Columnist

Keeping it reel: Creating video in an authenticity era

We have been in the video production business for 20 years.

This would be the perfect time to nostalgically look back at an era of flawless cinematic lighting, meticulously prepared scripts and pristine colour grades. 

While that world was undoubtedly golden, video storytelling has moved on.

Scroll through any platform – TikTok, Instagram Reels or even LinkedIn – and you’ll notice something different. 

Content is messier.

Handheld shots, natural lighting and unslick edits offer a raw and authentic edge.

And authenticity is a position that has become the new gold rush, with everyone trying to sift through the dirt to find a nugget.

So should we all just whip out our phones and create a masterpiece?

If off-centre shaky images and dimly-lit footage are the new normal, surely I’m doing myself out of a job here? 

It’s not too difficult to deftly prompt an artificial intelligence engine to create a 90-second explainer video from someone who looks and sounds highly polished.

It could save you thousands on your marketing budget – high fives from Richard in finance.

But ask yourself whether anybody is actually going to watch it, whether they’ll engage or learn from it, whether they’ll share it with colleagues or friends? Probably not.

We’re living in the era of authenticity in video.

In a world where high gloss is now at our fingertips, a lo-fi video can feel like a peek behind the curtain.

It’s human. Raw formats are faster to create and deploy. Marketers can respond to trends in days, not weeks.

Your audience, and therefore the platforms they populate and gravitate towards, celebrate spontaneity. 

The challenge has become about knowing where to apply polish and where to lean into authenticity.

Layered content strategies, where well-considered brand films add credibility and stature, and mix well with fast-paced, raw and authentic social content, are where we see brands succeeding.

Many will also consider the halfway house between the two: self-shot thought leadership and opinion, on platforms like LinkedIn, blends professional clarity with conversational tone. 

At YourFilm, we’ve seen this shift first-hand.

Clients want the creative control and storytelling of a production company, but also the agility and authenticity of creator-led content.

Audiences don’t just want to see your brand at its best; they want to see it at its most real.

As producers, our role is no longer just to make things beautiful. It’s to make them believable.     

Kevin Owens is co-founder and creative director at North East video production company YourFilm

Looking to promote your product/service to SME businesses in your region? Find out how Bdaily can help →