Las Vegas Video Production

Shelf Life of Video Footage, #videoproduction, #corporatevideo

This industry isn't cheap.  It's not cheap to have a video made, it's not cheap to run a video business.  That is, of course if quality is a concern.  As a result, video content is often recycled, re-cut, re-used and re-purposed over and over and over.  This can be a very good thing or it can be detrimental.  There is a fine line on when to stop using the same footage.

Video shot in SD(standard definition), unless it has historical quality, should probably be put to the side as of today.  Using footage with this type of look for marketing or social media will only make you look out of touch or dated.  I'm not saying it wasn't great footage when it was shot, just that it's time has come.  Archive it and let it go, it's time to update your footage.

Video captured by phone should be used only once.  This shaky, low res footage can be useful when something happens currently and only if it's relevant.  After the initial push or use, this should be archived or lost.  And no vertical video, unless it has the potential to go viral...in a good way.

Poorly shot video, even if it is in HD, should not be used.  Just because video has great color or is shot at 1920 x 1080, doesn't means it's good.  If it's too shaky, isn't framed correctly, blown out or too dark, it's not worthy risking a reputation to keep using it.  Just because it was shot and paid for doesn't mean it is worth using on a continual basis.

With that said, if video has been captured in the last few years with a professional camera and crew, it should be good for awhile.  But the shelf life isn't indefinite on anything.  Fashion changes, hairstyles change, places change.  Even if these things aren't the focus in video footage, they are there and they are recognized, even if only by the subliminal.  They have an effect, they tell your viewers that you are no longer on the cutting edge.

When planning a video shoot, one thing to keep in mind is where else can this footage be used and how long should we use it for.  There should be a life given to each project and to the video before it is archived.  Keeping footage relevant and up to date is important and should be given thought before each production but just as important is re-use.  The further you can make your footage go in a positive way, the more cost effective it becomes.  Then when you look at everything you used the media for, you may realize it wasn't so expensive after all.