Video Production Tips: How To Make A Budget Viral Video
Most production companies in Los Angeles work on quite a large budget.
However, is it possible for smaller studios and brands to make viral videos despite having much less work.
Although it’s possible, it takes a lot of shortcuts and skill. It’s hard to make something out of nothing, though, so at least put aside a decent budget for your video and media marketing. Even starting brands have to put in several thousands of dollars into it from the get-go.
Whatever your budget is, we’ve put together a short guide to help you make viral videos while on a budget. Remember that viral videos are rewatchable, enticing, and make people want to share them. Here’s what you can do to get there.
Do It Yourself
Viral videos can be made while in DIY or Do-It-Yourself mode. A lot of the pre-production and post-production can be done even by amateurs to video making. Some examples would be script writing and storyboarding. These don’t have to be done by video experts; they can instead be accomplished by your in-house writers, artists, or even graphic designers.
As for the marketing part of post-production, your social media and marketing strategy team will already be plenty of help in strategizing how to get your video to go viral online. Their expertise in SEO is a huge plus here.
While hiring a video production team from LA usually involves the entire works from pre-production to post-production, you may be able to avail of services that exclude what your team can already do. Especially when on a budget, you want to rule out the things your brand is already capable of and those that you need to outsource.
Other alternatives to hiring a team would be hiring individual freelancers, such as those you can find on Upwork or Fiverr. You may also go for an animated video which, although another field of expertise, may be less expensive in terms of equipment.
Think Out of the Box
If you don’t have the budget and equipment to do everything the long and professional way, find some neat shortcuts introducing a sleight-of-hand. There are interesting tricks like forced perspective, DIY lighting hacks, homemade props, or even a jarring yet interesting animation trick that will catch the viewer’s attention from afar.
One thing to remember about viral videos is that they go viral because they demand attention. There are several ways to aim for that “wow” factor. A visual shortcut or trick is one of them. Another way would be to keep it simple and focus on an insanely strange or creative concept.
Remember, the first few seconds of a video are crucial. You only have that long to grab the viewer’s attention and make them decide that the rest of it is worth watching.
Make The Cost Worth It
It’s possible to run out of affordable options. In truth, nowadays, DIY low-budget videos often don’t cut it anymore, especially if you’re a startup in Los Angeles trying to make it big. That said, it’s okay to find yourself spending more on video production.
Because of the insane quality standards of corporate videos these days, you will likely begetting bang for your buck by hiring a professional video studio to produce your marketing videos. Even if your concept is as simple as an amateur-like project, people still want to see it in high-quality video and audio.
There were days when videos shot on old cameras were what got viral, from the first YouTubers who used laptop cameras to when Vine was still around, shot in 6-second cell phone camera clips.
However, these types of videos were made by individuals for individuals. Their audiences are vastly different from what any brand would expect to grow. As a brand, you need to establish professionalism and quality just from your media marketing.
In other words: don’t scrimp on your video. If, even after your DIY and sleight-of-hand attempts, you’re still not getting the results you want, then set aside a good portion of your budget and invest in quality. If all goes well, you’ll likely earn the cost back from sales anyway.
Conclusion
How far are you willing to go or spend for the perfect corporate videos? Will your current team of talent be able to get the job done? If yes, then you’re in luck. If not, then that’s okay.
Audiences may expect a lot from upcoming brands and don’t want to listen to shoddy audio or pixelated videos. Animations, if used, should be high-quality and appropriate for your video. Videos also have to be well-executed, from pre-production planning to post-production.
In this day and age where video marketing dominates the web space, there’s no shame in investing a lot into getting your videos right. Think about what’s best for your brand and your team.
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