Element 04
Interaction
Seven
universal
emotions
07 emot.
Hum
Interaction Element of the human

Products
do not persuade.
People do.

People watch people. Every story needs human presence to trigger recognition, trust and emotion.
The principle
Humans as an instrument of persuasion

The human brain has a hardwired system for recognising and interpreting human faces, body language and emotion. When we see a human face, we automatically activate our mirror neuron system — we empathise, we recognise, we trust or distrust.

Paul Ekman identified seven basic emotions that are universally recognisable across cultures, languages and ages. Video can trigger them all — but only through humans. A product cannot express emotion. A person can.

The most effective marketing video shows people having a real experience in relation to a product or brand. Not actors performing a script, but people reacting authentically.

How pmeijer applies this

Directing people is a craft. It is not about positioning people in front of the camera, but about creating conditions in which real reactions and real emotions can emerge.

This begins at casting and briefing: who is the right person for this story? And how do we prepare that person so they are relaxed and authentic on set?

In the shoot itself we work with deliberate conversational structures, repeated takes from different angles, and a camera setup that gives the person space rather than pinning them down. The result is footage that is credible.

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elements
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