5 Tips for Brainstorming Engaging Video Storylines

Engaging storylines for videos for your brand are generally acknowledged to be a perquisite in this day and age, but the brainstorming process to try and come up with those storylines in the first place can be as somewhat trickier endeavour. 

Brainstorming is important because while it can be very difficult to try and think of new ideas when you are on your own and just staring at a blank piece of paper, when creative people get together and are allowed to bounce ideas off each other, wonderful things can happen. However there are some tips to follow that can ensure the brainstorming process will be able to actually succeed in coming up with ideas that are new, exciting and above all usable. 

Creating a routine

You cannot just sit around and wait for an idea to materialise when the deadline for the next video is fast approaching. Inspiration needs work, and work needs some kind of routine to be established in order for anything to get done. Having a regular brainstorming routine gets people into the mindset of using their creativity and imagination and constant and regular brainstorming sessions will allow the brain to get used to the practice and start coming up with new ideas for videos much more easily. 

Defining the process

Brainstorming meetings will have a lot more focus if everyone who is participating in them understands the level of output that they are expected to produce. Brainstorming can pay particular dividends in two particular places during the process of making a new video.

The first of those places is in the conceptual stage. This kind of meeting is usually used to find at least three of four solid ideas that your company’s Creative Director or your client can seriously consider. The story the video wants to tell, the technique or the style that it is going to use and the dominant message or metaphor that the video needs to make use of are all questions that should be considered during a brainstorming session. 

Watching other videos

One of the great keys to sparking our own creativity and imagination is to watch other creative content. This isn’t about stealing or plagiarising other people’s ideas so much as it is about how other people’s ideas can inspire new ones of our own. Watch other videos, not necessarily even limited to brand videos within your own particular industry, and see if there are any character types or concepts that you could turn on their head and make your own. You could take a moment or notion that is a small part of another video and make it your main focus, or even flip the central idea to best suit your particular company or industry. 

Building the right brainstorming team

A common mistake made by companies is inviting just too many people to a brainstorming session. It is important that everyone present in such a meeting is able to contribute, and anyone who is unable or unwilling to do so will actually just serve to inhibit those who would otherwise be more productive. 

Generally speaking two or three people is probably enough for a meeting in which to brainstorm ideas for a new video for your brand, although there are some instances in which more people may be appropriate or necessary. 

Mixing together those with copywriting and visual arts skills can produce excellent results. 

Make use of your resources

Having a list of all available resources can also be a help to the brainstorming process, making it easier to come up with a story if you have access to certain location, props or even people that that story could then be wrapped around. 

Brainstorming can be a powerful tool for productivity and help to plan and develop new ideas that can keep your videos engaging for a long time to come. 

If you’d like help creating a storyline for your video, don’t hesitate to contact our team of experts here at Zaini Media