The Art of Video Message Mapping

By Jolyn Janis, RCM Contributor

The art of video message mapping.
Before moving forward with any commercial video or film, we "map" our messaging and shooting plan in detailed visual graphs. While our clients may already know their messaging, it almost always evolves and shifts as the project continues and the creative juices are flowing. This mapping strategy helps to keep the project on a clear path in terms of the video as well as the world in which it lives.

Digital video rarely lives alone.
Digital video always lives within the context of a website and other content is sharing that space. What else lives on the page where your video will be shown? Where does the video direct the user? What emotional response do you want to evoke and what actions do you want your audience to take based on that emotional response? These are just a few questions we ask our clients to understand the context of the film that we are trusted in creating.

Story is key.
There is story in everything, everybody, every company. When a client is open to spending the time to craft their unique narrative thread, it always enhances their final product on an emotional level (the most impactful level). Making a video is the easy part, but what do you say and how will you say it? We've all seen the ads that are informational, but kinda boring - or they are entertaining but once its over, you cant remember what company it was promoting. This is the result of a good idea without a core foundation of the company that created it. Start with the story and craft outwards from there.