Let The Cameras Roll
Creating video content to improve engagement
By Jessica Aiello
Photos and Video: Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation
“Organizations need to think outside of their traditional audiences if they want to continue to grow and have an impact,” says Marci Mowery, President of the Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation (PPFF). Videos are one effective way to reach and engage with new and diverse audiences. With high-quality cameras on today’s smartphones and media-production companies seeking new clients, video creation doesn’t necessarily have to break the bank.
“As the saying goes, don’t let perfection be the enemy of the good,” adds Mowery. “Everything doesn’t need to look award-winning to be worth watching, and don’t let a small budget stop you from trying.”
Yet, if you have been struggling to take your video vision from idea to reality, let this example from PPFF help inspire you to take the next step toward producing a video that is eye-catching, informative, and cost-effective.
Plan For What You Want
“Two of the primary messaging focuses of our organization are the health benefits of outdoor recreation and ensuring that everyone feels welcome in our parks and forests,” says Mowery. “Developing a video series on those topics was a way to reach new audiences and have in-depth conversations with the experts: medical professionals.”
PPFF has been creating videos both in-house and with contractors for many years. Previous videos ranged from collections of still images set to music to videos filmed on cell phones, to professionally produced ones. PPFF has even used college students to film and edit some of the videos for school credit or experience to add to their portfolios in lieu of payment. Topics include video annual reports, fundraising asks, how-to skill builders, and much more.
Because the foundation knew the videos would involve multiple interviews and locations, PPFF decided to use a professional video-production company. To get started, staff members were determined to know what they wanted from the filming process, which included developing the key messages and a target audience.
“These videos have a very broad audience,” says Jen Dunlap, Public Engagement Coordinator for PPFF, “but yours might be more specific. You need to have that clearly defined from the start to develop effective and engaging videos.”
“Have a realistic budget in your hands before contacting videographers,” says Mowery. “If your budget and expectations are reasonable, someone will be willing to work with you.”
Whether the videos are done by a professional or a novice in-house, consider where the videos will be used, as different social media sites have preferences for whether the video is shot horizontally or vertically, says Dunlap.
“You also need to recognize the very short attention span of your audience,” she adds. “The average time spent on an image is 7 seconds. You need to hit them with your key message right away. Changing the scenery or the speaker will also help to keep their focus.”
Once PPFF had its vision and goals in hand, it developed a Request for Proposals (RFP) that spelled out the vision for the project (including retaining a say in the creative process), the budget, and the desired timeline. Staff members compiled a list of eight video-production companies they worked with in the past, that were recommended to them by colleagues, or they found through a Google search, and sent the RFP to them. When the proposals came in, staff members reviewed each and looked at past work and references for the top few. Speaking with the videographers in person helped whittle the list down to the chosen company, Uproot Creative Services in Harrisburg, Penn.
PPFF worked closely with Uproot’s team to develop the locations, scripts, interview questions, and other content-related tasks to be sure of creative control over the videos. Not every videographer will be so willing to do that, however, so be sure to include a discussion on roles early in the process. Mowery recommends you go in with a clear set-up of shared responsibilities, know what you want the end product to look like, and be flexible because this is a creative process.
Don’t Underestimate The Power Of B-Roll
Whether you are filming the video yourself or working with a contractor, one thing is for sure. You can never have too much B-roll (i.e., the secondary footage, often used as cutaway imagery, to provide context and visual interest to add to the story).
“If I spent an hour setting up and an hour filming an interview, I would try to spend two to three hours taking B-roll at each location,” says Colin Powell, Founder and ”Cinematographer Extraordinaire” for Uproot. “I recommend to anyone to take videos on their cell phones when they see something interesting or unique happening in their park. Then upload it to a folder on your computer. You might never use it, but it could come in handy as B-roll for a future video, saving you time and money at that point.”
Mowery also adds, “As part of our contract, we retain the rights to all the B-roll developed during this process. That way, we can use it in future videos and for other projects. Right now, we are thinking of using some of the content to develop a pediatric health version of the video geared more toward kids. Creating that will cost much less money since we have most of the B-roll already done.”
Postproduction Is As Important As The Filming Process
Once filming was complete, Powell transcribed all the interviews and highlighted the key content. Mowery made some edits, based both on her feedback and from some reviewers outside of the organization. “It is always helpful to have others review your work, as we are too close to the project to catch everything,” Mowery recommends.
The editing process took approximately two weeks, with discussions between PPFF and the videographer taking a few more weeks. As a rule of thumb, Powell says it takes about half as long to shoot as it does for postproduction. “It is the most complex stage of the project, and possibly the most important,” he adds.
Getting The Word Out Beyond Traditional Audiences
“Once the videos are finished, it is incumbent upon you to figure out how to get people to watch them, as they have a shelf life,” says Mowery.
In addition to sharing the videos through press releases and social media channel posts, PPFF is figuring how to get news stations to use the content. The foundation is also using staff members and board-member connections to contact health-insurance companies and corporate employee-benefits programs to see if they would share the messaging with their stakeholders. PPFF worked with partner organizations like Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful , the PA Recreation and Parks Society, and local medical professionals, taking a bicameral, bi-partisan approach to distribute the videos to members of the general assembly to help spread the message.
“The end goal of any video project should be to drive more people to your website, where they can engage for more than 30 seconds, learn more about your organization, and hopefully become a champion for your cause,” says Dunlap. “So, make sure, wherever your videos are housed, they have a link back to your site.”
Now It’s Your Turn
If you decide to try in-house video production, you can add to your skills repertoire by finding affordable online and in-person courses on videography from sources in your area. Dunlap recently took a “Crash Course in Video for Social Media” from the Pennsylvania College of Art and Design, which was geared toward novices with minimal video-making budgets.
If you want to go the professional route, “Make sure you find a videographer who is passionate about your vision for the video,” recommends Powell. That is why he responded to PPFF’s RFP. During the pandemic he discovered the stress relief that comes from outdoor recreation, so this project was the perfect outlet for him.
Regardless of whether you go with smartphone video or a top-notch videographer, here is PPFF’s recommended step-by-step process for making your next video. Those related to hiring an external videographer have an asterisk (*).
Develop a vision and goals for the video, as well as a rough outline of content
Develop a budget
Create an RFP that includes the vision, outline, timeline, roles and responsibilities, and budget*
Research videographers, send the RFP to them, and hire one*
Create a list of people to feature in the video (if needed), and coordinate with them
Create a list of locations for filming (if needed), and develop a shooting schedule
Secure any permissions needed for shooting at the desired location(s)
Write interview questions and/or scripts for on-air talent (if needed)
Film the people, sites, and lots of B-roll
Edit the video
Post and share as relevant so people know to watch the video
Repeat with your next project!
To view the videos or to learn more about the Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation, visit PaParksAndForests.org and its related YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/user/PAParksandForests/videos.
Jessica Aiello is a freelance communications professional working on a contractual basis for the Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation, along with other clients in Pennsylvania, Virginia, and beyond. Her work includes writing and editing grants, social media posts, reports, press releases, and articles, as well as event planning and other projects. Reach her at Jessica.s.aiello@gmail.com.