Craig Munitz, MD of CBR Marketing Solutions, says, "Video production has been one of the services we’ve offered to clients for some time. Now, with the launch of an in-house department, we are able to offer it as a core competency, with the ability to deliver the same creativity we apply to other service offerings."

According to an Adobe report, video is one of the biggest growth areas in digital media in 2017, with 51.9% of marketing professionals worldwide name video as the type of content with the best ROI.

"We’ve done some work for international and local films, in South Africa and abroad, and it has been an excellent training ground for us," says Geyer. "However, this opportunity to build and develop a production house that focuses on the digital space was too exciting to pass up."

The two met in third year at AFDA – The South African School of Motion Picture Medium & Live Performance – in 2013 and did a short film called Oasis that won multiple awards. In fourth year, they were both selected for a cultural exchange programme with Dodge College of Film and Media Arts at Chapman University in Orange County, California. There they gained insight into the United States film markets and gained access to knowledge from some of the top filmmakers in the US.

"Many commercials today are orientated towards TV – production houses then often try to edit them down to what they think will work on digital and social media. But it doesn’t necessarily line up and fit," says Risely. "You have to create digital media specific videos. Social media needs shorter time and space. Your video has to be captivating within the first few seconds if you want it to be watched, and people to take action at the end of it. You don’t have time to set up the narrative as you do on TV."

Geyer adds, "We bring all our cinematic film understanding to videography – to the digital space. We take into account all that’s important in film, such as lighting, framing, movement, and so on. With videos, you have to bring the climax to the front of the video, hook people in from the beginning, entice them to stay to the end of the video, and take the next step – to purchase or subscribe or do whatever it is that your video is aiming to achieve."

Risely says, "Our job is to get consumers to engage effectively with our clients. We determine what our clients’ needs are and present them in the best possible light – it’s blockbuster marketing."

Munitz concludes, "We’re delighted to welcome these talented young people to our team and to add this new video offering to our clients. The CBR Production department will work closely with our clients, building relationships, and ensuring that the video strategy adapts as the client’s business evolves. They have the skills to create high-quality videos that will ensure that our customers get a return on their investment."

For more information, visit www.cbrmarketing.co.za. Alternatively, connect with them on Facebook or on Twitter.