Your Next Video: Should You Film It Yourself or Call in the Pros?
There are a million videos that can help boost your fundraising and marketing - way more than most nonprofits want to spend their budgets on, at least in the amounts it would take to hire a pro to handle it all.
We’ve got:
Mailing list videos and social media updates
Teaser videos before events
Recap or thank-you videos after
An identity film for your website homepage
Crowdfunding videos, testimonials, success stories, clarity films…
If you want to put out a fraction of this content, you’re probably going to consider doing at least some of it in-house.
These videos won’t all be perfectly polished masterpieces, but that doesn’t mean they can’t get the job done… most of the time.
How do you know when a more casual, DIY-style video is okay? And how do you know when it’s time to get help from a professional?
The basic rule of thumb is to ask: Who is this video for, and how much work will it take?
Audience: Who is this video for?
Audience matters because of the expectations they bring to the table and the meaning they take away after watching.
When you’re talking to your inner circle (think: long-time donors, past participants and their families, etc), you can be more familiar and informal. In fact, the informality can be a bonus because it lets viewers feel close to you, like you’ve let them behind the curtain. When they feel like part of the family, their sense of affection and commitment grows, which is exactly the purpose of engaging them with video in the first place.
On the other hand, to impress outsiders, you're better off with a more polished product. This video style can still be fun and energetic, but it's also clearly high quality, sending the message that you're to be taken seriously. To achieve this effect, it’s better to get an experienced filmmaker involved.
So, if your audience is in the family - existing donors, participants, or alumni - an in-house video might just be the right call.
But if your audience is made up of newcomers - potential donors and participants - aim for a more high-class introduction.
Difficulty: How hard is it to film and edit?
Not every filming experience is created equal. Some are easy for anyone to capture; others, not so much.
You can think of this in terms of two categories:
Point and go: This is when you want to capture an easily recognizable activity, a speaker, or a presentation - a few clips of a simple event, something that’s easy to understand visually. In these cases, you can feel confident in getting that footage yourself.
Huge headache: This is when your video needs interviews, a scripted narrative, or subtle visual imagery. There’s a lot of work that goes into making complicated videos look and feel right; given the standard that donors expect from a professional organization, trying to put this together on your own probably isn’t a good use of your time.
Hybrid approach: Handling part of the video yourself
Finally, just because you can’t invest in an entirely professional job doesn’t mean you can’t get any professional help.
When you have a small budget to work with, prioritize planning. Bring in an advisor to pinpoint specific marketing goals and develop a compelling story so that the work you do will be based on a strong foundation.
Then handle as much of the filming as you can yourself. Production is expensive; using your phone and mic to gather footage can really bring down costs.
If you have money left over, spend it on editing to ensure a more polished final product.
Final thoughts
Like any other skill, making videos is something that will get easier with practice. Feel free to start small - one short clip of staff standing together, saying thank-you or extending a holiday greeting.
See how that goes, and try to learn from the experience.
Have you ever filmed a video in-house for your nonprofit? How did it go? Any tips that you want to share in the comments?