How do you choose the right genre for your video project?

1 Factor 1: Purpose

The first thing you need to ask yourself is: what is the main purpose of your video project? Do you want to inform, persuade, entertain, educate, or inspire your viewers? Depending on your answer, you might lean towards different genres that match your intention. For example, if you want to inform your audience about a complex topic, you might choose a documentary or an explainer video. If you want to persuade them to take action, you might choose a testimonial or a promotional video. If you want to entertain them, you might choose a comedy or a drama. And so on.

5 Factor 5: Trends

The fifth thing you need to keep an eye on is: what are the current trends and best practices in media production and your industry? Depending on your answer, you might choose a genre that is relevant, popular, and effective. For example, if you want to stay ahead of the curve and stand out from the crowd, you might choose a genre that is innovative, creative, and original. If you want to follow the norms and standards and blend in with the crowd, you might choose a genre that is conventional, familiar, and proven. And so on.

6 Examples of genres

To give you some inspiration, here are examples of common genres in media production and their characteristics. Documentary is a genre that presents factual information and stories about real people, events, or issues. It can be informative, persuasive, or educational and usually uses interviews, narration, footage, and graphics to convey its message. Explainer is a genre that explains a complex topic or process in a simple and engaging way. It can be informative, educational, or promotional and usually uses animation, voice-over, text, and music to illustrate its point. Testimonial is a genre that showcases the opinions, experiences, or results of real customers or users of a product, service, or cause. It can be persuasive, inspirational, or promotional and usually uses interviews, footage, and music to create trust and credibility. Promotional is a genre that advertises or markets a product, service, or cause to a specific audience. It can be persuasive, inspirational, or entertaining and usually uses footage, voice-over, text, and music to create interest and desire. Comedy is a genre that entertains and amuses the audience with humor, irony, or satire. It can be entertaining, persuasive, or educational and usually uses dialogue, characters, situations, and music to create laughter and enjoyment. Drama is a genre that entertains and engages the audience with emotional suspenseful or dramatic stories. It can be entertaining persuasive or inspirational and usually uses dialogue characters conflicts and music to create tension and empathy.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?