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Pre-Production Steps to Help Your Video Project Run Smoothly

Pre-production plays a huge role in any motion project.  It is the necessary step (and step with most work to do) that compiles the necessary information for both parties involved-- crew and client.  Since most of the work is done pre-production, it can help keep a tidy outline that keeps your project organized and running smoothly.  Here is a list from a blog post we stumbled upon that nicely highlights the vital steps in video making:

  • Brainstorming
  • Research-Primary-Secondary
  • Proposal-Pitch(Synopsis)
  • Production Schedule
  • Budget
  • Storyboard
  • Location Recce -Risk Assessment
  • Contingency Plan -Back Up Plan
  • Shooting Schedule
  • Call Sheets
  • Production-Film Shoot -Shot Blog
  • Offline Edit -Rough Cut
  • Watch-Review=Online Edit

 

source | https://lukejames7.wordpress.com/unit-1/unit1-why-is-pre-production-so-important/

Product Demo Video | "How do you use this?"

There is no better way than to show how your product works than to have visual proof of someone using it.  Whether it's more helpful to see someone's interaction with the product, which buttons to press and when, or even simply how to properly pick it up, having a visual moving image can help audiences understand better than plain words can.  And because most people are visual learners, it will give them quicker insight on how your product can be used most efficiently. 

Here is a product demonstration video for Soniclear:

Product demonstration videos
After watching a video, 64% of users are more likely to buy a product online* so instead of crafting compelling but long-winded product descriptions why not use video to showcase the product or service and how it works? This is especially effective if you have a lot of different features that can be hard to explain. Videos of this type can feature an actor or employee showing the product, an animation or even a whiteboard animation style video.
Google Chrome created a heart-warming video to showcase how the extensive features of Chrome can be used to document the life of a loved one. Whilst this video doesn’t go into all the finer details of Chrome, it gives enough of an insight for anyone wondering what the interface looks like and how it can be used. It’s also exactly the type of video content that is likely to get shared, spreading knowledge of the product even further.
source | http://happyhourproductions.co.uk/news/2016/11/types-of-corporate-video/

 

Brand Video | Your Message in Motion

A branding video is a condensed collection of information and visuals that give your audience a quicker, more efficient idea of what your company is all about.  This can be a video about your company's personality, how your products/services work, customer/patient satisfaction, or a combination of all three.  Your targeted audience will understand your brand in a simplified and short video rather than paragraphs of information.  

Check out life's little uncertainties in this branding film for the insurance industry:

This is the video that should sit on your homepage or About Us page. It needs to encapsulate your brand in one short, catchy video. You could use it to tell your brand story, highlight your values and what you stand for, or simply state what you do, why and how you are different from your competition. This should be the flagship piece of video content that communicates clearly to your customer who you are and why they should be looking at your site.
source | http://happyhourproductions.co.uk/news/2016/11/types-of-corporate-video/

 

Testimonial Videos

Video testimonials are key to successful marketing for your brand. The majority of audiences are visual learners and nothing is more reassuring than real facts, real experiences, and real interaction from your patients/clients/customers.  For the healthcare market, this is an example of a patient testimonial Savvy produced for The Spine Institute of North America:

 

"You must have lots of great feedback from your clients and customers, raving about your products and services. Maybe they’ve provided you with case studies and quotes which you already share with other prospective customers. A great way to make this testimonial even more compelling is to film it. You can do a simple piece to camera where your clients answer questions about how your product or service helped them. You can also use text or animation to give important information and data about exactly what benefits your brand bought them. These testimonials can then sit on your website, ideally above the fold on a key landing page to help persuade viewers of your credentials. You can also use them in sales pitches and marketing emails."
source | http://happyhourproductions.co.uk/news/2016/11/types-of-corporate-video/

 

 

Filming with Felicia: Slow, Comfort Food

Still photographer Felicia Perretti chose to partner with Savvy to direct her first food film. Teaming up with food stylist, Harry McMann, it was decided that featuring making pasta as a slow food experiment would be our subject matter.  Filming with the BMC Ursa Mini allowed for a rich and organic color palette.  Harry followed an old school recipe to get just the right texture and shape for the pasta. Rustic Italian mandolin sound bed matches the quiet and deliberate unfolding of a beautiful food narrative. Slow food with Felicia at its best.

 

 

 

Still Waters Run Deep: A Branding film by Savvy Video Production

A few days this fall the Savvy team had the pleasure of traveling to Pottstown, PA to visit and film at the Manatawny Still Works Distillery and Bar.  The Manatawny team showed us how the distilling process worked and some tricks to making the perfect whiskey cocktail (hint: a giant ice ball).  You can visit them for a tour, meet friends at the bar or buy their products at the Pottstown location.  They distill rum, whiskey, vodka and gin which are available at a number of fine drinking establishments throughout the Philadelphia area and are also being sold in state stores across Pennsylvania.  

"Manatawny" is a Lenape word which means 'The place we meet to drink' and this has driven the philosophy of the Manatawny Still Works brand:

Our distillery is modern, but our practices are based on old world production with a reverent nod to the history of the region. From the Lenape Indians, whose name for the nearby creek we borrowed for our distillery to historical figures of importance, for whom we named some of our very first spirits. The spirit of Manatawny is focused on quality, but rooted in the past.

We hope our film for them captures that brand essence and showcases what an amazing space the Manatawny Still Works distillery is, learn more about MSW here and watch our film above!

 

 

 

Santa Visits Savvy!

Introducing the newest addition to the Savvy team, the Blackmagic URSA Mini 4K EF Ultra HD Camcorder.  We are so excited to try out the new capabilites this camera offers.  It's compact design and 4K UHD shooting ability make it a perfect match for the Savvy team.  Shooting stunning footage in varied environments is what the Blackmagic is known for and we can't wait to see all it can do for our clients.  Check out some footage taken by others using this camera here:

 http://nofilmschool.com/2015/12/collection-ursa-mini-4-6k-footage

Prompt and Circumstance: Stand out by using a Teleprompter

Savvy prides itself on creating compelling stories for all of our clients. One way to ensure the videos we create have high production value, look and sound great is the use of a tele-prompter.  While many may only be familiar with this tool as a standard for newscasters or presidential speeches it is actually commonly used for corporate video. Recently, Dallas Prompter blogged about the benefits of using a prompter for corporate video and we couldn't agree more.  Check out what they said and request a prompter for your shoot with Savvy!

"Why Use a Video Prompter?

An executive is rehearsing with an on-camera prompter for his video debut. After the first read-through, he asks, “Where’s the camera?” The director smiles and explains, “You’ve been looking at it. It’s right behind the teleprompter mirror.”

That’s how a prompter lets you read a script and look into the camera at the same time. You know what to say, so you can focus on the way you say it.

The ability to engage a live audience doesn’t necessarily translate into a strong presence on camera. When you see your listeners, you can respond to their subtle reactions. You don’t get the same sort of feedback from the glassy eye of a video camera.

Most people struggle to ad-lib on camera. If they accomplish a good “take” (usually after several attempts), they don’t remember what they said, so they can’t repeat it when the director asks for a retake.

(And why do directors ask for a second good take? In the trade it’s called a ‘safety’—just in case there’s physical defect on the tape, or a verbal bobble nobody caught.)

A prompter’s very affordable, especially when you compare it to the cost of the entire video. And it can help your personal ROI, too: you’ll record more good takes while expending less time and energy.

Request a prompter for your next video project and make your on-camera appearance easier."

 

Pixels, Resolution and Content...Oh My!

With the holidays fast approaching the onslaught of options for televisions can be overwhelming. We are savvy to the pros and cons of this rapidly improving technology and pride ourselves on being able to handle work in various formats. But what really is the difference in all these numbers thrown at you by manufacturers?

4K and 1080p refer to the number of pixels in the image, 4K has four times as many pixels as 1080p.  UHD refers to footage shot in 4K and HD refers to footage shot in 1080p.  Currently, most TV's are upscaling 1080p footage to play on a 4K screen.  This can leave you underwhelmed as there is not a significantly perceivable improvement over the HD television most are used to watching. However, when 4K footage is shown on a 4K television the improvement is noticeable.

Cedric Demers does a great job of comparing the two formats in the link below. Check it out for more information.

 http://www.rtings.com/tv/learn/4k-ultra-hd-uhd-vs-1080p-full-hd-tvs-and-upscaling-compared

Climate Conundrum

The weather this December has been one for the record books.  Here at Savvy we couldn't help but to be reminded of our work with ACEER, Amazon Center for Environmental Education and Research, and the PSA we created featuring super bowl winning coach Dick Vermeil.  The Amazon is the largest river in the world and the rainforest it sustains is the world's biggest. The biodiversity of the ecosystem and sheer volume of the river make the Amazon one of the main players in the discussion of climate change.  And while we are thoroughly enjoying this mild December it is important to recognize the implications of deforestation on the global climate. Take minute to watch our video below to learn more about the great work ACEER is doing to maintain the Amazon and enjoy this mild weather while it lasts!