If you have a product, nothing will get it into the hands of your consumer faster than a well placed, original video, especially if it is ready for TV.
We have several clients who manufacture timepieces for different demographics. While our approach to filming each brand may be somewhat similar each time, the tone, style, and messaging all have to be distinct.
We also have to be mindful of cost for our clients, as they are sending us countless products to shoot. To keep things manageable, we have a studio that is continually set up for this type of eCommerce video production. If you look at the high-end watches on the market, Rolex, Omega, Breitling, each has a commercial that matches the sophistication of the brand. Conversely, some of the low-end watches, typically they are rushed, poorly filmed, and the product looks dirty. I want to make sure that the quality of video that our clients get is high. We aim for a final commercial that is TV quality, and that is capable of grabbing people's attention on social media, which is where they promote their products.
Through the use of primarily a 3-point lighting system, maybe 4 or 5 depending upon if I need focused spotlights and props. I can focus the buyer's attention to the product. By moving lighting, using lens flares, and rotating the product during filming, we can bring all the luxury of the timepiece out.
When was the last time you saw a diamond commercial that didn't have glints and gleams plastered all over it? These effects resonate a particular emotion from a consumer. When we create a video for a timepiece, we use a combination of digital effects and real effects. Our job is to marry everything so that you can't tell what's real and what is fake. This commercial is an excellent example of how we've done.
You may have noticed that some of the shots in this commercial (as well as other commercial we've done) have extreme close-ups of dials, hands, movements, etc. We achieve this partly by filming in 4k, but we also use macro lenses that are capable of shooting very close up with extraordinary clarity. We typically frame our shots, in-camera for how we want viewers to see it. However, because of 4k footage, we can resize a shot during editing. We can also create digital camera moves such as rotations and zoom in/out effects without losing any quality in the footage.
You see this technique used a lot in news editorials, the subject of an interview is filmed in 4k so that they can shoot the interview quickly. Later on, in the edit, they can reframe the shot; however, they wish to make it appear as if there were multiple cameras used during the interview. They didn't; it is the same piece of footage just reframed over and over to change the appearance. Clever or lazy? You be the judge.
We create stunning product videos that give the consumer a real sense of what it will be like to own this product. When that happens, we know we have done our job well.
By Michael Lunt | Mike is the owner of Parasol Media, a video production company in Columbus, OH. He has spent over a decade assisting small businesses with realizing their creative vision for video content. From social media videos to broadcast commercials, Mike's industry experience has placed him all over the world to create content that moves.