How to get your message across in a creative way

Let’s say you have an important message to get across to a large group of people.

Things have not been going well and the message is supposed to set things straight.

So the message is important.

You want it to be pertinent and convincing.

But you don’t want it to be bossy and top-down.

Turn your message into a little video:

1. Choose a situation that explains the problem well:
   • keep it simple
   • pick a circumstance people can relate to
   • if you choose a real event, make sure not to point fingers and make people involved aware
2. Write a script:
   • lots of dialogue
   • keep it funny
   • keep number of actors to a minimum
   • some actors can be voice over only (phone conversations)
3. Choose actors:
   • among your colleagues and/or friends
   • the more people recognize them, the more they relate, the funnier the effect
4. Play the script:
   • read it out loud with the actors
   • then edit, edit, edit
   • keep it to 4-5 min maximum 
5. Get equipped:
   • camera and tripod
   • 1 microphone per actor (you can use an iPod/iPhone as recoder and earphones as microphones)
   • pc/mac with video software (for example iMovie)
   • optionally some lights 
6. Get set up:
   • choose room(s)/location(s) where to shoot
   • get the props needed in the story (phones, paper, etc) 
7. Film/record
   • film all scenes several times
   • watch them, check sound
   • film again if necessary 
8. Bring together:
   • Edit, cut, paste, add sound (iMovie makes this really easy)

Remember: it’s not the quality of the sound/picture that make this a success, but the people and the content.