Analysis of 3 pieces of relevant content to inform your work a clear explanation of the contextual influence these have had on the rationale for own commission output.
Analysis of 3 pieces of relevant content to inform your work a clear explanation of the contextual influence these have had on the rationale for own commission output.
Intro
For my commission I have a brief to create a short promotional video for the launch of the new MG4. This video will be for the company FG Barns for them to use on their website and social media platforms. You have the ability to combine multiple advertising techniques in promotional videos; this allows you to create a wholly powerful and engaging video to market products. Allowing you to communicate messages in the quickest way possible (Motioncue, 2020). In preparation for this I have studied similar marketing videos online to create a bricolage of elements which are successful at promoting luxury cars and fit the style and aesthetic I aim to create. Below I have analysed the three most influential videos which are similar to my brief and detail how these have developed my ideas further.
Video promotions are an all-powerful medium for advertising and a study by WordStream concluded that a third of people’s web browsing time is spent engaging with videos. This further highlights the importance of my promotional video as this should help the company increase engagement with the customers. Promo videos also allow companies to deliver messages in a more subtle way, without sounding too ‘salesy’ (Motioncue, 2020). This will be beneficial to keep in mind as I believe audiences are more likely to buy something if they do not feel like it is being sold to them; there is something more subtle with promo videos.
Elite – Car Showroom Promo
This promo video was done for a car show room, much like the video I am creating. However, my video will be made for the use of a showroom but is not specific to the showroom itself. I will be focusing on one car whereas this video features multiple cars at the showroom.
This video has particularly influenced my commission as I like the types of shots used throughout. There are a multitude of close-up shots showing special details of the car. This is important as it helps sell the car’s unique points and will therefore be something I employ within my promo video as I have the intention of connoting the car as a luxurious item. I also like the type of camera movements used, particularly the cork screwing. There is a clever use of video transitions e.g., whip pans and a range of camera movements. The way in which they have been edited together helps the video flow seamlessly and quickly in keeping with the pace of the music; this works to bring energy to the piece and engage the audience. Music is used to elicit emotional responses from consumers and this use of music can engage the listener’s attention while camouflaging the appearance of marketing gimmicks (Mamaril, 2003). Fast tempo music has been found to evoke positive emotions such as happiness, excitement and liveliness (Peretz et al., 1998; Balkwill and Thompson, 1999; Juslin and Sloboda, 2001). This is the effect I am trying to create within my video, so I too aim to use a fast-paced soundtrack and use elements of soviet montage theory to edit my shots to the pace of the music. Therefore, the type of music and pacing here helps me to visualise this.
A challenge of shooting cars is avoiding reflections in the lights and car body. However, within this video the reflections, which are often considered a hinderance, are embraced and used to add some interesting effects to the video. This adds elements of ambiguity as sometimes the subject in frame is obscured however, due to the fast-paced nature of the video this is not a distracting element and helps to build pace and energy as the reflections are moving in time with the camera. I will not be trying to achieve this look as I will be shooting indoors so the reflections will not be as interesting or dynamic. As I am inexperienced in shooting promotional car videos, I do not want to attempt this look in case I execute it wrong and affect the overall quality of the video for the company.
From the description of the video, I can identify that the Brand assigns itself with the attributes of elegance and prestige. Therefore, the promo video has worked to uphold these connotations by featuring a variety of lavish cars and creating the feeling of a luxury experience with the company. For my commission I too am trying to assign these attributes to the car to gain the attention of my target audience. It has been interesting to see how a similar video has been made with the same intention and I will be adding aspects of this video to the bricolage of other sources I am using to influence my work.
Car Dealership Promo Video
This is another promotional video for a car dealership. This also has a focus on the dealership and multiple cars within it rather than just one specific car model so this is one aspect in which my commission will differ from this video; the whole focus of my video will be on the newly launched car. Throughout this there is multiple graphics used during the video, detailing the price etc. I will avoid using these as I do not want to take away from the features of the car I am showing.
However, I do like the type of coverage used within this video. Unlike the previous video there is a focus on the car as a whole rather than close-ups of individual features. This allowed the viewer/customer to see the car in full rather than attempt to piece together all its features. For my commission I intend to use a balanced mix of both wide and close up shots to incorporate elements of both videos. I also like the types of camera shots and movements use to achieve these shots e.g., cork screws which I have noticed from my research are conventional of car promo videos. Camera movements allow viewers to “follow the action” and add a sense of forward momentum, pace, energy, and allows the viewer to participate in the action. They add aesthetic energy and are effective as they have the potential to function in a multiplicity of ways e.g., to direct the viewers’ attention, keeping audiences engaged and atmospheric control over the feel of the video (On Point, 2019). Therefore, I will be incorporating different types of camera movements used in both this video and the video analysed above. The coverage is equal across both the interior and the exterior of the car, ranging from close-up shots of emblems to shots of the steering wheels, seats, and dash boards. This provided me with ideas for coverage for the commission and what aspects I should look out for on the car I am shooting. This also provided food for thought, as I may need to consider using a macro lens to achieve some close-up shots.
The video has used many nice transitions e.g., dissolves however, I will be using more subtle transitions as I am trying to make the commission appear seamless by blending cuts together as I think this will add a high end feel to the final cut. The creator also used a few speed ramps, I think these work well to keep the fast pace of the edit but also show more of the car (even if only brief) the music too keeps with the pace of the edit. I aim to use both speed ramps and faster music so I will use this to influence the way in which I use both of these to keep a good, fast pace to my edit.
This video too is filmed at a luxury car dealership, this is denoted by the frequent denotation of expensive car emblems and lavish interiors featuring leather seats, spot-light roofs, and metal detailing. I think this is an effective way to connote the car as luxurious as there is an element of ‘travelling in style’ created for the audience which may encourage people to purchase the car. So, I will be using aspects of this in my commission.
Ford Ranger Raptor review – a new breed of fast Ford? | Autocar
This video differs from the other two videos I have analysed as the focus is solely on the car being discussed and denoted rather than a dealership. Another difference is that this video used a blend of backing track and voice over. As part of my brief from the client they desire to have a voice over from a member of staff talking about the car as the corresponding elements are depicted. I think the way in which this has been approached in the video has influenced how I intend to achieve this in my commission. The presenter speaks enthusiastically which is important to keep an audience engaged.
My commission will be shorter than this video as it will be used on their website and social media sited to promote the car therefore, the video needs to be short to grab and keep the attention of my intended audience. According to research, the attention span of audiences has significantly decreased over the course of the past 15 years – from 12 to 8.25 seconds. However, despite this the average viewed length of internet videos is 2.7 minutes; promotional videos work well to override the shrinking attention span of audiences (Hayes, 2022). Therefore, it is important that my video employs a fast pace and up-beat music in order to increase and maintain audience engagement.
There is nice coverage used throughout with smooth and crisp camera movements, consisting of pans and tilts. This is at a slower pace than the other two videos I have analysed but prevents the video feeling static while also having a sleek and classy feel. This is also an effective way of promoting a luxury car as all elements can be appreciated by the audience as they are held on screen longer. I am considering incorporating these shots into my commission to have a mixture between fast and slow pace, so the audience can take in certain elements if the car.
Aerial shots have also been used which give a really nice overview of the car in areas where its features are shown off. These also provide nice action shots with the connotations of travel and adventure. These attributes are assigned to the car and the audience may be inclined to buy the car as they believe their life will become more exciting and adventurous as a result. With a promo video you can help customers visualise what they would gain if they acquired your product. The best way to achieve this is to not focus too much on the products benefits and features; rather to make them experience how it is to use it, tell a story, conjure images in their minds and make them long for it (Motioncue, 2020). I think this video is a good example of how this is done through coverage and camera movements. This is something I would love to be able to incorporate into my project however the equipment needed for me to achieve this through aerial shots is unavailable to me. I will try to do this using other methods to assign the car with luxury attributes and create a lavish experience for the viewer.
This video has music which is up-beat with a slow pace, this helped the edit be in keeping with the pace of the music through cuts and the speed of camera movements. There are some parts of my soundtrack where the music slows down so I will be keeping the kinds of shots used here in mind for that. Overall, the video provides a good overview of the car, showing its qualities rather than just the aesthetic. This provides an explanation for some of the features denoted which informs the audience more about the car. I aim to achieve this using a similar voice over. However, the duration of my commission will not be this long as it needs to be short and sweet.
Conclusion
All these videos have helped me to develop my ideas and vision further. I was able to decipher the conventional shots used in promotional car videos and the coverage I will need. As well as the camera movements used to bring energy and life to the video e.g., cork screws. From these I was able to make a mood board including some of the shots I needed to achieve, I also found it easier to communicate with my client on the direction of the piece, the pace and aesthetic. I also went on to create a sizzle reel which incorporated elements of all three of these videos – this really helped the client visualise my intentions and how the final edit may look. This was incredibly beneficial as the possibility of miscommunication was minimised by creating something visual for the client.
References
AutoCar (2022). Ford Ranger Raptor review - a new breed of fast Ford? | Autocar. [online] www.youtube.com. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zASsDQvfRgA&t=36s [Accessed 9 Dec. 2022].
Chernetskyi, S. (2019). Car dealership promo video. [online] www.youtube.com. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qagMeycmEZA [Accessed 9 Dec. 2022].
Balkwill, L. L., and Thompson, W. F. (1999). A cross-cultural investigation of the perception of emotion in music: psychophysical and cultural cues. Music Percept. 17, 43–64. doi: 10.2307/40285811
Peretz, I., Gagnon, L., and Bouchard, B. (1998). Music and emotion: perceptual determinants, immediacy, and isolation after brain damage. Cognition 68, 111–141. doi: 10.1016/S0010-0277(98)00043-2
Hayes, A. (2022). The Shortening Human Attention Span [INFOGRAPHIC]. [online] Wyzowl. Available at: https://www.wyzowl.com/human-attention-span/#:~:text=According%20to%20research%2C%20our%20attention [Accessed 9 Dec. 2022].
Juslin, P. N., and Sloboda, J. A. (2001). Music and Emotion: Theory and Research. Oxford: Oxford University Press, doi: 10.1037/1528-3542.1.4.381
Mamaril, C.D. (2003). CSUSB ScholarWorks CSUSB ScholarWorks. [online] Available at: https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3297&context=etd-project [Accessed 9 Dec. 2022].
Motioncue (2020). Promo Video Guide 101 — Master the Art of Creating Promotional Videos. [online] MotionCue. Available at: https://motioncue.com/promo-video-guide-master-the-art-of-creating-promotional-videos/ [Accessed 9 Dec. 2022].
Mustafa El Ghandour (2019). Elite - Car Showroom Promo. YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWrJkx6O0L8 [Accessed 9 Dec. 2022].
On Point (2019). The Importance of Camera Movement in Video Production. [online] On Point Video Productions. Available at: https://onpointvideo.ca/best-practices/the-importance-of-camera-gimbals-and-drones/ [Accessed 9 Dec. 2022].
Comments
Post a Comment