This week, one of my clients sent me a video from one of her recent book events in Boston.
It was lovely.
It was professionally produced and beautifully edited. The team had great shots of her, her book, the event, and the people attending. It was exactly the kind of video you would be delighted to post on social media or on your website.
There was only one problem.
I was looking at it because she has an upcoming appearance on WGN, a major television station in Chicago, and we have the opportunity to provide B-roll for the segment.
B-roll, by the way, is the supporting footage producers use while an anchor, reporter, host, or guest is speaking. It helps visually tell the story and keeps the segment from becoming a string of talking heads.
And great social media video is not necessarily great television B-roll. And, honestly, why would you know that unless you’ve spent time around television?
The video had been created to promote her through her own network and social channels. Television B-roll has a different job.
For TV, I want footage that looks less like someone created a promotional video and more like a camera crew happened to be there capturing what was naturally taking place. In this case, it would show my client speaking to the audience, signing books, talking with attendees, people listening, audience reactions, wider shots that establish the room and the event, and perhaps someone walking up to meet her or having a conversation afterward.
The book can certainly be visible. In fact, it should be since it is part of the story. But if the camera lingers too long on the book cover, signage, logos, or other promotional materials, the footage can begin to feel like a commercial.
And television producers are not looking for commercials. They are looking for footage they can use editorially.
A producer may want to put the host’s narration over it, use a few seconds of one shot, cut to something else, then come back to the interview. They want options. They want footage that helps them build the segment they are creating.
So the question is not simply, “Does this video look good?”
The better question is, “Can a producer use this?”
This is an important distinction to understand if you’re interested in going beyond your website, social media, speaker reel, or other marketing materials.
When you’re creating your own “owned” media, you control the message. You can make the book prominent. You can add music. You can include logos, testimonials, graphics, and whatever else supports the promotion. You can pretty much do whatever you want.
Earned media is a different animal. The producer is creating the story, and your job is to give them material that helps them do it.
There is another important point here, too.
If you are shooting video that may someday be used by television, get some clean footage without added copyrighted music. Natural sound from the room is fine. Clean footage gives the station much more flexibility because they can decide what narration, audio, or music belongs underneath it.
This is one of those small media distinctions that can make an enormous difference. And the truth is that something can be beautifully produced and still be wrong for the purpose.
And the larger lesson goes well beyond video. When you are sending photos, bios, talking points, clips, graphics, or any other material to the media, stop looking at those assets only through the eyes of a marketer. Look at them through the eyes of a producer or editor.
Ask yourself: Is this simply promoting me, or is this making their job easier? Is it helping the audience understand what is happening?
Sometimes that one question, “Can they actually use this?” is the difference between giving the media something promotional and giving them something useful.
Media Darling Moment: When creating material for the media, do not ask only, “Does this make me look good?” Ask, “Can a producer use this?”
To your success!
Joanne
P.S. Apparently video has been causing media trouble for a very long time!
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