Who remembers Candid Camera? The original series started around 1960 and continued to 1975. Since that time, there have been numerous variants of the same theme. That is, create a silly or contentious moment, watch a poor soul react to it, then “surprise!” In fact, most of Reality TV is based on the “unscripted” Candid Camera moments. Problem is, nearly every episode, 1960 to the variants produced in 2025, were heavily edited.
Why South Carolina should not be candid
Good video, no matter its intended purpose, must be edited. Whether the video being produced is for advertising purposes, testimonials, explainers, safety, trade shows, in-office tutorials or any purpose, it must be tight, engaging and satisfies its intended purpose.
Whether the video is intended for a Sumter car dealership or a Charleston hospital, its success is contingent on how well it engages. Unfortunately, unscripted video, especially given the brief time span it can be viewed, can be a catastrophic waste of money.
If you conduct any type of “professional business,” especially those that deal with clients, patients or vendors on a B2B or even B2C basis it is wise to follow some sort of script or scripted outline. To most organizations about to invest precious time, money, staff and other resources on video, a two-minute video might seem to be a blink of the eye. It isn’t. Two minutes of unscripted nonsense can seem an eternity to an audience – no matter the audience.
Must a video always be scripted? Not to disagree with ourselves, video can be unscripted in a moment when the video outline allows. Obviously, the unscripted moment need not be funny. It can be as serious as a off-guard patient crying tears of joy after a life-saving procedure or as reflective as the audience member of a motivational speaker describing how much she was moved to change her life.
As to unscripted “candid moments,” one more important point: humor in a serious situation or darkness on a happy occasion can bring an audience down faster than just about anything. This leads Primeau Productions to discuss other important points:
1. Editing – We must restate our original point. A great video must be edited, no matter its intended purpose. The last thing any audience member viewing a video should say is, “Well, that was a waste of time.”
2. Appropriate to the Situation – The intention of the video should match the situation. For example, if an important safety video is made to be overly “cute” or “flippant,” to protect feelings, it can quickly dilute the message.
3. Production Quality – Audiences have become sophisticated. A good video produced using poor equipment will yield poor results. Primeau Productions uses the best equipment available.
4. Special Effects and “Sophistication” – Primeau Productions has a wide range of special effects options that are every bit as current as any production facility in the nation. We can take your video and elevate its impact to the most sophisticated markets.
5. Authenticity – A good video should not be a “one-trick pony video,” it must reflect your organization and convey your message. Candid Camera was an amusing show for its era, but ultimately it ran out of steam. Your organization’s video can’t afford to do that.
6. Versatility – Finally, Candid Camera episodes were meant for humorous television watching, then they were over and done. Modern-day video can’t afford to do that. There are multiple channels, social media sites, multiple uses and audiences. Primeau Productions has the expertise to create and maximize multiple uses.
When it comes to producing great video, no organization should ever take its audience as an afterthought. And to be candid, no video no matter how funny, should ever be done as a joke.