How to make a safety video not boring?

Many industrial companies show their employees safety videos every day. Most of these videos are extremely dull and forgettable - it's challenging to keep the audience engaged when the presenter monotonously speaks to the camera for 15 minutes in a dusty workshop.

In this article, we would like to suggest some unconventional ideas for shooting a safety video in the workplace.

 Studio Shoot

Let's be honest - it's not necessary to showcase your entire facility to explain safety plans or how transportation moves along specific markings to newcomers.

Let's take inspiration from airlines - they have long been presenting all these introductory topics creatively and visually appealingly. Take a look at this example from Delta Airlines:

We propose shooting the video in a studio with minimal decorations, providing the audience with a general outline of locations mentioned in the safety instructions. The advantage of such a video is the viewer's undivided attention to the information without unnecessary details in the video.

Decorations are crucial elements that should be shown to the viewers to understand safety points. If the video discusses heights and anchoring, then showcase anchors on a hypothetical wall with an actor and ropes.

Throughout the video, there should be a main presenter delivering the instructions, interacting with actors and decorations. Of course, using a studio and simple decorations allows for creating stunning visuals. Proper lighting in the set can add an interesting effect to the video.

The budget for such a project starts at $80.000

Sketches

Safety might not seem like a topic for jokes, but sketches are not just about humor. They can be exaggerated situations or simply scenes that cannot occur in reality, but their inclusion leaves a lasting impression on the viewers.

Example of a video showing incorrect employee behavior:

Why it works: there is a voiceover stating that such actions are wrong, and viewers should not rely on luck. The creators of the video expect some viewers to see themselves in the character and reconsider their approach to safety.

For those who didn't see themselves in the video or thought «I am lucky guy,» there is a more straightforward approach:

The appearance of the twin actor can be interpreted differently: as a more responsible version of the main character or as the spirit of a character from another multiverse, where nobody helped him do the job safety.

Here is an example of a calmer video:

This one is also engaging: it captivates the audience with the "intrigue" of frozen time - what happened? what went wrong? The change of music and unfreezing of the picture is an excellent move, showing that everything is okay now at the workplace.

Of course, in all these examples, there is no complete narration covering all safety points. Companies release such videos in series, each focusing on several of the most critical employee errors.

The budget for such a project starts at 27.000

Animation

Switching from live-action to animation can change employees' attitudes toward safety videos. It doesn't require approaching Pixar and waiting for hyper-realistic backgrounds and characters. We're talking about conditional animation, aimed at conveying the necessary information without chasing realism.

Here is an 2D animation of safety techniques (Lava Media made this video):

In our approach, we stick to a more classic style of delivering information. However, nothing prevents us from playing with the format and creating animations in the style of sketches. We can break the fourth wall through a voiceover, addressing both the audience and the animated character (similar to Deadpool's approach in his first film).

Animation also allows us to use various drawing styles. Here are some more examples.The budget for such a project starts at $27.000

Host

Alright, alright, we're not talking about creativity here; animation is not suitable, and studio shooting is not appropriate - we understand that. 

We'll come to your factory to shoot, but we'll definitely bring a couple of charismatic hosts, just like in this example:

This is a classic television format of presentation. The host explains all aspects of the instructions. Two hosts are an excellent solution that adds variety, and they can engage in verbal banter (we're against boring monologues).

The budget for such a project starts at $9.000

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