Most organisations have far more usable video content than they realise.
There might be footage from last year's conference, interviews recorded for a campaign, product demonstrations, webinars, training videos or a collection of professionally filmed material that was used once and then archived.
When a new video is needed, the first though could be to start planning another shoot. But before booking the crew, it is worth looking at what you already have. With good corporate video editing, existing footage can often be reused into completely new content, extending the value of the original production without the cost or time involved in filming again.
Start by looking at the content, not the original video
A finished three-minute corporate film might have been created for one very specific purpose, but the footage behind it could contain dozens of useful moments.
An interview might include comments that never made the original edit. A conference recording could contain several short insights that work independently. A product demonstration might include sections that could become individual how-to videos.
This is why it is useful to think about the footage itself rather than simply republishing the finished video in different places.
Turn longer videos into shorter content
One of the simplest ways to get more from existing footage is to create shorter edits.
A 30-minute webinar does not necessarily need to remain a 30-minute webinar. It could become five short videos, each answering a specific question. A longer customer interview could become a series of individual testimonials. A recorded presentation might provide several useful clips for LinkedIn or internal communications.
Shorter edits also give you more flexibility. Different clips can be used with different audiences, distributed through different channels and released over a much longer period.
One piece of filming can suddenly support months of content.
Rework content for different audiences
Sometimes the footage is still relevant, but the audience has changed.
Perhaps a video originally created for customers now contains material that would be useful for employee onboarding. A product film might include a section that could support sales training. Footage produced for an internal event could contain insights worth sharing externally.
Good video editing allows you to change the emphasis of existing material. Sections can be reordered, messaging can be tightened and new titles, graphics or voiceover can provide a different context.
Update older videos without starting again
Corporate content dates surprisingly quickly.
A logo changes. A statistic needs updating. A product gets renamed. A member of staff changes role. Sometimes a video that is 95 per cent accurate stops being used.
Depending on how the original video was produced, editing can often solve this.
Graphics can be replaced, titles updated, sections removed and new material incorporated. Motion graphics can also help bridge gaps where the original footage no longer quite matches the current message.
Before retiring an otherwise useful video, it is worth finding out whether it can simply be refreshed.
Adapt one video for different platforms
The format in which a video was originally delivered does not have to dictate where it can be used.
A widescreen corporate film created for a website might also provide material for square or vertical social content. An event video could be adapted for a presentation. A training video might need shorter versions for an LMS or internal communications platform.
This does require more than simply cropping the picture. Text may need repositioning, shots reframed and the edit adjusted to work at a different length or pace.
Done properly, however, adapting existing material can give one production a much wider reach.
Add motion graphics to give existing footage a new look
You do not necessarily need new footage to make an older video feel new.
Updated titles, typography, animated data, diagrams and branded transitions can significantly change the appearance of an existing edit. Motion graphics are particularly useful when information has changed but the underlying footage remains relevant.
They can also help create consistency when you are combining material filmed at different times or by different suppliers.
If your organisation already has a motion toolkit, this becomes even easier. Existing brand animation can be applied to new edits quickly, helping different pieces of content feel like part of the same family.
Think about repurposing before you film
Although this article is about existing content, the same thinking can make future productions work harder too.
When planning a shoot, consider all the potential outputs before the cameras arrive. If you know you will need a main corporate film, six social clips and three short interviews, the filming can be planned around those requirements.
It may mean capturing alternative introductions, leaving additional space within shots for vertical crops or asking a few extra interview questions.
A relatively small amount of additional planning can significantly increase the amount of usable content you take away from a filming day.
How Sliced Bread Lite can help
At Sliced Bread Lite, a large part of what we do is help organisations get more from the creative assets they already have.
You might have professionally filmed footage that needs turning into a new corporate video, a webinar that could become a series of short edits, or an older video that needs updating rather than replacing.
Our video editing service is designed for exactly this type of work. You supply the footage and brief, and our editors take care of turning it into polished, on-brand content ready for wherever you need to use it.
And because Sliced Bread Lite is backed by an experienced animation and production team, we can also introduce motion graphics, animation and other visual elements where the edit needs something more than simply cutting footage together.
Before you book another shoot
If you need new video content, take a look through your archive first.
There may already be interviews, presentations, demonstrations and professionally filmed material containing exactly what you need. With a new edit, updated graphics and a little creative thinking, that footage can often have a considerably longer life than originally planned.
And if you are not sure what can be reused, send us what you have. We can take a look and suggest what could be turned into something new.
Our post How To Film Effective Smartphone Content For Professional Use might also be useful.
