Interactive video doesn’t work on just interactive buttons. If your content isn’t propelled by correct video composition, it won’t appeal to the audience. While the primary mission of interactive video content is to engage, your shot composition will also play a huge part in the process. This is because audience trust builds through a professional approach.
So, in this post, we’ll discuss all you need to know about video composition for interactive video marketing. You know that your content is good—don’t let it falter because of something as fixable as bad lighting!
Let’s get started.
What is Video Composition?
Starting with the basics, let’s understand what video composition is.
Essentially, video composition is how you arrange on-screen elements for every frame. Each frame must have the elements lined up in such a way that they connect with the user.
When we consider video composition in interactive video, you have to ensure that the visual elements for the frame direct the viewer’s attention to where you need it most—CTA buttons or other interactive elements.
This is especially important in interactive video because your viewers will depend on you to guide them to the elements YOU want them to click on.
Essential Elements of Video Composition
Now, let’s check out the various elements that you need to consider when managing the video composition.
- Framing: Your video framing technique dictates where the viewer’s focus will be. The right techniques will create a balance in the entire video, focusing on different areas and ensuring the viewer isn’t overwhelmed.
- Visual Hierarchy: The size of your visual elements also tells the user about which ones are the most important. For example, your information can be in a medium-sized font, but the CTA button must be bigger to direct the viewers to it.
- Layering: Not every element should be on the same layer. To keep things fresh, add the elements in the foreground, background, and midground to create a visual contrast and provide a sense of cohesion.
- Lighting/Color: Dark or bright lighting (and color) can change the mood of the video instantly. Experiment with them to see what works best, both for a tone change and for highlighting CTAs.
- Movement: In interactive video, you can’t keep the camera focused on one place. Ensure that the camera focus moves from one point to another, depending on where you want to guide the viewer’s attention.
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Transitions: How you move from one video to another in the overall funnel dictates the overall experience. Ensure that there aren’t any jarring cuts from one video to another, as this will break the immersion and engagement.
You can experiment with each of these components to create interactive videos that successfully convey your brand image. It’ll also lead to a more professional video, which will increase your brand’s credibility.
Best Practices for Interactive Video Composition
Now that you know about the interactive video composition elements, here are the practices that you should ideally follow for the best results:
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Interaction Zones: If you’re adding CTAs in different sections of the video, keep those areas clear of anything else. A cluttered CTA doesn’t give the correct impression to the viewers.
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Testing: Don’t just test your interactive video for one device. Test it for all device types to ensure that viewers can access your video on a device of their choosing.
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Simplicity: The entire video shouldn’t have any sections that overwhelm the viewers. Their cognitive load should be kept at a minimum to make the right interactions.
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Viewer Behavior: Once the video is completed and almost ready for deployment, watch it a few times and understand how the viewer will progress through the video. Any action that seems unnatural needs to be refined or removed.
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CTA Visuals: Your CTAs need to be created bearing in mind your brand’s persona. It shouldn’t look out of place in terms of presentation.
Case Studies: Successful Interactive Video Marketing Campaigns
There are quite a few interactive video campaigns that left a lasting impression on the viewer and set the standard that you need to follow. Let’s check them out:
- Netflix’s Bandersnatch was one of the first full-length movies that had an interactive story. It used a tight storyline and excellent visual cues that added to the overall atmosphere and asked the viewers to make prompt decisions, as if they were a part of the movie’s narrative.
- Deloitte used interactive onboarding videos that featured branching storylines. The video composition mimicked that of a real-life Deloitte office and encouraged the viewers to take action based on office scenarios.
- Honda’s ‘The Other Side’ campaign pitted two videos against each other in the same video. It shifted quickly between the two to create a high-octane environment that highlighted the differences between the two cars instantly.
Common Mistakes to Avoid in Video Composition
We’ve covered the best practices, but in this section, we’ll discuss some of the common mistakes in video composition that you should avoid.
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Poor Framing and Asymmetry: If your interactive elements are placed awkwardly or the framing doesn’t focus on them immediately, it’ll create a jarring experience for your viewers. This can lead to lower interactions as the viewers won’t be directed to the correct areas.
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Overuse of Effects and Filters: It’s one thing to edit the video based on your brand persona, and another to overedit for a flashy look. Users don’t want to watch videos that are overloaded with random effects and filters, as this tells them that your brand focuses more on style than substance.
- Lack of Storytelling: Ultimately, if you want to convert viewers through interactive videos, you need to focus on the storytelling aspect. Once your viewers connect with the brand’s story, the majority of your work is done. However, if they can’t resonate with the story, they’ll be less convinced to follow through.
Future Trends in Video Composition for Interactive Video Marketing
Did you know that over 43% of viewers prefer interactive video marketing over traditional videos? This highlights the growing importance of interactive video, with more viewers preferring a more personalized touch for their brand interactions.
So, here’s what you’ll likely see in the coming years for interactive video:
- AI-based Video Composition: AI will be used to hyperpersonalize and optimize the video content. It’ll use engagement data to suggest the best frames for transitions, CTA layering, and more.
- Gamified Layering: It won’t be long before interactive videos take a more gamified approach. It’ll include more “choose your own adventure” options, with frames that are designed based on data-driven insight for the highest engagement.
- Mobile-friendly: Did you know that 70% of the total digital consumption in the U.S. is through smartphones? Due to its accessibility, you’ll find more interactive videos that are formatted and have video compositions for smartphones.
These factors indicate that AI will be leaned on heavily for gathering data that influences the creative process and video composition of interactive videos.
How Life Inside Can Help With Interactive Video Composition
Life Inside is an interactive video platform that helps you create and distribute your brand’s interactive videos. It can be used to experiment with video composition, especially if you’re editing to include brand personas, adding transitions, and including relevant CTAs in your video frames.
The platform is easy to use, highly intuitive, and integrates seamlessly with your current marketing tech stack. Plus, you get analytic insights to determine which videos are performing well and why. Lastly, their in-house team helps you set up the platform in a jiffy, ensuring that you get to reap the rewards of your interactive videos from day one!
Check out Life Inside today to know how your video composition for interactive videos can provide higher engagement and drive conversions!
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How can I use the Rule of Thirds to improve my videos?
The Rule of Thirds divides your photo or video grid into 3x3 spaces. You can place objects along those lines or in the intersections of the lines. This creates a visually appealing frame that organically attracts the attention of the viewer.
2. How does lighting affect video composition and engagement?
Improper or dull lighting can take away the focus from the storytelling to the dimly lit environment. This reduces the impact that you’re trying to have on the viewer and drastically reduces engagement. It also gives an unprofessional impression of the brand to the viewer, thereby hurting brand credibility.
3. What is the difference between video editing and compositing?
Video editing usually entails cutting the frames and rearranging them sequentially to form a coherent narrative that respects the video flow, timing, and pacing. With video compositing, you have to take into account the various layers of video and effects. Wrong video compositing can create a jarring experience for the viewer, especially if they’re watching an interactive video.
