04 — Create / 04.03

Choose your video style

Once you have the idea, the next step is deciding how that idea should be presented.

8 principles6 min readTraining film

Examples from

The Jet Business

@thejetbusiness

In aviation, you often have access to highly visual environments, aircraft, hangars, cabins, airports, clients and experiences that most people never get to see. The format you choose should take advantage of that access.

The same topic could be filmed as a Q&A inside a Gulfstream, a Day In The Life at an FBO, a reaction to a new Bombardier launch or a short documentary following an aircraft delivery.

The idea comes first. Then you choose the format that makes it most interesting to watch.

The examples here are from The Jet Business, a client whose films are on the showreel. Read them as a worked example: the principle is the same in your field, the specifics are yours.

On this page / 9

01Skits
02Day in the life
03Customer interactions
04Reaction videos
05Educational videos
06Short documentaries
07Trends
08Q&A with B roll
—How to choose the right format

Skits

Skits use relatable aviation scenarios, humour and exaggeration to create entertaining content. They work particularly well around situations people within the industry recognise immediately.

For example

01Different types of private jet passengers
02What charter clients think happens versus what actually happens
03Different types of aircraft buyers
04Things brokers hear every day
05Common requests from first time private flyers
06The difference between commercial and private aviation

Strong skits usually have a simple setup, an instantly recognisable scenario and a clear payoff.

The content should still feel relevant to your brand rather than creating comedy purely for the sake of it.

Day in the life

Aviation naturally lends itself to Day In The Life content because the audience gets access to environments they rarely see.

This could follow

A private jet broker
A charter broker
A pilot
An aircraft sales professional
An aviation entrepreneur
A flight operations team
A day at an FBO
A major aviation event
An aircraft delivery
A client trip
A day travelling between cities by private jet

Show the real journey.

The aircraft arriving.
The terminal.
The crew.
The meetings.
The problems.
The decisions.
The unexpected moments.
The destination.

Do not simply film a collection of luxury shots. There should be a reason for the viewer to stay until the end.

Two days, from the library

Customer interactions

Real customer interactions can make aviation content feel significantly more authentic.

This could include

01A client seeing their aircraft for the first time
02A customer choosing between different cabin configurations
03A charter client asking a genuine question
04An aircraft handover
05Someone experiencing private aviation for the first time
06A buyer inspecting an aircraft
07A conversation inside a showroom or hangar
08A client reacting to a particular aircraft feature

The value comes from the interaction being real. The audience gets to experience a moment they would normally never have access to.

Always make sure you have permission before filming or publishing customer interactions.

Reaction videos

Aviation constantly creates opportunities for reaction content.

You could react to

A newly announced private jet
A manufacturer unveiling a new aircraft
A new Gulfstream or Bombardier model
An unusual aircraft configuration
A viral aviation video
An airport story
A major industry announcement
New cabin technology
A record breaking flight
An unusual landing
A new aviation regulation

The reaction itself is not enough. Your expertise is what makes the video valuable.

Explain what matters

What is unusual?
Why is the announcement important?
What does the general public misunderstand?
What would someone inside the industry notice immediately?

Give the viewer information they would not get from simply watching the original clip.

Reactions, from the library

Educational videos

Aviation contains countless subjects the general public finds interesting but knows very little about. Use educational content to make complicated topics simple.

For example

How far can a private jet actually fly?
Why do some private jets need fuel stops?
What determines the range of an aircraft?
What is an empty leg?
Can you change destination while already flying?
Why do private jets have different window shapes?
How does aircraft depreciation work?
What makes one aircraft harder to sell than another?
What is the difference between a Gulfstream and a Bombardier?
Why can two aircraft of a similar size have completely different capabilities?

Focus on one clear question or idea per video. Make the viewer feel like they learned something they would not normally know.

One question each, from the library

Short documentaries

Short documentary content is particularly powerful in aviation because so many interesting stories happen behind the scenes.

You could document

01The purchase of an aircraft
02An aircraft delivery
03The specification process
04A major charter journey
05The restoration of an aircraft
06The development of a new aircraft
07A significant business deal
08A day at an aviation event
09The journey of building an aviation company
10The story behind a particular aircraft
11An unexpected problem during a trip

Do not automatically start at the beginning. Start with the most interesting moment.

For example

The deal nearly collapsed 24 hours before the aircraft was delivered.

Then explain how you got there. Give the viewer a reason to want the rest of the story.

Stories, from the library

Trends

Trends allow you to connect aviation with conversations that already have attention.

This could include

Trending video formats
Popular audio
Current aviation news
Major aircraft launches
Industry events
Celebrity aviation stories, where appropriate and publicly available
New technology
Airport news
Travel trends
Major cultural moments

Do not force your brand into every trend.

Ask

Can we make this relevant to aviation?
Can we add expertise?
Can we show something the public normally cannot see?
Does it fit how we want the company to be perceived?

If the answer is no, leave it.

Q&A with B roll

Q&A With B Roll is one of the strongest formats for aviation because the aircraft itself can help tell the story.

Start with a question your audience genuinely wants answered. Then answer it clearly while supporting the explanation with relevant footage.

For example

If you are explaining the difference between a Gulfstream and a Bombardier,

show the aircraft, cabin, windows, cockpit or features you are discussing.

If you are explaining aircraft range,

show the aircraft alongside maps or relevant journey footage.

If you are discussing cabin configuration,

show the different areas of the cabin.

If you are explaining charter operations,

show the terminal, crew preparation and aircraft turnaround.

If you are discussing aircraft maintenance,

show the hangar, engineering environment or relevant components where appropriate.

The B roll should help the viewer understand what you are saying. It should not simply fill the screen.

Questions can come from

Customers
Comments
Charter clients
Aircraft buyers
Industry misconceptions
Sales conversations
Frequently asked questions
Previous videos
Your own team

One strong question can often lead to several future videos.

Questions answered with the aircraft in shot

How to choose the right format

Before filming, ask

Call sheet

01What is the actual idea?
02What aircraft, location or environment do we have access to?
03Who is the strongest person to deliver it?
04Would showing the aircraft be more powerful than simply talking about it?
05Is there a real customer interaction we can capture?
06Would this work better as a story?
07Could we demonstrate what we are explaining?
08Is there something happening behind the scenes that the public rarely sees?
09Does the idea naturally suit education, entertainment or storytelling?
10What format gives the viewer the strongest reason to continue watching?

Do not make every video look the same. Aviation gives you access to aircraft, environments and experiences that are naturally interesting. Use them.

The rule

The idea comes first.

Then choose the format that makes the audience feel like they are getting access to a world they normally would not see.

Got the rule?