FEATURE THEHOT LIST
3. THE SECOND COMING OF BRANDED VIDEO
Facebook is not only a giant in social media but also as a marketing platform for lots of commercial companies, and media brands use it to get their messages out to the general public. Three years ago Facebook announced it was going to give preference to video content over still photographs and text, which sent many companies into complete overdrive as they hired people who could quickly make video content for them and get it out on Facebook. And many media companies went video mad, quickly hiring inexperienced and cheap filmmakers to put out as much content as possible in the hope that they’d sell expensive adverts around and in it. But it didn’t work anywhere near as well as was expected, as the content was often of poor quality and it led to digital- only publishers andmarketing companies slimming down and cutting their staff. Turns out, Facebook viewers don’t want to see amateur content fromprofessional brands.
And this year the mighty Facebook announced it would prioritise content from user’s friends rather than companies and media brands. The Facebook-led video bubble had burst. But now, the market has matured and the demand for talented moving-image storytellers is growing. Forward-thinking companies of all sizes are hiring staff or freelancers to produce quality video to make all sorts of shorts – everything from traditional adverts to documentaries and even scripted content. This branded content, if done well, engages with audiences and by producing and distributing it themselves, big clients can keep control of both their brand message and costs. That means that branded content films, commissioned by advertisers who want editorial-like storytelling to build their brand but ultimately sell products and services, are booming. It allows talented filmmakers to be creative and make good-quality films, paid for by
companies who have money to spend and are willing to spend it on talent. Some companies like energy drinks giant Red Bull have huge editorial departments dedicated to making high production value films of everything from action sports to rock music. Others just want instructional videos to host on YouTube, or behind the scenes with their ambassadors showing their products in real use, rather than as an advert. Tackle this market, and there is plenty of work. “Forward-thinking companies of all sizes are hiring staff or freelancers to produce quality video tomake all sorts of shorts”
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PRO MOVIEMAKER AUTUMN 2018
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