When you have lunch with a video expert like Chris Schwager, it makes sense to pump him for video production tips.

Chris, the 29th person I’ve met on my quest to have lunch with 500 strangers, told me the surprising secret of how to succeed with video.

Production has surprisingly little to do with it, he said. Scripting the video and distributing the video are actually more important.

Scripting means crafting the right message for the right audience. Distribution means getting as many members of that audience as possible to see the video.

Sure, you want the video to look good. But a good-looking video counts for nothing if the content is terrible or no one watches it.

Chris shares his expertise in regular video marketing workshops. He’s obviously doing something right, because his business, Ridge Films, which he co-founded in 2002, is the highest-rated video company in Australia. Ridge Films has an astonishing 168 Google reviews, with an average rating of 4.9 stars.

While he’s great behind the camera, I reckon Chris is even better in front of it. He’s an extrovert with a big personality and the gift of the gab.