April 12, 2022
The list of best practices for shooting a commercial includes:
It’s as simple as that.
From small companies to giant brands, everyone uses somewhat similar techniques for shooting a commercial. It’s just the use of creativity is different.
Such content is a fun AD-venture. It also brings brands some serious profits– materialistic and nonmaterialistic.
Stats say–
84% of new purchases start with customers watching a product video. [Source: Herenow]
That’s why, brands take commercials seriously.
Because a good video can get you everything from views to revenues. Bad ones can keep them at bay.
This shows how important strategies are to ensure everything goes as planned.
Identify what you want to achieve from the commercial. List all the goals and then make them specific.
Of course! The main intent of a commercial is to boost sales and market share.
Ask yourself these to define your objectives, like is it to–
According to research on Selecting audience segments for online advertising by ScienceDirect,
This means identifying their preferences, pain points, ages, beliefs, cultures, and interests.
That way, you can create an ad that speaks directly to your target group.
Some common audiences for commercials are:
Prepare a script based on your purpose and audience.
The structure is simple–
The script mainly contains directives for the instructions and actors for shooting a commercial. This includes—
Then, list the core messages you’d like to convey through the commercial. The language should be simple and precise. It makes your message and information clear.
Study the cost range of each aspect.
Budgeting helps you understand how much stuff will cost. The expenses may include–
Have a separate budget for the video production team, if you hire one. The cost may vary–
It can range from $1000 to $200,000, depending on factors such as video type, length, and complexity.
Locations create the right atmosphere for each scene.
So, hunt for the right location. Understand the theme of your commercial then pick one that enhances the impact.
Ensure the spot is relevant to your content. It can be–
Any team acts like a solid foundation. So, pick the stronger one.
Make sure they’re–
A skilled team brings out the best in the commercial. When hiring professionals, review all their work. Choose the team with experience in your industry.
Here’s a short breakdown of who does what–
Viewers always prefer high-quality content.
At least 87% of them do. They say it impacts their trust in a brand. [Source; Idomoo]
This comes from the use of professional equipment. So, buy something that can make quality results.
This includes–
Get the best out of your actors and crew.
When shooting for a commercial, try out these tips–
Clearly explain the concept, mood, tone, and goal to everyone.
Rehearse movements to get smooth filming. Ensure everyone knows their position and cues.
Keep your shots focused on the brand’s idea. Remind everyone of the key message and emotion you want to convey.
Encourage a positive environment. Make a good bond with actors and crew, Be open.
Adapt quickly to challenges on set. Problem-solve on the spot and keep it moving smoothly.
Have a detailed production timeline.
This ensures your commercial shoot stays solid on track. You can consider breaking the process down into pre-, production, and post-phases. Then, allocate a rough time for each.
That makes it easier to stay on schedule. Typically, a 30-second commercial may take up to 18+ hours to shoot and complete. This can go over days, weeks, or months— based on the complexity, ad type, obstacles, and other factors.
So, a proper timeline is important. It helps–
Mix creativity into your commercial content.
Viewers love something interesting, so you must give them that. For this, ensure the shots are thoughtfully planned. This helps draw people in, convey emotions, and effectively highlight your product.
It all takes a few techniques to make the ad visually appealing. Here are the key elements:
Angles
Experiment with multiple camera angles to add depth, emotion, and variety to the shots. This includes— medium, close-up, and low-angle shots.
For instance–
Camera movements
Ensure the pans, zooms, static, and tracking shots are smooth. It works to—
Consider getting a good stand and camera dolly to get a smooth shot.
Framing
To create a balanced, engaging image, focus on proper framing.
This is all about positioning the product in the shot. You must avoid cluttered backgrounds. It can make people confused.
Use the rule of the third method. Such a technique places the subject off-center and adds a dynamic touch to the shot.
If you want to emphasise your product, try center framing.
Proper framing is important because it–
Turn your raw footage into a polished commercial here.
Pros usually use tools like
You’ll get it all in Google.
These programs help you trim scenes, arrange clips, have smooth transitions, and infuse visuals.
Try to keep the ad shorter. Standard commercial lengths can range from 15 to 60 seconds more or less. However, Fireworks says–
“Videos under 90 seconds have a 50% viewer retention rate.” So, length is an important factor to consider.
Visual effects add zest to your commercial.
You can deliver messages more powerfully with them. However, it’s important to use them wisely.
Too many effects can become annoying and repel your viewers.
So, stick to a few enhancements. Ensure they align with your brand. For instance–
Use SFX or VFX when you want to accentuate your product feature or make the ad interesting.
Add stimulating graphical elements, animations, text overlays, or other effects. Exploit your creativity here.
Besides–
Two key factors to set the mood.
Sound and Music play a big role in making your commercial more effective and engaging. They–
So, choose music that goes with your brand and message. We suggest creating from scratch.
However, you can also pick the stock ones. Secure proper licenses for any track used in the content.
If you want royalty-free music, consider platforms like–
Tip:
Utilise multiple platforms for your commercial, not just TV.
That ensures the content reaches beyond your target audience. The more the merrier.
Prepare the video based on the channel. It’s because each has specific requirements for formats and lengths.
To optimise your commercial, check this out–
Just distributing the video isn’t enough.
Keep an eye on the commercial and track its performance. This should help you measure its success and efficiency. You can also identify the shortcomings and fine-tune the video accordingly.
Got Milk is one of the USA’s most memorable commercials.
Result: The 7.7% increase in milk sales in California within the first year in the 1990s.
Got Milk? - "Aaron Burr" :60sec Ad
Airbnb’s “Belong Anywhere” campaign is quite recent.
Result: A 30% increase in subscribers and a 25% rise in video views. Revenue grew from $914 million in 2015 to $5.99 billion in 2022.
Here are some key steps in shooting a commercial–
One word: research.
Look into the demographics and know the interests of the viewers. Create audience personas, Use targeted social media ads and the right platforms for distribution.
That’s how you ensure the commercial reaches the right group.
Don’t do these when shooting a commercial video–
To shoot a high-quality commercial, you must have this equipment–
On average, it can be $5,000 to $10,000.
However, costs can range from $1000 for a simple commercial to $200,000 for high-end ones. It varies based on factors like type, length, and complexity.
