Videos of your events are a great way to increase audience reach. They allow people who can’t attend in person to catch up later, and for others to skip to the parts of most relevance to them.
Once you have a few videos in the bag you can also start to build a library of content, which is useful both as a corporate record and for educational purposes.
Events can be as simple as internal briefings and training, or larger-scale public happenings that can enhance your profile as a provider of knowledge.
At contentgroup we have been working with the Institute of Public Administration Australia (IPAA) ACT division, to deliver a video record of their events in Canberra. These typically have included addresses by secretaries and other senior executives from the Public Service. As the events are routinely sold out, the need is to deliver videos to IPAA’s membership (and a wider audience) very quickly.
The videos also serve to promote forthcoming events and maintain a historical record of public-sector leadership thinking.
contentgroup’s senior videographer Ben Curry in action.
Our first priority when delivering these videos is a quality product, to meet the expectations of an audience that is working at the highest levels of federal and ACT government. We aim for more engaging content by using multiple camera angles and animated graphics that are consistent with IPAA’s branding.
The key to a successful production is planning. That means working with IPAA’s event staff and venues to ensure good video and audio quality with:
- Detailed running sheet of the event, so all-important content is captured
- Well-placed camera positions
- The lighting of the stage
- Access to venue sound facilities
Our second priority is a fast turnaround of the videos, while the event is still current. Again, planning is key. We achieve this by:
- Scheduling the edit for as soon as possible after shooting has finished
- Using information from the running sheet to pre-prepare graphics and name titles
- Having after-hours communication with the client pre-arranged, for approvals
- Ensuring fast internet is available for upload
- Uploading directly to IPAA’s Vimeo account
By uploading straight to the IPAA Vimeo account, our client can instantly approve and publish the video. If changes are required, a quick re-edit and upload are done. As these videos routinely run for over an hour, a fast computer and good internet connection are essential.
Ben films Professor Tom Calma AO as he marks 50 Years of Indigenous Affairs at a recent IPAA ACT event.
To date, contentgroup has produced more than 16 event videos for IPAA ACT, shared via its newsletter and website. The audience engagement ranges from roughly 100 to 1,000 views per event video.
The calibre of the presenters that IPAA is able to secure ensures that these events are very popular amongst IPAA’s membership and the broader public sector. The popularity of the subsequent videos suggests that quality video content is reaching a wider audience as well.
How effective do you find a video in your own communication work? Let us know in the comments below.
