In this is essay I will be talking about how my experience was during this corporate video task, and what I achieved. This is including the pre-production paper work that was produced beforehand for the company and the post-production, which was the filming and the editing of the project. I will be putting into words what my specific roles in this project were and how skills and tactics were used in order for me to create an up to professional standard corporate video.
Corporate videos are created to give a sense of advertisement to a specific audience of a product. The product could be displayed in many shapes and forms in order to get the point across for this video. The advertisement product could be a company as a whole, or it could be something within the company or even someone. To piece together a corporate video you must have a target audience, and this always depends on what product you are trying to sell. Without a target audience you have not set yourself the niche population that would be more than likely to buy into or even buy your product, other audiences may look at it too which just comes as an initial benefit to the company.
My corporate video was given to me by my tutor. It was creating the video for a boxing gym, 12 Rounds boxing gym. Taking this challenge on was something that interests me because I hadn’t done a corporate video before, let alone on something that was very fast paced. With me participating with this corporate video, it helped me gain a more broad experience as to the specific fields that I have previously done projects on. 12 rounds boxing gym had requested for a promotion of the gym as a whole, as well as the ‘Train2Fight’ programme which they were/are running. All these little elements that they asked for were displayed through the people that regularly attend that gym and through the staff themselves. My role in this project was cameraman, getting a few interview shots but mainly capturing majority of the cover shots of people in the gym. I worked with a production team when it came to filming on the day, which consisted of five people but unfortunately the person who I was put on the whole project with was unable to make it on the shooting day for valid reasons. Nonetheless, I was able to pull out some decent cover shots to use in the editing process and majority of the interview shots were very good, even the ones that I didn’t think would turn out well as I replayed it back on the camera. I was able to email the client, although I did not receive a direct response but they still responded through another source.
My personal opinion when creating a corporate video is that, there is a specific type of flow that these videos are made which is why when set out to their target audience they are able to sell the product. The flow is simple, the first and probably the most vital step you must take is research. Research is a key element to a good product, you need to make sure you know what your client is about, and how they are. You will also be able to tell what type of style they would like their video to be (if they haven’t already told you so), just by doing some detailed research into the client and their company. I went onto the website of 12 rounds boxing gym and I also typed in 12 rounds boxing gym on youtube, to see if they have any other past corporates or things inside the gym. From going on the website I was able to tell that they were a fairly new gym and they seemed very stylish but serious and they needed to be spotted. From the youtube videos, although none were in the gym, most of the time it was outdoors, I was able to tell that the clients themselves were very much active enthusiastic and friendly. This made it easier for me to figure out how I wanted to create their video for them and also we would be able to sit down and discuss things if need be and for cooperation to work between us. The clients themselves had already told me how they wanted the outcome of their video to be and I was able to meet their standards, and they were quite happy with the video. I analysed the theme of their website to familiarise myself with the sort of colours they use. Unfortunately I did not get a chance to meet my client before the shooting date, doing this would have been an advantage to myself and the people I worked with because then I would have been able to tell them the types of shots that were needed in this corporate. I was told that this video was going to be used as their main promotional video and that it needs to be done to a professional standard. I then contacted my client explained to him my role and position, and what I would like to do for his company, like I mentioned before the client did not respond to me directly but I was informed by another source that he likes the sound of it and from that point he sent a briefing telling me what he mainly wants the corporate video to be about and how he wants it done.
From the type of corporate video that I was creating I knew the who the target audience was straight, not specifically in a demographic term but mainly for people in their late 20s and to their late 50s. I could tell this from the previous videos I had watched of theirs and also on shooting day the ages varied so a variety of people were in the gym at the time. The target audience is your main audience, you need to persuade them but in an inspiring way in order for them to buy into your product. Inspiring your target audience enables your product to be seen by a wider set of audiences instead of it being focused on one. The ethos of 12 rounds boxing gym is that fitness should be fun and that you should be focused and challenged.
After the research, you should then make a move on the next step which is pre-production. Pre-production is the paper work that is needed to be completed before you start filming. I started off by creating a production plan and then I made my way to a shooting schedule, this was because I had to work around the client and so that I could go in on the good day to film and get a few interviews. A storyboard was created just too roughly sketch out the way that you think your shooting will go. I listed all the equipment that needed booking out for the day; 2 black magic cameras, 2 tripods, glide cam, sniper rig and then the extra lenses and battery pack. I did not do a location recee as there was no time to go to the location before the shooting date, I was able to do a brief one on site before the shooting actually took place. Just to make sure that there are not many hazards and that all the equipment is not at risk.
Fortunately I did not have to organise a team myself, I was automatically paired up with a trustworthy and hardworking partner and then for the shooting day the crew was given to me. The shooting team that I got was very good, reliable and due to this being an outside client I was happy with the strong team. We was able to pull out good sound bites and clear shots, unfortunately some shots came out a bit dark but was later edited in DaVinci colour correction software. Ellen who was my partner came up with the questions that we used for our interview shots. All the interviewees that took place on that day were all asked the same set of questions in order for us to cut and edit in between different people. Using this as effect on the video enables us to make the project look more appealing and to help it make more sense from different point of views. It also allows us to create a story, a middle beginning and the end, without the interview questions already written down we would not have been able to know what type of cover shots we may or may not need. My team and I arranged how we would get to the location and what the fastest route to get there is. We also discussed where we would meet and who was taking what equipment home to bring to the location, because there was a lot of equipment.
For my interview shots the main look was a cinematic one. This just makes the video itself look more appealing to the audience. Also in the shots the depth of field technique was vital, I had to make sure that whatever was going on in the background was related to what the interviewee was discussing, so anything to do with boxing . Although what goes on in the background maybe extremely shallow the audience watching it may still be able to sus out what is going on without it being in focus.
On shooting day, as soon as we arrived on site, we got setting up and briefly discussed what kind of shots we would need for cover shots. Our aim was to get as many good clear shots as possible in a day and very good sound bites so that we did not have to return again at a later date. I personally felt as if I had captured enough cover shots but when it came down to the editing and the renaming of all the shots, I then realised that I did not get enough but the ones I got were able to be used but it would’ve been to my advantage if I got more shots because then my ideas when editing would have been less limited.
The final part of the procedure, the corporate video production flow, is the post-production. This consists of the editing of the video. This part of the project was split between myself and my partner for this assignment. This is the longest and hardest part of the project, I started by applying the correct settings for the clips to be placed on to the timeline and then I started doing the renaming of the clips. Renaming the clips just saves you time when you are editing, it makes it easier for you to get hold of the specific clips that you need for that part of the production. I needed to piece my story together especially from want the client asked for, from the ‘Train2fight’ programme to actually promoting the gym. I needed to get a logo from the client to put in the video so I had to wait for that to come through but I didn’t wait for that and do nothing. I created my intro and found music that I could use and cut to the beat with. Cutting the beat is a very effective technique, just makes the video production look and sound more professional and it helps it makes sense, also keep the audience locked into the video. For the second part of the production, because my video was split into two section not purposely but it seemed to work out, I first created another small introduction and then at this point I changed the type of music, it was more upbeat and less serious because the first soundtrack was very serious. So when I done this it created this effect of the video that the audience should be happy to come to this gym but also letting them know at the same time that it is no joke when it comes to fitness but they make it fun. After I had pieced the whole project together, well Ellen and I, we then sat down together and done the colour correction which we had been taught how to do. We had to do colour correction in DaVinci because when using a black magic it records in a washed out kind of colour to create more definition in the visual. So when you add colour correction yourself it produces a more cinematic look and clearer.
To conclude, the edit was sent to the client and feedback was received. The client all in all liked to video and was very much happy with what he received. There wasn’t a downside but only room for improvement, which he is still yet to let me know what exactly what he wants done to the edit, for he is the client and I must meet his requirements. I personally think that it was a good product in the end especially for the fact that this was my first attempt with working with an outside client and also at a corporate video. I am happy with the product and I’m confident that I could possibly do another corporate video and improve every time. A good corporate need a good team, a client who you can cooperate with and a story to make sense, to plan ahead can only help you produce a good product.
