Red Bull is arguably a leader when it comes to aligning its brand with the interests of its core audience. The latest in its stable of content creation masterpieces comes via YouTube: “Red Bull Perspective – A Skateboard Film” (below).
If you have the 16:27 available to watch this video today, take a moment afterward to ask yourself: When was the last time you created such compelling content that was so well aligned with your supporters’ loves/hobbies/beliefs? What makes them collectively individuals?
And when you are answering these questions do not let the funding behind these projects get in the way of your thinking. Sure money can add some polish or blow out an idea but remember that it’s free to connect with your supporters.
Have you ever wondered what will happen as more and more people friend each other on Facebook? Which cities will be the friendliest? Who will be the holdouts? What will it all mean?
Thanks to The Moxie Institute you can stop imagining and see what it will look like in their new 1 minute film (below). You most likely know the team’s leader Tiffany Shlain as the founder of The Webby Awards and winner of a Tribeca Film Festival’s “2012 Disruptive Innovation Award”.
So what do you think of the film? Let me know in the comments below.
So you want to shoot an online video to tell your organization’s story. Among the many decisions you will have to make will be choosing a style. How will you feature your topic? Who will be onscreen or will it be free of live action? In this series I will show you several styles that have worked well for organizations so that you can find the most suitable given your topic and resources.
The Straight Interview A popular style among organizations with limited financial resources is to tell their story straight to the camera in a single take. Even without hiring a film crew, although I do recommend securing a professional, you can create a decent video using this method. You should be aware however that there are several hazards to avoid.
Spokesperson Many organizations make the mistake of shooting a straight interview based solely on limited funds. You should only choose to shoot in this style if you have an engaging spokesperson. It doesn’t matter if your CEO or head of communications can tell a good joke. If they are not engaging on camera then they should not to be filmed.
Story Regardless of your video’s style you need a solid story. Nonprofits too frequently fall victim to believing that their mission is enough to motivate supporters. This rarely works if at all. You will need a gripping story that can be genuinely told if your video is going to be a success.
Show If you ever took a creative writing course you will remember your instructor telling you to “show don’t tell.” Someone who has experienced your mission should emotionally tell your featured monologue. If the subject is not engaged then the audience won’t be either.
Scenery Your setting is another way to show and not tell your story. Just because you are focused on a single person you should not ignore the scenery. There is a reason why many videos are shot on location. Pick a setting that brings life to the story. What props will add to the story and bring the viewer closer to the world you are trying to share.
Script You may be tempted to write a script. Don’t. Scripts make people nervous and unless he or she is a professional actor they are not likely able to memorize pages of lines. Instead review the topics that you want them to touch on and provide them with an outline if they need to organize their thoughts. Some people are natural storytellers such as the man in the example video below. Do a few takes off the cuff. You may be surprised with how engaging people are when they speak naturally.
Here is a video that takes all of these points into account. InvisiblePeople.tv has a selection of interviews with homeless people. I encourage you to visit their site and watch more examples if you choose to shoot in this style.
Well, Ms. Kluender and I finally saw Batman: The Dark Knight Rises last night. Throughout the entire experience we were blown away by the basics: the acting (Ms. K is a huge Joseph Gordon-Levitt fan), the score, set design, cinematography, and wardrobe (Bane looked amazing). However the best moment for me came at the end of the credits when it said that Christopher Nolan shot the entire movie on film and not digital.
I have always loved the texture of film. Its perfection is a direct result of its many tiny imperfections. It was appropriate to shoot Batman using film since he is a mortal character without the usual array of superhero abilities. Sure he has the gadgets, but when it comes down to it he is mind and muscle just like the rest of us, full of flaws. Digital was really made for Superman – the guy is too perfect to let you fully believe the story. Though the upcoming Man of Steel looks to add a little tarnish to his image.
Nolan has many reasons for continuing to use film over digital. He most recently explained his preferences in this article from the Directors Guild of America.
If you are a fan of Nolan and his representation of Batman then you have probably already seen the film. If you haven’t seen Batman: The Dark Knight Rises yet then you really should…and in IMAX.
Brian Adams PR 