How to create a great event recap video

What is an event recap video?

By definition, an event is something that happens in a certain time, in a certain space, in front of a certain audience.

The first goal of a video event recap is to act on these three “limits,” thus to:  

1. prolong the echo of the event as much as possible over time
2. multiply the “spaces,” thus the distribution channels (which, from physical, become digital);
3. expand the slice of the audience reached as much as possible

How to create an event recap video: 10 useful tips

Let’s say it up front: an event recap video is not the pure digital version of what already happened in a physical space. This would be useless and anything but engaging. Instead, a video event recap is a summary, even a very brief one, of what happened, and it should have three main objectives: 

1. to clearly identify the key points of the event (why it was organized, around what themes, with what premises, with what conclusions)
2. convey the atmosphere to those viewing it
3. not just replay a past moment, but point – more or less directly – to the future, thus to some kind of call to action

That being said, let’s move right on to a list of practical tips for producing the best event recap videos. We have collected them in 10 points.

Prepare before the event

The idea of producing a video recap must be well understood before the event is produced. In other words, you need to know the key moments that you will want to capture in advance, and how to capture them. This is both a technical issue and a matter of script and storytelling.
In practice: do site surveys well in advance to understand the requirements for lighting and sound. Perhaps start collecting footage that would be impossible to shoot during the event (e.g., footage of the location while it is still empty if it is useful for your script). Keep the event agenda in mind: how it will take place, in what settings, with what sessions. Notify the people you want to interview, if any, in advance. Envision the type of framing, the camera angles, when cameras (thus how much staff) will be needed.
In short: be prepared to make sure you’re always in the right place at the right time.

Be ready to seize the moment.

You must create a script before the event. However: don’t let this pattern restrict you. During the event you will need to keep your eyes open and be able to seize the moment. Unexpected situations can happen, and these can be valuable scenes for your event recap video. Often, such moments are the ones that add the most freshness and authenticity to your recap video; they are the ones that, as we pointed out above, can really convey the atmosphere that was experienced on the day.

Show the “behind the scenes”

We mentioned the importance of conveying freshness and authenticity to viewers. Here, a great way to do this is to include a few shots from behind the scenes in your event recap video. This is a format that always works, so much so that some videos focus entirely on this (the so-called “behind the scenes videos“). These insertions have the added benefit of offering some added value and other points of view even to the event participants...who, in all likelihood, will also be the first recipients of the video.

Editing issues: the narrative themes

In the previous points we focused on the aspects “before” and “during” the event. Now we turn to the “after.”
There will be a huge amount of material on our hands: location footage, full speeches from the stage, overviews of the audience, interviews with individual personalities, and behind-the-scenes footage. So: what to select? How to make order from all of this material? Clearly, there is no one-size-fits-all instruction manual. It depends on the type of event and the specific objectives. But, in all cases, it’s a matter of starting out with a clear end goal. In other words, ask yourself what you want to leave the audience with once they have watched the video. Once this goal is firmly established, backwards, you must establish three to four narrative and informational cores. These will be the first pillars on which to build the architecture of your montage.
An extra tip: Even for event recap videos, one aspect that applies to all types of videos remains fundamental; that is, to take the utmost care in designing  the very first few seconds of the video. This is where users decide whether or not to continue viewing.

Re-start from the target

We cannot emphasize this point enough: think about the impression you want to leave on the audience. To understand this, you must first consider who is in your audience. This is an absolutely decisive aspect to keep in mind when designing and distributing an event recap video. Knowing the characteristics of the target audience is the first and most important compass we have available to guide our editing, storytelling, and, even more so, the call-to-action choices (something we will return to in the last item on the list).

The ideal length

The ideal length for every event recap video does not exist. Of course, we are not talking about snackable content. Nor are we talking about teaser videos. Still, it’s important to not be too long. Usually this type of content is around a minute or a minute and a half in length. But this is not a universal rule. For guidance on the choice of length, the timeframe identified above remains valid: it all depends on the objectives, the narrative cores, and the target audience.

The graphic and sound aspects

In this point we hold together two very different aspects that often end up intertwining.
First, the graphic aspects: this is about striking the right balance between being eye-catching and being recognizable. Everything depends on the identity of the company and its corporate identity.
On the sound aspects, however, we return to the importance of the atmosphere, the feelings and emotions that the video wants to convey. Just think about how different watching the same sequence can be with sad music, cheerful music, solemn music, mysterious music, etc. playing. It’s a matter of making the right choices, and these are very delicate choices. On the other hand, if we talk about the audio aspects related to the speeches of speakers and interviewees, it’s always a good rule of thumb to include subtitles. Don’t forget that many users watch videos in mute mode, especially on social networks.

One video, more content

Typically the event recap video is a unique, recognizable, memorable video. And it’s correct and functional for it to be so. But watch out for a decisive point: a whole range of other valuable content can be extracted and generated from this single piece of content. This is the strategy of repurposing, which has the great virtue of expanding the reach of a video without investing additional resources. In a very practical way: using clips of the original video, you can create shorter, snackable content that can be turned into Instagram Stories, reels, or content for TikTok…and more.

Always be omnichannel

This point connects to the previous one. Any video production that wants to be effective and successful must be produced and distributed with an omnichannel perspective. In concrete terms: the viewing must be optimized and must automatically adapt to all devices, from different models of smartphones, to tablets, to PCs. The starting point must be mobile-first, for two crucial reasons:

• First, because the vast majority of video viewing is done via smartphones
• Second, because smartphone viewing has the greatest technical limitations. These limits stem from the size of the screen. So: everything must always be well “readable” and usable.

But it’s not just about devices. Omnichannel optics also means making sure that your event recap video can circulate on as many platforms as possible, in the most suitable and effective way. A few examples? The company site itself; YouTube; social networks (which have very different characteristics); incorporating your video into an email marketing campaign. Each of these channels has technical rules and best practices that you need to be able to adapt to in the most automated way possible.

Don’t forget the call to action!

When making a product video, it’s natural and obvious to think about the importance of the call-to-action moment. Instead, in an event recap video you may forget about this or not emphasize it properly; but this would be a huge mistake. Of course, a video recap serves, first and foremost, to reactivate the memory of the event, its highlights, and the atmosphere for attendees. It also serves to intrigue and engage those who were unable to attend. But these are only part of the goals. You also need something even more concrete, operational, and tangible. Something that is a call to action. Any examples? Ask viewers to save the date of the next event on the calendar and invite them to register. Even better: you can target lead generation, with a form where viewers can enter their contact information. If the event was focused on a specific product or service, you can include calls to action that are aimed more directly at conversion. You could also create a more generic invitation to share on social media, perhaps by including specific hashtags.

In conclusion, an effective event recap video succeeds in holding together a wide range of different objectives: reactivating memories and feelings, building loyalty, reinforcing a company’s identity, expanding the reach of an event in space and time, generating new leads, and advancing the Customer Journey.

Babelee

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