The recent Neilsen VideoCensus results – which includes the fact that Facebook is now the world’s third most popular place to view video online – serves as yet another reminder why business communicators need to be able to work in the video medium. If that’s how people want to get their info, then let’s give it to them. What’s fun about the sheer volume of video viewing that’s happening online (999.4 million minutes in October, to be precise), is that there are now entirely new formats that can be explored.

In between studio-produced videos that equal the slick production value of traditional TV spots & the raw, uncut cell phone clips uploaded by whoever, there lies a whole new world of opportunity for communications pros: informative, social & entertaining videos that engage viewers directly with your product or service. They likely skew to either an entertainment or to an editorial feel, but either way the story you can tell is limited only by your imagination.

One of the most profound changes has been the technology… now HD pro-level cameras, sound gear, lighting & editing software are so inexpensive & easy to use (relatively) that the barriers to entry for a budding filmmaker are gone. The big challenge is to find someone who can shoot, record sound, edit, do basic motion graphics, etc. If you can find that kind of skill set, it’s amazing the quality you can produce at a fraction of the cost of even just a few years ago. PR pros are an important part of this process, able to fill in the traditional role of the director/ producer… keeping the story on track & maintaining focus on the end use of the video. Many of the skills involved in managing spokespeople for TV interviews are transferable, plus now you are in control of the entire story start to finish. Kind of liberating, actually.

A recent spot we created for Microsoft Office for Mac, a good example of the kind of production values possible with this new kind of mini-crew. The use of 35mm lens adapter on a digital camera really bumps up the production value?