Creating compelling video content

Laurence Montalbo has been working with NOSY for five years, working with a range of clients across the private, public and charity sector.

His passion for videography became his profession too, with Laurence and NOSY colleague Francis now heading up our video team, with one of their recent projects, Without Mountbatten, gaining national recognition at the Smiley Charity Film Awards.

Here, Laurence reveals how it all started for him, and talks through some of the steps to making compelling film content.

Firstly Laurence, tell us how you fell in love with video?

It was on my wedding day in the Philippines, when the guys we used produced a same-day edit. We watched the film on the wedding night and I was so amazed by how clever and creative it was, especially as it was turned around so quickly.

From there, my wife brought me a camera and I started taking photos, which progressed to videos, and my love for it snowballed.

You’re a self-taught videographer - how have you mastered the skills to make a career in this field?

I don't have a formal qualification in videography but I do believe I have an eye for it. I'm a little obsessed with it, to be honest, and have dedicated lots of time to watching videos on YouTube and learning from more experienced guys at NOSY, who have really helped me. Videography is not something you can ever stand still with, and even though I'm more experienced myself now, I'm still constantly learning new techniques and new ways to make good content. I can be chilling at home watching a documentary and there’ll be a shot that looks amazing, and it'll inspire me to do something similar.

Why is a good video important to a brand or business?

A promotional video grabs attention and gets your message across really well. We live in a world where people are constantly scrolling, and video is one of the best ways to stand out. When people can see your face, your team, or your product in action, it's more real and personal, and they're more likely to take notice.

Videos can help boost sales or deliver an important call to action and search engines also love them. I think they’re the best way to show what makes you different and why people should care.

Laurence & Francis looking sharp at the Smiley Charity Film Awards

Explain how you plan a shoot for a client video?

It can depend on the client, and whether or not we have worked with them before. If we take Mountbatten, as an example, NOSY has worked with the charity for five years, so we're very familiar with their work and message. We’ve made a series of films with Mountbatten and all of them have been different but often with a similar call to action. The challenge is to keep thinking outside the box to create something new each time. With a new client, we'll need to do more research, initially, but it’s really important we’re familiar with who they are and what they do. In every project, we’ll map out a storyboard and work with the client to understand what they want the video to achieve, and the impact they want it to have. It's then our job to make it happen.

And how do you do that?

We always go into the shoot with a plan but with an understanding the plan can change, especially if something spontaneous happens, or if there's a moment we simply have to capture.

Making sure people in the film are comfortable and briefed properly is an important first step because it can feel daunting with cameras, lighting and microphones everywhere.

We use multiple cameras to shoot different angles, which helps to add depth and emotion to the video. Our aim is to make the viewer feel involved and connected. By switching angles, we can keep the visuals dynamic. We'll often have a close-up shot to capture emotion and wide shots enable us to set the scene. Angles create mood or tension, and all this helps us be more creative with the film.

Music's important too. It sets the mood, whether that's happy, sad or neutral. We see music as a storytelling tool, rather than something that's on in the background. We'll often have three pieces of music already prepared before the shoot to help us determine the vibe for the film.

What does the editing process involve?

The edit is really important, whether it's a short reel or a longer film. Getting the flow of the story right is the first step, ensuring there's a strong beginning, middle and end. The pace, the music, adding the right levels of emotion and ensuring each cut is clean and polished all make up a good edit.

When I first joined NOSY, one of the very first things I learned was sound design. Most of the time when people watch a video, they're really focused on the visuals, which is great but adding good sound design can seriously take it to the next level. It’s what makes the difference between just watching something and actually feeling like you're there.

The funny thing is, most people don't even realise it's happening. They don't notice the sound design but they'd definitely feel if it wasn’t there. It's especially important when you're editing animated videos, since they usually don't come with any sound or music. Without it, the animation feels empty; with it, everything suddenly feels alive.

By nature, I am a perfectionist so when I'm editing, I can take a bit longer to get something exactly right. Every detail counts.