CORPORATE VIDEO: VSIMULATORS PROMOTIONAL FILM
COMMERCIAL & CORPORATE VIDEO PRODUCTION
VSIMULATORS PROMOTIONAL VIDEO
It’s been a little while since I posted a blog, so I thought I would update you on some recent Rowe Films video production projects!
When the company VSimulators got in contact with us here at Rowe Films, they were looking to hire a professional video production business to produce promotional content for their brand new facility in Exeter, Devon.
The facility had a tricky beginning, as the official launch coincided with March 2020, meaning everything was delayed and the launch event was unable to go ahead as planned. So the team initially got in contact with us, with a view to creating some exciting video content instead, to officially launch the facility and show the world what it’s all about. Of course, we were happy to help!
VSimulators is an engineering research facility and commercial enterprise in Exeter, Devon. It was designed to work in conjunction with its sister facility in Bath. Located at Exeter Science Park, the University of Exeter VSimulators facility can recreate any environment either physically or virtually, immersing up to nine research volunteers in a simultaneous experience. Combining an Octopod motion platform with VR and motion capture, the facility is genuinely cutting edge and “world beating”. Needless to say as a bit of a tech geek myself, I was instantly hooked and keen to assist them with their video production needs.
After initial discussions about the company and what kind of video content they were looking to put together, I produced a short proposal and pitch for the company board. The first step in the video production process is always for us to obtain a solid understanding of the business we are working with, and get a good idea of exactly what the video production itself needs to achieve. It’s important to understand the message and the purpose, and then deliver that using the incredible power of cinematic video.
Having reviewed our ideas for the project, the guys over at VSimulators and Exeter University loved the proposal, and so we got the green light.
The plan was to produce two videos for the business. First, a short and snappy, highly dynamic and fast paced promo video to sell the facility and really grab attention straight from the off. This cut would be used on their social media, and the homepage of their website to keep traffic glued. Secondly, they needed a longer and more informative video for those who would like to find out more about their business, what they can offer, how the concept came about, as well as some background information on the development and build of the facility. The short cut would look and feel almost like a movie trailer, whilst the longer cut more of a short documentary or traditional corporate promotional video.
Below you can watch the short cut of the promotional video content. This really was a lot of fun to produce and I’d say this kind of work is what Rowe Films is all about, and what I personal specialise in as a video producer and director. The edit needed to be relatively short and pack a punch, but still deliver the key information they needed to get across to potential clients and collaborators. Most importantly, the company wanted it to be extremely dynamic, fast paced, and highly ‘cinematic’ in look and feel. It needed to be contemporary and look good! The team actually informed us in their initial enquiry that it was the ‘cinematic’ vibe of the Rowe Films portfolio that initially appealed to them. It’s extremely eye catching with a high production value, and this ultimately makes the video work stand out. Taking all of this on board and after visiting the facility in person myself to have a look around, we got straight to work with a pre-production plan.
We initially booked in two production/shoot days initially, with the possibility of a third if we needed it. The first day would be dedicated to capturing the facility in action. We captured all of the technology in motion, using their team as test subjects. We filmed the amazing motion platform doing its thing, the control room, VR headsets and the motion capture too. We also recorded the VR headset feed directly, so that we could show exactly what the subject is actually seeing during motion capture sessions. The second day was dedicated to filming interviews with key personnel, in order to tell the VSimulator story.
Bearing the brief in mind, during production we used some creative camera techniques to give the footage energy. We used LED lighting with CTB gels to give the footage an in-camera ‘colour grade’. We even used anamorphic lenses on some key shots to give the footage a bit of a ‘sci-fi’, futuristic feel, with the blue streaky lens flares. Each element adding a lot to the end result.
Finally it was time for post-production. The editing stage! The shorter cut was extremely creative and highly enjoyable to put together. I chose some dramatic music with a ‘movie trailer’ kind of vibe. There was space for a few creative shot transitions, making use of the dynamic camera movement. I always find these ‘trendy’ techniques need to be used carefully and meaningfully, being quite reserved and careful not to overdo it. As an editor, I like to make sure these editing techniques actually add something, rather than just used for the sake of it. To complete the theme, I added 3D tracking of titles and even ‘HUD’ style graphics to pop up on screen and show what the VR headsets were actually displaying. To tie it all together, I took a few key lines of dialogue to explain to the viewer exactly what the VSimulators facility is all about. The key here was simply to get people interested, and then hopefully proceed to watch the longer, more informative cut.
This was a fantastic project and I’m pleased to have received some incredible feedback from the team, both at VSimulators and the wider University. I’m certainly very happy with the completed videos. The content was exactly what they were looking for, and I hear it’s worked wonders for them. This is truly great news.
The most exciting thing about working in video and film production is how varied and truly creative your work can be. You never know what kind of business or organisation is going to need your video production services next, or what that will involve. The technology side of this project was a new experience for us here at Rowe Films, new subject matter to work with, and we thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it.
If your business is in need of a videographer, video producer or director / DoP, be sure to get in touch with us and let’s see what we can do. No matter the type of business, industry, ambition or budget, Rowe Films is able to assist.
Find out more about Rowe Films Commercial Video Production and then contact us today.
Commercial Video Production by Rowe Films