Cape Studios

Why should any business make a film?

What is it going to do for them?

It is often hard to see what the benefits of spending a couple of thousand dollars on a short film will be.

Here’s a few suggestions why it is a good idea:

• Assuming that sales and market penetration is important to you, then you need to maximise your exposure to the internet Search Engines of the world. Google is the Number One, YouTube is Number Two. To have a film on YouTube will increase the chances of your company being discovered.
• Make that first connection with a prospective client, without meeting them! film allows all those personal traits (some may not be so good, so trust your Director!) to be seen by the prospective client before you actually meet them. They know what to expect, what you look like, sound like: The element of surprise has been taken away; the tyranny of the first impression has been beaten!
• When someone has invested time in watching your film, they are more likely to pick up the phone or send an email. This is because the act of watching all the way through is a passive qualification that this product (or service, etc) has merit for them.
• Next, the film never stops working for you. Once it’s out there, it is providing an introduction to your business 24/7.
• Once you have a film and clients understand this, then you can create updates, a visual memo, that will just keep your name in the front of their mind. These do not need to be extravagant productions. Just don’t do them yourself! a bad film can undo a lot of good work.
• Finally, one film can be leveraged onto many platforms: Facebook, Vimeo, YouTube to name the most popular. The more places it exists, the more people will see your business.

The next big question is: What sort of film do we make? Again, there’s a wide range of films to make. It’s all about the product or service that you are selling.

• If you make a product then you can:
  • Make a demonstration of the product: How to use it; Sometimes more importantly, how NOT to use it!
  • An out and out advert;
  • A short documentary of how it’s made;
  • Testimonials from satisfied clients;
  • A combination of all of the above.
• If you provide a service, then:
  • An illustration of the service, showing the provision of the service. Probably a set up, but as real as possible.
  • A discussion with the camera/viewer about the process, history and merits of your version of the service.
  • A straightforward advertisement.

One of the things to remember about the film you are about to make, is that it tells a story. A story about You, Your Company and The Product. The viewer will, most of the time, be able to tell how authentic this story is and will make up their mind about you, based upon their reading of the film. So it can be a double-edged sword: You won’t get another chance to sell them again.

Also, forget about the 30 second advert.  You have a lot more time available to you. This means you can structure your film to incorporate a lot more selling points than a standard advertisement. This is where your production company will prove their worth: They must create a story that will capture the interest of the viewer, then hold them for the duration. This requires your help as only you know the details of your product. You will have to work closely with them to ensure the details are correct, that the story is authentic and captivating.

These are just some of the reasons you should think about a film on your web-site.