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From Abstract to Concrete - A Custom Video Example

Published 3 months ago • 2 min read

Welcome to the Common Craft newsletter, a free resource for educators, communicators, and explainers. Subscribe or read past issues.


Hello friends.

Recently we've been focused on artificial intelligence and specifically, videos that explain Large Language Models and Generative AI. Today, we're taking a look at a custom video project that I wrote about in 2023.


From Abstract to Concrete - A Custom Video Example

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In late 2023, I shared the story of a custom video project with Francis Waller at Gap Management. Francis had a familiar problem: his organization is effective and has an impressive track record, but communicating that value to prospective clients is challenging. He came to Common Craft to solve this problem and create a video for the Gap Management home page.

A Classic Explanation Problem

Gap Management’s success was limited by how it was being communicated. According to Francis, prospective clients get lost in the details and aren’t able to easily see the big picture. Gap’s service concept is relatively simple, but feels abstract. This is a common problem that explainer videos can help solve.

We saw an opportunity to move from abstract to concrete. That meant talking about the pain that his potential clients currently feel. When watching the video, we want them to say: “That’s me! I have that problem!” In the video, we asked: “What if you knew your clients’ honest and unbiased opinions?” That's the value proposition of Gap Management.

Visualizing Service

Service-based businesses can be a challenge to explain. Unlike a product, you can’t hold it in your hand, or see it in a photo. The value can be difficult to see or understand quickly.

Gap’s clients want to understand the honest perceptions of their customers. This information comes from Gap conducting dozens of interviews with the organization’s customers and analyzing the results. This can get complicated quickly, so we worked to visualize the interviews, the patterns they produce, and how that information closes a gap.

The video also provides an example of a Gap client. This person is surprised to discover that his biggest opportunity for improvement involves clearer communication.

You can see the final video on the Gap Management home page.

Kind Words from Francis:

The video you produced checks all of the boxes I had before we started: It delivers the key message clearly, is not technical, is in a friendly and personable style, and is well-produced.
It has been a great experience working with you. The video is timeless, direct, and warm. Common Craft is well-organized and friendly. You interviewed me in a professional and non-threatening manner, and each draft was an improvement that added real insight to the completed explainer video.
~ Francis Waller

About Common Craft’s Custom Videos

We work with organizations large and small on custom video projects. If your organization is struggling to relate an idea, product, or service, we can help. Learn more about our custom video services.

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Do You Teach Technology or Internet Safety?

The Common Craft video library is used in school districts, universities, libraries, and organizations around the world. Our unique approach to explanation and education has delighted students since 2008.

If you're interested in making Common Craft videos available to your students, evaluate the videos in our library.

All videos have open captions and can be embedded, downloaded, and streamed. We offer a variety of plans and options for integrating the video library into your systems.

Bottom line: if you want to use the videos, we'll ensure they work for you. Contact us.


That's what I have for now. I'll be in touch again soon!

Lee LeFever, Common Craft

The Common Craft Newsletter

A free newsletter for communicators, educators, and explainers

Learn about new Common Craft videos, useful resources, and the skill of explanation from Lee LeFever, author of The Art of Explanation.

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