In this interview, Mei Lin Ho, Paradigm’s seasoned video producer, shares her thoughts on how communications professionals can make their visual content stand out and what it has been like to film during a pandemic.

Where did your interest in film come from?

Film has been a fascination of mine from a very young age. I have fond memories of going to the Hong Kong Film Festival when I was a child and experiencing, for the first time, that sensation of being completely swept away by a movie. I thought it was magical that film makers had this power, not only to tell engaging stories but also to provoke strong emotions in their audience.

What advice do you have for communicators who are looking to make their videos more engaging?

Applying story telling elements to arise interest from your audience is key. If we take for example corporate style Talking Heads videos, which are very popular, the script should be written with a lively narrative. Ideally, the spokesperson should be consulted as it is far more compelling and convincing for the audience when you have someone telling a story in which they are emotionally invested.

Utilising dynamic camera movements and angles to capture these emotions is crucial. This is where you need to allow enough time for your film crew to work out the artistic direction.

Here are some other simple tips for making videos more engaging:

• Draw the speaker into a natural conversation while filming rather than asking them to read from a script and encourage them to keep their answers short and concise.  

• Place a hook right at the start of the video. Remember, you only have a few seconds to convince your viewers to stay and watch: they need to immediately know how they will benefit.

• Utilise diverse visuals to enrich your story. This can include additional video footage, still photographs, animation or other graphic elements.

• Finally, consider the film’s duration. While the typical length of a corporate video is between one and two minutes, it really comes down to how you utilise every second.

Where did your interest in film come from?

Film has been a fascination of mine from a very young age. I have fond memories of going to the Hong Kong Film Festival when I was a child and experiencing, for the first time, that sensation of being completely swept away by a movie. I thought it was magical that film makers had this power, not only to tell engaging stories but also to provoke strong emotions in their audience.

What advice do you have for communicators who are looking to make their videos more engaging?

Applying story telling elements to arise interest from your audience is key. If we take for example corporate style Talking Heads videos, which are very popular, the script should be written with a lively narrative. Ideally, the spokesperson should be consulted as it is far more compelling and convincing for the audience when you have someone telling a story in which they are emotionally invested.

Utilising dynamic camera movements and angles to capture these emotions is crucial. This is where you need to allow enough time for your film crew to work out the artistic direction.

Here are some other simple tips for making videos more engaging:

• Draw the speaker into a natural conversation while filming rather than asking them to read from a script and encourage them to keep their answers short and concise.  

• Place a hook right at the start of the video. Remember, you only have a few seconds to convince your viewers to stay and watch: they need to immediately know how they will benefit.

• Utilise diverse visuals to enrich your story. This can include additional video footage, still photographs, animation or other graphic elements.

• Finally, consider the film’s duration. While the typical length of a corporate video is between one and two minutes, it really comes down to how you utilise every second.