Video and motion

• Avoid adding artistic or overly stylized highlights or shadows. 
• Avoid raising or lowering contrast to affect the tone or mood.

Use B-roll as an opportunity to elevate your story by capturing moments that are an extension of your narrative. Before filming, think about where the B-roll will fit into your narrative and how best to visually represent that point in the story. Focus on showing authentic human moments like conversations and thoughtful reflection. When filming people working, try to make sure to shoot in clean, well-balanced compositions. 

The following guidelines detail the standards for common B-roll:

• Avoid behind-the-scenes production shots
• Avoid shots of people wearing masks
• Avoid drone shots; keep the focus on people
• Keep camera smooth and focused (avoid shaky cam)
• Avoid blurred focus, or shooting through glass
• Keep production work out of sight
• Keep it candid (avoid forced laughter or posing)
• Pick a subject and stick to it, minimizing pans and tilts
• Shoot at eye level and show professional/work contexts when relevant
• Use stock video sparingly, only with purpose and/or as a backdrop for supporting graphics
• Never use or alter any advertising creative without expressed approval from Corporate Advertising. This creative has limited use and rights fees.

Slow-motion B-roll

For slow-motion B-roll, follow the same guidelines as common B-roll. In addition, shoot in 4K UHD at 30, 48 or 60 FPS for playback at 24 FPS.

Follow-along B-roll 

Follow‑along B‑roll is a key visual motif across all customer stories. When capturing this type of footage, look for natural moments — such as people arriving at work, walking through the lobby, or moving through hallways — that reflect a genuine day‑in‑the‑life experience. These moments should feel specific to the subject, capturing candid, relatable human interactions.

As long as the shots aren’t staged as hero walks or entourage moments, the filming approach can remain flexible. Handheld and dolly shots are both appropriate — just be sure to stay consistent in your approach across scenes.

At Kyndryl, we prioritize clean, balanced audio that centers the voice of the customer, SME, or executive. When music is used, it should subtly support the story — adding rhythm and filling space without overpowering spoken words. We recommend understated instrumental tracks and avoiding anything busy or distracting.

We never use artificial sound effects. All audio should be recorded on location whenever possible, capturing the natural sound of the environment and helping the story feel grounded and genuine. 

• Avoid distorting or peaking audio.
• Avoid pitching vocals.
• Avoid filtering vocals.

Visual storytelling is essential to effective brand communication, and stock footage can play a supporting role when needed. When selecting stock, prioritize clean, bright visuals with airy neutrals and earthy greens that align with our visual style. When people appear on screen, look for natural movement, authentic body language, and varied perspectives that feel human and relatable.

Note: Stock video should only be used when Kyndryl‑provided B‑roll is unavailable or does not adequately reflect the story being told. 

• Avoid using CGI.
• Avoid using animated stock clips.
• Avoid staging. 
• Avoid forced or exaggerated emotion.

From motion backgrounds to makeup, color helps create a professional yet personable look that reflects Kyndryl’s boldness and forward‑thinking optimism. In video, color plays a key role in conveying warmth, energy, and passion across our visual portfolio.

While color use may vary by use case, always follow the guidelines specific to each application and avoid deviations without direct approval.

• Avoid creating an unnatural appearance through color grading.
• Avoid changing the look and feel through color grading.
• Avoid using a filter of any kind for any reason.
• Avoid overemphasizing certain colors.