The Medium is the Message
You know the famous Marshall McLuhan adage, “the medium is the message”. That is true. The media we use shapes our experience and understanding. It goes without saying that Romeo and Juliet demands different media to express the author's intent than does a dissertation on mathematical theory that is highly conceptual in nature.
And choosing the right medium for your message is critical. It's obvious that social media beats television hands down when it comes to young audiences, but older viewers are the dominant television watchers. Emotional messages usually gain great strength in “moving picture” form with a strong narrative line, but this same medium works particularly well for educational purposes to create teaching scenarios or case studies, to demonstrate actions, or to role model behaviours, as examples. And now, the convergence of media allows for dynamic interactivity, juxtaposition and layering which can express many unique facets of any ideas you want to disseminate. Careful consideration of what media you want for what use can maximize your intended communications.
The Medium Needs a Message
All too often, you see glitzy videos that don't say a thing. Sometimes it works, particularly in advertising, but oftentimes, it doesn't. If, for example, you want to educate people about your cause, then you need more than 'smoke and mirrors'.
Just as in modern architecture where the melding of function and form in the most optimum and aesthetically pleasing way is the name of the game, so too, is it communicator's job. In particular, it's the moving picture producers job, to make sure the purpose and goal of your communication meshes intimately with the medium for maximum effect - to meet your objectives in a captivating and memorable way, to target your audience right on the nose. And it's a medium that integrates so many elements and techniques – story, picture, sound, effects, dialogue, character – it can deliver magic.