Education is a big industry in Chicago, with schools, universities, and training institutions opening up every other day. All these businesses rely on video production in some form to drive their messages home. From attracting new students to driving enrollment, engaging alumni, or empowering staff through internal communications, video has become the language of modern education.

Video is visual, emotional, and built for the way people learn and make decisions today. At INDIRAP, we understand this quite well. We create strategic content ecosystems that help educational institutions communicate with clarity, build trust, and spark action across every touchpoint.

Maybe you're a university administration wanting to create a brand film. You could be a college planning a campus tour, or a school that wants to show parents and students what makes you unique. Whatever your purpose is, working with INDIRAP as your dedicated Chicago video production company can be just the move toward effective marketing.

Building School Brand Identity via Video

A strong school brand isn't just limited to your logo or slogan. It's a cumulative result of how students, parents, faculty, and the community perceive your institution. Video marketing gives schools the tools to control and shape that perception with clarity and emotional resonance.

First off, video helps schools articulate their mission and educational philosophy in a compelling format. Brand films and introductory videos provide a clear narrative that answers the question: Why choose this institution?

These videos often go on homepages, admission pages, and at recruitment events for a consistent message across platforms. For example, Youngstown State University has a "brand essence" video that answers why you should select the university.

School culture is often difficult to describe in text. However, demonstrating it through video is usually easier.

From classroom footage to extracurricular activities, video immerses viewers in the daily life of the institution. The format also builds an emotional connection, which can drive enrollment decisions.

With reference to Chicago, it's important to note that there's a lot of competition in the education space. Video content highlighting unique programs, like STEM labs, dual-language instruction, and athletic achievements, clearly positions the school's strengths.

When paired with strategic distribution on social platforms, it works wonders. For example, the University of Chicago posts Instagram videos showing what's being done in its labs and the real-world impact of these projects.

Besides showing what differentiates you, videos featuring administrators, teachers, and staff create transparency and trust. These profiles help parents and students put faces to the institution and better understand its approach to education and community-building.

More importantly, video content is evergreen if you do it right. Testimonials, alumni features, graduation recaps, and impact stories can be reused year after year to reinforce the school's value and legacy.

When you choose INDIRAP for education video production Chicago, we keep this in mind. Our video production is designed to be suitable for repurposing content. Plus, we make sure that you can use the videos in different aspects, from fundraising and partnerships to enrollment growth. 

Types of Education Videos

As a business seeking school or university video marketing Chicago, there are many ways you can use videos. Let's discuss a few common types.

1. Campus Tour Videos

Campus tour videos are often the first point of contact between a prospective student and an institution. These videos simulate an on-site visit so that viewers can experience the layout, atmosphere, and facilities of a campus without setting foot on it.

Nowadays, many students make these decisions online, especially if they are out of state or international. So, a well-crafted campus tour can be a deciding factor in the enrollment process. Take the example of this campus tour from the University of Illinois Chicago.

These videos are most effective when used on admissions landing pages, embedded in digital brochures, or promoted via social media ads targeted at prospective applicants. You can also use them in email marketing campaigns during key decision windows, like application deadlines, acceptance announcements, or yield season.

When creating these videos, it's important to prioritize natural light and show high-use spaces like libraries, labs, dorms, dining areas, and athletic facilities. It also helps to use ambient sound or student voiceover to keep the tone authentic.

Static, overly polished visuals often feel sterile. The most effective tours strike a balance between cinematic quality and real-life energy. That's why we go for this approach at INDIRAP.

2. Student Testimonial Videos

Few things persuade better than peer validation. Student testimonial videos use real voices to build trust and offer insight into the lived experience of attending a school.

Prospective students want to picture themselves in the community, and testimonials make that leap easier. These videos are commonly used across multiple channels, from embedded clips on program-specific pages to featured reels in paid social campaigns.

Schools also use them during in-person recruitment presentations, alumni events, and donor updates. Strategically, testimonial videos help answer unspoken questions about belonging, value for money, and the day-to-day student experience. Lewis University does a great job of sharing these testimonials periodically on its YouTube page.

The most effective testimonial videos avoid scripted responses. Instead, they focus on storytelling, like what motivated the student to apply, what challenges they faced, what support they received, and where they are headed next.

Diversity is also important. Prospective students want to see people who look like them, come from similar backgrounds, or have shared aspirations. Testimonials should span various programs, class years, and identities to reflect the institution's full spectrum. For example, Lewis University has shared testimonials from its international students.

Filming in places that matter to the student, like labs or dorms, adds emotional and contextual weight. You can also use tight framing to create intimacy. As experts in educational video production Chicago, INDIRAP is familiar with all these best practices, so we use them generously in the testimonial videos we create for our education clients.

3. Faculty Interview Videos

Faculty interviews serve two functions. First, they reinforce academic credibility. Second, they make instructors more approachable.

In many cases, especially for graduate or continuing education programs, the perceived value of the faculty is a direct factor in enrollment decisions. Faculty videos let educators show their teaching philosophy while connecting with prospective students. The University of Chicago often shares snippets of talks with its faculty on Instagram Reels.

You can show faculty videos on program overview pages, faculty bio sections, and in personalized outreach during the admissions process. Or, take the social media route like the University of Chicago.

A faculty video must walk a fine line. It should demonstrate expertise without being overly academic or inaccessible. The best examples keep the language conversational and focused on outcomes.

Visuals matter here, too. Filming in the faculty member's workspace, surrounded by relevant tools, books, or technology, creates both credibility and context. When doing university marketing Chicago at INDIRAP, we focus a lot on these elements as they reflect a lot about your brand. Our team also assists your faculty with the script to make the video more relatable for the viewers. Check out our tips to prepare for a video interview.

4. Online Course Intro Videos

Now that remote learning has become so common, online course intro videos are also becoming imperative. These videos serve as onboarding tools, setting the tone for what students can expect from the course and how to succeed in it.

They should include a brief overview of the course structure, expectations for participation, assessment methods, and how to get help or access resources. Many successful online intro videos also include personal anecdotes from the instructor to lower the barrier to engagement. IQ Academy does a great job of creating such videos for its courses.

While the production for these videos doesn't have to be high-budget, it should be clean and professional. Good audio, consistent lighting, and minimal background distractions are a must.

The good news is that there are many ways to repurpose these videos. Excerpts can be used in course advertisements, or the entire video can be modified into a course promo for prospective students.

When you work with INDIRAP as your Chicago video production company, you get the video plus guidance on how to reuse it. We also offer a distribution framework to make sure you publish the videos on the right platforms at the right time.

Check out the INDIRAP Video Monetization and Distribution Playbook for more information. 

Benefits of Video Marketing in Education

If you're planning to consider video production Chicago for education, here are some benefits you can expect.

Increased Enrollment

High-quality video content delivers your school's message in a format that audiences are already consuming daily. Cinematic campus tours and real success stories help create an emotional connection that text and photos can rarely achieve.

When prospective students can see themselves in your classrooms, walking your halls, or participating in your programs, they're more likely to take the next step. So, these videos lead directly to higher inquiries, more campus visits, and increased enrollment.

Higher Trust With Parents and Students

Parents are often a key part of the enrollment process. Video helps reduce uncertainty by showcasing faculty credentials, support services, safety protocols, and campus culture. When parents come across a well-produced video from an educational institution, it makes the school feel approachable to them.

Institutional Positioning

Universities and schools using university video marketing Chicago are seen as more forward-thinking and media-savvy. They show that they understand how to communicate with a digital-first audience. Such a perception can help differentiate you from other institutions.

Stronger Digital Presence

Video content is quite adaptable. One piece can be used on the website, in targeted ad campaigns, across social media, and even at live events.

Institutions that invest in strategic video production can enjoy a stronger online presence. Since a digital presence has become a must-have for businesses, videos make you more competitive. They also improve SEO rankings, increase time spent on site, and help drive more qualified traffic.

How INDIRAP Helped the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) Make Campus Safety Training Videos

The University of Illinois Chicago (UIC), one of the state's leading public research institutions, approached INDIRAP to deliver safety information to students via video. They wanted to engage and educate students at the same time.

UIC's initial request was focused. They needed a safety video built from existing footage. Their purpose was to make emergency protocols accessible and memorable for students.

After the first video turned out more than satisfactory, UIC returned with a bigger task to build a full safety orientation series from the ground up. The challenge was to deliver campus safety information in a visually captivating and digestible way.

INDIRAP worked closely with UIC to break down a complex body of information into eight distinct, topic-focused videos. These short modules would be easy to understand and simple to update in the future.

Our Process

We began by scripting and storyboarding. Each video was carefully structured around key messages and narrated through voiceover. We took special care to avoid dated references because UIC wanted the content to be relevant in the long run.

UIC wanted their student body reflected in the videos, so the talent came from within. The school selected a diverse mix of students, and INDIRAP handled all the logistics. We aligned the shoot schedules, matched students to storylines, and guided them through the production process.

The Result

The final series now serves as a foundational part of UIC's safety education strategy. Each video delivers key information and reinforces the university's commitment to student well-being.

Our project proved how education video production Chicago can turn operational content into one that lasts for a long time. If you're on the search for a Chicago video production company that can meet your marketing objectives without ignoring visuals, INDIRAP is the right solution.

Book a free, no-obligation Discovery Call today to get a free quote for your next educational video project.