Charlie Maher Tennis Shoot: Discovery to Production For Skillman Video Group In March 2020, video production across the globe came to a screeching halt due to the spread of COVID-19. The pandemic has had a detrimental effect on the film, television, and media production industry. Many blockbuster films originally scheduled to be released between March and November were postponed or canceled around the world. Productions across the country were put off indefinitely just as companies were about to hit their busy seasons. Production in Massachusetts has been feeling the same effects as the rest of the world. Over the past five months, Boston production company, Skillman Video Group, has been working in an entirely remote environment, while waiting anxiously to get back on set. In mid-August, as Massachusetts slowly began to re-open, the waiting was over - a great opportunity to work with Charlie Maher on a tennis shoot arose. This shoot is a prominent example of our adaptability, boldness, and passion for our work. It was only fitting that we worked with a client on this project who is as driven as us! We first met Charlie in 2016. Charlie wants to become a nationally ranked tennis player and a sponsored athlete. Charlie is among an older crowd in the tennis community - he wanted his video to communicate that he is an inspiration for people who are “aging” and still playing sports. Although the timing wasn’t quite right to execute his tennis video in 2016, Charlie came back to us in early 2020 to finally begin his project. Although the project was interrupted by a global pandemic, once we were able to get out in the field, we persevered and delivered an incredible result. We were happy to take Charlie through the Discovery, Strategy, Creative, Planning, and Production steps of the Skillman Video Group process in such unusual circumstances. Discovery: A Fresh Start In the first phase of the process, Discovery, it is our responsibility to gain as much information about the client as possible. We sat down with Charlie Maher for our discovery meeting in March, hours before Massachusetts was shut down due to COVID-19. This was our last in-person meeting for a while. During our two hour meeting, we learned Charlie’s story, nailing down exactly what makes him unique, what story he wanted to tell, and why people should care about his story. Once we had a better understanding of his vision, both parties had a hand in discussing the style that would best portray his remarkable qualities in the tennis community. He presented us with a motivating, fan-made Nike video he wanted to use as inspiration. After gaining more insight from the video, we decided that exhilarating and impactful storytelling was going to be a significant factor in communicating Charlie Maher’s brand and value proposition. Strategy: The Love of the Game During the Strategy phase, we work with our clients to realize key themes of the video, which are the overall values or moods of the project. We also uncover the client’s key messages of their video project to figure out what will be directly communicated in the narrative of the video. The Strategy process with Charlie was an informative and helpful experience. Our client wanted to communicate that although he is a part of the older tennis community, he is still driven, relentless, and competitive, with a deep passion for the game. Since those attributes served as the key themes for the video, we knew that we were going to have to use visuals to communicate those values and establish mood. Additionally, our client informed us that he wanted the story of the video to break down stereotypes regarding age and encourage others to chase their dreams no matter what. Since those ideas could be better explained through dialogue and narrative, they became the key messages of the video. Charlie wanted us to film him in action. We decided to film him playing tennis on multiple different courts and training grounds to showcase his experience and passion for tennis. We chose to interview him on the tennis court to communicate his message in an authentic, unscripted video. Creative/Concept: Down the Line After deciding on the key themes and messages, we moved onto the Creative phase. In this phase, we worked with Charlie to figure out how to visually reinforce the key themes and messages. We also put together a shot list to guide us in capturing the right material on our shoot day, which included dramatic shots of Charlie working hard at his sport and training relentlessly. We also prepared a list of interview questions to ask our client in order to showcase his value proposition. Since we were shooting Charlie in action on tennis courts, we chose to use a Steadicam to capture his maneuvers. We also shot Charlie’s interview on the Steadicam as well. Steadicams isolate the camera from the operator’s movements, allowing for smooth, dynamic shots. The increased mobility and flexibility of a Steadicam reflects the dynamic nature of tennis. This was especially helpful in capturing Charlie’s sudden leaps towards the ball and precise footwork. If we were to use a static tripod to capture Charlie playing tennis or telling us his story, the shot would not reflect the dynamic nature of the sport, Charlie’s ambitious personality, or the messages we were trying to communicate. Although playing tennis is deemed safe under Massachusetts COVID-19 guidelines, we still had to put precautions in place. We needed the smallest crew possible, which consisted of a total of six people. We were also shooting outdoors, so staying mindful of weather conditions and planning for a rain date was essential to the success of the video. Planning/Pre-Production: Approach The Planning Phase of the Skillman Video Group process involves the technical and logistical details the crew needs in order for the shoot to run smoothly. Because of COVID-19, there was a long gap between our meetings and the actual shoot day. Although we were supposed to shoot at the end of May, we had to wait for the tennis courts to open again. Come August, we were finally able to schedule the shoot. Because we, Skillman Video Group, are also well versed in tennis, we were able to find private tennis courts for our shoot. We made certain that we marked off outdoor tennis courts for our production and booked a private, indoor tennis court. Since we were shooting at three different locations in Beverly, MA (Beverly High School, Bass River Tennis Club, and Beverly Golf and Tennis), a fair amount of planning for travel took place to ensure the production day ran smoothly and the crew was in the right places at the right times. Out of all the video production companies in Boston, we’re not sure how many others are experts in production and tennis! Production: Unprecedented Times Once we arrived on set for our full-day shoot, we realized the unprecedented nature of the shoot. The crew wore face masks and had to be mindful of social distancing at all times. We set up outside an empty outdoor tennis court and began the day by shooting b-roll and clean audio of Charlie displaying different tennis techniques. We even had our audio operator capture audio of Charlie’s shoes squeaking against the court for another layer of clear sound. Adding in that extra bit of work will take your video to the next level. Shooting at a public outdoor tennis court did not come without challenges. We had to deal with the sound of traffic and other tennis players shouting on neighboring courts, as well as avoid getting the parking lot and cars in the background of the shots. Neglecting to notice any element that might distract from your main message can greatly decrease the quality of your video, so it is important to remain detail-oriented while shooting. Additionally, Charlie went through various outfit changes and we moved to neighboring courts to make it look like we were shooting across multiple different days to showcase Charlie’s hardworking personality. We captured b-roll of Charlie playing tennis in slow motion for both dramatic effect and to provide more options in post-production. We also staged shots of Charlie training on and off the court. The sun was extremely strong during the outdoor portion of the shoot, so our camera operator decided it would look best to have Charlie backlit by the sun to prevent shadows. Moreover, Massachusetts was under a heat advisory on our shoot day, so we had to make sure our crew and talent were staying hydrated throughout the course of the eight hour day. During the interview portion, we moved to an indoor court. We set up minimal lighting, cleared the court of any extra nets or chairs, and kept the interview conversational. This encouraged Charlie to provide us with more personal and detailed information about himself and his journey as a tennis player. When the talent provides more elaborate information, it makes for a memorable video. We concluded the day by shooting more b-roll at our third and final outdoor tennis court location. Overall, the shoot was a success because of the detailed planning phases that took place from both parties, especially in the middle of such unprecedented times. The next and final stage for us in the process is the Editing & Finishing stage. During this phase, our raw footage is artistically combined into an entertaining video about Charlie Maher’s inspiring tennis story.
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The Importance of Music
Music touches us - it is a universal language of human-kind. Whether it is being listened to or performed, it is incredibly unifying. Music grants us feelings we can not convey by simply talking. The influence music has on human emotion makes it an extremely powerful tool for us in the world of marketing, or for anyone who produces video. Music in video can serve several functions. It can help craft a wide range of emotional responses from an audience, create rhythm for clips and scenes, and emphasize the overall story, even in marketing. Music adds to the experience of a video, regardless of if it is a blockbuster film, television sitcom, advertisement, or brand video. If you are having trouble understanding the importance of music in video, imagine you’re watching a movie, television show, or commercial, silent except for dialogue. Although some films use this technique to convey a sense of gravity or silence, most of the time, it can be highly uncomfortable to watch. When you’re producing a commercial or another video to market your business, most of the time you want to make your audience as comfortable as possible. A video created specifically for a business might include music so the audience feels at ease and develops a connection to the company. The Role of Music in Your Video Music plays a vital role in video - it is one of the most crucial steps in post-production and is an excellent way to capture attention and communicate your brand. Although music is a key component in video, a beginner may overlook its importance or choose a song just because they like it, which is detrimental to the success and quality of a video. Experienced editors effectively choose music that enhances the video and communicates the main message. Given the thousands of songs that exist, choosing music for your video may seem intimidating, but it is going to help your video and your brand more than you can imagine. As you start to develop your video, the information outlined below can help you better understand why music plays such an important role in your video, and how to choose the right music for your video and brand. Music Captures Attention Music holds the attention of an audience - it shapes emotion and motivates viewers. Whether it is inspirational or sad music, it can be used as a signal to help viewers know what to pay close attention to and how to feel. Music builds value, making a product more memorable as the music lingers in a viewer’s mind. Whether it's a high-energy brand video or a down-to-earth explainer video, you want your music to be personalized instead of using generic stock music. Stock music is a less expensive alternative to the use of well-known music in a video. However, a lot of stock music sounds almost the same - using it might not make your video or company memorable. For example, commercials and radio stations use original, catchy jingles to establish their brand and make them recognizable to audiences. Using music to establish an emotional connection with a brand increases brand recognition and drives customers to discover and share more of your brand’s content. Music can give your business the boost it needs in order to win the war for attention and develop a genuine relationship with viewers. Music Communicates your Brand Music is a key component in conveying your business and brand message. Music speaks volumes about your brand, which is why the role of music is so important in video. Both puns intended, music accompanying your video must be in tune with your message. Every choice you make surrounding your business conveys something about your brand- including music! If you are making multiple videos within your company, music can vary quite a lot from video to video. It’s one of the things that help distinguish your videos from each other. Music reinforces the specific message your brand is trying to convey to an audience and reveals your brand’s personality. Music also establishes mood and elicits certain emotions. With the right music, you can make someone associate your brand with a certain feeling, enabling them to take interest in your company, brand, or product. Ideally, the music in your video creates a positive feeling and therefore, gives the viewer a positive feeling; or it might convey the gravity of a situation which your business is helping to resolve. Think of music as an opportunity to create meaning for your brand by employing interesting musical pieces. Through the right music choice, the customer imagines your identity, and buys into the message of the video. With music, your video, and therefore your brand and product, adopts meanings which are inherent in the music. Selecting the Right Music for your Video Selecting music that is the right fit for your video can seem like a daunting task. Music selection typically occurs in the post-production process, after the sense of the video is established by dialogue and b-roll. However, it is never a bad idea to start thinking about music from the planning stages. The first questions you need to ask yourself when selecting music for your video are: What is the goal (or primary message) of my video? Your music choice should both reflect and compliment your primary message. Who is my main audience? Considering the demographic of your audience when selecting music is an important factor. Knowing your demographic can help you tailor your music choice to their interests. What is the tone of my video? Another significant factor to consider is the tone of video you are creating. For example, a fast-paced video advertising a sports car might contain energetic, heavy-hitting music. However, if you use that same type of music for a somber healthcare company video, it might take attention and credibility away from the message because the song is not a proper fit. Using the wrong music can have a devastating effect on your brand. Similarly, if you are creating a video for an insurance company that is professional and intellectual, you might not want an energetic, electrifying piece of music accompanying your visuals. Instead, a light and simple piece of music might better suit the tone. You should establish the mood of the video you are creating first, and the type of music will follow. If your music choice does not reflect your brand, you are going to confuse your audience and deliver the wrong message. What is my budget? If you are working with a lower budget, you might want to consider using royalty free music, which means that no one owns the copyright to the music and no royalties must be paid. Once you clearly understand your goals and can answer these questions, you will be able to choose the right music. The Finale In today’s digital world, capturing an audience’s attention is more challenging than ever. Therefore, the role of music in video is more important than ever. Online video consumption is growing more each day, and in turn, brands increasingly need to stand out among the clutter. Including the right music in an entertaining and unique brand video is a great way to grab attention and communicate your message. |
AuthorKalah Karloff is a Communications, Media Production, and Music Industry student at Northeastern University, with a deep passion for the music and media industries. She also likes Marvel, Star Wars, and ice cream sundaes. Archives
September 2020
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