How to Turn Your Office into a Video Studio: Part 1
Where to Film Your Corporate Video Production at Your Office
In-office video production can be a great way to put your business's best foot forward. While we do have a video studio, about 70% of our shoots are on-location, meaning we've gained a lot of experience filming in offices. Take it from us: Though it makes production far more convenient for employees and C-suite executives, using offices for corporate video is not as simple as setting up a camera in a conference room. Keep reading for our pro tips for on-location corporate video production.
1) Do Not Film in a Conference Room
This is number one for a reason--we cannot stress enough how filming in a conference room is not a viable option. While it may seem like the logical top choice (especially if you're a fan of the show The Office, these rooms are not conducive for on-location filming. With large tables surrounded by chairs, conference rooms are very difficult to navigate for a corporate video production team. Production will need ample, open space for cameras, lighting, and gear. Unless all furniture can be easily removed before the team arrives, the conference room will not suffice. Instead of using it as your filming location, we recommend making it the "Green Room," where talent waits before their interview. Make sure to provide light refreshments along with extra copies of the scripts/questions for people to prepare. Not only is this the ideal use for the space, it also creates a cozy environment for talent to calm any nerves and prepare for their segment of the shoot.
2) Natural Light is Not Always the Best
While natural light can do wonders for some video shoots, it's much more likely to hinder the overall quality of your corporate video. In fact, because natural light is entirely uncontrollable, traditional film studios have no windows at all. Sunny days yield overexposed lighting, while cloudy days make minute-to-minute lighting consistency impossible. Most of all, as the Earth's position to the sun moves, different angles and shadows are cast in your shot. If your shoot exceeds an hour, the passage of time becomes visible and changes the lighting. Instead, when shooting in offices for corporate video, we recommend using a room that does not get direct sunlight. Even better, find a room that has blinds and/or drapes to dampen as much light coming from outside of the room as possible. Regardless, it's crucial not to seat your talent in front of a window. This causes the subject to be entirely backlit, creating dark, muddy shadows that obscure the subject. When planning the shot, place any windows behind your camera, then use studio lights to light the talent.
3) Avoid Empty, Blank Walls
When filming in offices for corporate video, you need to strike a balance of creating shots that are both dynamic and simple. While production needs a large, empty room, it's important to film in a room that isn't too empty--plain walls make for a very flat shot. Additionally, if the subject isn't far enough away from the background, the camera picks up massive shadows behind them. Bear in mind, however, that there is a fine line to how much to add to a shot before it becomes busy and distracting; the last thing you want is for your video's message to be overshadowed by the clutter behind the talent. To avoid this, we recommend setting up a small "set" with a chair, a tidy bookcase, and some plants. Using these props can create "layers" that give depth to your shot. Be sure to arrange the bookshelf and plant closer to the background wall, placing the subject more forward. We encourage you to play around with the set, but always test it with the camera. What the camera sees is not always what we see with our eyes.
Angela Wolf Video offers corporate video production services near Philadelphia, PA.
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