6 most common problems in-house videographers face

With IMPACT being a largely remote team, it’s exciting when we get a lot of people into the office a few times a year. 

When that happens, it’s usually go-time for shooting videos. 

People who normally aren’t around to shoot are being pulled in for important content, and there’s a long wish list sent to the video team here, which includes me, IMPACT’s videographer. 

Having everyone in office is amazing. There’s great energy and it’s exciting to nail down some great takes. 

But it’s also loud.

Imagine my chagrin when we set up early in the morning to shoot all day in one location, only to find the background noise is distracting or that our perfectly chosen space is now needed for something else.

I was so excited to get a bunch of content, only to have to uproot everything we set up, redo some of the schedules, and relocate somewhere else. 

It’s stuff like that that can really throw a wrench in your plans as an in-house videographer.

Video is such a collaborative effort with so many moving parts, there are bound to be issues like these. 

Creating video content is essential to building trust with your audience, and you shouldn't let a few pesky roadblocks get in the way.

Here are some common problems in-house videographers face and how to fix them.

Common problems in-house videographers face

1. There’s nowhere to shoot (too loud, too busy)

As in the experience I had, it can be hard to find somewhere to shoot, especially if you have a large team or a smaller office. 

If you’re watching a video that has twenty people talking in the background, notification dings, and lots of typing and chair moving, are you really paying attention to the speaker? Or even worse, can you clearly hear them?

Similarly, are you looking at a person who is clearly wedged in a white corner? 

Space and noise are very important to shooting, and it’s not always an ideal situation, but there are some things you can do to alleviate those issues. 

Solution: Consider shooting early, late, or during lunch when fewer people are in the office.

You can also scout other locations around and outside the office. You might be able to rent an adjacent space or even use it for free.

2. My company doesn’t want to invest in equipment I need

I struggled for a long time with a computer that I had to walk away from while exporting videos because it would crash if I even looked at it the wrong way. 

I’ve shot with cameras that were less expensive than my phone and with tripods that would fall over in the wind.

Not having the right equipment, or even any equipment, can make your job a lot harder and mean producing lower quality or being less efficient.

However, while it would be nice to have everything on your wishlist, the truth is you can get by without it. 

Solution: Take a look at what you really need when you’re starting out. The basics needs you should cover are your camera, sound, and lighting. 

Audio is arguably the most important. Even if your video is grainy or a little out of focus, if they can still hear you they can understand the information you’re giving.

Once you can show how important your video content is, it will be a lot easier to explain and persuade leadership why they need to put more money behind it.

Just remember that the way your video looks is important, but the content of the video is what they’re coming to you for. That should be the first priority. 

If you have to, shoot on a high-quality phone to get things started. It can only get better from there!

3. My colleagues don’t want to be on camera

If you have a subject matter expert that holds the key to answering all the questions that your clients have but they won’t get on camera to give that knowledge away, that can be a very frustrating hurdle for your video marketing. 

You know that video is the fastest way to build trust with your audience, and having someone who is an authority on the subject would be extremely helpful, but if they don’t want to be on camera, you can’t accomplish this. 

Being on camera is not for everyone right away.

Solution: There are tips and tricks that can definitely help you get people more comfortable. The most important things you can do are build rapport with your subject, make a clear schedule, and allow them as much time as they need.

If you want an even more in-depth look at how to get the most out of your on-camera talent, check out Will Schultz’ course in IMPACT+, our educational platform.

4. “I know what content needs to be made, but leadership is uncomfortable talking about the tough stuff.”

Your company might be gung-ho on video, but if there’s certain topics people don't want to answer (such as those involving price or competitors), that can be tricky. 

Whether it’s your responsibility as the videographer to compile this content or not, the lack of access to certain topics can lead to lack of meaningful video content. 

Solution: If your people do feel this way, they definitely need to read They Ask, You Answer.

Answering the hard questions will build immense trust with your audience. It shows that you’re not hiding anything.

When you’re being open and honest, especially with these tougher topics like cost, you show that you are a reliable source and can be trusted with people's business. 

If you answer the questions, especially on video with a face they can connect with, they’ll come to you for answers and trust you with their buying decisions. 

With that personal touch of seeing someone’s face on video, the buyer is a lot more engaged, and the speaker is a lot more believable than if they were just writing.

5. “I’m a shiny new toy and I get pulled in too many different directions."

If you’re new, or even if you’re just in high demand, it can be stressful to be a videographer. 

There are likely a lot of projects to be tackled with varying degrees of importance to different people. This can make you feel overwhelmed or unsure of what the true priorities are. 

If you’re cooking in twenty pots at one time, something’s going to burn. 

(I’ve been there before, trust me! I’m not even that shiny or new anymore, and I still get shoulder tapped constantly.)

Quantity over quality is almost never a good thing, but it can be hard to get a company to see that, especially when you have goals to hit.

Solution: Work with your manager to develop a schedule that will help you stay organized and on top of projects. 

Everyone thinks their video is the most important, but which really is to the company?

What helps me out is working with our video owner (if that’s not you in your organization). He helps me field requests, sort priorities, and figure out who’s actually ready to shoot. He owns the company’s overarching video goals and helps me organize to ensure they’re executed in the proper order. 

It might also help to come up with a process document for requesting videos to be made. Make sure people have an approved script, and then work with your team to decide priorities.

If you have this problem, it’s a good problem. It means that people want to do video! Just make sure they know the ground rules so that everything can stay organized and efficient.

6. Video isn’t given priority

It can be hard to get people to be in your videos, and the most common excuse is usually that other things are more important.

As They Ask, You Answer author Marcus Sheridan likes to remind folks:

"People make time for things they see as valuable. So, when someone tells me they don't have time for something, what that really means is they don't see value in what I'm asking them to do."

Solution: If you’re a videographer at your company, that means your company believes in video, but maybe the vision hasn’t trickled down yet. 

A good way to spread the vision would be with a workshop. If you can’t do a workshop, maybe try your own hand at educating the people you work with on why video is so important — or you can check out this IMPACT+ course for even more in-depth advice on getting your team on board with video.

You can do it!

It can be overwhelming to create video content, but it can also be awesome. Just remember you’re helping your company grow its business and build trust. 

But you also don’t have to do it alone! In IMPACT+ we have a huge range of courses to help you out in all your digital sales and marketing endeavors, especially video.

Do yourself a favor and go check it out.