A case study video is a great tool for your marketing efforts, capturing the real emotions of people affected by your product or service. However, testimonial films and case study videos run the risk of being dull and too lengthy. They work well if someone is already deeply interested in your business or charitable organisation, but they may be too much for someone who is just thinking about your products or services or has just chanced upon you online.
It’s easy to have a static camera, capturing one shot of a static interviewee. Which resulting in a more lifeless video that no one quite reaches the end of. When really testimonial videos, and case studies can be dynamic and really engaging, with the emotion and human element really giving life to your organisation.
Here’s a selection of different ways to spruce up your testimonial videos when in filming process:
Film on the go
Filming someone while walking has a dynamic effect and can add great energy to a video.
Filming on the go also steers well away from stagnation, someone sitting centrally on a chair in a small office, looking bored or hunched over, is a kind of video production we’ve all seen a million times.
Static shots can be done well, but you always see the same thing – so why not try something new?
Even having your interviewee standing can be more dynamic than sitting if they’re not walking.
Film with multi-camera
Using two cameras or more for a video shoot is becoming increasingly common, and for good reason!
Editing seamlessly between two different shots gives the video a much more interesting visual feel, especially if they are quite contrasting.
For example, a wide shot that shows the world behind them gives more context to the interview, then perhaps a close-up of the face or hands (if they move them a lot). The final video edit will use a mixture of both these angles.
Another benefit is that the video editor can easily remove sections that don’t sound as good. For example, if the interviewee rambles a little bit or has a long pause – cutting this out and switching the new shot keeps the overall flow of the video very smooth and more concise.
Use a Green screen
Why not try standing your customer or service in front of a green screen whilst filming? This means that instead of a natural environment, you can add graphics behind it.
This is great if you want to take a more ‘technological’ approach and include lots of support from charts or data, or you want to reinforce the branding. Or simply if your workplace isn’t suitable for filming at.
You can also include lots of captioning in green screen videos, which helps reinforce their statements and aids memory.
Film the case study in their environment
If you film your customer at their offices or workplace, it’ll help them feel more at home, as they’re in their own surroundings. This can make their testimonial sound better, as they’re not as nervous.
This is especially good, if their office or shop environment is quite typical of your customers, as it’ll be even more relatable to watch for the audience.
Film at your premises
Filming the interview at your workplace can work really nicely, too. But this is only if this is a typical scenario, i.e., customers often visit your workplace.
Filming there can show the interaction between you and your customer, helping the viewer imagine themselves in this harmonious working relationship.
Film Lots of B Roll
With a testimonial or case study video production, B roll is your best friend. B Roll is simply footage that appears over the top of the person talking.
So you continue to hear the voice, but instead of seeing their face the whole time, you cut to shots of them working, interacting with colleagues, etc.
Usually, these are related shots, such as the person working or carrying out an action relevant to what they are saying.
B roll footage is really helpful for putting the whole interview into context and bringing you into their world and also adds visual interest.
If you want to make the story feel more anonymous, either for safeguarding reasons or to give a impression that it is more universal. then you can record just their voiceover, and create a video of purely B roll Footage. Filming in an interview style will still make the voiceover sound less corporate in feel and genuine, but give you more options with the visuals.
Film more than one person
If you film 3 to 4 people and have a video that includes a combination of all – it creates excitement and diversity.
By asking them similar questions, and subsequently getting answers that have a similar feel, it also gives the impression that everyone is already on board! So, if you have several happy customers or service users, you can film individual testimonials and then make a combination film. This also gives you more videos for your money.
Above all, try to keep testimonial video shooting natural and unrehearsed!
Obviously, you want positive, genuine statements delivered as best as possible, but rehearsing can come across as false and stifled.
If you want more tips on case study video production head to our blog post.
Hopefully, you can use one or more of these tips in your next Testimonial Video Production – click to read about our video production services
