promotional Production Guide
It's Almost Showtime!
As a small business owner, I understand the importance of having a strong and consistent brand image and I believe the photos & videos used to represent your brand are the main component of this image.
That's why I've created this production guide to help you prepare for your event and ensure that the images captured accurately reflect your brand essence.
Whether you're a small business owner, entrepreneur, or a creative professional, this guide is designed to help you create a strong and consistent brand image through the power of a camera.
The Importance of a Branding
Branding is crucial because it helps create a strong and consistent visual representation of your brand. The images captured during your event are an essential component of your brand image and are used to communicate your brand's unique qualities, values, and personality to your target audience.
Having professional, high-quality images that accurately reflect your brand can help you stand out from your competitors, build trust, help your stay relevant and build credibility with your audience to create a memorable and recognizable brand image.
Whether used on your website, social media, marketing materials, or other communications, well-crafted branding photos & video can help you build a strong, recognizable, and consistent brand image that resonates with your target audience.
BEFORE the shoot:
Define your brand essence
Before the session, take some time to reflect on your brand values, personality, and unique qualities.
Consider what sets you apart from others in your industry and what message, or emotions you want to convey through your photos & video.
Think about if there any props (ie. cellphone, laptop. camera, book, journal, equipment, or any object) you could bring that supports your brand and showcasing what you do, how you do it, or something that you relate to.
What to expect?
Storyboarding
The first step to shooting a video is not shooting a video: it's to plan it! We'll start by creating & planning your project's creative direction to plan and organize all necessary shots.
Storyboarding also allows for collaboration and feedback from both parties. We can identify potential problems and make changes before the actual filming begins.
Detailed Planning
Proper planning helps to ensure that all elements of the video, such as the script, visuals, and music, are aligned with the overall message and tone of the video.
Planning helps to set realistic expectations for the project and ensure that the photo & video meets its intended goals.
And... Action!
Once we have planned, its time to hit record. It's important to note now: There WILL be retakes. Extra takes for safety. There will be adjustments. There will be fly away hair. There will be an outfit adjustment. Retakes are completely normal & to be expected. Even despite all the planning in the world, things may happen but it'll be thanks to the planning the message of the promo video gets across.
Remember: Be Yourself!
This is an opportunity to showcase your personality, values, and unique qualities, which can help to build a deeper connection with your audience and position you as an expert in your field.
While I know it can be intimidating at first, it's best to relax and be yourself! Unless you are a professional actor, if you try to act, it can be very obvious.
I will ask you questions and prompts to bring out your authentic personality. That's what we want to shine in your promo video and by helping to accurately capture the essence of your brand.
What to wear?
Branding Considerations
Consider your brand essence and target audience when selecting your outfits. Your clothing should be professional and align with your brand image. Avoid wearing any logos or graphics that detract from the focus of the photos.
only 1 pattern
Patterns are great but they can be distracting when they clash. To avoid this, I encourage you to wear only one pattern during any outfit change. We want the focus to remain on you, not your clothing, so you can wear a pattern, just please remember only one at a time.
COlors
The easy answer would be your branding colors! Incorporate your colors into your clothing options either by going bold or by being subtle. I also recommend a basic black and/or white option for latitude when potentially creating graphic or flyers for your brand or business.
Professional Hair & Make Up
Hair & makeup is Required
This is not an option! I recommend to all of my clients to get hair & makeup done before an event or session. If you do get your professional hair & makeup done, go for the soft glam although some clients choose to just have their hair and/or makeup done.
If you need any help finding a local hair & makeup artist, I can help with that!
Cameras Pick up Everything
These cameras literally pick up everything meaning you have to come camera ready to sustain being in-front of these high definition 4K cameras for hours.
Not only that, but I will be using commercial grade lighting to light you up to look as best as possible. Keep in mind, I will also be getting plenty of tight shots too.
Audio, Speech & Interviews
FOr the most Part...
I am not using the audio that Comes directly out of the camera while we are shooting.
(Unless for sound bites)
That means all the directing, mistakes, bloopers, curse words, or anything that is not appealing or flattering to you as the client will be used.
If we are going to be recording any sort of speech, interview or narration, we can plan it out and use lavalier microphones in a sound-friendly environment.
Recording speech
Preparing your script
If we are recording speech, interview or narration that describes your brand or business, I recommend you writing it down and then rehearsing it several times before the session until you feel at ease & comfortable.
Time will go by very quickly during shoots because we have a lot of content to cover. I also like to overshoot for safety instead of not having enough so we can't afford many audio mishaps.
There simply isn't enough time for numerous pauses or looking at notes, "uh's or um's," or trying out multiple variations.
Wearing Microphones
To record clean audio, it's best to get the microphone as close to the subject's mouth as possible. The way we do this is by wearing lavalier or lapel microphones.
These mics have a wire & a small transmitter/recorder that will need to be tucked in a pocket or clipped on a belt. I'll show you how to wire it underneath your clothes and hide it by using Rycote Stickies, which are fabric safe, along with either a wireless DJI Mic or Tascam DR-10L, depending on the situation.
As far as clothing goes, I would recommend wearing something with a collar, like a sweater, button-down, blouse, or something with lapels, like a suit jacket or cardigan. Please avoid wearing skin-tight clothing, or spaghetti straps without a top, as you'll be able to see the microphone and wire.
Visual impact considerations
Emotions & Moments
When planning for your event or session, think about the emotions and moments that truly encapsulate the essence of your brand/event. What experiences will make attendees say, "Wow, I want to be there next year!"?
While food, dinners, and brunches can be a nice element of the event, they often don't make the biggest impact in promo videos. Instead, focus on what will engage your audience and create excitement and trigger the fear of missing out.
Dynamic, Interactive elements
We want to highlight the moments that bring people together—ie. attendee activations, group interactions, backdrops for selfies, and the energy of the crowd. Capture the camaraderie and excitement that naturally happens during key sessions, workshops, and group activities. Show how attendees are not just participating, but thriving in the experience.
By focusing on these dynamic, interactive elements, your video will create a buzz and leave potential attendees eager to be part of the action in the future..
Want to watch an Promo Video?
Take a look at what the final edited video a promo video can look like as seen here in this promo for an author.