Overcoming COVID-related production hurdles is still the name of the game. Remote shoots and other safety-and-budget-minded strategies are one solution. But why not also get creative and try some of the unique concepts being experimented out there, like scavenger hunts, trivia games, and other crowdsourced fan engagement pieces? Here’s a glimpse of the possibilities.

A Scavenger Fish Hunt

Fly Fishing company, Anglers All, is a great example of how fun is now done. They began testing the waters a couple of years ago with new ways to engage fans and attract new sponsors using video, but without having to hire a big film crew. What did they come up with? A scavenger hunt involving their fine-finned friends and cinema software called Cinebody. It was an instant hit, and as a result of their success, the fishing scavenger hunt organizers have spawned their own company called “25 On The Fly” to bring the Cinebody scavenger hunt event to other fishing regions in the US.

How does this fly-fishing free-for-all, otherwise known as 25 On The Fly, attract more fans and partners to the Anglers All brand? Easily. Contestants are given a link to quickly download Cinebody to their smartphone to get instant access to a shot list detailing different fishing holes to visit and different species to catch, along with instructions on how to shoot video to document those accomplishments. After being instantly uploaded to the cloud for judges to verify winners, that actual event footage can then be edited to promote all the festivities to future participants and sponsors looking to reel in new fans.

“This software really makes my job easier,” said Davis James, Marketing & “25 On the Fly” Tournament Director. “It allows for quick verification of the results, then lets us use that same verification footage for daily recaps and raw content for all our social channels.”

But the fun doesn’t have to stop at the riverbank. There are other ways to implement video crowdsourcing for your brand.

Trivia

Who doesn’t like to compete in a show of mental muscle? Trivia is another great answer for any organization looking for engaging video content. Even when friends, coworkers, or complete strangers can’t go head to head in an in-person trivia match, they can still make it look like they’re having a meeting of the minds remotely. Game questions can be prepared on pre-built shot lists, then footage can be captured as players answer those questions. Everything can then be edited together later with a soundtrack and funny sound effects for a nice, finishing touch. Not only is trivia a great strategy for fan engagement, it can also be used internally to excite your workforce.

Interactive Entertainment

Music and TV are two other areas to play in. Say for instance you’re a band or cable network, there’s nothing your fans would love more than to be acknowledged by you. And there’s probably nothing you’d love more than saving the money and headaches normally associated with shoots involving multiple talent in multiple locations. So you could hold a contest where you request footage from said fans all over the world, with the winners being featured in your latest music video, as OneRepublic did here. Or you could recruit loyal viewers to submit content for your TV series, like this example from AMC.

What other crazy, video crowdsourcing options are out there for you and your brand? As with any good scavenger hunt, the list is long.