Blog / Guide
Corporate Christmas greeting video: how to do it well
How to plan a corporate Christmas greeting video: length, script, who goes on camera, shooting timeline and the mistakes that make it generic. Madrid filmmaker guide.
A good corporate Christmas greeting video runs 30 to 60 seconds, has a single idea and is presented by someone your clients recognise. If you want it in their inbox by mid-December, the shoot has to be wrapped by the end of November.
Most video greetings I see end the same way: a team shot of people smiling, background music and a generic message. They get forwarded once and forgotten. The difference is rarely the budget; it is deciding beforehand what you want the viewer to remember.
Why a video instead of a card
December is the month a client receives the most greetings. A PDF card competes with forty others. A short video with a familiar face gets opened more, gets shown around the team and can be reused on LinkedIn or in an email signature.
It also works as a human year-end note. If your year brought changes, a move, a launch or a bigger team, one well-told minute explains it better than a paragraph.
How to make a corporate Christmas video well
One idea, one message
Pick a single thread: thank your clients, sum up the year in three milestones or show who is behind the team. I write the script at about 90 words at most, which at a natural pace is roughly 40 seconds. If it does not fit, something has to go.
Who goes on camera
It works best with one executive and two or three team members your clients actually know. I avoid asking the whole staff to say a line: it drags, there are weak takes and the edit gets messy. With five well-directed people, the shoot fits in a morning of around three hours.
Where and how to shoot
I shoot in your own office with soft light and a tidy background, using one camera and a lavalier microphone. You do not need to decorate the whole office; one discreet festive detail in the frame is enough. If the office is small or not photogenic, I look for a room with a window and work with natural light.
Format and delivery
I deliver a horizontal 16:9 version for email and web, and a vertical 9:16 version for social media. I add burned-in subtitles, because many people will watch without sound. Editing takes around five working days with one round of changes.
Common mistakes in a Christmas greeting video
- Starting to plan in December and running out of shooting and editing dates.
- Going over a minute: hardly anyone watches a two-minute greeting.
- Using commercial music without a licence, which can get the video blocked on social media.
- Making the whole team say a line instead of choosing one clear voice.
- Forgetting image release forms for the people on camera.
- Sending it in an email with no specific subject line or recognisable thumbnail.
Frequently asked questions
How long should a company Christmas greeting video be?
Between 30 and 60 seconds. After the one-minute mark far fewer people watch to the end, and a greeting does not need more.
How far ahead should I book it?
Ideally you hire in early November, shoot before the month ends and receive delivery in the first week of December. Diaries fill up in December and editing time gets squeezed.
Do the people in the video need to give consent?
Yes. Anyone on camera should sign an image release that states the planned use: web, social media and email. It is a short document, best signed before the shoot.
Can it be filmed with a phone?
It can if the message is very informal and the light and sound are good. For a company whose image matters in sales, I prefer a camera with a lavalier microphone; audio is what people notice most.
If you want a Christmas greeting video for your company in Madrid, write to me through /contacto with your deadline and the number of people who would appear on camera. I will propose a shooting plan and a fixed quote.