15 years of video production

After 15 years dedicated to video production, we have seen the sector change dramatically.  Starting at a time when high-definition video was new to YouTube, socials platforms were for text and photos only, and the likes of TikTok weren’t even an idea on a napkin.

Technology has changed dramatically over this time, from the cameras available, to the software to make, launch and promote video.

From all our video experience, what is key is having purpose for your video and asking the right questions early.

Before any creative decisions are made, there are four areas that consistently determine whether a project will work.

1) What’s the purpose of this video?

A clear message is important, but it’s not enough on its own.

Consider what you want the viewer to do after watching this video?

Is it about awareness, understanding, confidence, action, or alignment?
Who needs to think or behave differently after watching?

Asking the key questions in advance will help determine this. We are big fans of the ‘Mind the Gap’ theory, which pushes you to define your goal, audience and distribution.  The more specific this is, the better.

Without a defined outcome, video becomes descriptive rather than purposeful.

2) How does it fit in the bigger picture?

Video isn’t a bolt on asset; it needs to be a core part of early discussions in campaign planning.  If you are developing creative ideas without a video production expert in the room, you are going in blind and might be developing ideas that are too ambitious or not right for your goals.

The same applies to long term marketing or communication strategies. You are unlikely to get results from adhoc video, however if you consider video from a long-term perspective and how best to use it regularly, you will see engagement sky-rocket!

Video rarely works best in isolation.

3) How will you promote it?

In a world full of video content, we can’t just hope that your audience will find and engage with your video.  You need to consider how you will push the video out to your target audience. Remembering marketing fundamentals, of touch points, repetition, and delivering messaging over time (not all at once!).

Organic video can work without paid promotion, but worth considering where it will sit in your marketing funnel and how it will be discovered.  This might be sat on your website, or a scheduled emailed link at a point in the sales cycle. But this is still a considered promotion plan.

4) What does success look like?

Views alone are rarely a meaningful measure, so depending on the context, success might look like:

• A click-through
• A sign up
• A direct sale
• Increased confidence
• Or just brand awareness

Agreeing this upfront changes not just how success is measured, but how the video is conceived, written and structured.  The nuance might be small, but the impact could be huge; and considering the “VX”, the Viewer Experience, ensures video engagement and video success is achieved!

Why the best videos feel simple

You may have noticed this, but the best videos often feel effortless.

They often have a clear structure, appropriate pacing and a focused message.

That simplicity is often not accidental. It’s the result of decisions made early:

• What to include and what to leave out
• Visuals to enhance, not jus for the sake of it
• Clarity over trying to be clever

Complexity exists behind the scenes, during the planning and production stages, so that the viewer doesn’t have to work hard to understand what they’re watching. Respecting the audiences time and attention.

The quiet shift from supplier to partner

Over the years, we’ve seen a clear pattern emerge that the projects that deliver the most value aren’t transactional. They’re collaborative.

When we are involved in discussions early in the process, we act as a partner; a part of the extended team.  Our outside perspective adds value and with open communication both ways, assumptions can be challenged in a safe space, and opportunities identified before they are missed.

When the lessons learnt carry from one project to the next, you get:

• Consistency across your videos
• Efficiencies and (huge) cost savings
• Incremental improvements in results
• Accountability in video use

This isn’t about producing more video.
It’s about producing better, more intentional video, supported by context, insight and continuity.

What this means for businesses using video in 2026 and beyond

Fifteen years on, the fundamentals haven’t changed, but expectations have. Businesses, brands and organisations that get the most from video tend to:

• Treat video as a capability, not a deliverable
• Invest time in thinking, not just production
• Design video around how it will be experienced
• Produce films with longevity, rather than disposable content

Video works best when it’s purposeful, considered and integrated in your wider strategy.