Momentum Episode 10:
Video Marketing

Maintaining momentum, video is an essential component to marketing in today's day and age and with the evolution of social media platforms and online streaming services, branded video content isn't just relegated to broadcast television any longer; it's everywhere.

No matter your platform or goals behind your video marketing efforts, you need to have content that's engaging enough to break through the clutter and grab viewers' attention.

So just how do you make video content that sticks? Well, let's talk about it.

Hey everyone, welcome to Momentum, a podcast by Jotform where we talk about technology, productivity tips, best practices, and strategic insights that help us move forward in business and in life.

I'm Ella, your host, and I'm here with Jotform's very own videographer, video producer, video manager, video editor—whatever you want to call him because he does it all—Patrick Thornsbury to chat with us about how he goes about crafting the optimal tech marketing video.

Patrick, welcome to the show. It's great to have you on camera instead of office.

Yeah, it feels weird to be in front of the camera for once, but yeah, relinquishing control. I'm glad to be here.

Distill your wisdom. So I want to be clear up front that for this conversation, we'll obviously be focusing on the video production process itself, referencing the various types of videos we make here at Jotform.

We won't necessarily get as much into the broad overall strategy behind video marketing because honestly, that's an entirely separate conversation we'll definitely cover on another episode.

But let's talk about the actual process of creating and stitching together marketing video content in a way that's as engaging as possible, which of course is your specialty.

Do you want to start by giving a little bit of background about yourself and your experience in the video industry?

Yeah, I've been at this for a long, long time, which makes me feel old, but I think the first time I ever jumped behind the camera was about when I was like 14, and I fell in love with it instantly.

Then I went to college and studied audio engineering and video, of course.

Then I was lucky enough to transition. I grew up in Washington state and wanted to get out of the rain, so I was lucky enough to land a job at an e-commerce store down in the Bay Area.

I worked there for a couple years, and it was kind of like the perfect entry way to cut my teeth.

Were you doing video there?

Yes, I was doing video and then photography, but for the most part, I was doing almost solely video straight out of the gate, all green screen work, stuff like that.

So it was a great learning experience first thing, and I was able to learn on the job and ended up parlaying that into a job in Silicon Valley working in tech hardware.

Kind of not on the software side of things but on the hardware side, which was a whole different beast.

Did that for about four or five years and then I decided to go full-time freelance.

Heidiken, the CEO of Jotform, I had already freelanced for Jotform a few times, got wind of it, and he was like, no, no, why don't you come over here and work for us instead?

And yeah, I've been here four years as a full-time in-house video production manager and one year before that as a full-time freelancer.

You've really done it all in that time because we're now starting to grow our video team. We have an assistant video editor and we're hiring more, but for a long time, for those four years, it was really just you.

Both recording, editing, producing, making the graphics—you kind of did all A to Z, and I know that's just a fantastic skill set.

Obviously, we've been very fortunate to have you, but it's cool that you were able to encompass all of these roles, and now hopefully you're getting a little bit more support so you can focus on some other things.

We definitely couldn't have gotten where we have in video without your help so far.

I'm curious though, did anything you learn in college apply to what you're doing today? Because I feel like technology changes so much.

Yeah, I mean, the basics are always the same. Editing is editing no matter what, so that skill set has served me well.

When I first was learning, it hasn't really changed all that much. It's almost exactly the same—crossfades and just putting stuff together.

But the technology gets better and better, and of course the tools get better and better.

I've always lived by the motto that the more you know how to do, the harder you are to replace.

You're very hard to replace.

I try to be good on the audio side, good on the graphics, photography, everything, and all that stuff is applicable forever.

Twenty years from now, I'll still be using the same skill set that I learned in my first class in college—aperture, shutter speed, ISO—none of that stuff ever changes.

That's interesting. I guess I would have thought that as technology advances, everything changes with it, but the fundamentals never change.

Has advancement in technology made it easier or more complex to pull off what you do?

A little bit of both. I would say it's a lot easier. The speed of everything, technology has improved so much.

A laptop like this, you can do a full edit, you could edit a movie on this thing right now, whereas 15 years ago that was unheard of.

You would have to wait two hours to render out a 30-second clip.

Yeah, it's really changed.

It has also gotten harder. Certain aspects have gotten more complicated. There's a lot more to choose from software-wise these days, which is good, but also a responsibility.

Every time something else comes out, you have to learn that new skill set, which can be challenging, especially the older you get and more set in your ways.

Our assistant editor has very definite ideas of how she wants to do things versus the way I do things, and I'm very like the old man, so I gotta keep my ways.

It is challenging keeping up with that stuff, and if you don't keep up with it, you can fall behind real fast.

Well, it's like the tech industry at large, the Jotform's, it's just a constantly evolving industry, and you're on the cutting edge of that in another way, which is kind of cool to get a glimpse into that world.

Let's talk a little bit about the videos that you do for Jotform.

Anyone who's familiar with our YouTube page or our content is probably familiar with the type of videos that we put out, but do you want to talk a little bit from a broad perspective about the various categories of video we produce here?

What originally brought me to Jotform was case studies, and those are still my favorite. Those are definitely the coolest ones that we get to work on, like going out and working with customers.

Up until the pandemic, that was a huge part of my job, and hopefully it will be returning.

Since the pandemic, we've been shooting a lot more product overview type videos, little ads for Hulu and YouTube in general, and AdWords type videos.

We shoot a monthly newsletter, which we've done almost for four years straight now, though we lost a few months during the pandemic, but we've stayed pretty steady on that.

I'm kind of proud of how that thing has evolved. Those started out as simple little videos of Chad, our marketing head, sitting in front of a camera in front of a Jotform logo, and it's since evolved into this cool thing where you've even been on camera for a while.

Then we do tutorials, tip videos, little animated explainers where I build animations in After Effects.

Is that an entirely different skill set, like the graphics side of things?

Yeah, it's a whole different beast. It's more challenging in a way but also easier because you can just sit down and plug away and you don't really have to rely on anybody else, which during the pandemic was great because I could do the voiceover, the animation, find the music—one-stop shop.

Just a lot of work for you.

Random oddball question: here in the Bay Area, we're very close to Disney Pixar. Do you think it's a cooler or more difficult process if you're working at Pixar and everything is animated versus doing a live-action movie? If you could work at either type of studio?

Totally off script, I would say the animation side would be so much more complicated, and I don't think it would be as fun either because animators might work on one scene for three weeks or even three months, whereas on a movie you're running and shooting all day and can actually start seeing the movie come together within a month.

Pixar movies can take two to five years. It's crazy. It's an art form though.

Back to what we were talking about, these different kinds of videos you talked about—the tutorial, ad-like videos on Hulu, newsletter videos—can you take us through the production process and what differs in the creation of these videos?

Every video is different and requires a different approach. For an ad for Hulu, that's a whole different beast requiring drones, gimbals, sliders, storyboarding, location scouting—all that kind of stuff. The production quality has to be elevated.

Whereas a newsletter, half the time we just show a place that looks pretty, throw on some lav mics, and try to mix it up with locations and keep it fun.

There's all the post-production stuff with screenshots and showing off the product, which is a whole other conversation.

Dealing with stock footage, stock photos, and all that kind of stuff.

An animated video is a completely different process. I tend to just start tinkering and go for it, throwing graphics into After Effects and building something. I don't plan out my animations nearly as much as I should, but they all work out.

It's a whole different beast depending on what kind of video you're making. It's a broad topic.

For the tech geeks out there, can you talk a little about your digital toolkit for production and editing? Hardware or software?

Let's do a brief rundown of both for people who might not know what I'm talking about.

On the hardware side, I usually shoot on cinema cameras. I used to shoot mostly on DSLRs when the industry was almost inaccessible due to price, but DSLRs changed that.

You can get a really nice camera for fifteen hundred to two thousand dollars. The cameras we use are under three grand for most everything we do.

I use a diverse toolkit: a Canon C100 for most interviews, a Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera for product videos, a GH4 which I should probably update, and a 5D Mark IV for interviews or pictures.

It all started with one camera back in the day, a 60D, and a will to make cool videos. Here I am now, making videos for Jotform.

On the software side, I'm strange. I know a lot have switched to Premiere, but I stuck with Final Cut Pro X.

I was a big Final Cut Pro 7 user, which was a powerhouse. Pro X came out and was basically iMovie, so everybody jumped to Premiere.

I jumped back and forth, using Premiere for bigger projects and Final Cut for smaller ones, and it slowly morphed into just using Final Cut.

I do all graphics in After Effects. I started as an audio engineer, so I use Pro Tools for audio, which is more powerful than needed but offers flexibility.

Audio makes the video in my opinion. It's one of the key identifiers of professional versus unprofessional production.

That's a brief overview. I hope tech geeks out there get some benefit, even if most of it is French to others.

Video editors have to master so much: Illustrator, Photoshop, various software to make engaging videos. Good editors make photos look interesting, not just slap a photo into a timeline.

Do most good video editors need professional training or can you pick it up with desire and will?

I feel you do need training but not necessarily college training. College often involves classes unrelated to editing, so quicker entry can be through online classes like LinkedIn Learning or School of Motion.

Seventy-five to eighty percent of what I know I learned after college.

A degree is your foot in the door, especially for tech companies in Silicon Valley. They often discard resumes without a bachelor's degree.

There are great editors without college, but they might be at a disadvantage without a degree and need an impactful portfolio to overcome that.

Studios don't care about degrees for full-time freelancers, but in-house editors at companies like Jotform probably need some college.

Back to Jotform, the variety of videos we produce is somewhat unique: ad-style videos, product tutorials, newsletter videos, product launches, and nitty-gritty tutorials.

We have front-facing, higher engagement videos and detailed tutorials, very different styles, and it's awesome you've championed all those styles.

What's the most challenging part of bringing these videos to life, especially for someone who doesn't know much about video?

For live action and shooting on location, the hardest part is keeping track of all the little things. So many things can go wrong on a shoot.

Audio can drop out, which has happened many times. We usually set up a shotgun mic as backup because of that.

Sound is the most important part. If you can't hear the person talking, the whole video is gone. Everything hinges on that one microphone.

You could shoot a whole video with terrible white balance or wrong shutter speed, ruining slow-mo shots. There are many things that can go wrong, and thinking on your feet is crucial.

That was the hardest thing for me starting out, especially being the lone guy for 10 years, handling everything myself.

I filmed my first job with the president and CEO of a company for three hours, and the audio wasn't recording the entire time. That's painful.

On my first day as a professional videographer, the whole shoot was out of focus. I had to think on my feet and made it black and white and sharpened it to look intentional.

Thinking on your feet is a very important lesson for editors. You can look like an idiot once or twice but pivot and make it look like you meant it.

It makes me appreciate how much goes into video because you have to be detail-oriented. Even simple remote setups feel like a lot compared to live action shoots with multiple lights and cameras.

For case studies, I shoot two cameras, one on a motorized slider, which moves back and forth continuously.

That's not a gimbal; a gimbal is handheld and stays steady while moving around.

We put videos on different platforms like YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, and Hulu, and each platform has different post-production requirements.

YouTube videos have end screens and annotations for calls to action, while Twitter videos don't have clickable end screens but include subscribe buttons.

For Hulu or TV advertising, encoding and following rigid guidelines is crucial: frame rate, size, color space, and other specs must be precise or the video won't air.

ProRes is popular for high-end videos; it's less compressed than H.264, which is common for YouTube. Uploading ProRes to YouTube results in ugly compression, so encoding for the platform is important.

How long does post-production take? For this podcast, two or three days turnaround since the camera is stationary and few cuts.

More complex projects like 3D edits or tech hardware videos take longer, sometimes weeks. The drier the content, the more sophisticated the graphics need to be.

Newsletter videos take a couple of days; case studies take a week or two depending on complexity. Higher production ads take even more time, especially on color grading.

We did an ad for April Fool's Shop Tables that had to look like an Apple commercial, which required more time on color grading.

Tech marketing videos differ from other industries; goals and audiences differ, so how do you spice up videos about technology products?

It depends on the industry and audience. Know your audience and make videos targeted to them. People watching tech videos usually want specific information, so keep it simple and straightforward.

Make everything purposeful; everything on screen needs a point. Avoid showing random stuff that loses the audience.

Make things move; don't sit on shots too long. People get bored easily. I try to cut every five seconds or so and include motion like zooming or moving screenshots.

In animation, we use eye trace to guide viewers' eyes intentionally through the video, leading them across the screen thoughtfully.

Another huge thing is your talent needs to be engaged and happy. If they're not enthusiastic on camera, the audience will be bored.

For newsletter videos, every take ends with 'happy, happy,' which is why we always look a little more lively.

Video requires a different kind of talent than professional data-driven presentations; you need to be happy and engaging.

The vibe depends on the video type. Tech hardware videos are serious and professional, sometimes needing voice actors, while software videos like ours are more relaxed and fun.

Even dry content can be made engaging with the right approach. We try to keep our videos fun and interesting without being too goofy.

What's the most satisfying part of your job from a broader perspective?

Creating is like a drug to me. I'm a musician, photographer, and videographer, and all these creative outlets scratch the same itch.

It's so satisfying to put a bunch of work into something and then sit back and look at what you've created. It gives me a high.

Certain projects are more satisfying than others, but when you create something you really love, there's no better feeling.

What's the most fun thing you've ever worked on, not necessarily for Jotform?

For Jotform, case studies are the most fun because you get to travel, meet interesting people, and see amazing uses of the product.

Every case study reveals surprising things people do with Jotform, and the people love being on camera, especially if it's their first time.

That enthusiasm is infectious and translates well to viewers who aren't familiar with the world of video.

Do you do any production or content creation on the side as a hobby?

Yes, I do short films, photography, and a very specific Nicholas Cage podcast where we spend hours discussing every movie he's done.

It's incredibly fun and lets me use all my skills like Illustrator, Photoshop, and video editing.

The podcast is dropping soon, and it's a fun project that keeps me engaged on my days off.

What advice would you give companies looking to expand their video marketing efforts?

Get started now. Video isn't going away; it's blowing up exponentially. People prefer short videos over long articles.

Do it yourself if you can, but get someone passionate and geeky about video because that passion shows.

Be yourself and authentic to your company. Don't try to imitate others; make videos that fit your company's identity.

Comparison is the thief of joy. There's a wide spectrum of video production, so don't be afraid to start simple and improve over time.

Every day is an opportunity to get a little better. Try new things and learn something new with each video.

We've covered a lot today, from software to hardware, processes, video types, and even Nicholas Cage.

It's been insightful, and I hope listeners appreciate what goes on behind the camera to make all this happen.

Thanks for being here and shedding light on this world. It's been great to have you in front of the camera for once.