When it comes to corporate video, size matters. Size matters when it comes to the intended platform, the project’s budget, and the client’s timeline. That is to say that the size of a video can mean different things. Are you talking about the run-time? Budget? Or are we addressing the length of time the project takes to complete? At Key West Video, we work on projects that cover quite a range in each of these areas. Let’s take a closer look at what corporate video size means and where it matters most.

Live-Action

We’ll start by talking about size as it relates to a live-action video. If our team is shooting the footage for a project, there’s a certain amount of work related to pre-production, production, and post-production. This work affects the overall corporate video size. Here are some of the factors that come into play:

• Location. Are we shooting in-studio or on location(s)?
• Talent. If actors are involved, casting is part of the process.
• Gear. Does the production require multiple cameras, extensive lighting set-ups, and a large crew?

Corporate Video Content

During the production phase of a project, content affects corporate video size. In a live-action piece, our editors are working with video footage. If the project is animated, the animators are hard at work bringing an idea to life. In both cases, these materials can be augmented with text and graphics. Each of these elements can contribute to the size of a finished video. Incorporating external elements—such as client footage, graphs, branding assets, etc.—can also affect the size of a project.

Most people underestimate the run-time of a video. It’s not uncommon for us to be pitched a two-minute video that reads more like a five-minute video. Clients often have a laundry list of points they want to cover that exceed a proposed run-time. The job of our writer is to help you distill that message into what’s most important, concentrating on making a connection with the audience. Other projects come to us with an already-approved script and we work with that. Either way, it’s a good idea to limit the size of your video based on what you’re trying to achieve. In many cases, the viewer is more willing to watch a shorter video with a CTA telling them how they can get more information after the video is over.

This short video provides important details, but also has a url for expanded information.

Crew Size

The number of people involved in a project generally correlates to corporate video size. On the client side, multiple levels of approvals and teams providing project input add to a timeline. From a production perspective, using our writer or asking for a storyboard increases the scope. It also takes longer to animate a two-minute video than it does to shoot a live-action two-minute video, all else being equal. One caveat when it comes to large crews: it’s possible to have a one-day shoot with a large crew and an involved set-up that’s done when the last scene is shot.

It’s amazing the amount of information that can be conveyed in just six seconds!

There’s a Corporate Video Size for Everyone

All this brings us back to our initial point: corporate video size depends on a lot of factors. Speaking strictly of video run-time, we produce everything from six-second social media hits to keynote addresses that run over an hour. Promotional videos can be quick and deliver a concise message while instructional videos can be long and very involved with a lot of cut-aways. Regardless of whether you’re using video to promote a new app or enable a CEO to deliver a company-wide message, video is a medium that really connects with people. Call us today for a free quote.

This post was originally published in 2012 and has been updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.