Styles of video

The last blog covered a framework for highly effective sales and marketing videos and the different communication styles within a video.

We learned how to align our team around a shared vision with video and be confident that you’re doing it right.

And rather than going out and hiring a video production company, you should hire a videographer and use your existing team to create all the video content you need.

We discussed the types of videos that move the needle regarding traffic, leads, and sales. And how to become a great video strategist and learn to use the flow structure.

When determining the type of video we were making and our objective, we had to figure out who would be in that video and how we would communicate. 

We will go over four different communication styles in a video. What you should communicate, and what video style you will need.

The first style we are talking about is the talking head. Talking heads have at least two elements. 

The first thing is that the subject is directly addressing the camera. The second thing that the talking head is addressing is the viewer. 

No matter how many other cameras you add in, there will always be a static shot of where that person’s directly addressing the camera. That’s the talking head style.

Videos are a perfect fit when you have a subject or subject matter, and an expert who is very comfortable articulating themselves directly to the camera.

It is not easy for many people, and that’s fine, but this is an excellent fit for people when they are prepared and know what they’re talking about. 

Even when people know what they’re talking about, they sometimes find it challenging to address the camera directly. 

We use the interview style for those, not the best fit for speaking directly to the camera or the viewer.

The interview style is the exact opposite of the talking head style because of two things. The first thing is: that the subject is directly addressing the interviewer, so they’re not looking now into the camera.

They look at the interviewer and directly address them in how they talk. So they would talk about things in the third person, for instance.

It is how we work with our customers, and this is how we will work with you. You’ll find that many people are more comfortable with the interview style.

It’s much easier for a producer to ask questions, guide that conversation, and get the content you need versus having somebody prepare all their talking points and deliver on their own. 

The third style, which is pretty standard, and you may use this to present your subjects, is called the hosted interview.

Here’s one that is a great fit. Let’s say, for instance, you sat down with one of your subject matter experts and interviewed them on a specific topic you wanted to make a video about. 

However, they didn’t answer everything in a way that could stand on its own, or you need to add some more context or colour and what they’re saying, so you want to add in a separate subject matter. With the interview style you can easily interweave a talking head to add colour or more context.

For example, in a video focusing on safety, I interviewed the foremost authority we have in the client’s company.

Later I interviewed Eric, the director of safety and compliance, and I started by just asking him how much they focus on safety before stepping into the workplace, checking out and ensuring all their fall hazard protection and guardrail systems.

Now you’ve got a way to expand on that subject and add anything you might want without it being rigid or weird because you didn’t get it in the interview. This case is a great fit.

It is common to see different hosts in the videos create some diversity with sometimes someone from the marketing team or from the sales team.

But this is a great way to combine those two styles and ensure you have a cohesive piece that works for your viewers.

The last style we want to discuss is the hosted walkthrough.

We’ve already talked about the talking head style, it is a very static video, meaning there are not many movements, and you have one person talking about something, which is nothing wrong with that, but often you’re going to have something that you want to show and you want it to be exciting. You want to be entertaining to watch.

For example, you have a video about a manufacturing process, and instead of showing just slides, you want to add motion. 

It could be just a tour of a facility, or by taking movement in motion and adding a level of cinematography in which many things otherwise are static and still. 

So, as you can see, the use of motion has changed scenes and made things more dynamic and attractive. It makes it much easier to watch and has a different vibe.

Everything could have been done in a talking head style but wouldn’t have had the same effects. This style might take a little more work.

It might take a little more planning, but it is worth it because it’s likely different from what your competitors are doing or what other people see in your industry.

So adding that excitement motion that movement in storytelling is a great way to take complicated or boring business subjects and make them fun to watch.