Behind strong video marketing has to be strong video production.
Here we focus on how our video production practises are influenced by theory and technical and creative insight to deliver a quality video production service.
Video Production
…how we do it, and some of the theory behind it
How We Use
Composition
If video was divided into single frames, how visually appealing are each of those images?
Much of this appeals (or doesn’t) to the viewer subconsciously. By incorporating principles of the Fibonacci Sequence (the numbers of which converge at The Golden Ratio the higher up you go in the sequence), you can construct a more aesthetically pleasing composition.
We can also focus attention on a specific part of the image using shallow depth of field, with careful focus pulls using low apertures. This can work well with emotional content, where a subject or interviewee is detached from their background.
We can also use post production techniques (like grading from log footage) to make the colours of an image stand out and look richer than even real life. By doing all these things, it ultimately increases the saleability of a product or overall brand.
There are also times where all parts of the image need to be in focus, like event videos with lots of people or walkthrough videos showing a location. Here we’ll use a wider lens and deeper depth of focus so the viewer can see all the necessary parts of an image.
How We Use
Narrative
“No matter what you do, your job is to tell your story.”
– Gary Vaynerchuk
Putting shots together into a story is key for getting people interested in you or your business.
But what kind of story? Bringing to light the story behind a company: its vision and reason for starting, can make a profound difference on how people interact with your product or service. It helps to build trust with your clients, lend credibility to your brand and if the values you offer are mutual turn them into lifetime brand ambassadors.
To reach this stage, it’s essential to know your audience and the niche you fit into the industry. Once that’s established we can work with you to refine a script and storyboard or shotlist to tell this story effectively, balancing the product or service itself with the motivated team behind it. And using audiovisual techniques like music, voiceover and post production effects to move it along.
We’ll also make sure the story is told in the optimum amount of time necessary for the video type, before a viewer may lose interest. And it’s important to show the product or brand values first, then offer a backstory to lend credibility to that them.
How We Use
Editing
Editing plays a vital role in telling a story with maximum impact. To capture the space and create fluidity from one shot to the next. Getting this flow is particularly important for commercial videos which are designed for easy viewing.
With our use of modern camera tech (like three-axis gimbals and internal gyroscopes) as well as non-linear editing software, this is easy to achieve. It also works beautifully with high frame rate shooting and speed variation applied in post-production. Understanding these editing techniques when filming can make for a quick workflow and a pleasing, professional result.
A different aspect to editing involves creating a clash and disrupting the flow to prompt emotion. This derives from filmmaker Eisenstein’s techniques of montage where “an idea arises from the collision of independent shots”, as demonstrated in the Odessa Steps scene of his classic film Battleship Potemkin. This builds on what filmmaker Kuleshov demonstrated in the Kuleshov Effect, where the emotional effect of one shot is changed by the proceeding shot.
Discordant shot selection can be combined with text or animated graphics to relay information as well as make up a powerful visual sequence. This is especially applicable to a lot of our charity videos, where the meaningful juxtaposition of footage can prompt emotion and make the Calls-to-Action that follow even more effective.
Much of this is established with storyboards, which we’ll also work closely with you to create.
How We Use
Music
We have access to multiple platforms of fully licensed music, which are constantly being updated with new artists and tracks to suit different video types and moods. Using the right music is a great way to connect with certain audiences and set the tone of the video.
We also know when not to use music – as it can often distract from voice-over or the general tone of the video – and let the content speak for itself.
Contact us now to see where our video strategy can take your business