The idea that both Chris and I proposed was, in keeping with the seminar’s overall seminar theme, a promo video in the style of a theatrical trailer for a big budget action film. It would be completely over-the-top with epic music and an epic voice over, all to give the feeling that our seminar was like the next summer blockbuster showing at the movies. The plan was to also mix footage that we shot ourselves of people working on camera, audio and lighting gear, with some found footage of Australian films. The idea and structure was fairly simple, so we were confident we could get it done without too much hassle or stress.

One of the things we were mildly unsure about was the ultimate tone of the video. Sure, it was going to be epic, but did we want it to be over-the-top so much that it was obviously a parody? Or did we want it to just be simply epic, and run the risk of it coming off as unintentionally cheesy?

These were questions we didn’t really have an answer to yet as we went into the day of our shoot, where we set aside a few hours at the end of a Monday for the video team and some other helpers from the rest of the group to shoot the original footage for the promo. It all went fairly smoothly, save for the fact that we didn’t realise that the gear had to be returned within one of hour of borrowing it due to another group having booked it for the night. But we got through the shoot and got all that we needed, we hoped.

My involvement in all of this was mostly as the producer, having organised the shoot time and call sheet. It was an interesting experience, as I’m normally on the technical end of things as a camera op, sound recordist or gaffer. Normally I shy away from being a producer because I enjoy being the one operating gear, and I’m not the type of person that’s comfortable communicating with third-parties when it comes to shoots that require extra locations or talent. But for a small project like this, it was nice to have a taste for that kind of organisational position.