Defining "Custom Video Automation"
A video content category for your consideration.
In a world that's getting more and more automated, custom video content has a lever you can put to work.
Wes Kennison
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By Wes Kennison
4 min read
My audience for this post, and all posts really, is content marketing managers and agency creatives, if that’s you you’re in the right place. Allow me to say some novel things, just to you.
Video automation isn’t new, but it hasn’t come into it’s own yet. As of this writing, I’m somewhat fresh on the path to whatever contribution I’m going to ultimately make to the video automation category, but I’m not at all new to the idea. In my 11 year career as a commercial Director, I’ve been focused on video automation for 5 years now. I built the first iterator prototype myself in 2018 using a duct taped together set of Google products, built the second with my partner in v47 using WP Engine and React.js, and worked with a more traditional dev team that I put together myself for the iterator Beta that is currently in operation.
All that to say,
VIDEO AUTOMATION IS NOT ABOUT THE TECH.
Let me say that again.
VIDEO AUTOMATION IS NOT ABOUT THE TECH.
The tech, in and of itself, is not that interesting. It’s simple (but not easy), novel (but not really innovative anymore), and largely unadapted (but certainly not unchartered). One needs to know approximately fuck all about content to know that this is an interesting recipe, certainly for something tech oriented. Yet somehow, in the scope of things being done with software, it’s relatively low on the “wow scale”. So much so that at first glance it gets passed over as being a commodity oriented SaaS thing. The prerequisite concept that needs to be understood in order to unlock the true potential of video automation is one that impacts EVERY industry, and that is;
In a globalized economy increasingly driven by AI and automation, industries that require creativity and human ingenuity as the primary product are this generation’s New Deal.In a video production context, this dynamic is similar to the difference between footage you buy on a stock site, and footage you shoot yourself. Creative woo aside (which I can offer o' plenty if that's your speed), it’s inherently more valuable in the market when footage is shot with intention and a focus on a specific audience.
BUT, content consumption trends are far outpacing our ability to shoot it (or design it and animate it), so there HAS to be an added piece to the video production process that gives those of us creating value for clients by making little bespoke miniature films a leg-up [aka; "value add"].
Enter, “iterator”, version47’s video automation platform. If your interest has been piqued, thanks for getting to this point with me because we’ve arrived at the place in our story where I start talking to YOU specifically.
What does the “Custom applications of available video automation technology” featured so prominently on our website mean to content managers and marketers looking for the next thing in video production?It means that the "our client needs a video” conversation just got much, much more interesting. Let’s break down the typical way this coversation happens, simply.
1. Client needs a video.
2. It’s requirements exceed what you can execute in house.
3. You reach out to your top 3 production partners.
4. They all submit ideas.
5. You pick one. They make the video
6. Everyone loves it. And that’s a wrap.
Steps 4 - 6 are common, what would a 7th step look like? What COULD it look like? If you’ve got thoughts I’d love to hear them, but I’ll share what I came up with.
7. You take the assets, footage, messaging language, color palettes, and all the other “ingredients” you used to get you to step 6, and you package them all up in a unique way, and use v47’s iterator as an easy bake oven to create little bite size videos that drive interest and eyeballs towards the big deliverable that came out of step 5. The more you iterate, the more engagement you see, the more you LEARN about what needs to come next. We could call it a “template”, but if you’re making something for a very specific audience, THAT’s NOT A TEMPLATE, that’s a fucking SOLUTION.
I’m not really selling software here, so the call to action on this post isn’t “schedule a demo”. The call to action is to share some details about your video project, and allow me and the team to throw some custom video automation ideas your way.
Video automation isn’t new, but it hasn’t come into it’s own yet. As of this writing, I’m somewhat fresh on the path to whatever contribution I’m going to ultimately make to the video automation category, but I’m not at all new to the idea. In my 11 year career as a commercial Director, I’ve been focused on video automation for 5 years now. I built the first iterator prototype myself in 2018 using a duct taped together set of Google products, built the second with my partner in v47 using WP Engine and React.js, and worked with a more traditional dev team that I put together myself for the iterator Beta that is currently in operation.
All that to say,
VIDEO AUTOMATION IS NOT ABOUT THE TECH.
Let me say that again.
VIDEO AUTOMATION IS NOT ABOUT THE TECH.
The tech, in and of itself, is not that interesting. It’s simple (but not easy), novel (but not really innovative anymore), and largely unadapted (but certainly not unchartered). One needs to know approximately fuck all about content to know that this is an interesting recipe, certainly for something tech oriented. Yet somehow, in the scope of things being done with software, it’s relatively low on the “wow scale”. So much so that at first glance it gets passed over as being a commodity oriented SaaS thing. The prerequisite concept that needs to be understood in order to unlock the true potential of video automation is one that impacts EVERY industry, and that is;
In a globalized economy increasingly driven by AI and automation, industries that require creativity and human ingenuity as the primary product are this generation’s New Deal.In a video production context, this dynamic is similar to the difference between footage you buy on a stock site, and footage you shoot yourself. Creative woo aside (which I can offer o' plenty if that's your speed), it’s inherently more valuable in the market when footage is shot with intention and a focus on a specific audience.
BUT, content consumption trends are far outpacing our ability to shoot it (or design it and animate it), so there HAS to be an added piece to the video production process that gives those of us creating value for clients by making little bespoke miniature films a leg-up [aka; "value add"].
Enter, “iterator”, version47’s video automation platform. If your interest has been piqued, thanks for getting to this point with me because we’ve arrived at the place in our story where I start talking to YOU specifically.
What does the “Custom applications of available video automation technology” featured so prominently on our website mean to content managers and marketers looking for the next thing in video production?It means that the "our client needs a video” conversation just got much, much more interesting. Let’s break down the typical way this coversation happens, simply.
1. Client needs a video.
2. It’s requirements exceed what you can execute in house.
3. You reach out to your top 3 production partners.
4. They all submit ideas.
5. You pick one. They make the video
6. Everyone loves it. And that’s a wrap.
Steps 4 - 6 are common, what would a 7th step look like? What COULD it look like? If you’ve got thoughts I’d love to hear them, but I’ll share what I came up with.
7. You take the assets, footage, messaging language, color palettes, and all the other “ingredients” you used to get you to step 6, and you package them all up in a unique way, and use v47’s iterator as an easy bake oven to create little bite size videos that drive interest and eyeballs towards the big deliverable that came out of step 5. The more you iterate, the more engagement you see, the more you LEARN about what needs to come next. We could call it a “template”, but if you’re making something for a very specific audience, THAT’s NOT A TEMPLATE, that’s a fucking SOLUTION.
I’m not really selling software here, so the call to action on this post isn’t “schedule a demo”. The call to action is to share some details about your video project, and allow me and the team to throw some custom video automation ideas your way.