emphasizing visual appeal in corporate video production: case study in uitm melaka

EMPHASIZING VISUAL APPEAL IN CORPORATE VIDEO PRODUCTION:

CASE STUDY IN UITM MELAKA

INSTITUT PENYELIDIKAN, PEMBANGUNAN DAN PENGKOMERSILAN UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA 40450 SHAH ALAM, SELANGOR

MALAYSIA

By

Azahar B. Harun,

Tengku Shahril Norzaimi B. Tengku Hariffadzillah, Shaharin B. Sulaiman, Mohamed Razeef B. Abdul Razak &

Ariff B. Ali

JUN 2008

ii

Tarikh : 21st June 2008

Penolong Naib Canselor (Penyelidikan) Institut Penyelidikan, Pembangunan dan Pengkomersilan Universiti Teknologi MARA 40450 Shah Alam

Assalamualaikum warahmatullahiwabarakatu

Ybhg. Prof.,

PENYELIDIKAN TANPA PEMBIAYAAN DARI IRDC Dengan segala hormatnya perkara di atas adalah dirujuk. 2. Saya ingin memaklumkan kepada Prof. bahawa kumpulan kami telah menyiapkan satu projek penyelidikan bertajuk “Emphasizing Visual Appeal in Corporate Video Production: Case Study in UiTM Melaka”. Projek ini telahpun kami bentangkan dalam pertandingan IID 2008 pada 27 Mac 2008 tempohari. 3. Untuk makluman Prof lagi, projek ini tidak menggunakan sebarang pembiayaan dari IRDC kerana ia adalah sebuah projek khas yang dibiayai oleh UiTM Melaka sepenuhnya. Sehubungan dengan itu, kami telah mengambil inisiatif untuk mengubahsuainya menjadi sebuah kajian kes. Ini adalah bertujuan memenuhi syarat pengesahan jawatan bagi tiga orang ahli kumpulan kami. Berikut adalah senarai ahli yang dimaksudkan:

1. En. Shaharin B. Sulaiman (No Pekerja .180807)

2. En. Mohamed Razeef Abdul Razak (No Pekerja . 198080) 3. YM Tengku Shahril Norzaimi B. Tengku Hariffadzillah (No Pekerja . 213295). Adalah diharapkan semoga pihak Prof. dapat mempertimbangkan permohonan

ini.

Sekian Terimakasih. Yang benar,

AZAHAR HARUN Ketua Projek

iii

Date : 21st June 2008

Ref : 100-IRDC/IID 37/9/7

Penolong Naib Canselor (Penyelidikan) Institut Penyelidikan, Pembangunan dan Pengkomersilan Universiti Teknologi MARA 40450 Shah Alam Ybhg. Prof., FINAL REPORT OF RESEARCH Enclosed herewith are three copies of the final report for a research project entitled “Emphasizing Visual Appeal in Corporate Video Production: Case Study in UiTM Melaka”.

. Thank you. Sincerely, AZAHAR HARUN Head of Project

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RESEARCH GROUP

AZAHAR HARUN Head of Research Project

……………………………………………………………… Signature

YM TENGKU SHAHRIL NORZAIMI B TENGKU HARIFFADZILLAH 1st Member (Special Effects Supervisor & Designer)

……………………………………………………….. Signature

SHAHARIN B SULAIMAN 2nd Member (Director of Photography)

……………………………………………………….. Signature

MOHAMED RAZEEF B. ABDUL RAZAK 3rd Member (Graphic Designer)

……………………………………………………….. Signature

ARIFF B. ALI 4th Member (Corporate Presenter)

……………………………………………………….. Signature

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We would like to extend our gratitude to the respective people who have been supporting us in this study. Without their help it would not have been possible for us

to complete this report. They were as follows:

Associate Professor Dr. Mizan Hitam (Director of UiTM Melaka)

Associate Professor Sabariah Hj Mahat (Deputy Director of Academic Affairs of UiTM Melaka)

En. Rosli Zakaria (Head of Program Coordinator

Faculty of Art & Design, UiTM Melaka)

and

to all members of the research team.

It has been a pleasure to work with such a dedicated team member on such an important and exciting project.

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CONTENTS No Title Page 1 Abstract

8

2 1.0 Introduction

9

3 2.0 Research Significance

10

4 3.0 Limitations

10

5 4.0 Problem Statement

10

6 5.0 Research Questions

11

7 6.0 Research Objectives

12

8 7.0 Literature Review 7.1 The Importance of Video 7.2 What is Corporate Video Production? 7.3 What is Visual Appeal?

7.3.1 Logo 7.3.2 Typography 7.3.3 Graphical Image 7.3.4 Color 7.3.5 Animation

14 14 15 16 18 19 20 21 22

9 8.0 Methodology

23

10 9.0 Case Study: Producing Corporate Video for UiTM Melaka

9.1 The Production Process 9.1.1 Pre Production 9.1.2 The Storyboard Development

9.1.2.1 The Opening 9.1.2.2 The Middle Part 9.1.2.3 The Ending Part

9.1.3 Production 9.1.4 Post Production

9.2 Analysis of Findings (Qualitative) 9.2.1 Interview with Judges

9.2.1.1 J1 (Judge #1) 9.2.1.2 J2 (Judge #2) 9.2.1.3 J3 (Judge #3)

9.2.2 Analysis of Survey (Quantitative) 9.2.2.1 Demography 9.2.2.2 Audience Preferences Towards Screen Media 9.2.2.3 Q1 9.2.2.4 Q2

24 24 25 26 28 28 29 30 31 31 32 32 33 34 34 35

37 38 39

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9.2.2.5 Q3 9.2.2.6 Q4 9.2.2.7 Q5 9.2.2.8 Q6 9.2.2.9 Q7 9.2.2.10 Q8 9.2.2.11 Q9 9.2.2.12 Q10

40 41 42 43 44 45 46

11 Conclusions

46

12 References

48

13 Appendix

49

8

Visual Appeals in Corporate Video Production: Case Study of UiTM Melaka

Azahar Harun, Tengku Shahril Norzaimi Tengku Hariffadzillah,

Mohamed Razeef Abdul Razak, Shaharin Sulaiman, Ariff Ali

Abstract Video is an essential tool especially for business communication and sale promotion. Unlike conventional print media such as brochure or catalogue, video is much more versatile and capable of displaying sights and sound. This advantage allows audience to interact with the materials more dynamically as oppose to plain and static textual content. According to Muse (2008) video can be used to increase sale, aid training, promote safety and improve corporate communications in general. However, there is a challenge in producing a corporate video; the contents must have at least the “look and feel” like that of TV productions. The reason is because nowadays many audiences are used to watching TV shows that are polished and visually appealing. So if the material of the video presentation was poorly crafted, it will surely discourage the audiences thus fail to deliver the message effectively. This paper presents a novel approach to producing a professional-like corporate video. We explored and developed traditional Malay theme as main concept for achieving visual appeal. In the production process, we used multiple task applications to enhance the presentation such as animation and motion graphics. To evaluate the effectiveness of the corporate video in relations to audience’s perceptions, we conducted interviews and distributed questionnaires at the IID 2008 Competition & Exhibition in UiTM Shah Alam, Malaysia. The results of the study shows that majority of the respondents agree that visual appeal is the main factor that bound between viewers and video. They also agree that by adding traditional Malay theme and visual effects will increase the visual appeal of the video. Key words: Visual Appeal, Corporate Video, Production Process

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1.0 INTRODUCTION

In December 2007, UiTM Melaka was nominated as one of the finalists to

partake in a competition called “AKNC 2007” or “Anugerah Kualiti Naib

Cancelor”. Introduced in 1996, this prestige event organized by InQKA (the

institute of Quality and Knowledge Advancement) is intended to commemorate

outstanding campuses, faculties and departments in UiTM. In this event, all

participants were given approximately 10 minutes to present a report using a slide

and video presentation. Realizing this, the campus’s director, Associate Professor

Dr. Mizan Hitam had asked for a corporate video production to be used as part of

the presentation. He insisted a corporate video that will reflect the university’s

image and contributions in terms of scholastic achievements, international

recognitions, community services and co-curriculum activities through out the

year. However, the management had faced a problem because the schedule for the

video project was very tight. Moreover to hire a professional to produce a

corporate video would be too costly. As a result, a special task force was formed.

This group consists of five lecturers from the faculty of Art & Design whom were

chosen based on their expertise and creativity. In this paper, we present the novel

approach of producing a corporate video. We also explored various techniques in

the production process to achieve a standard that appeal to all viewers in general.

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2.0 RESEARCH SIGNIFICANCE

According to the University’s Corporate Relation Office personnel, there

are many respective visitors including the minister for higher education, Datuk

Dr. Mustapha Mohamad, who had visited UiTM Melaka in 2007. UiTM Melaka

had also received international delegations such as the ambassador of

Germanyand the Universitas Putra Padang Indonesia. Because of this, a corporate

video is highly needed to deliver information about the university’s achievements

to visitors.

3.0 LIMITATIONS

The populations under study are limited to visitors at the IID 2008

Exhibition, which was held in UiTM Shah Alam on 27 of March 2008. 47

respondents from UiTM volunteered in the study. Their response will help

determine whether or visual appeals is felt in the video and does it have

successfully hold audiences’ interest throughout the course.

4.0 PROBLEM STATEMENT

The use of video presentation in public is not a common thing in UiTM

Melaka. As a matter of fact the university often utilized the media for many

occasions, ranging from administrative level to student affairs. However, our

inventory analysis shows that most of the video materials in the corporate relation

department of UiTM Melaka were lacking in terms visual appeal. We found many

imperfections in the video footage such as out of focus, shaky, under exposed,

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noisy, static, etc. As one of the prestigious universities in Malaysia, we believe

that this problem should not be the case. If it is not tackled, the video may convey

wrong messages to the audience and certainly would affect the university’s

credibility and reputation. Therefore to solve this problem, we proposed that the

corporate video should be made according to professional standard. A proper

production process must be employed. By doing so, we hope that the general

public will benefit from the corporate video and also elevate UiTM Melaka

identity.

5.0 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

In order to collect information regarding audiences’ perceptions towards

the corporate video, we decided to conduct survey by distributing questionnaire to

respondents at the IID 2008 in UiTM Shah Alam. The questionnaire uses 5 point

Likert Scale model ranging from “Highly Disagree”, “Disagree”, “Partly Agree”,

“Agree”, “Extremely Agree”.

The research questions used for the basis of the questionnaire were:

Q1

Whether Traditional Malay theme is appropriate?

Q2 Whether the color scheme reflects the university's identity?

Q3 Whether the animation and the special effects maintain continuity?

Q4 Whether the font (typography) used in the video is readable?

Q5 Whether the voice of the narrator is convincing?

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Q6 Whether the music background in the video suitable?

Q7

Whether the corporate video flawless?

Q8 Whether the overall time duration is acceptable?

Q9 Whether viewers can understand the message?

Q10 Whether the video “look and feel” like TV productions?

6.0 RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

The objectives of the research were:

1. To verify whether Traditional Malay theme is suitable for UiTM

Melaka?

2. To verify whether the color scheme can reflect the university’s

corporate identity

3. To verify whether the animation and the special effects can help

control continuity

4. To verify whether the font (typography) used in the video is

readable

5. To verify whether the voice of the narrator in the video is

convincing enough?

6. To verify whether the music background in the video suitable

7. To verify whether viewers can detect any flaws in the video

8. To verify whether the overall duration of the video too lengthy

9. To verify whether viewers can understand the message?

10. To verify whether the video “look and feel” like TV productions

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7.0 LITERATURE REVIEW

7.1 The Importance of Video

Making good first impression is always crucial in any event. For example

in a job interview, applicants are usually asked by interviewers to demonstrate

certain abilities either knowledge or skills before the company would agree to hire

them. This is because sometime interviewers are skeptical about the applicants’

qualifications. Perhaps the reason is that resume is no more than a written

description. Thus it may or may not describe the applicant in reality. Therefore

applicants are always advised to dress appropriately for job interviews. Their

appearance must look convincing and presentable to the eye of the interviewers.

As Miller (2007) pointed out “If a person make a good first impression,

the audience will stay on through out his or hers presentation.” Similarly, many

companies are experiencing this challenge especially when they want to deliver

message to the public. For instance, how many of us would take our time reading

the flyer that was offered by a salesperson at the shopping mall? Perhaps the only

reason why we stop and read the flyer is because we are curious to know if the

flyer contains wonderful discounts or freebies. Sound familiar isn’t it? Chances

are many of us would either read it for a few seconds or ignore it totally. There

are many reasons for these problems and for that we have listed three

assumptions. Firstly, it is quite common to find that most flyers or brochures are

too wordy. Secondly, maybe the layout design was too heavy with text and

imagery. Thirdly, flyers are only meant for reading which means customers have

to “encode and decode” the meaning before they can fully understand. In other

words it’s a waste of time. As an alternative way, certain companies would prefer

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using their own sale promoter to persuade customer. They would set a kiosk

displaying goods and giving away freebies to attract customer. Others would

organize a contest by letting customer to participate. By doing so, the information

can be delivered more directly and efficiently.

Video, on the other hand, has more advantage in getting people’s

attention. This is because not only video conveys visual message it also entertains

viewers at the same time. According to video expert all video productions must be

able to entertain or it will not attract or hold audience’s interest (Muse, 2008).

This is important because most people nowadays are used to watching polished

TV shows. Hence they’ve become more conscious and judgmental about visual

appeal. In an article “Stanford Guideline on Web Credibility”, "Consumers apply

both holistic (emotional) and analytic (cognitive) judgment in the decision to buy

a product." Hence he suggested that design consideration must be steered towards

achieving a professional and clean look. In other words designer should pay

attention to the elements of design such as layout, color, photography and

typography.

However corporate video productions are slightly different than TV show.

The fact is that they are not usually meant for the general public. Shakir (2007)

said that corporate video productions are usually aimed at sending across

company messages within the framework of its employees. For example a

corporate video presentation of an engineering company would present more facts

and figures than beautiful images. The reason is that the targeted audiences are

usually those who are in the same field of disciplines such as building engineers,

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shareholders, investors and financiers. So in this respect certain images or

materials may not be appropriate.

Another fact is that TV production requires big budget. For example to

produce a 30 sec TV commercials can cost more than a single person salary. This

is because television productions are commissioned work and it usually involves

trained professionals and state of the art video equipments. However, today many

companies have started to produce their own corporate video simply because they

have the freedom and access to the technology. But more importantly, producing

our own video it is much cheaper. Today, many companies have their own

productions team comprising graphic designers and photographers. These people

are responsible for producing in-house communication materials such as training

video and educational program video.

7.2 What is Corporate Video production?

Corporate video production is a term that refers to an audio-visual

corporate communications material. Normally, it is commissioned by a company,

corporation or organization and often viewed for a specific purpose. Unlike TV

productions, which have wider range of viewers, corporate video presentation is

often intended for a limited or targeted audience.

Corporate video presentation is an effective promotional tool. In fact

today, many big organizations including small businesses rely on video to deliver

their messages to potential clients. But then, we ask is corporate video

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presentation really necessary? According to Rossiter (2006) corporate video

presentation can deliver three qualities that companies can harness for themselves.

These qualities are “Memorability, Credibility and Repeatability”. Memorabilty

in context of video presentation allows viewers to interact with the visual content

and make them hang on to it. So even after they’ve finished watching the

presentation, they can still remember the video message or the images vividly.

Credibility is a concept when viewers believe what they see in a video than in

print media such as newspaper and photographs. Repeatability means that a video

presentation can disseminate consistent message. For example, television

commercials are effective in the sense that it repeats the message over and over.

As a result of this viewers can easily recognize the products or services even

though without looking at the commercial.

7.3 What Is Visual Appeal?

In definition, visual appeal is a sort of attractiveness that is produced by

visual stimuli. This term has been applied to visual effects in film, video,

computer games and user interfaces; it often adds a sense of realism. Visual

appeal plays an important role in visual communication industry. For instance, in

advertising, visual appeal is often used as a communication tool to persuade or

convince potential buyer. This can be achieved through creative advertisement

and promotional strategies. Consider an advertisement published in 1965 about

Volkswagen’s Beetle in figure 6.2.1. What is interesting about this ad is the fact

that the image of the car was missing. Instead it is represented as outline drawing.

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In spite of that, the shape of the car is still recognizable. The main idea of this ad

was to promote simplicity, practicality and economy, which already describe the

car itself. This ad is a perfect example of how creative approach works to provoke

consumer thought and emotional response.

Figure 7.3

This ad shows a silhouette of Volkswagen beetle. The idea was simple yet brilliant

to reflect the simplicity of the car itself

However the main question is can we really identify what appeals and

what not in a video production? This issue of attractiveness is quite broad because

our views and opinions are very personal; we often judge things based on our

visual perceptions and experience as oppose to facts. But then again attractiveness

can be shaped and manipulated. For example a beautiful lady can appear more

beautiful if she wear make up or a small living room will appear spacious if its

wall is painted in white. In a typical marketing research, consumer’s behavior

towards packaging design is studied as a way to evaluate the brand appearance

against competitors. The result of the survey will help packaging designer to

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improve the product presentation. Usually any product or services may not be

affective unless it has strong communication tools called the corporate identity.

Corporate identity is the consistent use of logos, tag lines, fonts, graphical images

and/or colors to create visual identity for a company or organization. In the case

of corporate video production, a consistent corporate identity can make big impact

on audiences’ perception. The following sections will discuss the visual

components in corporate identity.

7.3.1 Logo

Logo derives from Greek word, which means “Image”. Typically,

a logo's design is for immediate recognition, inspiring trust, admiration,

loyalty and an implied superiority. The logo is one aspect of a company's

commercial brand, or economic entity, and its shapes, colors, fonts, and

images usually are different from others in a similar market (Wheeler,

2006). Logos are also used to identify organizations and other non-

commercial entities. In video production logos usually appear in the

beginning and the ending of the video presentation. This is important so

that audience will recognize the ownership of the production.

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Figure 7.3.1

A corporate logo in the opening scene of a movie

7.3.2 Typography

Basically typography in video production deals with textual

elements such as fonts, taglines, credits and title. Because not all

information can be illustrated through images, typography can help

audience to understand the content of the video much easier. For

example in an educational video, type can be used to explain

complex data such as formulas and equations. Moreover it can also

be used as a subtitle, which is suitable for people with hearing

impaired or foreigners who don’t understand the language of the

narrator in the video. Typography is also significant in making the

video look professional. People in the film & TV industries give

special attention in this issue because if there was any type error

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during preview, the audience will be the first to notice it. This will

certainly give a bad impression to the presentation as well as to the

company.

Figure 7.3.2

7.3.3 Graphical Images

Graphical images are essential for the “look and feel” of a

video. Basically, graphical images involve illustrations, symbols,

icons and pictures. They are used as decorative elements to make

the video look more presentable. Graphical images can also be

used to support complex information such as graphical data, pie

charts and bar charts. The example below shows how the data can

be presented creatively. The cartoon style imagery adds a little

humor in the presentation. Thus make it look more fun and

interesting giving the viewers a chance “to stretch out their leg”

(relax) a little bit.

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Figure 7.3.3

7.3.4 Color

Color plays an important role in the corporate

communication. It has been utilized for many occasions from

educational to security matters. One of the main reasons is because

color has psychological impact on human’ perception.

Subconsciously it can provoke our thought and affect our behavior.

For example, motorists around the world have developed a mutual

understanding about color. They know that red traffic light means

stop, whilst a green light means that the road is clear. The strategic

use of color can also create mood and feeling. For example, red is

often used in family restaurants because it can activate our salivary

glands, making us hungry while also tiring the eyes (Sutton &

Whelan, 2003). Giant fast food chain, KFC (figure 6.2.2) uses red

22

color as their corporate identity which also to suggest the nature of

their business that deals with food. These are some of the examples

we see in our daily lives. Hence, in this respect, color also shares

the same role in corporate video production.

Figure 7.3.4

7.3.5 Animation

Animation is essential in video production for adding a

sense of realism and dynamism to the presentation. It covers

variety of styles including object, typography, cartoon, logo, etc. In

the case of corporate video production, animation is commonly

used in between scenes such as in the opening scene, transition and

credits. Although animation can create attractiveness, too much of

it can also kill the overall presentation. Therefore it is important

that animation is used as a supportive role not as main actor

otherwise the audience will not get the real message.

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8.0 METHODOLOGY

This research uses qualitative and quantitative approach including case

study, observation, interviews and survey to formulate understanding of the

subject. In the case study, we developed a corporate video by exploring the three

common phases of video production processes; pre-production, production and

post-production. The technical aspects of the video that involve during the making

are documented for the purpose of review. To get result about audience’s

perception, we decided to participate in a competition called the IID 2008. This

event was held in UiTM Malaysia Shah Alam on 24 March 2008. We believe that

the competition will be an ideal platform for us to show the UiTM Melaka

corporate video to the general public. During the process, we observed the

audience in terms of behavioral response and interviewed with the judges to seek

their opinions regarding the video presentation.

In addition to that, we also conducted a baseline survey by distributing

questionnaire to respondents. The objective is to determine the factors that may

influence audiences’ perceptions and interests towards the visual appeal of UiTM

Melaka ccorporate video. The results were processed and described in a short

essay.

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9.0 CASE STUDY: PRODUCING CORPORATE VIDEO FOR UiTM

MELAKA

9.1 The Production Process

The actual work for UiTM Melaka corporate video production

commenced in December 2007. Prior to that, a task force group was formed

consisting five lecturers from the Faculty of Art & Design. In the following

sections we discussed the three phases of production process; Pre-Production,

Production and Post-Production.

9.1.1 Pre Production

Pre –production is a process of collecting materials and mind

mapping. It is important because it will hold the continuity of the final

video. The process began by previewing a number video footage at the

Corporate Relation Office of UiTM Melaka. We discovered that many

shots were lacking in terms of visual appeals. A lot of the footages were

captured for the sake of documentation and are not meant for public

screening. Despite of this situation, we also found that most of the video

footages were valuable in terms of information. To overcome this

problem we carefully analyzed the footages to find any segments that can

be exploited for the benefit of the corporate video. Once the footages are

selected, we then carefully picked the ones that have significance to the

university. The video script was only developed once all of the footage

and images were identified.

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According Rossiter (2006) :

“The perfect script is where your target audience starts to listen at

the beginning because their attention is engaged, and there is an inherent

smooth flow in the script that just keeps them listening and listening and

listening, right until they get to the end. “

After series of brainstorming, we finally decided on a concept that

compliments with traditional Malay theme as the main concept. The

reason for this is because we believe that the university possesses strong

traditional Malay background that can enhance the university’s identity.

One of the elements to be incorporated was the Keris sculpture at the main

campus building. This sculpture is the new landmark for UiTM Melaka,

which was officially launched by the Governor of Melaka in October

2007. The Keris is a 10 feet high replica of ancient Malay warrior dagger

that symbolizes Malay’s identity and sovereignty. From this we developed

a storyboard to be used as visual reference.

9.1.2 The Storyboard Development

Storyboard is a typical way for composing a video production prior

to any work. It works like a blueprint for the whole structure of the video.

The term is used to describe a series of sketches that represent the story of

the video. The storyboard usually contains technical information in terms

of the use of figures, visual effects and camera angles (Sotomeyer, 1997).

In order to control the visual flow, we divided the video into three main

26

parts; the beginning, the middle, and the ending. The following section

discusses the storyboard process.

9.1.2.1 The Opening

The beginning part of the video is always critical because it

will give the first “look and feel” about UiTM Melaka in general.

Therefore to make the video appear more convincing and to add

value to it, we inserted an audio clip of a short quotation by the

Vice Chancellor of UiTM, Professor Datuk Dr. Ibrahim Abu Shah

during the opening ceremony of UiTM Melaka new administration

and campus building in August 2007. The reason for using this clip

is because it (as shown in figure 6.3.1) emphasizes the Vice

Chancellor’s personal feeling and aspiration about UiTM Melaka.

Although the audio quality is clear, we feel it still need a little twist

to make it more interesting. Hence we chose to use “Echo” effect

by editing the audio using special software called Adobe Audition.

When the audio is played it give a sense of melancholy and this

will emphasize his personal thought even better. The main idea

was to grab audience’s attention and to inform audience how the

University’s Vice Chancellor felt about UiTM Melaka. To give

emphasis on the word, we use bold typeface and position it in the

center of the screen. In this section, the clip pauses few seconds

before jumping to the next frame as a way to let audience absorb

the message.

27

Figure 9.1.2.1

In the next frame, we introduced UiTM logo into the

screen. We apply motion graphics effects to give the sense of

dynamism and depth. Basically the logo start to form itself from

small fragments. This technique is called particle effects illusions

and to create this we used compositing software called Adobe

After Effects. To grab audience attention, we chose energetic intro

background music to usher the logo when it enters the screen. This

approach is similar to an opening of a movie or any TV

programme. It adds the sense of seriousness to the overall

presentation.

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9.1.2.2 The Middle Part

Basically the middle part contains the body of content.

It begins right after the logo presentation. We introduced the body

of content with an instrumental traditional Malay song to give a

sense of welcoming. Instrumental songs are often used in opening

title because it is simple and provide the sense of tranquility and

charm. In this segments we used a narrator voice to help control

and guide the content of the video from start to end. During this

segments, we also inserted few video clips that feature prominent

figures including the Chief Minister of Melaka and the Vice

Chancellor of UiTM acknowledging UiTM Melaka for its

excellence achievements. To allow smooth continuation of scenes,

we used transitional effects that are available in Adobe After

Effects. Generally transitional effects are used to merge two

different scenes. This is a practical way to change the scene in the

video and at the same time holding the story line together.

However, we had to design the transitional effect so that it will

look seamless and unnoticeable. The reason is because any sudden

changes in the video can spoil the continuity.

9.1.2.3 The Ending Part

In the ending part, we concentrated on the summary of

activities and achievements. At this point there were no video clips

but instead, we used slide show effect to display the photographs.

We had to tone down the tempo just a little bit before the video

29

approaching the end. This technique is also known as “Easy ease”.

In the closing part, we added a special scene, which show

pyrotechnics and 3D animation effects. This part is also

accompanied with credits to acknowledge the people who have

involve in the making of the video.

9.1.3 Production

In the production stage, the graphical images were carefully

developed to reflect the university’s identity. Two members from the

corporate video production team were appointed as Graphic designer and

3d animator. The challenge in this stage was to model and replicate the

graphic elements to match with the desired concept of traditional Malay

theme. To execute this task, we chose to work on multiple applications.

For developing the graphic images, we used Adobe Illustrator CS3. In this

program, the ornaments are first sketched on paper and then traced using

the pen tool in Adobe Illustrator. In order to maintain the quality of the

image and to have some flexibility, we saved the graphical images in

TARGA Format (*.tga). This format allows us to manipulate the images

so that we could create many interesting visual effects such as 3d effects

and depth of field. During the process we discovered that there were too

many pictures that need to be incorporated in the video. To solve this

problem we decided to convert the still photo into movie clips. Prior to

that, the photo collections had to be carefully analyzed in terms of

relevancy of date and time. This is crucial because certain events in the

photo may be outdated hence will not be suitable for the video. Next we

30

edited the images in Adobe Photoshop and reduced the resolution to 72

dpi. Since we are not designing for print, 72 dpi will be sufficient enough

to be shown on screen. We then transferred the images onto an

application called “imovie”. Imovie is a “ready to use” application in

apple platform. We didn’t use professional software for this task because

we only wanted a simple slide show effects and imovie has the capability

of doing just that. The images are saved as movie format to be used as part

of the video footage.

9.1.4 Post-Production

Post-production is the final phase in the production process.

This is where all individual scenes are weaved together as one final

presentation. In this stage two softwares are used, After Effects and Adobe

Premiere Pro. After Effects is a compositing software dediacted for

creating visual effects such as animation and transitions. To enhance the

visual appeal of the video, we used a technique called multi layering.

Basically this technique allows designer to create the sense of depth (3d

effects) by placing the graphical images on top of video footage or vice

versa. The layer tool in this software is so convenient and offers freedom

for our team to compose the video. In addition we explored various “ready

to use” effects such as glow, lighting, and glossy. An example can be seen

in figure 6.3.3. Notice that the picture is slightly angle to give the sense of

perspective view. The idea for this is to make the slide show (movie clip)

appear more interesting rather than straight

31

Figure 9.1.4

9.2 Analysis of Findings (Qualitative)

The final corporate video took only 3 weeks to complete. The team

members have successfully incorporated visual materials including text, images,

audio, graphics, special effects and animation. Although the video is intended to

be shown for AKNC 2007, the team felt it is also necessary to show to a general

public because by doing so we will be able to evaluate the corporate video

presentation particularly in the aspect of visual appeal. So on 27 of March the

team had participated the IID 2008 at UiTM Shah Alam. The following sections

explain the outcomes of the research.

9.2.1 Interviews With Judges

Three judges for the IID 2008 were appointed by the event

organizer. They will interview participants and t check the video from

32

various aspect including visual quality, team effort, ingenuity, originality

and also flaws. All of the judges in this event were selected based on their

expertise background in the same field. For this report we label the judges

with three different code; J1, J2 and J3. The judges’ views were

summarized as follows.

9.2.1.1 J1 (Judge #1)

According to J1 the corporate video production team from

UiTM Melaka has managed to produce a well organized

presentation. He commented that the visual materials in the video

presentation have able to capture attention from viewers. He also

agrees that the quality of the video more or less similar to what he

had seen on TV. The sharpness and clarity of the graphics and

visual effects allow audience to focus and this help the message to

penetrate more easily. However, he also commented that the time

length of the video was a bit too lenghty. He suggested that the

time length should be cut half from 10 to 5 minutes in order to let

audience stay on. He said the video might work very well if there

were more video clips inserted in the presentation.

9.2.1.2 J2 (Judge #2)

J2 also agrees that the corporate video possesses visual

appeal especially in terms of graphic and visual effects display. He

then praised that the video flow smoothly which help audience

33

follow the storyline without interruptions. However he commented

that the traditional Malay theme, which shows traditional batik

motif does not represents Melaka as it was not originally from that

states. The batik motif he said may lead to confusion to those who

is familiar with the motif. He also suggested that the video should

be equipped with subtitle because certain audio sounds a little bit

off due to noise of the surroundings.

9.2.1.3 J3 (Judge #3)

J3 responded that despite the quality of graphics and visual

effects, the corporate video was too generic and only intended for a

smaller group of audiences. He gave an example that the language

of the video should be in English. This he said will give more

advantage to UiTM Melaka in terms of disseminating information

to global audiences.

34

9.2.2 Analysis of Survey (Quantitative)

This survey represents audiences’ perceptions regarding the visual

appeal of UiTM Melaka corporate video. 47 respondents were selected

randomly for this study. Most of them were UiTM’s community ranging

from academic staffs, administrative staffs and students, of the

“Innovation and Invention Design 2008” which was held at the UiTM

Shah Alam in March 2008. The findings can be clearly seen in the

following sections.

9.2.2.1 Demography

17

47

29

47

39

11

16

0

18

0

8

13

14

0 0 0 0

23

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

Age Religion Gender Race Residence Profession

Graph 9.2.2.1

The above chart explains the demographic data of the

respondents under study. Significantly we found that majority

(48%) of the respondents were students of UiTM whereas 23%

were academic staffs and 27 % administrative were staffs. In terms

of gender, 61% of them were male and 38% were female. There

35

were no non Malays in this study. In terms of residence, 82% of

the respondents were from urban area while the remaining 17%

reside in rural area. This demographic data indicate that majority

of the visitors that came to the IID 2008 were from UiTM and they

are already familiar with the university’s philosophy such as the

mission, vision and objectives. Hence the outcome of this survey

will be largely based on preferneces and choice regarding UiTM

Melaka corporate video.

9.2.2.2 Audience’s Preferences Towards Screen Media

Audiences' Preferences

41 39 38 38

26

4 5 9 7

9

2 3 0 2

12

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

B1 B2 B3 B4 B5

DislikeFairLike

Items Like Fair Dislike

B1: Watch VCD/DVD 87 % 8 % 4 %

B2: Watch Cinema 82 % 10 % 6.3 %

B3: Watch TV Programs 81 % 19 % 0

B4: Graphics/ Animation 81 % 14.8 % 4%

B5: UiTM Melaka Corporate Video 55 % 19 % 25.5 %

Graph 9.2.2.2

The above chart shows the audience’s preferences (Like

& Dislike) towards screen media (vcd, dvd, cinema, tv ). By

36

referring to the table, it shows that majority of the respondents

have keen interest towards video and tv shows. This seems to

suggest that most of the respondents are aware of the visual appeal

that is present in mainstream. However, there is a decline in the

numbers of respondents with regards to question B5. Only 55% of

the respondents say they like watching UiTM Melaka corporate

video, 19 % say they fairly like what they saw but 25.5% of the

remaining says they dislike. Despite this, we still believe that this

data does not mean the corporate video is substandard because the

corporate video is not meant for entertainment but rather to inform

the general audience. Although , the element of visual appeal is

emphasized for the sake of pleasure viewing.

37

9.2.2.3 Q1: Traditional Malay theme suitable

for UiTM Melaka corporate video?

Q1

12

26

5 4

00

5

10

15

20

25

30

count

n=47

n=47 12 26 5 4 0

Highly Agree Agree Partly

Agree DisagreHighly

Disagree

Graph 9.2.2.3

The above graph represents the opinion regarding whether

traditional Malay theme is appropriate for the corporate video. It

shows that 38 people agree while 9 respondents felt otherwise. As

what we might have assumed earlier, traditional Malay theme is

appropriate for this video due to the fact that the campus is situated

in a historic state of Melaka which truly has Malay identity

through its traditional arts and culture. The theme was chosen as a

way to compliment the surrounding and project an identity that

will represent the university to the community.

38

9.2.2.4 Q2: The Color Scheme Reflect The University’s

Corporate Identity?

Q2

9

35

2 1 00

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

count

n=47

n=47 9 35 2 1 0


Agree DisagreHighly

Disagree

Graph 9.2.2.4

The above graph represents the opinion regarding the color

scheme used in the corporate video. It shows that 44 people agree

while 3 people felt otherwise. In this video, we decided to

highlight the university’s identity by using its own corporate color,

dark blue, purple and a dash of yellow. This color scheme is

meant to establish relation between audiences with UiTM so that

they will recognize it even before the video started.

39

9.2.2.5 Q3: The Motion graphics help maintain continuity

Q3

13

27

6

1 00

5

10

15

20

25

30

count

n=47

n=47 13 27 6 1 0


Agree DisagreHighly

Disagree

Graph 9.2.2.5

The above graph represents the opinion regarding the

motion graphics of the video. It shows that 40 people agree that the

motion graphics have helped maintain continuity and encouraged

viewer to follow the video from the beginning to the end. In this

video we used two kinds of motion graphics, 3d animation and

special effects. Motion graphics are usually very catchy and trendy

and that is why we thought they will work in this video. We used a

lot of 3D effects as well to create more wonderful illusions such

explosion and fireworks to give the sense of excitement.

40

9.2.2.6 Q4: The font (typography) used in the video

readable?

Q4

10

32

2 30

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

count

n=47

n=47 10 32 2 3 0


Agree Disagre Highly Disagree

Graph 9.2.2.6

The above graph represents the opinion regarding the issue

of legibility in typography. It shows that 42 people agree that the

font used in this video is readable while 5 people disagree.

Typography is an essential element in graphic design. However in

this video we decided to use less text (typography) but concentrate

on the visuals materials (motion graphics, images, etc). The reason

for doing this is that the textual contents are replaced with the

voice of a narrator.

41

9.2.2.7 Q5: The voice of the narrator in the video is

convincing?

Q5

3

29

8 7

00

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

count

n=47

n=47 3 29 8 7 0



Graph 9.2.2.7


narrator’s voice in this corporate video. It shows that 31 people

agree that the voice is convincing and make the video feel more

presentable. However 8 people say they fairly agree with it while 7

people disagree. Narrator is like a storyteller that tells the story

from the beginning until the end. In the case of UiTM Melaka

corporate video, the narrator not only tells the story but also helps

navigate viewers throughout the presentation so that they will not

miss any part.

42

9.2.2.8 Q6: The music background in the video is

suitable?

Q6

4

30

11

20

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

count

n=47

n=47 4 30 11 2 0



Graph 9.2.2.8

The above graph represents the opinion regarding the music

background in the video. 34 people say they agree that the music

background is suitable while 11 people say they partly agree and 2

people disagree. Although this question may be subjective, it

shows that majority of the respondent have similar opinion.

43

9.2.2.9 Q7: There are no imperfections in the video?

Q7

2

2221

20

0

5

10

15

20

25

count

n=47

n=47 2 22 21 2 0



Graph 9.2.2.9


imperfections in the video. In this question it shows that 24 people

say that there are now flaws in the video and suggest that the video

was running perfectly. However 21 people say they partly agree

and 2 people disagree. Again this is a subjective question but we

believe that the majority would not make their comment unless

there were obvious problems that can be detected during the

preview.

44

9.2.2.10 Q8: The time length is appropriate?

Q8

7

29

8

2 10

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

count

n=47

n=47 7 29 8 2 1



Graph 9.2.2.10

The above graph represents the opinion regarding the time

length of the corporate video. It shows that 36 people agree that the

time length of the video is appropriate. However, 8 people say they

partly agree and 3 people disagree. The total time length for the

video is 10 minutes. Although, we also thought it was a little bit

lengthy, then again that was the requirements set by the organizer

of AKNC 2007. We had no choice but to follow the requirements

to avoid disqualification. Therefore to solve this problem we

incorporated the video with motion graphics and audio to make it

more pleasurable and presentable.

45

9.2.2.11 Q9: Viewers can understand the message?

Q9

6

29

8

31

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

count

n=47

n=47 6 29 8 3 1



Graph 9.2.2.11


message embedded in the corporate video. It shows that 35 people

agree that they can understand the message while 8 people say they

partly agree and 4 people disagree. The message that we are trying

to convey was very simple which is to shows UiTM Melaka

achievements from past and current event. We do not over blown

or manipulated the information but present it in a manner that is

rationally acceptable by viewers.

46

9.2.2.12 Q10: The video “look and feel” like TV

program?

Q10

4

30

10

30

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

count

n=47

n=47 4 30 10 3 0



Graph 9.2.2.12

The above graph represents the opinion regarding the “look

and feel” of the corporate video. It shows that 34 people agree that

the video does look and feel like a TV show. 10 people partly

agree while 3 people disagree with the statement. These results

truly exemplify that TV shows has significant role in audience’s

preferences. Therefore it is important that video productions to

have similar kind of approach in order to attract audiences and to

make them stay on.

10.0 CONCLUSIONS

Producing corporate video is a daunting task, as it demands a lot of

patience, creativity and technical know-how. In the case of UiTM Melaka

corporate video, we discovered many techniques and ways that can be utilized for

47

making a professional video presentation with a minimum cost. In this video we

explored various styles of graphics and visual effects to give the presentation the

“look and feel” like that of TV production. In order to achieve this, we explored

the video production processes, which include pre production, production and

post production. As usual, a concept was determined and then followed with a

storyboard, which will become the base of reference during the making of the

video.

We also learned that many younger audiences in particular are more

drawn to watching motion graphics and visual effects rather that the information

itself. This is perhaps textual content is often static and lack of appeal. Then

again, textual content may provide valuable information if it is accompanied with

beautiful graphics. In the case of time length of the video, we discovered that a

minimum of 5 minutes should be an ideal time for previewing. The reason is

because corporate video is not meant for entertainment although visual appeal is

emphasized in this video to accommodate the viewers. We discovered by

observation study that people tend to get disrupted and restless after the 6th

minutes. In terms of storytelling, we discovered that many audiences find

narrator as practical and very useful for guiding the presentation. We also

discovered that to cater larger audiences, universal language should be

considered. In this case, English sub title should be considered to give a wider

range of audience in that sense. Overall we are very pleased and thankful that the

video is finally finished and ready for use.

48

11.0 RFERENCES

1. Miller, M. (2005). “The 80/20 Guide to Effective Presentations”, Thomson: Boston

2. Fogg, B.J.,(2002). “Stanford Guidelines for Web Credibility”., Retrieved 2.30 March 8, 2008 from http://www.webcredibility.org/guidelines/

3. Shakir, A. (2007). “Corporate Vido Productions : Need and Importance”. Retrieved 2.30 March 12, 2008 from http://ezinearticles.com/?Corporate-Video-Productions---Need-and-Importance&id=439816

4. “Coroprate Video” . Retrieved 2.30 March 8, 2008 from

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corporate_video

5. Rossiter, K. (2006) “Why Do I Need Corporate Video”. Retrieved 2.30 March 8,

2008 from http://www.rossiterandco.com/CorporateProducer/QandA/MultimediaVideoWebQandA.asp?ArticleID=20

6. “Visual Appeal”. Retrieved 2.30 March 5, 2008 from

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visual_appeal

7. Sotomeyer, E.(1997) .“Storyboards ”. Retrieved 2.30 March 5, 2008 from

http://www.sarasota.k12.fl.us/bhs/bryan/bryan_story.html

8. Sutton, T and Whelan, B. M. (2003). “The Complete Color Harmony”.

Massachusetts: Rockport Publisher.

9. Wheeler, A. (2006). “Designing Brand Identity”. John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

49

APPENDIX

Questionnaire

Emphasizing Visual Appeal in Corporate Video Production: Case Study of UiTM Melaka

Part. A (Demographic)

Age o 20-22 o 23-25 o 26 above Religion o Islam o Others Gender

o Male o Female

Race

o Malay o Others (please specify)…..……………………………

Place of Residence

o Urban o Rural

Profession

o Academic o Admin o Students

Part. B (General Opinion Regarding Screen Media) (Please tick inside the box a)

Items Like Fair Dislike

B1: Watch VCD/DVD o o o B2: Watch Cinema o o o B3: Watch TV Programs o o o B4: Graphics/ Animation o o o B5: UiTM Melaka Corporate Video o o o

Part. C (General Opinion Regarding UiTM Melaka Corporate Video )

Items

Ext

rem

ely

A

gree

Agr

ee

Par

tly A

gree

Dis

agre

e

E

xtre

mel

y

Dis

agre

e Q1. Traditional Malay theme is appropriate? o o o o o

Q2. The color scheme reflects the university's identity? o o o o o

Q3. The animation and the special effects maintain continuity?

o o o o o

Q4. the font (typography) used in the video is readable?

o o o o o

Q5. The voice of the narrator is convincing? o o o o o

Q6. The music background in the video suitable? o o o o o

Q7. The corporate video is flawless? o o o o o

Q8. The overall time duration is acceptable? o o o o o

Q9. I can understand the message? o o o o o

Q10.The video “look and feel” like TV show? o o o o o

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APPENDIX

POSTER

51

APPENDIX

STORYBOARD

52

APPENDIX

STORYBOARD

emphasizing visual appeal in corporate video production: case study in uitm melaka

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