A lot of corporate videos have a look and feel that just seems, well, corporate. They are polished and sure they might suit the company, but it doesn’t have to be this way. To add a sense of production value that many corporate videos are lacking, here are some tips to make more cinematic corporate video.
Keep it Moving
Most people assume that corporate video has to be safe and formal, but that’s not the case at all. By adding a simple element like camera movement into your video, you’ll have a great way to turn a boring puff piece into a cinematic video that will market your business for you. By using a stabiliser like our DJI Ronin M, you can follow and track people, show a day in the life, and add some energy into your B-roll. However it’s best to use these elements sparingly, if you’re filming a sit down interview it doesn’t make a lot of sense to be circling the interviewee.
Add Drama with Lighting
Dynamic lighting is the key creating a truly cinematic image. While there are hundreds of different lights to choose from, as well as many different options for using natural light, you don’t need to be have a huge production crew to get cinematic lighting. By using backlights, contrast between light and shadow and some background lighting, you can add that cinematic touch to your video.
Choose a Cinematic Lens
Another way to add some cinematic flair is to use shallow depth of field for your interviews and B-roll. If you look at any big-budget Hollywood production, one thing will almost always be noticeable, and that is shallow depth of field. By setting your lens aperture to it’s widest setting, say f2.0, you can really separate you subject from the background, which will be blurred. This effect will be less pronounced on wider lenses so for interviews use a lens 50mm or above.
Good Sound is Crucial
One key factor for creating cinematic videos is the music and sound mixing. Having a track with the appropriate energy is important to set the tone of the video, whether it is serious and weighty subject matter, or light and energetic. Recording clear sound is also important as muffled or tinny sound is extremely noticeable and will distract the audience.
Make the Grade
You can also add a bit of cinematic flair in post production when you enter the colour grading stage. A common cinematic look is the “orange and teal” grade, where those colours are ramped up, which works really well for outdoor shots, but be careful not to go overboard with it. By increasing contrast, maybe adding some subtle film grain, you can make your video feel more like a movie than a drab corporate video. You can even add in a matte with some black bars at the top and bottom of the screen to give it that CinemaScope style look.
If you’re looking to add some cinematic style to your corporate videos, get in touch with Dream Engine today.
Ryan Spanger is one of Melbourne’s most respected and sought-after video production professionals. Ryan founded Dream Engine in 2002, and specialises in helping medium to large corporates, government departments, and the non-profit sector to connect with their audience more effectively by using video.
