Five things that make a corporate film look cheap, and the fix for each
By New Vishal Vision · Updated
Short answer
Most corporate films look cheap for five reasons that have little to do with budget: sound you have to strain to hear, flat light on faces, too many people saying the same thing, music chosen before the edit, and a length that doesn’t suit where the film is watched. Each has a simple fix.
The five problems and their fixes
- Sound you have to strain to hear. Echoey rooms and camera microphones. Fix: a quiet room and a microphone on every speaker. In our experience, viewers forgive a soft picture long before bad sound.
- Flat light on faces. Office tube lights make everyone look tired. Fix: one shaped key light and some contrast, even for a simple interview.
- Too many people saying the same thing. Six managers, one message. Fix: choose the two people who say it best, and let the rest be seen, not heard.
- Music chosen first. A track everyone has heard sets the wrong pace. Fix: choose music last, to fit the edit, and license it properly.
- Too long for where it’s watched. A six-minute film on a phone. Fix: one main film plus short versions for each screen.
What to ask your production partner
- How will each speaker be miked, and where will the interviews be shot?
- What lighting will you bring for interviews?
- Who will appear on camera, and why them?
- Is the music licensed for every platform and for how long?
- Which versions and lengths will we get?
The same care at every budget
These five things matter as much for a college admission reel as for a national campaign. None of them needs a bigger budget, only decisions made before the camera rolls.