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Corporate video for the tech sector: how I approach it
How I approach corporate video for startups and software companies in Madrid: making an intangible product visible, showing the real team and avoiding the generic stock-footage feel.
A startup or software company almost never has a budget problem with its corporate video. It has a translation problem: what it sells can't be seen. A product that lives inside a screen, a service running on a server, an algorithm that solves something the client can't even name.
I've filmed for several tech companies in Madrid, and the challenge almost always plays out the same way: turning something intangible into images a client understands in the first ten seconds, without falling into the generic corporate video of hands typing on keyboards and charts floating over green screens.
What it is and why it matters
A corporate video for the tech sector usually pursues one of three goals: presenting the product to a potential client, giving an investor confidence, or showing company culture to attract talent. Each goal calls for a different video, although many companies try to cover all three with the same piece and end up falling short on all of them.
It matters because in tech, trust is built differently than in other sectors. A client can't touch the product before buying it, so they need to see who's behind it: the team, the office, the way they work. That reduces perceived risk in a way no landing page manages on its own.
It also matters because the sector is saturated with videos sharing the same look: stock footage of code on screens, generic electronic music, a voiceover promising disruption. When they all sound the same, the video stops differentiating and becomes background noise.
How to do it well
The product is shown in real use, not in isolated screenshots
Instead of filming static screenshots with artificial zooms, I prefer to film a real person using the product to solve a specific problem. You see the cursor move with intent, you see the person's face react. That communicates usefulness in a way no UI animation achieves on its own.
The team talks about what they're building, not the company mission
When I film testimonials from founders or the technical team, I avoid textbook lines about vision and disruption. I ask them to explain, in their own words, what problem the product solves and for whom. That specificity is what a technical buyer or an investor recognizes as real credibility.
The office is filmed on a normal workday, not staged for the camera
I'd rather turn up on an ordinary workday than ask them to set up a scene. A meeting room mid-conversation, someone reviewing code with headphones on, a whiteboard covered in real notes. You lose control over composition, but you gain authenticity, which in this sector counts for more than a polished look.
Common mistakes
- Opening the video with electronic music and generic lines about disruption or innovation.
- Showing only screenshots without anyone actually using the product.
- Founder testimonials reciting the investor pitch instead of talking about the product.
- Filming an empty office or one artificially staged for the camera, with nobody really working.
- Not explaining in the first few seconds what problem the product solves for someone seeing it for the first time.
- Using stock shots of code or servers that have nothing to do with the real product.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a corporate video for a startup or software company cost?
For a piece with product-in-use footage, two or three team testimonials and office shots, the usual range is €1,200 to €3,000, depending on the final length and the number of derived pieces for social media.
How do you film a product that only exists on a screen?
By filming a real person interacting with the interface to complete a specific task, with the camera capturing both the screen and that person's reaction. It works better than isolated screenshots.
How long should a tech company's main video be?
Between 60 and 120 seconds for the main product presentation piece. For social media or recruiting campaigns, I prefer shorter pieces of 20 to 40 seconds focused on a single message.
Does it make sense to film in the office if the team works remotely?
Yes, although the approach changes: in that case I combine occasional in-person filming of the core team with video calls recorded in good audio and image quality for everyone else, rather than forcing an office that doesn't reflect the real day-to-day.
If you have a startup or software company and want a video that shows your product and team without the generic tone the sector is known for, tell me about your project via /en/contacto.