Pros vs Joes

It’s golf season, and with summer fast approaching, I once again find myself racing out to the driving range to shake all of the cobwebs loose. I never have played much golf, but I do love to play. I’m also really good at it. I can do everything that the professionals can do. Believe it or not, I can hit the ball off the drive at around 300 yards while staying out of bunkers, water or the rough. I can gently slice or hook my shot, and can place the ball right where I want it to be on the green.

There’s only difference between me and the pros—they know how to do all of that consistently, and I don’t.

This seems like a great analogy to illustrate one of the more common trends in video production. Without exaggeration, in the last two weeks I have met four people who claim to be “independent filmmakers”…and these are not people I work with in my industry. It seems that today, everyone is a filmmaker, and with the affordability of a Mac laptop and Final Cut, you will soon be hard pressed to take a ride on the train and not sit next to someone who believes themselves to be the next Scorsese.

Recently, a school teacher friend of mine proudly showed me a video he had made. He had managed to use every single transition and stock visual effect that came with his editing system. I couldn’t help but laugh at the randomness of it all. It resembled what I can only imagine Dr. Frankenstein would have created had he been a video editor. Ironically, some of the effects really did work well with the footage he had. But the others…not so much. And therein lies the difference between the Pros and the Joes.

What is truly surprising is that this do-it-yourself video approach is not only being produced in homes all over the world, but in businesses as well. What I am finding more and more is that businesses are deciding to give the “pro-sumer” platforms—and “expertise”—a chance. Of course you shouldn’t expect to see the next Super Bowl spot created with Premier Elements, but you are beginning to see a great number of companies buying a camera and software and assigning an intern the task of creating videos for internal use. While certainly economical, this is, often as not, a recipe for inadequate and ineffective video (and a frustrated intern).

Please understand, this is not a critique of any “creative services” department your company may have. Some of the most impressive work I have ever seen has been produced internally at certain corporations. To be fair, your internal department often has a better understanding of what might work for your internal audience than an outside agency. There are many times, however, that it makes more sense for your message, your medium, and your brand identity to allow an outside agency to create professional video to support your brand.

A few short years ago it was quite common, particularly in the larger corporations, for companies to invest heavily in professionally-produced, high-end internal video. This might include an internally streamed message from the CEO, an online training series or even a keepsake DVD of the company holiday party. You still often see high-end, professional video for some brand and product launches, and many company-wide initiatives. But in these days of smaller wallets and tighter belts, individual departments are becoming more likely to go the more cost-effective route of in-house video production.

So what has triggered this? Beyond economic concerns, a big factor is probably the popularity of online video services like YouTube. I heard a client recently use the term “YouTube-like” when referring to a style of video. It took a little while for what he meant to sink in. The “style” he was referring to was grainy, poorly lit video, and weak audio …but with highly creative content. I totally get the content side of it, but it was quite surprising to discover this new acceptability for lower production/post-production quality. Professionals in the television industry have been saying for years that “content is king.” And maybe the shifting economy and newer distribution structures are finally validating that.

It’s also really easy to become captivated by the prospect of millions of people watching the video you created on a shoestring budget, loving it, and sharing it with others. Still, how much audio and visual quality are businesses really willing to sacrifice? After all, all you’re usually going to get from a shoestring budget is…well, shoestrings.

To me, the decision of which direction to take and how much to invest in video solutions centers on how closely your brand is attached to the video you are creating. For instance, filming your own video of the company’s Oktoberfest celebration is probably a perfect opportunity to cut some financial corners. However, when it comes to your brand identity, quality should never be jeopardized. Whether it is a video used for training or recruitment, or an internal announcement for a new product launch, it’s essential to make the investment in acquiring the best footage…and creating a high quality video worthy of your brand.

Just think about how important this difference can be in an application like a training video series, where information retention is critical. This is certainly not the time for bland content and less-than-impressive audio and visuals. Working with an agency will certainly give you access to professional audio and visuals. But more than that, an agency can give you a professional, objective and strategic assessment of your content, messaging and visual cohesion. Finally, an agency can also help you develop processes for measuring results to gauge the effectiveness of your video.

I do believe there is a place for the “YouTube-like” videos in businesses. You are already seeing many businesses looking to this format to market themselves. Understand that creating effective viral video and using it in your marketing plan is still not a job for the inexperienced. Agencies around the world are becoming masters at how to do this effectively, and unless you have this kind of experience in-house, you will likely be much more pleased with the results by allowing an agency the opportunity to elevate your brand. Besides, I’m sure the interns you were going to use to create your video will be more than happy to carry your golf bag for you and shave strokes off your scorecard. Hit ‘em straight.

Eric Pound

As an Executive Producer, Eric is responsible for the direction and development of StudioNorth’s audio and video solutions. With experience ranging from news broadcasting to national advertising, Eric brings the ability to deliver high-end media experiences with the urgency and attention to detail that clients demand. In addition to broadcast work, Eric also has credits in several documentaries and award-winning short films. Since joining the StudioNorth team in 2005, Eric has played a leading role in understanding current and developing trends in viral marketing, social networking and user-created content, and how they impact B2B marketing initiatives.