A Guide to Corporate Training Video Production in Six Steps
Training is important. In July 1969, when Neil Armstrong became the first person to set foot on the moon, his - and NASA’s - achievement was the result of extensive preparation. Seven years of preparation, to be precise. During those seven years, he and his colleagues learned about the mechanics of the Apollo 11 spacecraft, experienced a low-gravity environment, and even planned what the first words spoken upon landing would be. But training isn’t reserved only for legendary astronauts.

Everything, from learning how to use a chainsaw safely to the correct posture for manual handling, requires or could benefit from training.
That training costs money.
It costs money to hire a venue, money to hire a trainer, and money if you choose to pay for the participants’ travel.
What’s the best way to deliver training?
In our opinion, a corporate training video production could be the answer.
It can be a cost-effective way to pass on complex information across the whole of your company simultaneously, up to 70% more cost-effective.
Aside from saving you money, studies have also shown that It’s approximately 83% easier for learners to recall information they learned via visuals and video than text.
Finally, video content is more likely to hold the attention of your employees for longer. After all, video content is often more engaging than traditional formats. Illustrating that fact, a survey by TechSmith Corporation found that video training had a completion rate of 91%, while traditional training had a completion rate of 70%.
While those statistics might seem convincing, undertaking a corporate training video production is no easy feat.
Much like a trip to the moon, producing a training video requires careful planning and considerable preparation.
To help, we’ve created this guide, outlining six small steps to ensure a giant leap forward with your training.
Step #1 – What’s your objective?
Think of this question as your launch pad.
What you decide your objective will shape the rest of your corporate training video production, including the delivery method, tone, length, level of interactivity, and level of visuals.
Let’s say you want to teach participants the basic principles of HTML code. Your delivery method will likely be demonstrative, utilising screen-capture technology to show which piece of code does what.
HTML coding is a subject that tends to be quite dry. You might, therefore, try to enhance the video by keeping its overall tone light and the video’s duration short.
Concerned with only the basics of HTML coding – quite a black-and-white subject – your video is unlikely to require interactivity.
In contrast, one that aims to teach customer service representatives how to de-escalate conflict might involve an element of role-play, something achieved through interactive video software.
Step #2 – Write a script
With your objective in mind, a script is the backbone of your video. It’s the jet fuel that can propel your corporate rocket towards the moon.
It does so by keeping your core message at the centre of the video and making sure that all of the points you want to get across are easy to follow in a structured way.
Your script should be written in a tone of voice that’s suitable for your subject. For example, a training video focused on fire safety shouldn’t come across as flippant. Instead, it should capture the seriousness of the subject.
On the other hand, an onboarding training video that outlines the many benefits of working for your organisation is likely to be far more light-hearted.
It’s at this stage that the duration of the video is also likely to be determined. A good guideline for length would be to keep it short and sweet. 10-15 minutes is adequate to convey your core message without getting too far into the weeds of unnecessary information.
Fundamentally, your script will ensure that you’re meeting your objective and doing so in an engaging way. It’s an opportunity to capture what you want to say and capture the attention of your audience.
Step #3 – Plan your corporate training video production
You’ve got your objective in mind and your script in your hand. But have you thought about what equipment you’ll need, the number of crew members required to shoot the video, or the location you’ll use?
If, for example, you’re filming a training video for a piece of software, you are unlikely to need more than one simple camera, one person to demonstrate what’s happening, and one generic location to shoot it.
On the other hand, a video that simulates emergency response situations for CPR training, for example, will likely require several cameras and multiple actors in different locations.
We’ve used the term ‘actors’ here because a training video designed to replicate a specific scenario will need to be immersive enough that the participants know what to do in a real-life situation. Actors can contribute towards that immersion.
Step #4 – Action! Get recording
Three, two, one, blast off!
Even the best training videos, with a great core message and a well-written script, will fail to meet their objectives if they look like you’ve filmed them on a potato or another root vegetable.
A study by Vimeo found that 23% of viewers will stop watching a video if its quality is bad – 15% would stop engaging with a brand altogether.
While 23% might not sound like a lot, if almost a quarter of your workforce fails to absorb information from a corporate training video, the results could be very serious.
Before you rush out and purchase the best camera and microphones that money can buy, know that the solution might not necessarily be to invest in high-spec equipment.
Instead, your audio can be improved by recording in a controlled, quiet, non-echoing location, and your video might benefit from increased levels of light and a steady tripod.
Step #5 – Edit
You’ve got your footage in the can. Does that mean the hard work is over? Not quite.
At this stage of the process, you can add graphics and other visual elements to support certain points, balance your audio to boost its quality and insert any B-roll footage that can help to enhance the video’s central message.
A key consideration to keep in mind when editing is to make sure that every scene, shot and piece of dialogue serves a specific purpose. That purpose is to help viewers learn and retain the information being presented to them.
Step #6 – Analyse the results
At the beginning of the process, you set an objective that was hopefully quantifiable.
Perhaps you wanted 80% of all training participants who watched your video to know what to do in case of a fire evacuation, determined by a test at the end. Well, we’re at that end, and you might have the results in front of you.
If you find there are significant improvements to be made to the scores, consider asking the participants for feedback which might influence a re-edit or a re-shoot. Those two words might strike fear into your heart and your bank balance, but it’s important to get your corporate training video production right.
Corporate training video production is a cost-effective and efficient way to train employees. After all, studies show that learners recall information better when presented with visuals and video.
Creating a training video is a complex process that requires careful planning, a well-written script, and quality equipment. If done well, it can provide significant benefits and cost savings to companies.
Looking to make a giant leap forward with your corporate training? Broadcast Revolution can help. Speak to us today.