Content marketing in action: event reporting

One of our core content marketing products is fast-turnaround news video from corporate events. As former television journalists we find it a simple and effective way to deliver our clients’ updates and information quickly, writes Paul Muggeridge.

Our content marketing production team was on site at RiskMinds International conference last week; it’s the largest risk conference in the world. Although I’m usually part of the management team back in the Formative Content newsroom, this time I was on the conference floor, wrangling content.

Whilst Alex  has been furiously writing her blogs, I’ve been recording a series of short videos of RiskMinds delegates answering a single question about risk management.

Easy, quality video

Filmed in the busy foyer of the conference centre, this kind of video is a great way to really bring an audience into an event and make it feel truly “live”.

While a few delegates had been lined up to be interviewed in advance, for the vast majority of the videos I have been approaching delegates “cold” and asking them to take part. Most have been happy to do, especially as the technical setup means the interviews can happen there and then on the spot.

We use a standard iPhone 6+, held within a case on an extendible tripod. A simple lapel mic provides excellent sound for this style of video, and the case has a wide-angle lens attachment to give the required view.

I always take a photo of the delegate’s name badge before starting to film to ensure I can remember who’s speaking in each video when I watch them back later – it’s amazing how quickly you can forget information like this when you’re recording and uploading a dozen or more videos each day.

No room for manoeuvre

Many years of experience as an on-the-road producer and reporter means that ‘door-stepping’ interviewees is not a difficult thing; it’s key to be polite and firm, and very clear about what you are doing, for whom and how much levitra online discount time will be taken up with the filming. Our interviewees on site at RiskMinds are all high profile, busy people. We get one chance, and there’s no room for manoeuvre.

First I give a very short briefing to the delegate:-

• look at the lens, not at me
• aim for 45 seconds – 1 minute in length
• don’t be distracted if anyone comes past
• finish confidently, looking directly into the lens

For speed I aim to produce each video “ready to roll” – i.e. without requiring any further editing. This means I ask the delegate their question and then provide them with a three second countdown to begin speaking. I push the record button on “one”, point my finger and away they go.

Each video is uploaded to DropBox directly from the phone, allowing our remote team to access and upload or edit if required. It is then loaded to the content hub we have built for RiskMinds.

The file is then also sent on to YouTube from a PC once the file has synced. A video can be ready to view within a few minutes of the interview ending.

As well as being used across the RiskMinds social media channels, the videos I’ve been producing have also been included within blogs on the conference website. Have a browse through and let us know what you think!

Here is a selection of the 35 or so videos I filmed during three days at the conference.

• Peter Tyson reveals the biggest risks for 2016
• Post-crisis political risk with Lord William Hague
• Why you should never ask questions

Paul Muggeridge is Head of Content at Formative Content, a content marketing agency based in the UK and working with clients around the world to share their insight and knowledge to stakeholders and audiences. Paul is an experienced news journalist, manager and editor – he has worked in a senior capacity at ABC Australia, ITN and the BBC.