Co-creation in Internal Video Production: A Smarter Approach

Co-creation makes internal videos more efficient by separating filming and editing responsibilities. Your employees capture content while professional editors handle post-production, creating a streamlined workflow that eliminates scheduling conflicts and reduces production bottlenecks. This approach combines the subject-matter expertise of your team with professional editing quality, allowing for:

• Faster turnaround times
• More authentic messaging
• The ability to produce multiple videos simultaneously
• Maintained professional quality

What is co-creation in internal video production?

Co-creation in internal video production is a collaborative approach where your employees record the video content, and professional editors handle the post-production work. Rather than hiring a full production crew or struggling with do-it-yourself editing tools, co-creation strikes the perfect balance between authenticity and quality.

Traditional Production	Co-creation Approach
External crew handles all filming	Your employees capture footage
High costs for full production teams	Reduced costs through shared responsibilities
Complex scheduling with external parties	Flexible timing based on employee availability
Often feels polished but less authentic	Maintains authenticity with professional quality

This method has gained popularity in business communications because it combines the best of both worlds. Your team members—who understand your company culture and messaging—capture the raw footage, while editing professionals transform that footage into polished, branded content. The result is professional-quality videos without the high costs and scheduling challenges of traditional video production.

At Eddie, we pioneered this approach in Europe in 2015, recognizing that many organizations need a more flexible, scalable way to create internal videos without compromising on quality or authenticity. Co-creation helps you build video production capabilities within your organization while maintaining consistent, professional results.

How does co-creation save time in video production?

Co-creation dramatically reduces the time needed to produce internal videos through parallel workflows and eliminated scheduling conflicts. When your employees handle filming, they can record content when it suits them, without waiting for an external production team’s availability.

Traditional video production often involves lengthy coordination between multiple parties—finding dates when executives, subject matter experts, locations, and production crews are all available can take weeks. With co-creation, your team can film whenever an opportunity arises, capturing timely content without delay.

Time-Saving Benefits of Co-Creation

• No coordination needed between filming crews and your team
• Editors specialized in working with non-professionally filmed footage
• Streamlined feedback process through our Cobie platform
• Pre-established branding templates for consistent styling

The time efficiency continues in post-production. With specialized workflows and tools specifically for co-creation, editors can turn around videos much faster than traditional methods. This efficiency means your internal communications can be more timely and responsive, allowing you to communicate important updates, training, or company news much faster than with traditional video methods.

Why are employee-filmed videos more authentic?

Employee-filmed videos carry a natural authenticity that resonates more deeply with internal audiences. When your colleagues see videos featuring real team members rather than hired actors or external presenters, they immediately connect with the content on a personal level.

Key Authenticity Factors

Authenticity Element	Impact on Internal Communication
Genuine subject matter experts	Deeper credibility and technical accuracy
Real company culture and language	Better cultural alignment and message resonance
Familiar faces and environments	Increased trust and relatability
Actual work locations	Enhanced contextual understanding

Companies using co-creation for internal communications can benefit from higher engagement rates and better information retention compared to more polished but less authentic professionally-filmed content.

How can co-creation help scale your video production?

Co-creation enables you to dramatically scale your internal video production by removing the traditional bottlenecks that limit output. With conventional video production, your capacity is constrained by the availability of production crews and the management bandwidth to coordinate them.

Scaling Benefits of Co-Creation

• Empower multiple departments to create video content simultaneously
• Produce videos across different locations or even countries without travel costs
• Maintain consistent quality through professional editing and branding
• Increase your total video output without proportionally increasing costs

This scalable approach is particularly valuable for larger organizations with regular internal communication needs. For example, you might have monthly departmental updates, executive messages, training videos, and event highlights all in production simultaneously—something that would be prohibitively complex and expensive with traditional production methods.

What equipment do employees need for co-creation videos?

One of the benefits of co-creation is that it requires minimal equipment investment. For most internal videos, your employees can achieve excellent results with equipment they likely already have, supplemented with a few affordable accessories.

Equipment Type	Recommendation	Importance
Recording Device	Modern smartphone or dedicated camera	Essential
Audio	External lapel microphone	Critical (often more important than video quality)
Lighting	Natural light or simple LED panels	Important for professional appearance
Stabilization	Tripod or smartphone stabilizer	Essential for professional results
Software	Cobie platform access	Facilitates collaboration and feedback

To make equipment management easier, we offer a Gadget Pack that turns smartphones into professional filming kits. This all-in-one solution includes everything needed for quality filming and helps standardize the equipment being used across your organization.

Key takeaways: Making co-creation work for your internal videos

To successfully implement co-creation for your internal videos, focus on these essential elements:

1. Start with proper training – Even a brief filming workshop can significantly improve the quality of footage your team captures
2. Create clear guidelines – Develop simple filming protocols that anyone in your organization can follow
3. Build a content calendar – Plan your video needs to ensure steady, manageable production
4. Establish brand consistency – Use a video branding toolkit to maintain professional styling across all videos
5. Begin with simple formats – Start with straightforward video types like updates or announcements before moving to more complex productions

Benefits of Video Co-Creation at a Glance

Benefit	Description
Cost Efficiency	Significantly reduced production costs compared to traditional methods
Faster Production	Quicker turnaround from concept to completion
Authentic Content	Videos that reflect your real culture and expertise
Scalable Output	Ability to produce more videos across your organization
Professional Quality	Maintained through expert editing and consistent branding

Starting with a small pilot project to demonstrate the value and process before expanding to a broader implementation is recommended. This approach allows you to refine your workflows and build internal support before scaling up your co-creation efforts.

If you’re interested in learning more, contact our team today