I help journalists, news organisations and media companies make better video.
In recent years, I have helped newspapers (The New York Times), broadcasters (including BBC, RTBF, WDR, DW, SRF and ORF) and campaign groups (38 Degrees) and worked with hundreds of journalists and filmmakers everywhere from Munich to Tunisia.
The ways I help include:
- New video format development — Video formats are a powerful way to improve your video output, increasing audience numbers and lowering costs. I have a lot of experience running a development process for publishers to find repeatable social video formats that deliver audiences and that publishers are proud of. Recent clients include The New York Times, German broadcaster WDR and campaigning organisation 38 Degrees. More here: The power of video formats
- Masterclasses on the art of journalistic explainers, casting and other aspects of social media video. More below.
- Video production — I specialise in video explainers and films about politics.
I also help video teams through my Video Ideas email list, which aims to give filmmakers ideas and inspiration for their work, and articles on filmmaking. Here’s a recent selection:
- How to write visually – how to write good video scripts
- YouTube – how television channels and news publishers get it wrong
- Casting great contributors — the ultimate guide
- How to produce powerful interviews — everything I know
- Filming interviews remotely — 10 tips based on my past mistakes
If what I do sounds useful to you, please email me: mail@brendanmiller.co.uk.
Masterclasses
Explainers Masterclass
How to make videos audiences WANT to watch
This course focuses on journalistic explainers, the area of online video I now specialise in. This genre of internet video has been a long-standing passion of mine and it has grown in popularity as audiences show a desire for video that is both intelligent and entertaining.
- Write powerful scripts that keep people watching, and compel them to share
- How to add humour and voice to your work in a way that makes it distinctive
- Deep-dive case studies into award-winning video journalism
- How to start your video (and how not to)
- Where the best video journalists get their ideas from
Casting Masterclass
How to find contributors to speak engagingly on camera
Many film projects live and die on the quality of the people speaking on camera. This masterclass draws on my experience making films for BBC Three and the New York Times, during which time I have cast hundreds of people. If you’re looking for “ordinary” people who will talk powerfully about their experiences this course will help you.
- How to find people – dos and don’ts
- How to improve diversity
- How to get the best out of people in interviews
- Duty of care issues
Some of the organisations I’m talking to have a particular challenge with improving the diversity of their contributors. For that reason, I’ve developed a special version of the casting course which I deliver alongside experienced producer Rubina Pabani.
(You can read my deep-dive article on casting here.)
All the training work I do is available online or in person.
Online classes are taught using Zoom in a series of short sessions spread over a number of days. This approach makes the courses easy to fit around people’s jobs and keeps things fresh.
I’ve also designed the content so there are very few lecture-style presentations. Instead, there are lots of short exercises and inspiring examples, and the whole course is built around a practical exercise where you are invited to script an explainer, enabling you to put everything you learn into practice and receive meaningful feedback.
Prices start at £300 per participant. If you have a large team I can arrange something bespoke, with my fee starting at £1000. Email me at mail@brendanmiller.co.uk
