Best Practices for Recording High-Quality Executive Messages

The modern corporate world thrives on effective communication. With the rapid shift towards digitalization, video has emerged as an indispensable medium for executives to deliver messages that resonate both internally within the organization and externally to stakeholders.

However, recording an executive message isn't just about standing in front of a camera and speaking. To make the communication truly impactful, there are specific practices one should follow. Here's a guide to ensure your executive messages hit the mark every time.

Planning is Paramount

Start with a clear understanding of the message's purpose. Are you communicating a change in the company? Celebrating a milestone? Addressing a crisis? Once the objective is clear, craft a concise script or key talking points to avoid rambling and ensure that the central message isn't lost.

Quality Over Everything

Invest in good recording equipment. A high-definition camera and a clear microphone can make a significant difference in how the message is perceived. Background noise can be very distracting and take away from the impact of the video and make the dialogue less intelligible. Good lighting is also crucial. Ensure the face is well-lit, and avoid distracting shadows or overly bright backgrounds.

Read our blog post on creating quality video content with mobile devices. 

Professional Background, Minimal Distractions

Opt for a clean, professional setting. This could be an office, a conference room, or even a well-set home office for remote recordings. Ensure the background is tidy and free from distracting elements.

Dress the Part

The attire should reflect the company's culture and the gravity of the message. While some organizations might be more lenient with casual attire, it's typically recommended for executives to dress professionally for video messages to convey authority and credibility.

Tailor the Camera to the Talent

For talent who are not actors and do not have experience on camera, it is best to make them feel as comfortable as possible. Looking directly into the lens can be intimidating for those without experience, and you want to avoid darting eyes and discomfort with such direct shots. A long sided shot mixed with other angles for example will probably work better, as the video will not feel as intense from being stared down the entire time. Having an interviewer off screen is a good technique to have the talent engage more comfortably while also setting up production to follow a more interview style shoot.

Practice Makes Perfect

As executives are not actors, it can be challenging to deliver scripts from memory. Make sure to keep your talent comfortable and provide ample time to get multiple takes in order to capture all necessary information naturally. Rather than memorizing a script, an interviewer can ask the talent questions, who will respond with an iteration of the question followed by a response, allowing the talent to use their own words and deliver the message more naturally. For videos that require a specific script, use multiple takes and cut between a few camera angles to hide each new take. Staggering the recording this way helps brief the talent before each section, and will allow better pacing during the edit.

Include Supporting Graphics or B-Roll When Necessary

If the message contains statistics, achievements, or complex points, consider incorporating graphics or B-roll footage to emphasize and clarify these points. For longer messages, this will maintain viewer attention and ensure full consumption of the video.

Ensure Accessibility

Provide closed captions or a transcript for the video. This ensures that the message is accessible to everyone, including those who are hearing-impaired, and can also be beneficial for viewers in sound-sensitive environments. 

Viostream’s Automated Speech Recognition (ASR) technology processes your videos after uploading, generating a closed caption file that is 95%+ accurate. This service is free with all plans.

End with a Clear Call-to-Action

Whether it's asking employees to attend a follow-up meeting, directing stakeholders to additional resources, or simply encouraging feedback, end the video with clear next steps. With Viostream, you can embed Call to Action buttons within the video. 

Promote the Message

Once the video is ready, you need to ensure it reaches the intended audience. Upload it to Viostream to embed the video on company websites, gate the video with a password, or share links via email, Slack, or any other relevant platforms to share the message. Monitor viewer analytics all within our platform to understand the most powerful elements of your video content. Learn more about how to use Viostream for all your corporate communications here.