Corporate Case Study Videos

I can take two different approaches for drafting of case study interview questions. When a marketing manager already knows the interviewee inside out, I read through their drafted questions and make suggestions. But in most cases I pre-interview the contributor for them, and produce a video brief and questions list you can review and check that everything is being covered.

Generally there’s two pre-production meetings: one with yourself as my client, finding out what messaging you want for the case study; and one with the interviewee to explain the process.

Then there’s the filming day, after which you’ll receive a first draft of the video (s). There’s then a round of revisions included to make any changes before you send to your client, and then another round of revisions if they want to make any changes to it.

After that I subtitle the videos, produce a video thumbnail, and help you get it onto your chosen platforms.

Generally my case study video packages include a main version of the video (around 2-3 minutes) which tells the full story of the project. I also produce some shorter social media clips, as well as subtitles and thumbnails for the videos.
But let me know if there’s something else you require; in the past, I’ve also produced interview transcripts, professional edited photography, and b-roll footage libraries.

Depending on logistics, case study videos are turned around in about 4-8 weeks – and can be faster if everyone is really engaged in the process. The part which can add time is finding a filming date which works for everyone. But once you’ve got that, I normally deliver a first draft in about two weeks, and work on any requested amends to videos very quickly. 

You’ll want to see some examples of their previous case study video work. As well as making sure the video and audio quality are solid, does it feel like the video tells a good story? You’ll be trusting the videographer to select the best clips from the interview as part of the editing process, so you need to trust they’ll make the right content decisions. 

Also ask them about their revisions process (I include two full rounds of revisions) and their standard turnaround time for a first draft (mine is around two weeks from filming, but that may vary at busier times of the year).

You want the answers to be descriptive – no ‘yes’ or ‘no’ responses!

When I was a BBC journalist, I was taught a system called TED – ‘Tell, Explain, Describe’ – these are great verbs to kick off an interview question which naturally leads to more detailed responses.

I find that giving interview questions to the client before the shoot can make them over prepare, and come across quite wooden and scripted. The best approach is to pre-interview them and generally ask them about the topic, so they get a feel for the interview angle. This makes the actual filmed interview more conversational.

Generally around an hour: the amount of time I spend on-site, and the amount of time I need the client present are two different things, and I work hard to minimise disruption to their day.

It normally takes around 45 minutes for me to set up the filming equipment, during this time the client can be doing their own work. The interview itself takes around half an hour, and then it’s good to have some time to film action ‘b-roll’ which helps to illustrate the story.

Generally my case study video projects cost around £2000 – £3500 (no VAT to pay), and this varies depending on travel costs and final outputs required.

As a former BBC journalist, in my experience it’s all about making the interview conversational. Don’t give them the questions in advance as they’ll likely over prepare. Keep great eye contact (don’t just keep looking at your next question), and ask them follow up questions about points they’ve mentioned.

Firstly, if you’ve got a great relationship with your client, you might be surprised by just how willing people are to help you out!

But the key is to get the timing right (don’t ask when they’re busy) and make it as easy as possible for them to feature – like sending out a professional videographer who’ll make it a simple and relaxed experience for them.

I’ve written a blog about how to ask a client to do a video testimonial, which includes an email template for asking your client to do you a video testimonial.

It’s best to do some sort of a pre-interview with the interviewee, whether that’s in-person, over-the-phone or on a video call. Chatting about the video topics in advance helps put them at ease about what you’ll be asking, whilst giving you an idea of what they have to say.

I regularly conduct pre-interviews on behalf of my client.