The time lapse is a perfect medium to showcase beauty and action. Like many forms of video, the time lapse uses captivating imagery and movement to compel viewers. Unlike many forms of video, the time lapse offers a unique perspective that is unfamiliar yet appealing to viewers.
When you think of a traditional time lapse, fast paced images of skyscraper construction, starlit desert night skies and tree-engulfed rambling brooks come to mind. It is easy for us to recall the most beautiful natural or man made scenes when we think of the time lapse.
Continue on to learn more about time lapse and how it can work for your business.
As a business owner, are there any benefits to utilizing time lapse technology for your own marketing? Why would your consumers want to see a time lapse focused on your business? A well-thought out, intentional time lapse can be a great marketing tool for any business owner. There are several things to consider when attempting to create your own time lapse.
Focus on Something Interesting (to Your Customers)
Creating a two hour timelapse highlighting the growth of the grass in front of your office, no matter how well maintained it might be, is not going to be interesting to your customers. Documenting the clutter accumulating in your office lobby over several days will not compel them to buy your products and services either. Make sure that you focus on capturing the progress of something that will directly affect them.
A few examples might be major renovations your office is undergoing, assembly of an interesting, new product or the hanging of new signage. Before considering creating a timelapse, ask yourself, “would I care about this video if I knew nothing about my business”? If the answer is yes, it is probably worth the effort. Just like other blogs, pictures and videos your business may create, the timelapse is a piece of content that will only be effective if your viewers find it valuable or interesting.
Make Sure Your Subject Matter Has Two Things: Consistency and Variety
A good timelapse video contains elements that remain the same throughout and elements that change over the length of the video. Think about the rambling brook sequence. The water rushes, the leaves rustle in the wind, but the trees, rocks and earth remain completely still. By establishing elements of consistency and elements of variety in your timelapse, you are creating context in which the viewer perceives the change that is occurring. If the rocks were rolling and the trees were flying downstream with the water, you would have complete chaos. If the stream was dry and there was no breeze, you wouldn’t have a timelapse, you’d have a photo.
Now apply these same principles to your lobby renovation timelapse. The structure (walls, floor, ceiling) will remain consistent and unmoving, while everything else (ceiling tile, drywall, paint, flooring, etc.) is changing at a rapid pace. This combination creates a compelling video with a unique perspective not available in any other medium.
Timing is Everything
How long does it take to capture a great time lapse? That is a great question that many fail to ask before they set out to create their first sequence. A few photos or frames of footage won’t be enough to create a compelling time lapse. There are many factors that will affect how many frames or photos you will need to capture for your time lapse.
- How long will the end video be?
- How quickly is your subject matter changing?
- How long will lighting be acceptable?
From a marketing standpoint, make sure your end result is not so long that it becomes uninteresting or so short that it is easily forgettable. Timelapses, like other marketing videos, should be exactly as long as they need to be to get the message across.
Practice A Lot | InnerAction Media | Time Lapse Video for Your Business
When it comes to timelapse videos, all the advice in the world, no matter how helpful, can’t replace field experience. You could try:
- Different scenes
- Different consistency/variety combinations
- Different lighting environments
- Different time lengths
You will learn what works best for you and what doesn’t work so well. Practicing with sequences that you can easily recreate, like painting a picture, building something or capturing a sunset will set you up for those that are not so easily duplicated (like a major lobby renovation). If you are interested in creating a timelapse for your business or utilizing timelapse technology in your next project, but think you need a bit more help, give us a call! We would be happy to help.
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