How I get inspiration for my videography work

As a videographer, I know I need to provide the best possible service for my clients, and in an industry as creative as marketing, that means constantly looking out for inspiration.

If you want to get into videography yourself, or need to work with a videographer on your next big content marketing project, there are some brilliant ways to find inspiration.

You just need to know where to look.

So, without further ado, here’s my five favourite sources of inspiration as a videographer.

1. Check out what’s going viral

There’s a reason videos go viral. Whether by design or fortuitous mistake, there’s something in them that draws in an audience and encourages people to share what they see.

This is why I spend lots of time scouring platforms like Instagram, TikTok (I really recommend digging into this for video inspiration) and Facebook to see what’s gaining the most views, likes and shares. Even if the content itself isn’t related to what I’m working on, the story telling, techniques and general rhythm of viral videos is usually enough to get me thinking about my own work.

2. Look at the competition

Right, let’s get one thing straight: this isn’t copying.

You’re well within your rights to watch the competition’s video output and learn from it. And that’s because you can take what you like, make it better and produce something which sits head and shoulders above their efforts.

What’s more, you’ll probably spot opportunities they’ve missed, and that might be all the inspiration you need for your next marketing video.

3. Always think about the audience

When it comes to video, it’s easy to get lost in your own wants and desires, rather than considering what the audience wants. More often than not — and certainly in my experience — this can lead to poor work and, worse, burnout on your part.

So, when I’m running low on inspiration, I take a moment to put myself in the audience’s shoes. What are their pain points? What questions do they have?

By considering their needs, I can more easily come up with ideas that will answer their questions and provide real value. All it takes is a few minutes to put myself in their place.

4. Talk to others

Sometimes, inspiration for video content is really hard to come by, and if you’ve exhausted all other avenues, it’s worth taking the time to talk to others.

These people might be colleagues, customers or loved ones, but whoever they are, they might hold the key to your next big video idea.

Ask them what they’ve watched recently that caught their eye, and, if they’ve seen your previous work, which pieces they enjoyed the most.

5. Repurpose old video content

Good news! Sometimes, you don’t have to start from scratch — particularly when it comes to video.

Chances are, your last project will have a number of unused pieces of footage. Or, if you’re not quite happy with the first edit that was published, why not revisit and re-edit?

By doing this and including some of that unused footage, you might find a new angle, story or answer to the audience’s question that you hadn’t spotted before.

Repurposing content is a brilliant way to find inspiration for new work, and it’s nothing to be ashamed of — quite the opposite, in fact!

Wrapping up

I hope my tips above provide food for thought when it comes to conceiving your next marketing video.