Featuring employees in company videos gives customers an opportunity to meet the people they may work with before they ever visit your business.
But asking someone to participate in a video isn’t quite the same as asking them to attend a meeting. Some employees may be comfortable speaking on camera, while others have never done it before.
A little preparation can help everyone understand what to expect.
Explain Why You’re Recording
Before asking employees to participate, tell them what the video is for.
- Are you introducing your team on the company website?
- Recording a recruiting video?
- Explaining what happens during a customer appointment?
- Showing how different departments work?
People tend to feel more comfortable when they understand why they’re being interviewed and how the finished recording will be used.
Let them know whether the video will appear on social media, your website, or somewhere else.
Participation should be voluntary, with appropriate permission for recording and publication.
Choose People Who Know the Subject
The person with the highest job title isn’t always the best person to explain a particular part of your business.
If you’re recording a video about customer service, someone who handles customer questions every day may have better examples than a manager who rarely speaks with customers.
If you’re explaining how orders are prepared, ask someone involved in that process.
Choose employees based on what they know and what they can contribute to the conversation.
Give Employees Time to Prepare
Don’t surprise someone with a camera and expect them to immediately deliver a polished explanation.
Share the subject and a few questions beforehand.
For example, if you’re introducing a member of your team, you might ask about their role, how they help customers, and what they enjoy about their work.
They don’t necessarily need to prepare complete answers; simply knowing the general direction of the conversation is often enough.
Consider an Interview Format
Some employees may be uncomfortable looking directly into a camera and delivering a prepared message.
An interview can be an easier approach.
Have someone ask questions while the employee responds naturally. The interviewer can remain off-camera, and the questions can be removed during editing if appropriate.
This allows the employee to concentrate on having a conversation rather than remembering a script.
If someone makes a mistake or wants to explain something differently, they can record another answer.
Don’t Make Everyone Say the Same Thing
If you’re featuring several employees, avoid asking all of them to repeat the same company message. Instead, let each person talk about their actual responsibilities.
Your customer service representative might discuss common questions. Someone from operations could explain how work gets completed. A manager might talk about how the team approaches a particular challenge.
This gives viewers a better understanding of the business and the people behind it.
Think About the Recording Schedule
If several employees will appear in the video, plan their recording times carefully.
You may not need everyone in the studio at once.
Schedule interviews around their availability and allow enough time for setup, additional takes, and breaks.
If you’re recording multiple employees in the same setting, keeping the lighting and camera setup consistent can also make the finished video look more organized.
Company Video Production at OASIS Studios
At OASIS Studios in Orlando, we help businesses record employee interviews, team introductions, recruiting videos, company presentations, and other professional productions.
Our team can assist with cameras, lighting, microphones, recording, and editing.
Before your session, decide who should participate, what each person can explain, and how you’d like to use the finished video.
Your employees already know what they do every day. Give them a comfortable setting to talk about it, and you’ll have a much more useful company video.
