promo vid client feedback

mick rec from Jack Carver on Vimeo.

This is the recording of my client feedback for my promotional video. me and my client sat down watched the final product and recorded the reactions. In the end he really liked the video and said that he will use parts of my footage that i have edited in the final documentary so that i could be credited on the DVD. The main piece of advice he gave me was to use a Ken Burns effect on the images i used so that it adds movement to the still images.

Promotional Video Evaluation

                                                         Evaluation

Critical Evaluation of Production Skills

For my production I had to create a promotional video. The subject, which I had to promote, was a documentary being made about the old Co-op Hall in Nuneaton. The hall had been there since 1938 and was demolished in 2008 to pave way for a big supermarket chain. The Hall was mostly remembered for the dances it held on a Friday and Saturday night. It has a big history with bands such as The Beatles, The Who, The Kinks and even the Rolling Stones who played there. For these reasons and more the Hall has a big part in peoples lives in the local community and because of this the demolition was very controversial. The documentary being made is funded by the National Lottery and is to document people’s memories of the Hall.  Our brief was to produce a promotional video for a recognized client. Our client was Mick Dabrowski the director of the documentary.

The first step I took with making my video was analysing different promotional videos and looking at the codes and conventions which they use to make it successful.  My main influence for my video was a video, promoting “Butterflies”, an extra curriculum school programme for children. The reason for me choosing this as my main influence was because it used all of the codes and conventions for promotional videos such as establishing shots, montages, diegetic/non diegetic sound, interviews etc in a suitable and effective way which got the point of the video across, gave information to the viewer and most importantly, promoted it.

The style which I was aiming to get with my video was a fast edited video that also uses montages to help get its message across, taking all the best points made in interviews and putting them all together. The final product does have this but not as much as I would have liked, if I was to go back and do it again I would ensure that I had enough interview footage with good points in to be able to do quicker cuts and still meet over the minimum time limit allowed on the video.

In my video I tried to make sure I used some key codes and conventions of promotional videos. I think this is one of the things I did quite well as I have used them throughout my film. The first of which is the very first shot, an establishing photo of the Hall then dissolving into an establishing shot of what is there now revealing the supermarket. The camera then pans down the street to give a clear insight into how much the area has changed. I think my use of the key convention of establishing shots was quite effective in this way. My next shot is of a Big Band that used to play at the Hall back in the day playing one of their songs. This shot worked really well because it starts off a timeline of the hall as these sort of Big Bands were the first kind of band to play there. This shot also fulfils two of the key conventions, diegetic sound of the band playing and the use of suitable music. Because the band used to play there, the song they are playing fits to the topic of the video and because of this I feel that again this shot worked really well. Another example of suitable music I used is the song “All Day and All of the Night” by The Kinks. This song starts straight after the big band introducing the documentary with a short montage of photos. This also worked really well as it uses the convention of fitting music alongside the other convention of a montage. There were some legal issues I had to consider for the music choice such as copyright laws. Because my video is not going public I don’t have to get permission to use the song.

When we filmed our first interview, we encountered a lot of problems. The first was finding a suitable location to film around the college. After rejecting numerous locations due to a great deal of noise or not being enough room, we decided to use the upstairs of the college library because there was plenty of room and it was very quiet. We took all the equipment there and started to set it all up but when we went to get more, the photography studio back drop collapsed. Because of this we had a bit of a problem as the interviewees were turning up soon. Having to improvise we decided to take advantage of the nice weather that day and film outside in the college courtyard. Because it was a nice day we didn’t have to worry about lighting equipment because we could just use natural lighting, the main concern was sound as the mic we were using was very good and could pick up the slightest noise from traffic etc. When we saw the footage it was good quality sound and good shots on the camera, the problem was at the end of the interview a Magpie starts to make noise in the background. In editing, the Magpie sound added an eerie feeling at the end of the interview because Betty said something quite emotional at the end and the diegetic sound of the Magpie added to it.

Critical Evaluation of Finished Product

If I was to start all over again, I would definitely make sure I made a production and shot log before I started any filming or editing as this would have made it a lot easier. Because I didn’t do a production log I found it difficult at first to come up with a structure for my film and it took me a while to decide to go for the quick cut method. I would definitely do a production log before if I did this again.

After doing this project, I have learnt all ways do a production log before starting any filming or editing to ensure that my film will have good structure to it.  I will also remember to make sure I have more footage than I need so that I can do montages of quick cuts effectively.

Overall I feel that my promotional video is a success. I’ve had a meeting with my client Mick Dabrowski and he gave me feedback. He was happy with the outcome and is going to use some of my footage in the final documentary. There are a couple of things he gave me feedback on that I could have improved for example, on my photos in my video he told me they look good and they work but next time I should think about using more effects such as the Ken Burns effect which is where the picture slowly moves so that it adds some form of animation to the photo rather than just a still image.

I feel that my video does promote the documentary quite well.  It does this through the strong use of key conventions I have used through out such as montages, use of fitting music, good use of diegetic and non diegetic sound and also a good use of effects. All of these put together help my video to have a purpose. It does promote the documentary being made so I believe I have met my clients brief and feedback from my client Mick Da Browski backs this up.

“I think the fashion and the Romance are the best bits” This quote is from a recorded conversation with my client whilst watching my video. In this part he was talking about my video, as a big part of it is the fashion. This quote shows he was pleased about that part of my video. “That’s good, there’s some really good stuff in there. Ill incorporate some of all three videos in the final cut” This quote shows how he is happy with the outcome of my video; this is proven because he says he wants to incorporate some of my footage in the final documentary.

“The timing of your dissolves are really nice and works really well and even adds something to the whole video” This is another quote showing that he was satisfied with my work. This quote backs up my good use of effects as he feels they add to the whole video. All of these quotes are evidence that I have met my clients brief with my promotional video and that it does promote and it does have a purpose. They also reinforce my opinion on my work being a success overall.

Location scouting

Location Scouting

These are photos from when we went location scouting for filming our interview. The people we were interviewing used to attend the college so we thought a suitable miss en scene for the interview would be part of the college. The first we considered was the media suite which used to be the old college hall. After looking at the location with a lot of detail we realised that it would not be a suitable place to film. this was because the main part we wanted to incorporate was a big stone memorial but we realised to get it in the shot we would have to film from a really low angle as it is quite high up. After this we looked at the music studios for the purpose of them being quite. We then realised that they would be too small to fit all of the equipment in. the next location we considered was the photography studio next to the art room. We thought this would be the definite location we would film in as it already had the lights there and the white backdrop with plenty of room but we soon encountered a problem. The problem was that being right next to the art room meant that we could hear a lot of noise as someone was sawing pieces of wood really loud. This was a big problem because if we could hear the noise the sensitive mic we were using would definitely pick it up and it would drown out the people talking. After another fail in location scouting we had to think of a really quite place with plenty of room, so we decided the library. We asked and got permission to film in there so we started to take the equipment down. Once we had set up the white backdrop we went to get the second lot of equipment and when we returned the backdrop had unravelled and collapsed. We didn't have enough time to set it up again so we really quickly had to find another location. In the end we decided to take advantage of the nice weather that day and filmed outside. the location we chose was outside the old college hall and once we had set the camera up and framed the shot it looked really good. The end product of the interviews turned out really well shot and the sound was also good. One of the people we interviewed brought some old photos with him and there was one of him and the college cricket team sat outside the old hall where we filmed the interview so that added to the meaning behind the shot.

Health and Safety

There was a few health and safety risks we had to consider whilst filming. when we were going to film in the locations where we use the lights we would have to consider the wires and cables being on the floor so we would have had to tape them down so that they were secure and know one could trip over them. we would also have to consider the risk of the paper on the lights getting to hot as it could start a fire. In the locations where we would have been using the big backdrop we would have had to make sure the stands supporting it were secure and that there were clips holding the screen to make sure it couldn't unravel and hurt someone. When filming out side we didn't have all the wires from the lights so the only thing we had to consider was that tripods were not obstructing any pathways people would walk down.

Promotional video analysis

Promotional Videos

The first promotional video I will discuss has been made to promote Camden. Camden is a place where a lot of tourists will go to see when they are in London. For this reason the video would have to show Camden in its best light which it did. It did this through a use of key conventions for promotional videos.  Straight from the outset of this promo video there is a use of uplifting non diegetic music that has multiple genres in it such as a hip hop beat and also some Spanish guitar. By doing this, the video is already using a key convention of Promotional videos, which is to use fitting music. This choice of mixed genre music forces the ideology that Camden is a modern diverse place that appeals to different walks of life and different cultures. The music also automatically gives you a “feel good” mood; this has been used to show how Camden is a place that you can go to, to make you feel good. It then starts with the establishing shot of a time lapse of Camden with the famous Camden Lock Bridge being the centrepiece of the frame. This has been done as it is a famous piece of Camden history and often when people think of Camden they associate it with this bridge. We then get another establishing shot, but this time of a small café, once we get taken inside the café there is a shot of a couple having a drink. This is showing how you can go to Camden as a couple to a have a “chilled” day, this is showing how it appeals to all different kinds of people.

All the way through the Camden video there is cutaway shots of buses, cars, bicycles, motorbikes and also the Camden tube station. By doing this, the video is fulfilling probably the most important convention of promotional videos, which is to give the audience information. Without narration or subtitles we are still being shown that you can get to Camden in all means of transport. Other repetitive cutaway shots that are used are of the sky. This is using the film technique of ‘Pathetic Fallacy’ where by filming the sky on a sunny day it reflects a happy feeling. This is fulfilling another convention of promotional videos which is meeting the audiences needs and it is doing this by showing Camden at its best on a sunny day, which is want the audience wants when they go. The video uses a key promotional video convention of montages throughout and is used well when showing the audience the various places to eat. It shows places from Nandos to expensive eateries, by doing this the video is again making Camden appeal to all different walks of life and showing how it is for everyone, e.g. places to eat for people on a budget or places to eat for people that like to spend a bit more.

The second promotional video I will discuss is for “Butterflies” which is an extra curriculum programme for children. The video is straight away using key conventions by using fitting and uplifting non-diegetic music. We then get another convention with the use of on screen graphics. These have been used well and are also appropriate as the name “Butterflies” appears with a butterfly then flying onto the screen. There is next another key convention put into place as there is a montage of children playing and learning together. The use of this convention covers yet another, which is giving the audience what, they want. It does this by forcing the idea of children learning and having fun at the same time which is what any parent would want for their child. In the video we also get information from the teachers and also the students. This gives the viewer two sides of the story.

The third video I will analyse is a promotional video for the Porsche 918 Spyder concept car. The video opens with a voice over taking the viewer back to the very first days a Porsche car was made. It sets the scene by using the correct mise-en-scene such as clothing, buildings etc. The use of a voice over is telling the viewer how ground breaking the first car was to then show us the new concept electric car. It does this because it wants to show how ground breaking it is and how it will have just as much in pact as the first. All shots throughout the video are edited in a way so that the video runs smoothly. This has been done to resemble the concept car itself. It’s a smooth running, electric car. The video also uses a key convention of promotional videos which is fitting and appropriate non diegetic sound. Throughout the video beginning to end, there is a strong use of non diegetic sound of quite ambient and soft piano music but when we first see the new concept car the music gets slightly louder and a bit more in your face than the at the start. This again is most probably used to show how the “Spyder” is going to have more of an impact than what the first Porsche did.

Overall I conclude that all three promotional videos work well. They do this because they all have a strong use of key conventions of promotional videos all the way through. Also because of the strong use of the conventions, each video appeals to its target audience, which is the main thing. Out of the three in my opinion the strongest is the Camden Lock promotional video. The reason for this is I believe it appeals to people from any kind of background whether it be working class, middle class or people of different ethnic backgrounds. The video does this by showing the different restaurants that differ in price range and it also shows all kinds of shops on the high street and also the famous Camden market. By using these things and more the video definitely promotes Camden in a good light and appeals to its target audiences, which is everyone and anyone.

Documentary Evaluation

 Evaluation for Documentary

When I first started this project, I set out to create a psychoanalytical documentary on graffiti. The theme of the documentary was to get an insight into why graffiti writers do what they do and in some cases what makes them risk their life to do it. The start of the project when I was planning went very well and I organized everything quickly, got in touch with some people I know who actually do graffiti and most of the planning part was done. Looking back on the planning side of things, if I was to go back and do it again I would ensure that even though it is hard to get in touch with them as they are quite mysterious characters, I would try and get more graffiti artists involved in the film. This way I would gain mixed reactions to questions and it would also give me a deeper insight into why they do it.

Not long after planning I started filming. The first bit of filming I did was in Birmingham. The reason why I chose Birmingham as a place to film was that it has one of the biggest graffiti scenes in the country, especially in the Digbeth area. What I wanted to get from Birmingham was lots of different shots of different pieces of graffiti. I wanted to do this because I had planned for a big montage at the beginning of my documentary that would be a really quick paced edited montage of lots of graffiti. This day of filming actually went quite well and I got some good footage from the Digbeth area.

Once I had got footage for my montage sorted I arranged a day for filming the graffiti artists. On the day of filming what I set out to do was film them doing graffiti in normal and night vision so that there was a good mix of different shot types. This part went really well and I got some really good footage. After we had finished filming at that location we went to another to shoot the interviews. The location I chose for the interviews was a place called “Stoney Road” which is an abandoned part of a quarry that has turned into a key location for graffiti artists to display their work.  The shots I filmed for the interview turned out to be some of the best bits of filming (framing wise) I’ve ever done. The downside to the footage and what I could have done better was the sound. It was a really windy day and for some reason I didn’t take the boom mic or any external mic with me, and I simply relied on the mic in the camera, which isn’t great. So, reflecting on that day if I could go back I would most definitely take a boom mic with a windshield to go over the top as well, even if it was not windy.

As well as the footage I had taken so far, I put in my production log that I would get some interviews with people from the general public and/or business that have been affected by graffiti in different ways. One person I was supposed to interview was the landlady of the Railway Tavern Pub in Nuneaton. The reason why I chose her to interview is that there is a few graffiti artists that go down that pub and a few have been “tagging” the toilets there. This means that she has to keep paying for the toilets to be re-painted over and over again. Because this keeps happening she has spoke to a few of the respectful graffiti artists about how to stop it and they have devised a plan to turn one of the walls in the pub into a legal graffiti wall so that people can paint on that and display there work legally without fear of getting caught and also it means that they will hopefully stop doing it in the toilets because there is now a place for them to do it and are allowed to do so. I realise that it was a huge mistake not to take advantage of what could have been some great interview footage for my documentary as it could have helped get to the point of why they do it. I really regret my decision and if I could go back I would take advantage of the opportunity.

Once I had got all my footage done I started to edit. Whilst editing I encountered a few problems. One of which was the sound of the interviews which I didn’t notice until it came to editing. To solve this problem I spoke with my teachers and we decided it would be effective to use boards with the questions in script on them and also the answers the artists gave.

Before I started filming I was doing research into other documentaries with a psychoanalytical theme. One of which was “Grizzly Man”. This documentary is about a man called Timothy Treadwell who was obsessed and had a great love for bears. He spent over 13 summers out in the wild living amongst the bears risking his life to get close to them. Unfortunately Treadwell died from being attacked and eaten by a wild grizzly. Whilst watching different documentaries and psychoanalytical films I learnt a few theories to apply to them. One of which is what Lacan talks about which is the Lack. By learning this and other theories I could analyse the films a lot better and I gained a deeper insight into why some people in the documentaries do what they do. To this documentary I applied Lacans theory of the ‘Lack’. The lack is when some one has a missing piece to their jigsaw of a life and strives to find this missing piece or void. In this case Treadwell did not know what his missing piece was which is why he became obsessed with the bears because he thought this was his lack. By replacing his real lack with the bears and the extremes he went to fill this void ended up with him being killed by it. This theory of the Lack is what I wanted to apply to my documentary as graffiti artists go out every night painting their name on a wall in the hope of finding the “perfect spot” to display their work. I found it very difficult to apply this theory to my film and remember to do so whilst filming. It was also difficult to get good answers from the artists themselves on why they do it which could also mean that they don’t really know why, it could just be that they feel they need a purpose. 

I applied the theory of “The Lack” to my documentary because I wanted to have a conclusion as to why Graffiti artists do what they do. Why go out in the middle of the night to spray your name on a wall? I believe it is so that they feel gratified by seeing there name in big letters on a wall where everyone who goes past that place will see it. It could also be argued that it gives them a sense of fame, which leads to the art being a form of escapism. Maybe it is their own way to escape there boring everyday lives and break free from the rules the government and society expects them to follow. By applying this theory I believe that they do it for a purpose, they don’t want to abide by the rules and regulations set for them so rather than being a “decent member of society” they decide to be the “menace”.  This role gives them a purpose in life or a role to play in society, which could be argued to be the reason behind them doing this.