“Video is for other people.” You may have thought it yourself, or heard it in a meeting, between a lukewarm coffee and a budget to close. Here are eight phrases that keep coming back, and what is really behind them.
1. “It’s too expensive”
Reality: it depends on what you’re comparing. A one-off film, shot to be seen only once, quickly becomes expensive per use. A shoot designed to produce a film, short clips, photos and verticals for social media changes the calculation completely. The price is a starting point; the real question is: how many usable pieces of content come out of it? Our article on the budget criteria for a video details what makes the bill vary.
2. “We have nothing to show”
Reality: you have a workshop, a counter, an office, people, a gesture you’ve been making for ten years without noticing it any more. What seems ordinary to you is often what fascinates outsiders. Nobody knows how you prepare an order, set up a machine or welcome a client. Show it.
3. “Our employees will never agree”
Reality: some will refuse, others will be delighted. Both positions are legitimate. Clear written permission is essential to use a person’s image, and a refusal must be respected. In practice, when you explain the project, leave people the choice and film without forced staging, there are almost always volunteers, and often where you didn’t expect them.
Tip Present the project to the team before the shoot, show examples, and let everyone say yes or no without pressure. The atmosphere on set benefits.
4. “One video is enough for five years”
Reality: a presentation film can last a long time, provided its images stay true. But a team changes, premises evolve, a range is renewed. A dated film showing an old logo or a colleague who left three years ago damages trust more than it builds it. Better a durable foundation, supplemented by small regular pieces of content.
5. “We need to go viral”
Reality: going viral is a firework, pretty but brief, and rarely aimed at the right people. Your goal is rather to be seen by the hundred clients who matter than by a million curious onlookers. A useful video, seen by your prospects, is worth more than a stunt that sells nothing.
6. “Nobody watches to the end”
Reality: people leave what bores them, not what is short. A well-paced 90-second film holds attention better than a three-minute film that drags. The solution lies in the hook of the first seconds, one message per video and a length suited to the platform. See also the corporate film in 90 seconds.
7. “A smartphone is always enough”
Reality: for a story or a spontaneous testimonial, yes, it often is. For a brand film, an advert or a scene in difficult lighting, the difference can be seen and heard: picture, lighting, sound, colour grading. The right question isn’t “smartphone or camera”, but “what is this content for?”. We discuss it in Smartphone or pro.
8. “It’s reserved for big companies”
Reality: for a small business, it’s actually the opposite. A big brand is known before it is filmed. A bakery, a practice, a neighbourhood SME have everything to gain from showing themselves, because video creates a closeness that size doesn’t give. A single good shoot, well prepared, can feed a year of communication.
What it changes for you
| Myth | What’s true |
|---|---|
| Too expensive | It all depends on how much content comes out of one shoot |
| Nothing to show | Your everyday life is your best subject |
| Reluctant employees | Written consent, free choice, volunteers |
| Once and for all | A durable foundation plus content that lives |
| Must go viral | Better to be useful to the right target |
| Nobody watches | People leave boredom, not brevity |
| Smartphone is enough | Depends on the use: spontaneous yes, brand film no |
| Reserved for the big ones | Small businesses benefit the most |
These myths have one thing in common: they are half true. A badly thought-out video is expensive, a frozen film ages, a smartphone doesn’t save bad lighting. But a well-framed project answers each of them.
At that dog, we prefer to first understand what you want to say, to whom, and where it will be seen, before talking about equipment or schedule. A cleverly planned shoot, possibly spread over the year, can answer almost all of the myths above at once.
Is a myth still holding you back?
Tell us about your project, and we’ll tell you frankly what is useful and what isn’t.