Release Forms

Promotional Video Health and Safety

Health and safety was one of our main focus' at the theatre. Once thing we did was kept the amount of wires we used to a minimum, to avoid any trips and injuries.  For the majority of the close up shots, we were sat on the stage but right at the front all the way to the right, so that no performer came close enough for us to get in their way. Also we had to come off the stage and back on multiple times throughout the night when we were shooting various angles. With the stage being quite high off the ground, we made sure to use the steps at all times and were cautious when carrying the camera equipment around. We got to the venue early (about an hour before the event began) so that we could meet and talk with Amy to finalise what types of shots she wanted and also where would be best to film from to avoid any disruption and hazards. Also one of our concerns was making sure the equipment was not in the way of anybody and there was no chance of people tripping on it. To ensure this was not a problem, every time we were not using a piece of equipment we put it in it's respective bags and took them to a side room off the stage so that they didn't pose a hazard.

Promotional Video Evaluation

For our promotional unit, we (Jack & Lewis) produced a short show reel style video for our college's annual award show, Spotlight. We started by contacting the event's organiser with the idea to record it and produce a video, which they agreed would be useful. Then we got all of the talent release forms signed for all the participating students that would be in the video. On the night we took two cameras and two tripods and filmed a lot of the night so that we would have a large selection of footage to edit with.

The biggest problems that we encountered were technical issues to do with our shooting gear. Firstly, one of the tripods would not lock into position meaning that a few of the shots were handheld. Obviously this is not ideal but we combatted this by using things like the handrails as a resting platform for the camera so that the camera shake is kept to a minimum. To further minimise this we used the 'Warp Stabiliser' effect in Premiere Pro to stabilise it in post production.
Another problem that we had was that the cameras that we took out from college both had low battery. To combat this problem, we had to alternate between us recording and charging the battery so that we had a good coverage throughout the night.

For most of the night, Lewis was behind the crowd capturing wider shots that encapsulated the whole stage and Jack was on the side of the stage, getting close ups and medium to long shots. This worked well for us because it allowed us to intercut between varying shot types to maintain a high energy in the edit. To also further this, Jack moved around from one side of the stage to the other to try to keep the footage as varied as possible between each shot.

In terms of parts that went well, I think that the video itself came out well and is completed to a professional standard. We decided to keep it short and show the parts of the night with the highest energy rather than make a long winded and slow paced edit. I think this worked well for us because the video shows the night in an exciting and fast paced manor which will attract more people as opposed to the latter. Also, I think our communication skills with our client were good, as we conversed back and forth discussing the purpose of the video and gained feedback from the client. At the start of the video, music was the main concern for us as we were skeptical about getting a suitable track that would be free of copyright but we were quickly able to find a Soundcloud account that specialised in original copyright free music and after browsing the tracks we find an upbeat jazzy style track that suited the energy that we wanted to convey.

In terms of other improvements to our video, I think we could have looked in to bringing lighting of our own to brighten up the stage a bit. While it looked pleasing to an audience, the camera's were less sensitive to the light which meant that the footage was all shot at around ISO 800 meaning we had a bit of grain and the footage wasn't as clear as it could have been had we considered the lighting situation more. Another improvement would have been to use a handheld stabiliser for the cameras to give us a smoother look with the handheld shots. Although it didn't cause a major problem, some of the shots shift and move around a small amount which in the eyes of a client would signify unprofessionalism.

There was a lack of planning when it came to measuring the success of the video, due to it being unclear how we would see if we had succeeded in creating an effective video. Over time, it will become clear if the video does it's job, based on the amount of people that turn up to the event in coming years as compared to this year. However, we would've benefited more from a quicker way of seeing. One way we could have done this would have been a questionnaire that we could have sent out to friends and college students, asking questions such as "Did this video increase your interest in the event?".

Altogether I think that this unit was a success and we are very pleased with how everything came out, from the forms to the video, the editing and the feedback from our client.

Questionnaire Feedback

This was the questionnaire that we sent to our client Amy. It is based on a satisfaction rating ranging from Very Dissatisfied to Very Satisfied.

This was the feedback that Amy left us. She said 'very satisfied' for all f the questions

Promotional Video Final

Feedback from Client

I emailed Amy (our client) to send her the draft of our video before we added the final statement to get her opinion on the video.

She responded that there was nothing to improve on and that she thought it was 'very fit for purpose'.

Labelling Shots

Before starting the editing process of the video, I labelled all of our shots so that it's easier to sort through the footage and find the specific shots that we need.

Promotional Video Evaluation

Target Audience: The video has quite an open target audience, as it shows a large variety of people at various shops. It even includes shots of different types of different classes of people, such as President Obama, families and students to show that the shops are for everybody.
Mode Of Address: The mode of address is very light hearted, to reflect the happy and laid back atmosphere of the shop. It shows a young child running to her family, and a father and son which shows the customers having a good time and adds to the general positive mood conveyed by the video.
Technical Conventions: One of the most prominent conventions used is the captions/ titles written over the video. They could have had a voiceover, but instead they chose to have it in written format, which allows the music to convey more of a prominent feeling, and also it keeps the themes succinct.
Brand/ Identity: The video starts with an introduction to the history of Starbucks which instantly conveys the brand identity. Also the thumbnail of the video is the Starbucks logo which for people who are familiar with the brand will instantly give them the gratification of familiar iconography.



Target Audience: This video targets a few niche audiences, such as people that are interesting in fundraisers and donating to charities. The video is to spread awareness for 'Movember' and a few different issues such as mental illness, cancer and alcohol abuse, with the focus on men. It also is tailored to an audience that appreciates rugby or sports in general. This is shown simply through the large chunks of footage of the school's rugby matches, which were probably ran to raise money for the cause.
Mode of Address: The video takes a combination of a formal but energetic mode of address. The video is colour graded to be slightly desaturated and looks like the grading you would see in movies rather than a short video which creates a professional and serious tone. However, the footage of the rugby matches show the players having fun and families cheering them on, which shows the participants having a good time while raising money and shows they are committed to the charities.
Technical Conventions: Again, the video takes a serious approach with the music in the video which sounds like it comes from a large scale nature documentary (Planet Earth style). The fact that they used this song amplifies the message and tone of the video greatly and helps to target their specific audience.
Brand Identity: The video opens with a black screen and the school's logo and name, instantly introducing the viewer to it. For friends and families of the school and people involved, it will gratify them the knowledge and familiarity, while acting as an aid for the wider audience that may be watching.



Target Audience: This is another video that targets a mainstream audience and as many people as possible. It includes footage relating to religion, architecture, urban life, culture, gaming and even music. The aim of the video is to attract as many people as possible so this is a suitable approach to the video.
Mode of Address: The video is very professional with a high production quality. The video doesn't follow a strong narrative of sorts but just showcases all of the best parts of Japan. It also has an inspiring uplifting mood which is conveyed by the music paired with the beautiful visuals which portrays the country is a glamorous way.
Technical Conventions: The video makes large use of hyperlapses which are essentially timelapses but shot on a moving trajectory to help cover a large amount of ground and showcase many things all in a short amount of time. This is suitable for the video because it shows how jam packed the country is and how much there is to offer in often small spaces. This helps to show both the beautiful scenic areas and also the busy urban cities.
Brand Identity: In the case of this video the identity doesn't belong to a brand but the country at large. It focuses on regional and cultural iconography and also has a stamp at the end representing the country.



Target Audience: The target audience for this video is potential university students that are considering where to go for their education. The university business is a very competitive one and they need to attract as many students as possible to build their reputation and make as much money for the government and country. This means that the campus' often create high quality promotional videos that showcase the campus and facilities to make the centre appealing.
Mode of Address: There is no dialogue in this video but simply cinematic shots showing life on campus as a relaxing and uplifting time, and this high production value creates a professional and informal mode of address, so students know they will have a laid back and enjoyable time.
Technical Conventions: The video uses a lot of shots with a shallow depth of field and this helps to create a soft looking video. This probably wasn't done to create a meaning but simply to give the video a certain look and feel. It also uses a lot of slow tracking shots which adds to the calm and relaxed feeling of the short.
Brand Identity: The only brand identity in the video is the fact that it shows the campus' buildings and facilities, which I feel is something the video could improve upon simply by having the university's logo at the start or end of the video, or even having a voiceover or testimonials.

Promotional Video Introduction

A promotional or corporate video is a video that is commissioned by a business or organization, to communicate certain messages to other people.

Corporate videos are usually shown at a specific event or sent to clients. But they can also shown on company websites, and they are sometimes broadcasted, depending on it's purpose.

Corporate videos always have a specific purpose, function and target audience.

Main types of clients:
- Apple
- The Daily Telegraph
- Google
- College

Conventions:
- Interviews
- Brand identity
- Copyright free
- Music score/ motif
- Graphics
- Endorsements
- Cutaways
- Product photography
- Length
- Narrative
- Targeting audience

Types of video:
- Production Launch/ marketing
- Promote key messages and values
- Internal communications
- Internal/ external training
- Show-reels
- Event coverage

Target Audience
Mode of Address
Technical Conventions
Conveyance of brand/ identity
Narrative

Product Launch
Sincere mode of address
Music isn't overpowering, joyous to convey positive feelings
Product photography of iphone, close up view of technology within phone
Interviews with employees endorsing product
Shows the general public using product
Connects to other brand's apps
Finishes with Apple logo

Promoting Key Messages and Values
Informal, speaking to young audience
Hand drawn graphics
Relatable to the audience, talking about drugs, disobeying parents
Slang 'tramps'
Electronic music reminiscent of festivals and night clubs
Undertone changes to very dark part way through

Internal/ External Training
Light hearted tone
Targeting the employees of the company
Very 'correct' language, no slang and follows all the rules in the book
Instructional
Hand drawn timelapse
Links to national campaign
Promotes standing against discrimination

Show Reel
Slow motion
Music driven
High class cinematography
Shows everything in a classy way, everything is done to make the brand look good
No talking to take away from the visuals
Over fantasised

Friday Next Week
Analyse 4 promotional videos for:
Target Audience
Mode of Address
Technical Conventions
Conveyance of brand/ identity
Narrative

Scheduling
When working with clients scheduling becomes vitally important. Plan a schedule with a GANNT chart to stay on track.
The video is usually given in rough edit form a week after the end of the shoot, from which the client then views and suggests changes that need to be made to the video. The final edit is then submitted a week after this for the client to sign off.

Health and Safety
Corporate and promotional video productions need to ensure minimal health risks are apparent.

Copyright
There should be no copyright infringement on your project. This includes songs, books, ideas, photographs, quotes from films and songs etc.

Stages of Production:
Communication
- Initial contact with client
- Production meeting (define message/ audience/ brand)
Planning
- Gather Inspirations/ mood boards
- Storyboard
- Feedback with client
- Scheduling (GANNT)
- Shot list
- Location Scouting
Shooting
- Transportation
- Equipment lists
- Release forms
- Checking against plans
Editing
- Checking dailies
- EDL
- Labels and bins
- Rough Draft (checked by client)
- Final draft
Sign Off

First Meeting
What do you want your video to do?
What does this audience care about and how does your product or service relate to those concerns?
What specific problem am I trying to solve and how do I communicate the solution to that problem?
How are you going to get people to watch your video?
What is the idea for this video?