It’s no secret that brands are turning to video to reach their fans and customers more than ever before. With so many channels requiring their attention, it’s no wonder that marketers are trying to get as much mileage as they can out of a single piece of creative. This is one reason why the vast majority of Tongal’s brand partners request a hero video with cut-downs as part of the Project Brief.
Just as brands need to be creative about extending the use of their video content, filmmakers also need to be creative about telling a single story across multiple channels - perhaps even serving unique goals depending on the channel.
Thirty-second TV commercials shouldn’t just be repackaged as YouTube pre-rolls. Two-minute instructional videos created for a brand’s website can’t just be uploaded to Facebook and achieve the same results.
How you approach each cut-down should be informed by where it will ultimately live and what your client wants their customers to do after watching. By understanding your clients' needs from the get-go, you will save time for the both of you and ensure that you deliver content that will satisfy their marketing goals.
To illustrate how this looks in practice, let’s examine the resulting videos from a project that finished earlier this year: the Arm & Hammer Plus OxiClean Hispanic Video Suite Project. We’ll deconstruct some of Fanatico Films’ final cuts in an effort to get you thinking more strategically as you plan, pitch, shoot and edit future videos both on and off Tongal.
Let’s compare and contrast:
After watching, you’ll notice that the 30-second spot feels the most like a traditional TV commercial out of all the cuts we’re going to talk about here. This longer cut tells a complete story and lets the action breathe just a bit longer than the 15-second spot.
In contrast, the shorter cut jumps right to the inciting incident of mud on Mom’s white dress, snips some of the soccer game, and pulls in the VO sooner. It saves time without losing any of the effect.
Things get even more interesting when the creative is cut specifically for Facebook:
While the story remains the same as the YouTube cuts (barring that immediate product shot in the 30-second Facebook cut), the biggest change is that all the dialogue and major plot points have been replaced with text on screen. That’s because 85% of videos on Facebook are viewed with the sound off while people are scrolling through their feeds. If consumers won’t listen to your message, make them SEE it instead!
With the all-important onscreen text taking up valuable time, Fanatico Films chose to forgo the scene where the kids do laundry in favor of focusing on the dirt and action in their :15-second version.
This video suite also featured cuts in both Spanish and a mix of Spanish-English, but regardless, they all drew from the same takes. This may not always be the case when you are working on your own video with cut-downs. You may find that a longer take works well in one version, but something quicker or a different reaction from an actor moves the story along better in the shorter video, so make sure to get enough coverage during your shoot.
Varying aspect ratios is another consideration to take into account as you are planning and shooting. Make sure to either frame up your shots so the action takes place in the center of the screen or maybe even shoot alternate takes for your different deliverables.
This is just one example of how placement and timing can shape the final creative delivery, but you may be asked to create cut-downs for other purposes. So long as you get on the same page with your client before scripting or shooting, you’ll be well on your way.
Got any other great tips for working on a video with cut-downs? We want to hear them in the comments below.
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This should be required reading for social video filmmakers. I learned a ton from this article! Thanks for breaking this all down.
