Build your content library with video + photography
Combining video and photography will supercharge your digital content library and shooting both at the same time saves you time and money. Here’s our guide to get the best from combining these very different creative formats.
How can video and photography work together?
Always introduce the idea at concept / planning stage, don’t make it an afterthought. Create a brief that will allow you to get the best out of both formats and think about how you want to use photography / video and on what platforms.
Ask yourself:
Where will your footage be seen? Digital campaigns can be (but don’t have to be) content hungry monsters. People are under the false impression constant posting keeps conversations going, it doesn’t, so choose your platform/s before you begin.
Trends are video formats in disguise. Use them to inspire.
Script and storyboard your ideas to get the best out of both video and photography. Video keyframes are not the same as photographic stills. Video needs energy, conflict, surprise. Photography needs to say everything in a single frame.
Can’t we just take stills from the video?
Yes, but capturing video is not the same as high quality photography, and Google knows it. Plus, do you really want to stop your video shoot to check for still frames? Isn’t it better to shoot both and have flexibility in post?
Think about:
Shooting stills around a video enables side angles/ reverse angles and behind the scenes alternatives that can give you a marked contrast in looks and a whole new perspective.
What can photography achieve over video?
If your video is there to tell a story, explain, advertise a new product or idea / stills can entice, add flavour and keep the recipe going. Take Brighter Bikes. Unit Creative worked with David McHugh to develop a campaign, website and product shots for the brand’s launch and a spot of Dragon’s Den. Shooting at night meant there was little time to stop and with david shooting alongside and separately to the video team we were able to capture everything in one night.
Planned well photography can extend your campaign after the video has been posted, especially if you use graphics and animation
What’s the difference between photographers and videographers ?
Video is all about movement, telling a story, using multiple images to keep the audience engaged for as long as possible. Shooting video also needs one eye on the edit and editing video isn’t the same a grading stills.
At the same time photographers can capture angles and scenes in a single image which a videographers can’t. That makes photographers potentailly faster and more agile, they are also not limited by sound.
Lastly, beware of self-shooters (sorry to SS in advance) A good SS can get your content but will that content have longevity and be on brand? Self shooters are great for events but usually not a great choice for brand campaigns.
Is my campaign news worthy?
Working out a news ‘hook’ before you shoot throws up all kinds of possibilities for editorial stories that print and page do better than film. Take for example the Ivy Restaurant group. They were looking to generate publicity for their newest branch in Brighton, but were missing a campaign opportunity - a campaign with front page potential.
News hook are a great way to get noticed or extend your campaign.
Campaign example - WaGAMAMA
Shot over two days Unit Creative produced a variety of content for Wagamama on location in one of their flagship stores, saving studio costs. A specialist team of food stylists, props and dressing art department was brought in to work alongside Wagamama chefs.
Storyboarding in advance shots were designed to work with the brand’s style and a cast was selected to add a personal emotional appeal to footage.
Motional graphics and colour grading was added in post production to reinforce menu ideas and to add energy.
From a single 2 day shoot UC created:
Point of sale and OOH
Video footage for in-store and giant OOH screens
Websites videos
Social
Point of sales stills as well as BTS
That’s a lot of content made possible by UC’s unique offering using an in-house team Cliff Evans and Carl Prechezer filmed alongside Ben Fisher @ Benfisherphotography as well as specialist home economists.
RESULTS
Combining video and photography saves you time and money. At Unit Creative we have an in-house team who known each other and have worked together on many types of brands and shoots. We also ahve access to:
A range of professional studios and locations
Stylist and art departments
Home economists
Full services video and stills productions
Events
