It goes without saying that the overall quality of video and film productions of every kind have changed drastically over the last two decades, but no format has evolved more than the corporate video, which is only now hitting it's stride as a powerful, multi-faceted, and affordable format.
While there have been huge technical innovations to cameras and editing gear over the years, the largest overarching change that has affected smaller budget productions, is the accessibility to these tools, not just the tools themselves. For the highest end cinema or television productions, many of the new cameras and tools that are available today are welcomed conveniences, but aren't necessarily increasing the overall quality of the production as compared to the gear that was being used ten or twenty years ago. The reason being that high end productions always had access to the best. And a 35mm film camera in the 90's looked just as good as (if not better) than even the best digital cinema cameras that exist today. So while many high budget films and television series now enjoy the conveniences of shooting and editing digitally, it hasn't drastically changed the quality of their final products.
The corporate world on the other hand, has benefited most from the advent of these new technologies, as twenty years ago corporate video production was being produced with much lower-end, consumer grade equipment. Older corporate productions couldn't afford the cost or time associated with shooting on film, and the only viable options at that point were Beta, VHS, or other low quality tape formats, all or which were poor acquisition formats. In the editing room, these corporate productions were using very primitive software that more often than not made corporate videos 'feel' like corporate videos. They didn't have any personality, and corporate spots from different companies often looked interchangeable as a result of the limitations that were in place during the production and editing of these videos.
Fast forward to twenty years later and everything has changed. Technologically speaking, corporate videos today can be shot on the same cameras that are being used on Hollywood feature films, such as the RED camera, without breaking the bank. The same applies to post-production as editing and motion graphics software that is used on major film and television work is also now regularly used on corporate projects.
Does this mean that every corporate video is going to be movie-quality? Not quite, as the idea, talent, crew, and other variables play a huge role in the overall final product. Some production companies are more wrapped up in gear than content, so if you're looking to have a corporate spot produced, be aware of this when shopping around for a production company. It's only when you have a perfect balance of concept and execution that the end result will be at it's best. As a production company that specializes in corporate and commercial content, this notion has always been extremely important to us. We understand that an original and exciting concept in critical as a starting point, but also recognize that in order for it to have a large impact, it needs to be produced to the highest possible standards.
The good news is that if you are looking to produce a corporate video today on a budget, you can achieve a quality level that is comparable to high end cinema without breaking the bank. The caveat of course is that you still need the content to be strong, and congruent with your brand, which makes it critical that you team up with the right production company.
For some samples of modern corporate and commercial spots, be sure to check out our selected portfolio here, and to learn more about how corporate video can help to grow your business or brand, please contact us at any time.
The Creative Rebellion Team