What if you aren’t bothered with a strategy or “content marketing”? What if you just want to make the best video in the world?
Judging both the New York Film Festivals and EVCOM awards means I am lucky enough to see the ‘best’ branded content being produced in the world. To be honest, it’s a mixed bag and sometimes I am a little surprised at some of the films that get submitted; but some of the content is incredible. It’s inspirational to see films that have clearly had blood, sweat and tears poured into them to make them the best they can possibly be. Of course ‘best’ is a subjective word - in this context we are talking about cinematic beauty or provoking an emotional response, not necessarily ‘effectiveness’ (although ‘effectiveness’ was also a key point in the judging process).
Sometimes, that might be what you want. You want the best film in the world, something that makes people laugh, cry or their jaw drop, simple as that. Something you are proud of. That’s your prerogative of course, and it’s probably a brief that most film makers would die for!
This year’s judging ran to script, and as always the entries were hugely varied. But there was something that all the best entries had in common, something that all the judges responded to really well. It was the films that were different, the films that clearly had more thought at the front end than most. It’s likely that production was probably the easiest part of these films, because the ideas were so well thought through from the outset. Some of them were truly brilliant and hugely memorable.
So, if your aim is to make the best video in the world, remember these key points...
- The creative is crucial, spend as much time/money on it as production
- Make sure the production values are appropriate for the idea
- Do something different, take a risk
Simon Crofts
Creative Director