Does a company need to film every event or conference it organises?

No. A company doesn't need to film every event or conference it organises. It only needs to film the ones that have something to say. Before you call anyone, ask yourself what you want the video for. A company can use it to make itself known to the public, to share it among its own staff or to keep a record of the event. If an event doesn't fit any of those three uses, it probably doesn't need a camera.

What needs to be captured

"We want to film the event" means almost nothing. What really helps is deciding beforehand which messages have to be captured, which people need to be interviewed and which moments are key. You also need to know which pieces will be delivered, which formats will be needed and where each piece of content will be published. A conference with guest speakers calls for something very different from the internal Monday meeting.

A running order, not a script

What about a script? At a real event you don't need a script. You need a running order, which is a simple list of what happens and in what order. With it, you know where the camera has to be at every moment.

Marchon corporate presentation in Benidorm.

The events worth filming

Some events are almost always worth filming. One is the event that brings the whole team together in the same place. There you can film everyone together, always with their permission. When people see themselves in the video, they feel part of something, and that strengthens their bond with the company. Another is the conference that many people can't attend in person. That's why some companies ask for it to be streamed live.

The technical details

Then come the technical details. You might want aerial shots from a drone, or a close-up of a product that needs a special lens. The hall might have little light and need extra lighting. None of that is decided on the day.

In-house team or outside production company

To film, you can rely on people from within the company or hire someone from outside. If you hire, an event video production company shouldn't just turn up, film and disappear. It should help you think through the ideas beforehand and get everything you're looking for out of the video. With a well-planned event, it's much easier for the video to show exactly what you want to convey.

Go through your events calendar

Now take the year's events calendar. Next to each one, write a single word: public, team or record. The ones left blank probably don't need video. For the rest, note down which moment you don't want to miss and who you'd like to hear speak. With that list, you already have half a running order. If you'd like to check it with someone, Evan & Natalia Simon do photography and video for corporate events and a few selected weddings in Gijón, across Asturias and in other parts of Spain. You can write to them and talk it over calmly. You'll go through together what deserves a camera and what doesn't.

Links

More useful links: seguridadaerea.gob.es.

More information, not yet independently confirmed: ecija.com.