talk-ability

Fun and effective!

If you would like to talk to us about using videos to connect with your staff drop us a line.

[email protected]