By David O’Connell
Copywriter
When it comes to communicating a message, there may be no media quite as engaging as a well-created video. That’s why we at Encompass place such importance in the quality and variety of the video modules we create. It’s also the reason we’re particularly thrilled that Encompass Communications and Learning, Inc. has been awarded Gold by the 2018 Telly Awards in the Non-Broadcast: Craft – Motion Graphics/Design category for our video “Communications Across Generations.”
In addition to validating our work on this one video, receiving the Telly Award has affirmed our video design practices overall, since the strategies that produced “Communications Across Generations” drive the creation of all our training video modules.
So what factors, according to our methodology, comprise a good video? Though volumes could be written on this topic, I think any good strategy would adhere to the following four points:
1. Make It Relevant
Designing a good video starts with identifying a need and framing a clear message. It’s important that this message be both:
- Urgent – your audience needs to hear it now
- Relevant – it will immediately impact and improve their ways of working
In the case of “Communications Across Generations,” we began by focusing on a common problem impacting today’s workforce: miscommunication between coworkers caused, in part, by generational differences. We knew that educating our audience about the issue and providing solutions could improve collaboration and productivity right away.
2. Script Precisely
We find a concise video, just a few minutes long, often best meets the needs of our busy clients. Packing your message into 2 minutes—as we did for “Communications Across Generations”—requires that your script is lean and precise.
Beyond providing the voice-over dialogue, a good video script creates an arc that gives the video cohesion.
3. Leave Room for Fun
To be impactful, a video must entertain as well as instruct. The message is paramount, but the media is the vehicle. So be sure to take advantage of all the media has to offer in terms of sound, color, movement, and graphics to make your video appealing.
This begins in the script. Having worked with our design partners before, we trusted they would be more than able to translate our ideas into the lighthearted, yet professional tone we were looking for.
4. Execute Imaginatively
Ultimately, the design process makes or breaks a video. No matter how good the script, unless the words on the page are brought to the screen with creativity, imagination, and skill, the final product will fail to live up to its promise.
Our ongoing partnership with the Cubicle Ninjas, as indicated by the Telly Award, has been highly successful. As Daniel May, Art Director for our winning video, pointed out, it’s often the little things a viewer may not even notice that can make the difference between a good and great video. Avoiding dead air, keeping graphics moving, and creating the right look for each character all help make the video easier for the viewer to take in.
As Daniel explained, even subtle color choices can make a big impact. In “Communications Across Generations,” he established a representative palate for each of the characters, seen not only in their clothing but also their background scenery. As these colors repeated each time a character and their corresponding message appeared, they became a subtle visual cue that helped emphasize our message.
David O’Connell has more than fifteen years of experience as a writer and editor in both print-based and multimedia communications. For Encompass, David helps create engaging and informative content to assist learners in advancing their professional development.
