Internal communications video: what to make and how to plan it

I need a short internal communications video for our office move, in a clear voice, with our brand colors and a simple checklist at the end.

What should an internal communications video do?

It should answer the one question people ask first: what do I need to do now?

Use it for a change, a deadline, a new process, a reminder, or a plain update. Keep it to one topic. One video, one message, one action.

A useful example sounds like this: “Here is what changes on Monday, and here is what you need to do.” That is enough for most workplace updates. If you add three more topics, people start hunting for the part that matters to them.

If you want help turning a message into a short film, A film from a script or a document shows the easiest starting points.

How long should it be?

A simple internal communications video should usually land between 45 and 90 seconds. That is long enough to explain the change and short enough to keep the point sharp.

Go past two minutes only when people must follow several steps. If that happens, split the message into two films, or make one film and add a checklist. Video is good at the overview. Checklists are better at the parts people must copy.

Shorter also saves you from repeating yourself in meetings. You send the film once, then point people to it when the same question comes back.

For more on timing, How Long Should a Short Animated Film Be? Shorter Than You Think is a handy read.

What should you say first?

Start with the plain answer, not the backstory. Say who this affects, what changes, and what action is needed.

Here is the shape to aim for: “Starting next week, expense claims go through one new form.” That sentence does a lot of work. It names the change, gives the timing, and points to the action.

Use everyday words. If a line sounds like policy, rewrite it. If it sounds like a committee wrote it at 8:45 p.m., rewrite it again.

A good test is this: can someone hear the first sentence and know if the message matters to them? If not, the opening is still too polite.

What format works best inside a company?

Choose the format from where people will watch it. Wide video works well on a meeting screen or intranet page. Tall video fits phone-first channels. Square is useful when the same film will travel through several places.

If you need one film in several places, choose the shape early. That saves time later. It is easier to plan for the feed, the phone, and the team page from the start.

If you want to see how a public update can stay simple, this spec film is a useful example. It explains a service change with one clear message people can act on.

Do you need a script or can you start from a document?

You can start from either. Start with a script if the message is still being shaped. Start with a document if the policy, memo, or announcement is already written.

A sentence, a script, a document, or a website page can all become a film. The trick is to cut the source text first. Video is not the place for every detail. If the memo is five pages long, the film should not carry all five pages.

If the film needs to match what is already on your site, you can also start from a web address and let Nine read the page for you.

How do you get approval without five rounds of confusion?

Ask one person to own the message and one person to approve it. More voices usually means more notes, and more notes usually means a longer week.

Mark the parts that must not change, like dates, names, locations, and actions. Then share a private review link so notes can be pinned to moments. That keeps comments tied to the exact line or frame.

Keep the review focused. Internal videos get messy when everyone rewrites the opening line. If the boss wants to change the ending and legal wants to change the middle, make a second draft before the first one settles.

What does a good internal communications video example look like?

It opens with the change, not the backstory. It uses one work example people already know. It ends with a clear next step, like where to go or what to do.

If the message is urgent, the film should still stay calm. You want clear instructions, not noise. People remember what they can act on.

A strong example is an office move update. Start with the new date and location. Show the one thing people need to bring, move, book, or stop doing. End with a short checklist, like “Save your desk booking, update your calendar, and pack by Thursday.”

For another style of internal message, look at Internal communications video: how to make staff actually watch it. That article is about attention. This one is about the shape of the message itself.

How do you make it usable after the first send?

Save versions so you can update names, dates, or numbers later. Internal messages often change, and nobody wants to rebuild the whole thing for one new deadline.

Make a transparent version if you want the film laid over another screen or page. That helps when the video is part of a launch page or a shared update hub.

Choose the language version too. A film is made in the language of the words you give it, so the simple way to several languages is one film per language, each from its own translated script.

If you need a film of your own, it comes with a plan. Plans and what they include are on the prices page.

With Nine, you can also change a finished film by hand in the chamber. Colors, pace, framing, word size, music, and the start and end point can all be adjusted. Every change can be undone, and every saved version is kept.

What should the final checklist look like?

Keep the checklist short and tied to action. Three to five items is usually enough. Longer than that, and people start skimming instead of doing.

Good checklist items sound like this: “Update your calendar,” “Use the new form,” “Move your files,” or “Check the new team page.” Each line should be easy to copy into a task list.

If the film will live on a phone, a team page, and an email, build the checklist so it still makes sense in all three places. That way the message does not depend on one channel doing all the work.

A film can start from a sentence, a script, a document, a template, a voice recording, or a website address. That makes it easy to turn one internal update into a few good versions without starting over.

FAQ

How is an internal communications video different from a company update video?

An internal communications video usually asks people to do something now. A company update video can be broader. For example, a staff memo about a new expense form is narrow. A quarterly update about hiring, sales, and office news is broader. If you need action, keep the film tight.

What should an internal communication video include for employees?

Include the change, who it affects, when it starts, and the next step. If there is a checklist, put it at the end. A good employee update tells people what changed at work and what to do before lunch, not sometime later.

Can I turn a policy document into a video?

Yes. Cut the policy down to the parts people must act on. Then turn those into a short script. A long policy is useful for reference, but a video works better as a summary with one clear step.

How do I make a staff announcement video without sounding stiff?

Write the way you speak to a colleague after a meeting. Use short sentences and simple words. Start with the main point, then add one example people know from work. If a line sounds copied from a template, rewrite it until it sounds like a person wrote it.

What is the best format for an intranet post?

Wide format is usually the safest choice for an intranet page. It sits neatly in a page layout and works well on desktop screens. If the same film also needs to live in chat or on phones, plan for square or tall early so you do not need a second edit later.

Internal update ideas you can start from

Every article idea box can be opened as a filled-in starting point for a film. That is handy when you need something moving today, not next week.

You can also use these as a rough starting point and then edit the words to fit your company:

• Office move checklist. A 60-second update that says what changes, when people move, what to pack, and where the checklist lives. Make this film
• New form, new habits. A short film from HR explaining a new expense form, with three steps staff must follow before Friday. Make this film
• Calm change notice. A clear internal update for a system switch on Monday, with one example from daily work and one contact name. Make this film
• Team handbook recap. A 75-second video that turns a long handbook page into a friendly summary for new hires. Make this film
• All-hands reminder. A square video for chat and intranet that reminds staff about a badge policy or another simple rule. Make this film
• Policy in plain words. A film from a document that explains one policy change for managers and what to do before the next payroll run. Make this film

If you want a fast start, try the Inspiration room or the free film to try. You can also start from the front page and see your own colors free, with no account needed.

Nine makes short animated films with a voice, music and sound effects. A film can be wide, tall, or square, so one version can fit a website, a phone, and a feed. If you need a transparent version, it can be laid over your own footage or web page.

The crew on nine.film are cartoon characters, and they host the articles here. Helpful, but not the kind that steals your desk.