Deconstructing a Project, Part 1

I will be breaking down, step by step, the process we took to create the following video:


Crossfader.com Marketing Video from Goldie Jones on Vimeo.

This video is one of my personal favorites, and one of the projects that involves the most common steps of a creative, scripted piece. In part one, I'll just cover the steps involved in preproduction.

Here was the initial challenge: we needed to create an exciting, edgy video to promote a website targeting artists that used a wide variety of creative software. The software that we were featuring in the video included video editing software, photo editing software, and audio mixing software. The final video would be used at a major tradeshow as well as featured on the website to draw in users.

Step One: The Idea

The creative team sat down and brainstormed the most effective way to highlight artists using software in an edgy, action packed way. Admittedly, people sitting in front of computers is just not action packed in anyway. But together we developed the concept of a DJ, a photographer, and a videographer all contributing to an event at a dance club.

We tell the story of the photographer in a photo session with a break dancer and then using software to create a poster to promote the event which we later see at the club. And we tell the story of a videographer filming a liquid dancer and then editing the video that is then played on the screen at the event. And finally, the DJ preparing her set and then performing in front of the crowd.

Step Two: Creative Development

Once we had nailed down the story and the client had signed off on the idea, I sat down with an artist and created a series of storyboards showing the entire video from start to finish and including detailed information on the shots that would involve a lot of graphics. As we moved through the storyboarding process, I also created a shot list of the shots that we would need to make sure we got while we were on the shoot.

These boards were shown to the DP (director of photography) to help give him a sense of the look and approach to the video and give him a starting place to design his lighting schemes. And we discussed the use of speed ramps (the changes in the speed at which the footage plays) and the general flow and feel of the shots.

I also used this time to work with the 3D graphics artists to nail down the 3D elements we would be using in the video (the opening logo animation, and the 3D crossfader slider used as a transitional element between stories).

And during this creative development phase, I created the styleframe mock-ups of what the graphics would look like, what the color scheme for the video would be, and the way we would use the graphics to transition from location to location within the story.

Step 3: Logistics

While the creative team was developing how everything would look, the producers and coordinators were hard at work pulling together all of the pieces. Booking the crew, booking the locations, arranging catering, conducting auditions, acquiring the necessary props, and communicating with the client.

Up Next: Deconstructing a Project, Part 2 . . . Production