Know your audience. Age, sex, politics, interests, likes, dislikes, how it feels about the company or charity sponsoring the video, and what motivates them.

Know precisely the desired response the client wants from the audience. Understand motivations-- both the client's and the audience's. Understand the subtext. Adjust for group size effect and prevailing attitude.

Devise a creative premise based on what you have learned. This is not a script or an outline-- this is the overall truth of the situation. It is formulated in terms of "If, Then." When this is understood, creative development in terms of scripting can begin.

Words when necessary. And only when necessary. In video, the written word conveys mostly information, not emotion. Emotion is heard in the audio, and seen in the video. Emotion changes lives, attitudes, and events. Use people's real words-- interviews, when unrehearsed, are compelling and act as endorsement.

Shoot to tell the story. Find and exploit detail. Candid scenes-- when possible-- are best. Graphics are information, so use only when you need to convey very specific information (such as in training.) Shoot for the edit-- the story. Long shot, medium shot, cutaway. Save special moves and tricks for punctuation points. Too many tricks is seen as no tricks at all.

All music, all the time. Original score, when possible, but a fully library-derived score can have extraordinary impact as well. Not all video editors can handle the audio end of things. Consider a sound designer, even when using library music. This is a case where experience is your friend, since the instant video, YouTube generation has often ignored soundtracks (music, effects) entirely in lieu of talking heads and physical humor.

Mix the music, the words, and the visuals in an emotional roller coaster. Change it up. The audience can only absorb so much, so give them breathing points. But gallop at the end, so that emotions rise and you achieve your goals-- a collective "Yes!"

The collective "Yes". The moment of change. The softening up for a new reality. Many are called; few can pull this off. Few even think this is their job, but we know-- we are agents of change, no matter how painful, difficult, and emotional it can be. We match pain with premise, difficulty with enthusiasm, and emotion with catharsis.

Whatever you desire.