ScreenUp SF: Discussing Video Strategy with LinkedIn, Seeker, and Change.org

In June, we hosted a special ScreenUp at the LinkedIn offices in San Francisco, where we brought Lauren Ellis (Seeker /Group Nine Media), Jon Perri (Change.Org), and Chris Packard (LinkedIn Media Productions) onstage to discuss their video strategies with Co-Founder Alex Ragir.

Storyhunter ScreenUps are global, community-organized events showcasing the best in short-form film. ScreenUps began in Brooklyn in 2012 when a group of creative directors, filmmakers, and journalists decided to bring together like-minded video storytellers to learn from each other and share their experiences.

Below are edited excerpts from the panel discussion.

Pre-production is key to working with remote video crews

“[Working with a remove crew] is almost like storyboarding. I’m thinking of all the different scenes I would want, envisioning what we should shoot there, the demos we could get, time-lapses, all of that. Then at that point we treat the Storyhunter like a creative collaborator. They get to improvise on the spot and be there in the moment to see what happens.” — Lauren Ellis (Seeker/Group Nine Media).

The way you measure a video’s success depends on the type of content

Jon Perri (Change.org) says that measuring the success of their videos is based on the calls-to-action it generates, such as signatures, media coverage or direct interaction from viewers. For Lauren Ellis (Seeker/Group Nine Media), it’s all about engagement — views, drop-off point, shares, likes. They use that data to inform their complex video strategy. Similarly, Chris Packard (LinkedIn Media Productions) uses engagement to indicate the success of their livestreams, but takes a multi-faceted approach by measuring both the stream and the cut-downs, which are often the part that go viral.

Your Storyhunter project brief should include the necessary info and what makes you unique

“[For Seeker videos] the Storyhunter might have to make something like a lab, or something really dry, interesting. I think that’s the sweet spot, finding that story that is true to the narrative, as well as having that strong visual.” — Lauren Ellis.

Want to get more insights into the video production and media industry? Sign up for our newsletter here!

Stay up to date on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StoryhunterTV/

Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/storyhunter/

Give us a shout on Twitter: https://twitter.com/storyhunter

Join us: https://storyhunter.com/

By Jordan M. Rapaport, Storyhunter Writer