Year-End Corporate Messaging: How to Film CEO Updates and Town Halls That Actually Engage Employees
Year-End Corporate Messaging: How to Film CEO Updates and Town Halls That Actually Engage Employees
By Murray Hill Studios
As the year winds down, companies across every industry begin preparing one of their most important communications touchpoints: the year-end message. Whether it’s a CEO video, a leadership panel, or a full-scale town hall, this content sets the tone for the year ahead—reinforcing culture, celebrating wins, and building trust across teams.
But in an era of hybrid workforces and distributed teams, simply recording a message isn’t enough. Employees expect clarity, warmth, and production quality that respects their time. At Murray Hill Studios, we’ve helped companies craft compelling year-end communications for more than 30 years, and we’ve seen exactly what makes these messages resonate.
Here’s how to elevate your year-end corporate video and maximize its impact.
1. Start With a Clear Message—Not a Script Full of Jargon
The strongest CEO updates are built around a concise narrative:
What we accomplished
What we learned
Where we’re going
Employees don’t need buzzwords—they need honesty, direction, and moments that feel human. A well-structured message delivered cleanly on camera always outperforms a dense script packed with corporate language.
At MHS, we often help leadership teams refine their talking points before stepping onto the set, ensuring clarity and conversational flow.
2. Choose a Professional Environment That Matches the Moment
A year-end message is not the time for a quick webcam recording. Production value communicates respect. Lighting, framing, and scenic design help reinforce leadership presence, especially for distributed teams who rarely see executives in person.
At Murray Hill Studios, clients can choose between:
Broadcast-ready interview setups
Warm, conversational talk-show environments
Neutral corporate backdrops
Custom scenic looks (reclaimed wood, panel tables, branded graphics, etc.)
Each option reinforces the tone of your message.
3. Use Multi-Camera Coverage for a Natural, Dynamic Feel
A single locked-off camera often feels stiff. Multi-camera setups allow for:
Smooth cuts
Natural pacing
More engaging viewing
Options for full-length and short-form versions
Our team provides a real-time line cut during filming while also recording ISO feeds, giving editors maximum flexibility.
4. Integrate Supporting Visuals for a Stronger Story
Graphics, charts, branded lower thirds, and short cutaways can make your message easier to digest. Even simple on-screen text can improve retention.
Many companies also include:
Year-in-review highlight reels
Photos of employees and events
Simple animated title cards
Lower-third identifiers for leadership panels
This transforms the piece from a talking head into a multimedia experience.
5. Plan for Multiple Deliverables—Not Just One Video
Your CEO message can (and should) be repurposed. From a single shoot, companies often produce:
Full-length message for the company meeting
Shorter recaps for internal newsletters or Slack
Social-friendly clips for recruiting and employer branding
Audio-only versions for internal podcasts
Subtitled versions for global teams
Our editing team specializes in creating “upload-ready” deliverables for multiple platforms with matched color, clean audio, and polished graphics.
6. Make It Easy for Remote Employees to Tune In
For hybrid or global teams, seamless delivery matters just as much as production.
We support:
Live streamed town halls
Pre-recorded messages scheduled for global rollout
Multi-language subtitling
Remote guest integration using ZoomISO or NDI
Real-time support for leadership presentations
Employees should feel included—regardless of where they work.
Bring Your Year-End Message to Life at Murray Hill Studios
With more than three decades of broadcast experience, Murray Hill Studios helps companies create CEO messages and year-end communications that feel polished, warm, and credible. Our Midtown Manhattan studio is designed for fast turnarounds, professional multi-camera setups, and the flexibility modern organizations need.
Whether you’re filming a leadership address, a full town hall, or a series of internal updates, our team is here to guide you from concept to final delivery.
Ready to plan your year-end communication?
Contact Murray Hill Studios to reserve your production time.