Storytelling in a Small Town

Trent: We’ve been getting great feedback on the showpeople keep getting distracted from work because the episodes have good nuggets. Today we’re talking about one of the most popular video styles right now: behind the scenes (BTS).

Trent: BTS means behind the scenesnot the band. A lot of business owners think people only care about the final product, but BTS can be surprisingly powerful.

Brian: I worked with a bakery where most of the website photos were in the kitchenraw ingredients, prepping, and the process. People love seeing how things are madethat’s why baking shows work.

AJ: I didn’t realize how powerful BTS was until I saw an employee filming me filming a teleprompter setup. That BTS post got a ton of reactions.

Trent: BTS is powerful because it pulls back the curtain. It shows you’re humannot always perfect or polishedand people relate to that.

AJ: I watched a review video where the host was assembling a $15,000 robot and refusing to read the directions. It drove me crazybut I couldn’t stop watching because I needed to see if he broke it or figured it out.

Trent: That’s a key BTS advantage: suspense and the unknown. “We’re going to try this and see what happens” hooks people. BTS can create curiosity without tons of planning.

Brian: I love BTS because I want to learn how things are made. As a kid, I loved DVD bonus features. Recently I watched a cheetah documentarythen watched a follow-up about the filmmaker’s camera rig and how he got the shots.

Trent: People watch BTS for different reasons: entertainment, learning, curiosity. Don’t try to filter what’s interestingjust share it. What’s normal to you might be fascinating to someone else.

AJ: There are accounts that show BTS on top and the finished shot on bottom. I love seeing the full buildtools, rigs, and how it all comes together.

Trent: So how do you capture BTS when you’re busy?

AJ: In corporate shoots, BTS was often just a quick phone clipa photo or a 3-second boomerang posted to Instagram.

Brian: It can be as simple as whipping out your phone. A tree company filming a tree coming down can get huge views because it’s naturally suspenseful.

Trent: Time lapses are another easy win. Phones can do it. It’s perfect for big transformationslike turning a plain studio into a winter wonderland.

Brian: The best time lapse moments are blank slate → finished canvas. Capture the transformation in a wide shot so people can actually see the change.

Trent: Frame wider than you think. People notice details you don’tand those details can build trust and even lead to sales.

AJ: If you’re setting up a wide time lapse, don’t be afraid to add tight shots of smaller details toolike papers stacking up or a specific element being built.

Trent: BTS is raw, real, and relatable. There’s no perfect wayjust try something and improve over time.