The internal comms multiplier: one CEO shoot, 12+ pieces of content
How a single CEO filming day can produce 12+ pieces of internal communication content without repeated shoots or scheduling pressure
Most internal comms teams know this pattern too well. You need a CEO video. Maybe it's for quarterly all-hands. Or a culture update. Or an announcement about restructuring. You send the request. You wait. You follow up. Eventually, you get 20 minutes in their calendar - rushed, squeezed between meetings, no time for a second take. The time loop resets. You’re back at square one. Again. And honestly, it’s not that leadership doesn’t want to communicate.
And it’s definitely not that they don’t know how. It’s just that the usual way companies do CEO video doesn’t really line up with how leadership time actually works. CEOs don't have endless hours to give you for content creation. But employees still need to hear from them, preferably regularly, authentically, in ways that feel the most relatable.
And it’s definitely not that they don’t know how. It’s just that the usual way companies do CEO video doesn’t really line up with how leadership time actually works. CEOs don't have endless hours to give you for content creation. But employees still need to hear from them, preferably regularly, authentically, in ways that feel the most relatable.
- What if you filmed once and had enough material for three months?
It's not about filming more. It's about filming once, properly
Why one interview works better than multiple requests
Most internal comms teams treat video the same way they treat email. One message. One video. Done. It makes sense. It’s just… not how video actually works.
- Need a quarterly update? Film a quarterly update.
- Need a culture message? Film a culture message.
- Need something for managers to share with their teams? Film that too.
The result? A constant stream of requests to leadership. Each one needs scheduling, prep, mental energy. And because every shoot is treated as a separate moment, the CEO never settles into a rhythm. Every video feels like a performance.
What you end up with is one solid conversation, usually about an hour long, that you can break up in a few different ways. Short clips for email. Longer pieces for the intranet. An intro video for all-hands. A few soundbites managers can actually use.
It all comes from the same interview. It just gets used properly The CEO films once. You communicate for months.
A CEO interview works differently
Instead of asking your CEO to deliver six different messages over three months, you sit them down once and have a conversation. You ask open questions about vision, priorities, change, culture, team focus. You give them space to talk naturally. And because they're not performing to camera - they're just answering questions - they relax. The content feels real.What you end up with is one solid conversation, usually about an hour long, that you can break up in a few different ways. Short clips for email. Longer pieces for the intranet. An intro video for all-hands. A few soundbites managers can actually use.
It all comes from the same interview. It just gets used properly The CEO films once. You communicate for months.
- That’s where the multiplier actually shows up: continuity.
What companies usually get wrong
The biggest mistake is thinking you need a new shoot for every new message. Companies treat video as one-to-one. One shoot equals one piece of content. So when a new priority emerges or a new quarter starts, they assume they need to book the CEO again. In reality, a well-planned interview usually covers way more ground than teams expect.
When we plan a CEO shoot, we’re not only thinking about the message that needs to go out right now. We’re thinking a bit ahead. Like, what’s going to shift over the next couple of months? What are people about to start asking about anyway? What are people already asking about? What keeps coming up in town halls or Slack? Where do managers usually get stuck explaining things? That’s what shapes the interview - not one announcement, but the wider conversation the business is already having. What are people asking in Slack? What do managers keep repeating? What’s the thing everyone sort of understands… but not really?
The biggest mistake is thinking you need a new shoot for every new message. Companies treat video as one-to-one. One shoot equals one piece of content. So when a new priority emerges or a new quarter starts, they assume they need to book the CEO again. In reality, a well-planned interview usually covers way more ground than teams expect.
When we plan a CEO shoot, we’re not only thinking about the message that needs to go out right now. We’re thinking a bit ahead. Like, what’s going to shift over the next couple of months? What are people about to start asking about anyway? What are people already asking about? What keeps coming up in town halls or Slack? Where do managers usually get stuck explaining things? That’s what shapes the interview - not one announcement, but the wider conversation the business is already having. What are people asking in Slack? What do managers keep repeating? What’s the thing everyone sort of understands… but not really?
Then we build an interview structure around those themes.
The result is content that doesn't just answer one question. It answers twelve.
The second mistake is just not realising how much you get from one good interview. Usually, when we film a 60-minute conversation, we can easily get 12-15 clips out of it and repurpose them across a loooot of channels. Some of them will be super quick - like 30 seconds, maybe even less, but honestly, that’s a good thing for most social platforms, right?
It always surprises people how much usable stuff comes out of a single sit-down. But all of them come from the same shoot.
The third mistake is asking questions that expire.
If you ask a CEO, “What’s your message for Q2?” you’ll get a Q2 message. Useful, sure. But limited. It does the job for now, and then you’re back asking again next quarter.
If instead you ask, “What’s the biggest priority for the business right now - and why does it matter?” you get an answer that lasts longer. It still works for Q2, but it doesn’t expire the moment the calendar changes.
That’s the difference. It works as a standalone clip about focus. Or as part of a leadership series. Or as an opener for a manager's team meeting.
The result is content that doesn't just answer one question. It answers twelve.
The second mistake is just not realising how much you get from one good interview. Usually, when we film a 60-minute conversation, we can easily get 12-15 clips out of it and repurpose them across a loooot of channels. Some of them will be super quick - like 30 seconds, maybe even less, but honestly, that’s a good thing for most social platforms, right?
It always surprises people how much usable stuff comes out of a single sit-down. But all of them come from the same shoot.
The third mistake is asking questions that expire.
If you ask a CEO, “What’s your message for Q2?” you’ll get a Q2 message. Useful, sure. But limited. It does the job for now, and then you’re back asking again next quarter.
If instead you ask, “What’s the biggest priority for the business right now - and why does it matter?” you get an answer that lasts longer. It still works for Q2, but it doesn’t expire the moment the calendar changes.
That’s the difference. It works as a standalone clip about focus. Or as part of a leadership series. Or as an opener for a manager's team meeting.
Strategic questions create reusable answers
What to Cover in a CEO Interview
The topics really matter here.
You’re not filming a keynote. You’re not doing a scripted announcement. You’re basically building a little content library - stuff you can pull from over time, across different channels, for different moments. Not everything needs to land at once.
So the questions need to be wide enough to last, but still specific enough to feel relevant. Not vague and not corporate, they simply have to be… useful.
You’re not filming a keynote. You’re not doing a scripted announcement. You’re basically building a little content library - stuff you can pull from over time, across different channels, for different moments. Not everything needs to land at once.
So the questions need to be wide enough to last, but still specific enough to feel relevant. Not vague and not corporate, they simply have to be… useful.
Direction
Where is the business going? What does success actually look like over the next year? And why these things, right now? Why are they the focus, out of everything else? Those answers don’t age quickly. They give people context. They help everything else make more sense.
Priorities and change
What’s shifting? What’s new? What are we doubling down on? What are we moving away from? These are the questions people are already asking anyway. Getting clear answers here removes a lot of quiet uncertainty - and they work really well as short, standalone clips.
Culture and values
What kind of company are we actually trying to build? What behaviours matter here? What does good leadership look like in real life, not on a slide? These answers don’t expire. They can be reused across quarters without feeling dated.
The team
What’s working well right now? Where are people doing great work? What should teams actually feel proud of? This stuff is easy to overlook, but it really goes a long way. And once you have it, it’s super easy to reuse - emails, intranet posts, internal updates. It just keeps doing its job.
Honesty
What’s hard at the moment? What are we still figuring out? Where do we know we need to improve? These answers build a lot of trust. They show the CEO isn’t pretending everything is perfect. And honestly, they land much better on video than in a carefully worded email.
The main thing is asking questions that do not lead to scripted statements, they need to lead to real, honest answers.
When a CEO is responding to an actual question, not reading from a brief, the content just feels more natural.
And that’s usually what people want.
And that’s why people actually watch it - because it sounds like a real person. Not “a CEO.” Just someone who lived a normal life and ended up there.
When a CEO is responding to an actual question, not reading from a brief, the content just feels more natural.
And that’s usually what people want.
And that’s why people actually watch it - because it sounds like a real person. Not “a CEO.” Just someone who lived a normal life and ended up there.
How to break one interview into multiple pieces
Once the shoot’s done, the work shifts into edit mode.
And it’s not just about chopping the video into shorter bits. You're identifying which parts of the conversation serve which purpose.
A two-minute answer about company priorities might work as:
Some clips work best as standalone messages. Others need a sentence of intro text to give context. Some make sense as part of a series - "This week, hear from our CEO on culture, priorities, and team focus." Others work better as one-off moments.
Once the shoot’s done, the work shifts into edit mode.
And it’s not just about chopping the video into shorter bits. You're identifying which parts of the conversation serve which purpose.
A two-minute answer about company priorities might work as:
- A full two-minute clip for the intranet
- A quick 30-second cut for an email header.
- A15-second opener for an all-hands.
- A clean soundbite managers can drop into their own team updates.Same footage. Different formats. Different contexts.
Some clips work best as standalone messages. Others need a sentence of intro text to give context. Some make sense as part of a series - "This week, hear from our CEO on culture, priorities, and team focus." Others work better as one-off moments.
We usually deliver content in a few different ways:
Email-ready clips
Short. Punchy. Easy to watch. Like… 20 to 40 seconds, usually. Just enough to get the point across and move on. These just sit at the top of a newsletter or weekly update. No clicking through, no effort - people see it, press play, and that’s it.
Intranet features
Longer cuts, one to three minutes. These go on your company hub or internal comms platform. They're for people who want more depth, or who missed the shorter version.
All-hands openers
You’ve got intro clips that set the tone before a live session. Usually 60 to 90 seconds. Just enough to frame the meeting, give a bit of context, and let the CEO “be in the room” - even if they’re not actually there every time.
Manager toolkits
Little clips managers can share with their own teams. These are especially useful when the message is about priorities, change, or focus - things that people need to hear more than once, and hear in smaller groups.
And honestly, this is the nice part. You’re not asking the CEO to say the same thing six different ways. You’re taking one good conversation, pulling value out of it, and dropping it into the right places across the comms calendar. It just makes a lot more sense.
A real example: How we did this for Cytec
When we worked with Cytec, they needed corporate video content covering brand values, company culture, and the appointment of a new CEO. The challenge was time. They needed content quickly, and filming multiple separate videos wasn't realistic.
We proposed one filming day. We came in with a small crew - producer, two camera ops, a gaffer, sound. Filmed seven interviews, all in one place. Took a look at the original venue and were like… yeah, we can do better than this. So we suggested moving to a more dynamic space. It ended up looking better and saving them about £800, which was a nice bonus.
We proposed one filming day. We came in with a small crew - producer, two camera ops, a gaffer, sound. Filmed seven interviews, all in one place. Took a look at the original venue and were like… yeah, we can do better than this. So we suggested moving to a more dynamic space. It ended up looking better and saving them about £800, which was a nice bonus.
From that one day of filming, we delivered 7 complete videos. Each interview stood alone, but all of them pulled from the same production day. Some focused on internal culture. Others featured client testimonials. One highlighted the new CEO's vision.
The approach worked because we planned the interviews strategically. We knew what the business needed to communicate over the coming months, and we structured the day to cover those topics in a way that gave them flexibility.
That's the multiplier effect in practice. One shoot, multiple outputs, each serving a different purpose.
The approach worked because we planned the interviews strategically. We knew what the business needed to communicate over the coming months, and we structured the day to cover those topics in a way that gave them flexibility.
That's the multiplier effect in practice. One shoot, multiple outputs, each serving a different purpose.
Planning the quarterly CEO shoot
The shoot itself doesn't need to be complicated. What it needs is structure.
Before we film, we work with the internal comms team to map out what's happening over the next quarter. What's being announced? What's changing? What questions are employees asking? What does leadership need to communicate? Then we build an interview outline. Not a script - an outline. A list of topics and questions that give the CEO a clear sense of what we're covering, without forcing them to memorise answers.
Before we film, we work with the internal comms team to map out what's happening over the next quarter. What's being announced? What's changing? What questions are employees asking? What does leadership need to communicate? Then we build an interview outline. Not a script - an outline. A list of topics and questions that give the CEO a clear sense of what we're covering, without forcing them to memorise answers.
- On the day, we keep it simple. One camera, clean lighting, a comfortable setup. The CEO sits down. We start the conversation. No autocue. No rigid structure. Just a natural flow through the topics. Most CEOs relax into this format quickly. It doesn't feel like a performance. It feels like a conversation. And because of that, the answers just feel more genuine.
- The whole shoot usually takes, what, 45 to 60 minutes? Sometimes less, if the CEO is particularly succinct. Rarely more, because we're not aiming for a documentary—we're aiming for clarity.
- Then we deliver the content fast. Usually within 48 hours, sometimes sooner. Because internal comms teams move quickly, and waiting two weeks for a CEO message defeats the point.
Speed matters. But so does structure. The reason we can deliver quickly is because the planning is solid.
When to book the next one
The best rhythm we've seen is quarterly.
Four shoots a year. One per quarter. Each one covering the next 8 to 12 weeks of content. This keeps the messaging fresh without overwhelming the CEO. It gives internal comms teams a steady pipeline of leadership content. And it means employees hear from the top regularly, without it feeling forced or repetitive. Some companies prefer monthly shoots, especially if they're in a period of rapid change. That works too, though the content yield per shoot is smaller. Some teams do it twice a year - once at the start of H1, once again at the start of H2. And honestly, that’s fine. Especially if the business is pretty stable and the messaging doesn’t change all that much. But for most companies, quarterly feels right. The key is building this into the rhythm of the business. Not treating it as a one-off project, but as part of how internal comms operates.
Four shoots a year. One per quarter. Each one covering the next 8 to 12 weeks of content. This keeps the messaging fresh without overwhelming the CEO. It gives internal comms teams a steady pipeline of leadership content. And it means employees hear from the top regularly, without it feeling forced or repetitive. Some companies prefer monthly shoots, especially if they're in a period of rapid change. That works too, though the content yield per shoot is smaller. Some teams do it twice a year - once at the start of H1, once again at the start of H2. And honestly, that’s fine. Especially if the business is pretty stable and the messaging doesn’t change all that much. But for most companies, quarterly feels right. The key is building this into the rhythm of the business. Not treating it as a one-off project, but as part of how internal comms operates.
Once it's in the calendar, it stops being a scramble. The CEO knows it's coming. The comms team knows what content they'll have. And employees get used to hearing from leadership in a consistent way.
FAQ
How long does a CEO interview shoot actually take?
Usually 45 to 60 minutes. Sometimes less if the CEO is particularly direct. We're not filming a feature - we’re capturing clear, usable answers. The planning beforehand is what makes the shoot efficient.
How many pieces of content can you really get from one CEO interview?
Between 12 and 15 usable clips, depending on how the interview is structured. Some will be 30 seconds for email. Some will be two minutes for the intranet. Some will be intro clips for all-hands. It's not about forcing more content - it’s about cutting strategically from what's already there.
What's the best schedule for CEO video shoots?
Quarterly works for most companies. Four shoots a year, one per quarter, covering 8 to 12 weeks of content. If you're in a period of rapid change, monthly shoots can work. If things are stable, twice a year might be enough. But quarterly tends to hit the sweet spot.
Do you need a script for a CEO interview?
No. A script makes it feel scripted (logical, right?). What you need is an outline - a list of topics and questions the CEO knows you'll cover. That gives them structure without forcing them to memorise lines. The best answers come from real responses, not rehearsed statements.
How quickly can you deliver the content after filming?
Usually within 48 hours. Sometimes sooner. Internal comms moves fast, so waiting two weeks defeats the point. When we filmed the AM Insights 5-year anniversary video, we delivered the final cut three days after filming. Speed matters, but it only works when the planning is solid.
What if the CEO doesn't like being on camera?
Most don't, honestly. That's why the interview format works better than a scripted piece-to-camera. They're just answering questions, not performing. Once they settle into the conversation, it stops feeling like a video shoot and starts feeling like a planning discussion. That's when the content gets good.
Can you use the same footage for external comms?
Sometimes. It depends on the tone and content. Some answers work internally and externally. Others are too specific to internal priorities. We usually know during planning which clips will have dual use. But the primary focus is always internal - external use is a bonus, not the goal.
What kind of questions should you ask in a CEO interview for internal comms?
Questions that create natural, reusable answers. Instead of "What's your message for Q2?" ask "What's the biggest priority for the business right now, and why does it matter?" The second version works for multiple contexts. Good questions give you content that lasts beyond one moment.
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