Step Four: Show the details

Your story on video is in the details

The real power of storytelling video is that it lets you be human online and it lets you build connection with people. If you can get your viewers to feel emotion, then you can get them to connect with you and your brand.

But how does this work?

When we watch a story unfold on video – when we witness the subject of the story confront a challenge and we see them go through the emotional experience of confronting their challenge – we literally experience the same emotion. We’ll feel the same thing.

This is how our brains are wired. And it’s why storytelling can be so effective and so memorable.

But how do you accomplish this feat in your video? Pay attention to the details. If you’re shooting a set of interviews make sure to capture the small things – particularly the visual cues that communicate emotion: your subject’s eyes, their smile, the way they gesture or hold their body can all communicate their feelings that goes far beyond what they are saying.

Don’t be afraid to get very close

Detail shots are often referred to as “B-roll” usually meaning “extra” footage that you shoot to capture ambiance and location feeling. But don’t let the term leave you thinking that “B-roll” is second rate. Adding shots that focus on detail is essential to good storytelling with video.

Always be thinking of what you can show with your video – whether it’s a facial expression, a hand gesture, a demonstration of an activity or showing your surroundings. Think of ways to show things that we haven’t seen. Change your angle. Get down low or shoot from above. Pick out the small things that otherwise would escape our attention.

Case Study: Dove Real Beauty Sketches

Here’s an excellent example of showing emotion with video by focussing on the smallest details. Several women are interviewed, unseen, by a criminal sketch artist who creates two drawings – one from each woman describing themselves and one from the description of a second woman that they had just met. When the subjects are shown both their drawings together, they see that the drawings made from the other person’s description were more beautiful (than the drawing of how they described themselves).

The difference between each pair of drawings serves as a reminder to all women that they’re more beautiful than they think.

On the Dove Real Beauty Sketches website, which hosts a gallery of the finished sketches, they’ve posted a striking statistic:

“Women are their own worst beauty critics. In fact only 4% of women around the world consider themselves beautiful.”

Think about this statistic and this video when you’re facing your own fear when getting in front of the camera. The good news is: the rest of the world sees you in a more beautiful light!

So, here’s a conversation video that relies purely on feeling to motivate you to learn more.

On the production side, live interviews and voice-over, which use the subjects’ own words, tell the story. The unscripted nature of the dialogue creates an authentic re-telling of their experience.

It’s All In The Details

Many close shots are used to show parts of each subject’s face as well as the artist’s hands as he makes his sketches – showing in fine detail the process of capturing each drawing.

Then we get to see the genuine reaction to the drawings and the process.

This is far more effective in communicating the emotion of the story than if the dialogue had been scripted or if all we were shown was each subject talking to the camera.

Adding to the overall realism effect is the use of natural light. The loft space used for the location has large windows that provide ample lighting and the natural light look matched the Dove campaign goal of creating natural beauty. Similarly, the use of a hand-held camera for many of the interview shots contributes to the genuineness of the story.

From Emotion to Engagement

The short video accumulated over 150 million views on youtube within the first month of its release and officially was titled the most viewed commercial of all time.

But the most successful aspect of this video was the level of engagement that it generated. Fernando Machado, VP of Dove Skin explains, “The campaign evoked an emotional reaction in millions of people that inspired them to share the positive message with others. Beyond just the millions of views and publicity impressions, it is the outpouring of testimonials from around the world that are exciting us.”

When you’re making video, getting an emotional response from your viewers is one of the most critical parts to telling a good story that will spread.