Product Video Production

Unlike a regular commercial that shows you, for example, a new bicycle and how beautiful it looks, a product video will show the bike up close. (Sometimes very close so that you can see even the most minor details.) Usually, the product will be used, also. So, in this case, you may see someone out on the new bicycle, showing how well it handles and how smoothly it rides.

In short, a product video (aka a product demo video) shows the public exactly how your product works by actually using the product in the video. You can do this for products like bikes and blenders, electric toothbrushes, pots and pans, musical instruments, you name it! Product videos can also be made for services, including IT services, website creation services. Internet services like Google and many more.

The Different Types of Product Videos

There’s more than one way to make a product video, that’s for sure! In fact, there are 6 commonly used methods of making product videos (all of which have their pros and cons). They include:

Professionally Produced Videos

• Classic Product Demo Videos. This type of video shows the product in great detail and from many different angles. Often there’s no dialogue in this type of product video, but instead, consumers see the product being, for example, put together. These are comparable to seeing a product in a store in person. They also have a very positive and persuasive impact on consumer buying decisions.

• Tutorial Videos. As the name suggests, tutorial product videos show the viewer how a product is used. An iPhone, for example, or a Peloton stationary bicycle. They teach the viewer how to use a product they have already purchased, which is their biggest drawback. Why? Because the consumer has already purchased the product, so this type of video generally won’t produce more sales. (They sometimes can, but it’s not their primary focus.)

• Feature Videos. This type of video shows the product actually being used, not how to use it. They go into how the product works, for example, and its primary functions and features. Some will focus on one element, while others will delve into all of them. Like product demo videos, feature videos can make a significant impact on sales. If consumers see your product in action, and it’s a great product, the infu=ence they have on the decision-making process is substantial.

User-Created Videos

The following three types of product videos are typically made by consumers, not by the brand or a professional video production company. They have a place in your marketing, especially if consumers love your product(s). On the other hand, since your brand doesn’t have any control over how they’re produced, the videos can say and show anything,

That includes, for example, opposing opinions, foul language, and general silliness. They can also be very low quality and focus on the presenter more than the product. For these reasons, the following three types of video should be used sparingly in your marketing.

• Unboxing Videos
• How-To Videos
• Product Review Videos

Here’s a fact; today’s consumer is purchasing online more than ever before. (The 2020 pandemic saw a massive rise in online sales.) Before consumers purchase, however, they do their due diligence, searching and comparing products, features, and benefits.

Let’s take an example to explain why your business needs product videos. Say a consumer is looking for a new blender, and they come upon your website. There they see all sorts of pretty pictures and lots of fluffy words about how great your product is. (Maybe they’ll even see some rave reviews.)

Next, the consumer clicks on the website of your competitor. There they have the same pretty pictures and fluffy words, but something else, too: a video showing how well their blender works. How amazing it is at blending, for example, or how easy it is to clean. They see the blender in action, blending stuff and making yummy smoothies, soups, or sauces.

The experience of seeing the blender in action, as opposed to static pictures, creates a vision in their mind’s eye of how it will work in their kitchen (and how delicious that smoothie, soup, or sauce will taste!). The combination of the video, words, action, and sound, if done well, is highly potent.

Now, ask yourself; which of the two blenders is the consumer more likely to purchase (all other factors being equal)? Statistically speaking, the blender (or other product or service) with the video will win the sale over 70% of the time! That, in a nutshell, is why your brand, your business, and your products need well-made, persuasive product videos.

Video production (product video production to be exact), in its most simplistic form, is the process of recording a product video. Of course, that’s easier said than done, as many different factors go into making a product video. In fact, many liken the experience to shooting a Hollywood movie with lights, a script, actors, and many other “moving parts” necessary for a successful video to be produced.

So what goes into making a product video, and what does product video production entail? Frankly, we could write an entire book on the process, but below we’ll try and cut it down into bite-size chunks.

Step 1- Pre-Production

As the name suggests, pre-production is everything that needs to be done before the actual video shoot. They include:

• Brainstorming Ideas. Usually, the core team and the video production team meet several times.
• Discussing the goals of the video. (What you want it to accomplish once done and viewable by consumers.)
• Site or Set Visits. If shooting a live video, visiting the site or set where it will be filmed can be helpful.
• Scriptwriting. Most product videos have a script that the actors will use with specific words and phrases.
• Preparation for Shooting. These are the finalizations of things like the script, actors, settings, etc.

It’s during pre-production that any and all ideas should be thrown around, so to speak. For example, you need to decide if you want a funny, memorable video or something more serious. The more you can get done in pre-production, the better things will go the day of the video shoot.

Step 2- Production and Shooting

This is where the rubber meets the road, as they say. All the meetings have been completed, the script and actors are ready, and the location is also prepared. Some of the tasks that will be performed during production and shooting include:

• Setting up all the lighting to light the product(s) and actors well.
• Setting up sound equipment to capture audio.
• Preparing the product(s) for being used, shown, modeled, etc.
• Shooting any “B-Roll” footage to be edited in later.

During production and shooting, a liaison between the video production company and your brand is vital. This is someone who can stay on-set (or be a point of contact) during shooting to act as the go-between in case of questions, changes, etc.

Step 3- Post Production

Shooting a video can be difficult, but the real work is done after the shoot is done and the actors and crew have all gone home. That’s when the editor and producer get to work, turning raw video footage into a professional, appealing and engaging video that the public will see. Some of the things involved in post-production include:

• Selecting music for the video.
• Editing in sound effects and visual effects, if necessary.
• Choosing the exact shots and scenes for the final, edited video.
• Delivery and posting of the video to your online and offline channels.

This is a question that’s a bit difficult to answer, as all videos are unique in one way or another. If, for example, you need one actor, your cost will be less than a video that needs three actors. A one-minute video will cost less than a two or 3-minute video due to langer scrips, more editing, and so forth. The location also plays a role in the final cost, especially if travel time is involved.

All of that being said, the typical product video costs between $400.00 and $2000.00 (but can cost well into the six to low seven figures). Again, the final costs depend on many factors. rest assured that, before your video begins shooting, you will have a much better idea of the final price. (That’s why pre-production is so important!)

An excellent way to explain why product videos are such a superb investment is to use a salesperson. Typically, a salesperson works 8 hours a day, 5 days a week. During that time, though, they may only be involved in actual selling for a few hours, maybe less.

On the other hand, a product video works for your company 25/7, 365 days a year. They never ask for a raise, don’t need bathroom breaks, and will never, ever call out sick. Also, once you’ve paid for the video, it keeps on selling. The longer it does, the higher your ROI will go! And, of course, there’s this one significant fact; consumers love product videos! If you make one that really rocks, it could catapult your business into relevancy (and profits) almost overnight!

Few investments will pay off as potently and for as long a time as product videos. Indeed, most companies create new product videos all the time, creating a library of videos consumers can watch at their leisure when they need to decide on a product. Statistically speaking, there are very few marketing and advertising tools more potent than that!

If you’ve made it this far, chances are you want a video production company to make your first (or next) product video. So why choose Latent productions? Below we’ll lay out our reasons:

Experience

The team here at latent Productions has years of video production experience. We can advise you on every facet of the process so that the results are spectacular.

Contacts

We have contacts throughout the industry with scriptwriters, actors, editors, and producers. We also know where the best locations are if outdoor shots are needed.

Top-Notch Production

Our state-of-the-art setups and environments (with lights, audio, and awesome recording equipment) allow us to produce amazing product videos that make products shine! We truly have the technology, know-how, and equipment to make your products look and sound absolutely amazing!

Last Words

Do you have a better idea now why product videos are vital your the success of your business? We sure hope so because they certainly are! If you have questions or would like to set up a no-obligation consultation about your product video, please leave your name and contact info, and someone will get back to you in the next 24 hours!