Why are AI companies suddenly relying on artsy documentary-style videos? Katharina Hess from Langdock explained the trend to us.
In the age of AI, you can create the craziest scenes with just a few clicks. Images that would traditionally cost millions to shoot. Like many creatives, film people worry that prompts will put them out of work. All the more surprising: In the USA, traditionally made, almost Oscar-like documentaries for advertising purposes are currently the big thing in the tech sector. But not just there.
We are in Berlin Prenzlauer Berg, Winsviertel. Close to the middle, but a little more comfortable. The elevator takes you to Langdock’s bright, spacious offices. Katharina Hess shows the rooms: You feel more like you’re in the loft apartment of people who spend a lot of money on a minimalist look. The 26-year-old is responsible for marketing at the AI startup. And this includes videos in exactly this currently popular documentary style.
Far away from “handshakes and hallways”
First, take a look at the videos we’re talking about here. In the so-called stories, Langdock tells, for example, how the cosmetics manufacturer Dr. Wolff Langdock uses. The traditional company is known for Linola or Alpecin – supermarket classics with great names – not the epitome of innovation. Or is it?
You can see factories clattering rhythmically, employees talking thoughtfully, everything arranged to classy instrumental music. At first glance it could be a documentary, late in the evening on Arte. A quiet, uncommercial style. What it doesn’t look like at all: the old-school company video with handshakes, hallways and honest conversations among older men.
What it looks like even less: AI slop.
Is that really not suggested? Ultimately, the goal of much AI content is to be indistinguishable from hand-made content. But they are actually made traditionally, with camera and everything, at Langdock, as Hess confirms. “We have extremely high quality standards. In everything – including our videos,” she says. “Our videographer, Elias Hennemeyer, likes to film with an old Arri camera. I think you can feel the love for the process.” Many people see AI as a threat to manual, detailed work.
Windows principle for AI
Langdock packages the new AI technology into products that companies can use easily. Merck and Spiegel-Verlag are among our customers. According to Langdock, annual sales from subscriptions are 20 million euros, doubled within six months.
Langdock is not interested in developing his own language models. Langdock packs ChatGPT, Gemini and the like into a package that is easy to use. It’s about the people who work with the models. About building trust in a technology that scares many people.
Trust is a word that Katharina Hess often uses. “Of the first ten people at Langdock, nine had known each other personally for years,” she says. The team grew for a long time through private contacts. Hess was one of the first ten to sign with Langdock. She knew the CEO and co-founder Lennard Schmidt from Hamburg. He is barely older than Hess and both of them co-organized the “Cheftreff” – a networking meeting between like-minded people.
This conference has a lot to do with the two questions that shape Hess and her career: How do you bring people together? And how do you build something new? She had already worked at Otto and About You, was barely in her mid-20s and was wondering where the next step could take her. Then she talked to Schmidt and it quickly became clear: to Berlin. She had also thought about starting her own business. But Langdock’s offer was more exciting. “I feel like I founded myself,” says Hess. “I have a lot of freedom and can work in my area like a founder.”
And a bit like a film producer.
AI free? Does that even exist anymore?
The following applies to them: “AI, yes, but not at the price of quality.” There is currently simply no AI application that can compete with traditionally made films.
But you have to look closely anyway: Of course, AI permeates almost all processes at a company like Langdock. Also in marketing. Hess naturally also uses LLMs when creating scripts for the videos. All the more important: “We say very explicitly when we use AI and when we don’t,” she says.
Even with the first photos of the story there were discussions as to whether the machine or man created it. It soon became clear that it was all about the decisions that were made before the button was pressed.
In any case, with her decisions, Hess has managed to build a good reputation in the scene at the age of 26. Langdock is also spoiled by success. So far, the customer base has grown on its own, through recommendations, for example, says Hess. In this luxurious situation, you can approach marketing more sensitively than when bankruptcy panic is breathing down your neck. On the other hand, doing something right with marketing will hopefully keep that fear at bay. Like being able to say no to AI sometimes.