Promotional Video Planning

When planning out my promotional video, I decided I could choose a client with whom I have had a close working relationship with for quite some time. Therefore an obvious choice was the founder/director of a theatre company which I have been a part of for quite sometime. As it happens, it turned out they were looking for someone to create a promotional video for their Kickstarter campaign, around the same time I had been assigned this project.

I decided before shooting that, because the company is a little known establishment, I would provide a lot of context for the audience. Therefore I requested that my client, as well as two other members of the company whom have acted in many of their productions, would answer a few pre-planned questions within a deliberate interview environment. This would help fully explore the theatre company's history, as well as allowing this video to be very informative for anyone who may be interested in the company. I began to contact the theatre director to discuss when and where we could begin shooting material for the music video.

I also had responsibility to ensure that release forms were signed by those whom were involved or appeared in the final product. On top of this, during shooting I am also responcible for ensuring that everyone involved was secure in regards to health and safety. I had to ensure that when not in use that camera equipment was put away safely as otherwise it would prove a tripping hazard for an entire cast packed in a fairly tight room.

The target audience for this video would include people who are interested in local/ mainstream theatre. Any young aspiring actors would also benefit from seeking out this company as they could potentially audition for future roles. The company are always looking to expand their horizons. We would hope that anyone who came across this video would then go to investigate any future productions the company are putting on.

When considering the style of the video I felt like I wanted to capture the fun the cast have whilst rehearsing for each shows. I therefore considered to capture the banter that would travel bak and forth between the cast. Then it became apparent that if I were to do this, the company would not be taken as seriously as it could when watching the video. I then opted for a much more sleek and professional approach when filming the promotional video which would then further come across in the editing process. As well as the footage of some actors performing, the majority of the footage will be of the interviewees during the interviewing process however I plan to place various other shots over this footage to lessen the feeling that the video is either dragged out or dull. I wish to capture the audience and keep them engaged until the video ends, i therefore have to keep the video short and sweet, consisting of quick cuts when appropriate.

I spoke to my client before shooting and he offered me stock footage of plays that he had put on in the past to use for the video. I figured it would be massively benificial for the audience to see the finished product of the company and to see what all of the company's efforts go into. The stock footage also included the construction of a set which I believed would be interesting for the audience to see in a time lapse.