Why IR video is a regulated format, not a creative one

Investor relations video carries the same disclosure-control requirements as the press releases it accompanies. Material non-public information appears in the script, the recording, the rough cut and the final edit. Every person involved in production - script writer, producer, editor, voiceover artist if used, distribution platform - is inside the information control perimeter from script approval through to release. Treating IR video as a creative format produces leak risk, regulatory exposure under Reg FD or equivalent rules, and reputational damage if the workflow surfaces information ahead of the official release.

The structural shift is treating IR video production with the same insider information policies your press release process already uses. Same NDAs. Same restricted-access workflow. Same audit trail. Same release coordination with corporate communications. The production partner becomes an extension of the IR team's information-control discipline rather than a separate vendor.

The four investor relations video formats

Format 1: Quarterly earnings preview video

90 second CEO or CFO commentary published with each quarterly earnings release. Strategic context, framing of the quarter's results, forward-looking signal. Sits on the IR site, distributed via investor email lists, embedded in press release. Cost: $6K to $10K per piece on a quarterly cadence. The format that builds regular touch with the retail investor base who do not listen to the earnings call.

Format 2: Annual report video (year-in-review)

5 to 8 minute year-in-review piece published with the 10-K or equivalent annual filing. CEO talking, customer cameos, strategic recap, forward look. Flagship IR asset of the year. Distributed via IR site, included in annual report digital editions, presented at the AGM. Cost: $25K to $40K. The asset that most retail investors form their impression of the year from; institutional investors use it as context for their own research.

Format 3: Investor day or AGM recap

Polished 3 minute recap from the investor day or AGM event plus 6 to 10 speaker excerpt cuts for ongoing distribution. Same event-recap production model as marketing events but with disclosure-controlled workflow. Cost: $20K to $35K depending on event scope. The asset class that extends the investor day audience beyond the analysts who attended live.

Format 4: ESG / sustainability report video

Annual ESG video covering progress on SBTi targets, CSRD reporting metrics, social impact programs. Companion to the ESG report. Used in investor briefings with ESG-focused funds and in sector ratings submissions (DJSI, MSCI ESG, EcoVadis). Cost: $15K to $25K. The asset that increasingly differentiates the company in front of ESG-mandated capital. We covered the broader sustainability angle in how a distributed video model cuts travel.

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The disclosure-controlled production workflow

Stage 1: Pre-script (within information control perimeter)

Script drafting happens inside your company's insider information policy. IR and legal review the script for materiality before production begins. Producer team signs NDAs that map to your standard insider NDAs (same wording, same enforcement). The production partner's team list is shared with your legal team for compliance team awareness.

Stage 2: Recording (locked-room workflow)

Small dedicated crew. Same producer team across multiple recordings throughout the year so the people inside the information control perimeter stay stable rather than rotating. No outside vendors present at recordings. Recordings stored in restricted-access workspace; no transfers through general-purpose file-sharing platforms.

Stage 3: Edit and review (auditable trail)

Editing happens in a restricted-access workspace where access is granted to named individuals only (not roles or teams). Every change tracked with timestamp and editor identity. Legal and IR review rough cut for materiality and accuracy. CEO and CFO final approval. Full audit log preserved for compliance purposes; standard practice is 7-year retention of the audit log.

Stage 4: Release (synchronised with corporate comms)

Publication coordinated with the earnings press release distribution. Video URL goes live at the same minute the press release crosses the wire. Reg FD compliance ensured by simultaneous public availability rather than selective distribution. Embargoed pre-release to analysts under the same rules as the press release if applicable.

The publication windows aligned to earnings cadence

Quarterly: earnings preview video

Recorded 48 to 72 hours before earnings release. Edited and reviewed in the 24 hours preceding earnings. Published simultaneously with the earnings press release on market open day. The production partner's team is in the same blackout window as your internal IR team during these days.

Annual: year-end and investor day

Annual report video published with the 10-K (typically 60 to 90 days after fiscal year end). Production begins in the final month of the fiscal year using historical content; the forward-looking statements get finalised in the 2 weeks before publication. ESG report video aligned to the sustainability disclosure cadence, typically Q1 of the following fiscal year. Investor day video produced in the 2 to 4 weeks after the event.

Ad-hoc: material announcements

Major acquisitions, leadership transitions, strategic announcements may warrant an accompanying CEO video. Production timeline depends on the announcement; expect 24 to 72 hour turnaround under disclosure controls. Most enterprise IR programs maintain a standing relationship with the production partner specifically to handle these rush requirements without bringing new vendors inside the information perimeter mid-event.

The dual-audience distribution model

Retail investors

IR site, YouTube channel, LinkedIn, retail brokerage platforms (Stake, eToro, Public, Robinhood where they accept company video content). Plain language. Visual story. Short cuts (under 90 seconds) perform best with retail investor attention. The audience that benefits most from regular video communication because they do not have analyst reports or earnings calls as their primary information channel.

Institutional analysts

IR site (different page than retail-facing content typically), Bloomberg Terminal integration where available, analyst briefing decks, conference replays. Data-rich. Strategic context. Long-form (5 to 8 minutes) watches well here because institutional analysts have the attention and the context to consume the depth. Sometimes a separate cut produced for the institutional audience that includes content the retail-facing cut does not.

Distribution timing matters

Both audiences see the same content at the same time (Reg FD). Distribution timing is simultaneous; only the channel mix differs. Selective pre-release to one audience triggers regulatory issues regardless of intent.

What to include and what to exclude from IR video scripts

Include

Historical results already in the press release. Strategic context that has been previously disclosed. Forward-looking statements consistent with previously communicated guidance. Customer references where the customer has separately released material about the relationship. Sustainability progress already in the public ESG report. Anything that has been or will be publicly disclosed simultaneously with the video release.

Exclude

Material information not yet public (specific deal pipeline, unreleased product details, pending announcements, financial details not in the press release). Selective disclosure to one investor segment that the other does not get. Speculation about future events beyond what the cleared guidance covers. Anything that would surprise the IR team if it appeared in a Bloomberg headline.

How to handle the CEO and CFO on camera

Most CEOs and CFOs are comfortable on camera for investor communication because the content is professionally important to them. Three production decisions that matter:

Teleprompter or talking points. For earnings preview video, teleprompter is standard because the wording matters legally. For annual report video, talking points work better because the format is conversational. For investor day, the speaker is presenting their own content and the video format captures the live delivery.

Setting and visual quality. Studio or office setting both work. Lighting and audio matter more than location. Brand-consistent visual treatment across all IR videos (same lower thirds, same colour treatment, same motion graphics templates).

Take volume. 2 to 4 takes is standard for IR video; more takes can hurt because the speaker's natural delivery deteriorates after take 4 or 5. Build the script to be deliverable in 2 to 3 takes.

Frequently asked questions

Who needs to sign the producer NDA?

Everyone on the production team with access to the script or the raw footage. For Shootsta, that includes the producer, the director or DP, the editor, anyone with restricted-access workspace access, and any voiceover talent if used. NDA wording typically matches your standard insider NDA so legal does not need to review per project.

What happens if the video accidentally surfaces material information?

The standard remedy in Reg FD frameworks is to immediately and broadly disclose the material information publicly. The video itself can be edited and re-uploaded with the material information removed if it has not yet been broadly distributed. The audit log and disclosure controls are what limit exposure if this happens; teams that skip the controls have no defence.

How does this work for newly-public companies?

Same workflow but typically a lighter program for the first 12 months post-IPO. Quarterly earnings preview plus annual report video is the standard newly-public starting point. ESG and investor day video typically scale in by year 2 to 3.

What about IPO roadshow video?

Different category with different rules. Roadshow video is produced under SEC quiet period rules for US IPOs (and equivalent rules in other jurisdictions). Treat it as a separate scope with separate legal review; do not use the standard IR video workflow until after the quiet period ends.

How long are IR videos typically retained?

The IR site versions are typically retained indefinitely as part of the investor record. Audit logs for production retained 7 years per common practice. Some companies archive videos older than 5 years to a "historical" section of the IR site to keep the current section clean.

Can the same production partner handle marketing video and IR video?

Yes if the partner has demonstrated information control discipline. The team handling IR video should be separate from the team handling marketing video where practical (different editors, different reviewers, different file storage areas). Cross-pollination of teams is fine when both are inside the information control perimeter; team rotation is not.

Where to go next

For the CEO video commitment that quarterly earnings preview video draws on, read how to produce a CEO video update series. For the brand-control workflow that holds across IR and other regulated video formats, read brand control with a video production partner. For the broader contracts and security setup IR programs need from a partner, read video production contracts: what to look for.

To scope an IR video program for your public company, book a free consultation.