Month: June 2016

Lentara – Final Presentation

Prior to presentations, Jeff thanked the class for their work and contributions towards their initiatives within Lentara. He brought up the time he first spoke to the collective studio and he is impressed with the process that has lead to this current stage where we are presenting our final outputs.

The feedback we got from Gemma and Jeff was positive. They liked the presentation, process we took and the final outcome.

Jeff mentioned that there is a good chance that Fundraising video will be screened at a an up coming committee meeting.

Where to from here?

Deliverables, including final video, documentation, clearance forms, music licences will need to be uploaded and passed over to Lentara via Seth and Pete. Raw files of footage is also required.

As potentially my final entry for this course, I will say that I am extremely happy that I chose to and completed the Non-fiction design studio. I have no doubt the experience and knowledge I have gained will be beneficial to me in the future. Working with a real non-profit made me enjoy the studio that much more. I hope this studio should be around for a long time and gets the best out of many other students in years to come.

In the lead up to the final presentation of our prototypes, the three videos, logo design and website design, the Men’s She group worked to re-fine each one of them.

Rizki got feedback from Pete in cleaning up the Brimbank Men’s Shed logo and Seth assisted myself and Matt to finalise the video of the 2 minute cut, 30 second and 15 second variations. Seth also assisted with the structure of the 4 minute Documentation video presentation.

Changes that were made to 2 Minute video:

Introduction – Call to action:

Split interview:

Originally “suicide” topic was included in this sequence but was re-arranged to later in the video. It is more appropriate this way.

Additional interview footage:

To avoid potential ethical issues of dialogue being connected to the wrong person, Seth explained dialogue must be associated with the person speaking it. Interview footage replaced some of the cutaway footage.

New information text #1:

Seth brought up the idea that, people don’t like seeing things that have been around for a while ending. This is true and therefore this text was changed to emphasise that.

New information text #2:

To appear more direct and immediate, “closed” was used as opposed to discontinued

Ending:


Now split up into to slides to be more clear.

Lentara Video Presentation Feedback:

Panel:
Gemma, Jeff and Anne-Marie from Lentara
Seth and Pete from Idea Collective Studio

For this presentation we wanted to get feedback specifically for the videos and use it to guide the direction of the individual videos

Feedback from Documentary

• 2 second grabs of shots not long sequences due to unstabilised footage and unecessary shots
• Video should follow a story arc. Ask a question and answer at the end
• Don’t show uncut and unedited footage. 2 sec takes

Feedback from Corporate

• Slow

Midway through the video, Seth mentioned that this video, like the documentary is not going to be engaging to an audience and the panel agrees that we need a more direct, shorter and finish product.

I think the panel also thought the fundraising video would be similar, but I believed the video I produced covers those issues, it’s a more finished product and suggested it should be viewed.

After watching the video, the feedback was positive and it was the approach they wanted to take.

From this, the panel suggested we re-direct our approach to create shortened videos that will support the 2 Minute fundraising video. A 30 second video and a 15 second video. I will also refine the 2 minute video to bring it to as close a final product as possible.

Summary Feedback:

What to do for next week:

• 30 sec video
• 15 sec video x 3 for instagram
• Donation page link
• Quotes for videos
• Possible screening: Town Show
• Community meeting

Ideas from other presentations:

• Storyboard
• Timeline
• Tell a story
• Re-word text
• What is the narrative?

One of my major motivations in creating the feel of this video was an Under Armour ad featuring Michael Phelps. It’s a video I have watched over and over and what I like about it is the way they have used images and music to generate such a strong feeling. It’s poetic. The viewer will empathise with Phelps as he goes through the day in day out routine to become the best he can be.

Note: Matt and Chesmond did a great job of getting some very nice variety of B Roll footage. Was a huge part of the video.

The first draft of the Fundraising video I did:

Style and approach. Pitching video concept:
– Observational
– To generate emotion through visuals and music
– Tell a short story and give viewers a feeling about the characters of the Men’s Shed and what it means to them.

Opening Shot (Exposition):

First Interview:

Second Interview:

B Roll Sequence #1:

Third Interview (Anthony Lai):

B Roll Sequence #2:

Forth Interview:

B Roll Sequence #3:

Information shot #1:

Information shot #2:

Closing:

Slow piano at start:
Music: “Undercover Vampire Policeman” by Undercover Vampire
From the Free Music Archive

Piano melody:
Music: “Summer Days” by Kai Engel
From the Free Music Archive

Under Armour Ad with Michael Phelps:

https://youtu.be/Xh9jAD1ofm4

As part of our prototype we have chosen to produce 3 types of videos:

Corporate Video, Documentary Video and Fundraising video.

I am tasked with doing the Fundraising Video.

Where will it be seen:
Social Media (Facebook, twitter, youtube), Lentara Website, Lentara database

How Long?
2 Minutes – a suitable time to provide insight, but not lose the attention of the audience

Interviews to use:
3 or 4 of the men that can support the overall message and provide strong quotes as well as Anthony

B Roll:
Look through B Roll to collect the best overlay footage

What is needed:
A song to support the general tone of the video. Marking important parts in interviews in Premiere Pro. Colour grading.

What not to use:
As mentioned by Seth, don’t include interviews that put them in a bad light. One of the interviewees stood in an awkward position and the shot wouldn’t be very pleasing to look at. A shot like this shouldn’t be used.

Theme:
Empathy through perspective

We were scheduled to meet at the Sunshine Mission at 11:30am.

First we saw Anthony and we showed him the consent forms. He was satisfied with it and he printed copies.

Anthony suggested he will co-ordinate who is going to be interviewed and in what order. This was a good for us as it kept production organised and saved us that potentially awkward and stressful task. Anthony is known to the men and they trust him.

It all happened quickly after that. For the next 90 minutes we got 8 interviews. Double what we had hoped for. The content we got from the interviews was exactly what we needed. The men were open and honest and provided great insight in to why they go to the shed and what it means to them. Delicate topics were discussed, including suicidal thoughts and the importance of social interaction.

While we were filming, the men were very keen to see what comes of the project and we promised to come back and show them what we will put together.

This is a big deal. To get clearance and approval to film and interview a group of people from the Men’s Shed. What’s our plan:

What is my role:
As I have previously produced interview videos, I had a good understanding of what was needed and how we needed to operate. I also had my personal gear that I will loan to this project. I will be the Cinematographer and sound operator for interviews and assist and co-ordinate with B Roll operator to get the required cutaways to support interviews.

Equipment Needed:

1. Interview camera – from Sam
2. B Roll Camera – Loaned from RMIT AV Loans
3. Rode wireless Lavaliar Mic – from Sam
4. Tripod – from Sam
5. Camera Rig for B Roll – From Sam
6. LED Light w/V-Lock battery and Stand – From RMIT
7. Memory cards – From RMIT and Sam

Questions/What we need to know:
– First and foremost we need to be respectful towards the people we are interviewing. Questions and follow up questions need to be thoughtful

We need some exposition to make it clear to the audience, what is the men shed?, who goes there?, why do the men go there/, what do they do? and what it means to them.

As mentioned by Anthony and Casey, the future of the Men’s Shed is uncertain. With Anthony’s contract set to expire on the 30th of June, the direction of the Shed is unclear. We need to find out, what would it mean to the men if the Shed were to close.

One of the worries we had at this stage of the course was whether we will be given access to the Men’s Shed and Interview the people of the Men’s Shed.

Early on in the course when Jeff Jones mentioned video as an important medium in communicating with the intended audience, it was obvious to me that we needed to what we could to get access to interview the people of the Men’s Shed. All this wouldn’t be possible if we didn’t get clearance from Anthony Lai, the Co-Ordinator of the Brimbank Men’s Shed.

After a few weeks trying to get in contact with Anthony, we finally worked out a time to meet up with Anthony and discuss the possibilities of going to the next step in our planned production stage.

Michael and I met with Anthony at the Sunshine Mission on the Wednesday (4th May 2016), and discussed what the group was trying to do: promote the Men’s Shed the best and most affective way we can. This would involve getting interviews from the attendees of the Men’s Shed.

Aware that there are delicate issues that will be mentioned as a result to people opening up, Anthony was wary that we could portray the men in a negating manner. We stressed to him that we were going to handle the project with a great deal of respect.

Anthony gave us the all clear. Our scheduled date to do the interviews was 11 May 2016.

Creative Brief:
To show the social and health impact of  Men’s Shed and make it relatable to those who can potentially support.

Plan:

Week 8

 

• Write scripts and produce storyboards.

 

Week 9

1. Visit Men’s Shed.
2. Finalise storyboards, scripts, rent equipment, sort out transport of equipment, sort out permission paperwork.

 

 

Week 10

 

• Visit Men’s Shed and shoot interviews and some B rolls
  B roll: Men working.

• Start editing.

 

Week 11

 

• Visit Men’s Shed one more time hopefully to get pick ups.

• Continue editing and post production stuff.

 

Week 12

Present

 

Roles (Production and post-production):

Samuel Kwong – Pick Up and drop off of equipment. Equipment set up. Editing. Camera.

Matt – B-Roll Footage. Editing

Michael – Liaison with Lentara/Sunshine Mission.  Interviewer. Editing

Rizki – Set up and pack up. Design. Graphics for videos. Logo design

Chesmond – Set up and pack up. Design. Graphics for videos.

 

Deliverables:

1. Fundraising Video – 1:30 to 3mins

2. Corporate Video – 2 to 3 mins

3. Documentary – 5 Mins

4. Website Design

5. Logo Design

 

Note: Check back in with the client on what you have planned… to see if it works for them…and to get some feedback.

 

 

Kristin Stevenson – RMIT 2006 Alumni – Honours

World Vision

“Creative Design” – The Struggle is real but worth it!

Human centred design – What they’ve learnt

• Comms and comms design students studied separately. Companies need to work together. Need an ability to collaborate
• Needs to engage in the workplace

The responsibilities of a Video producer at World Vision

1. Video Storytelling
2. Engage Storytelling
3. Film Overseas
4. Video producing
5. Managing client relationships

Comms Creative Design Timeline

2008 – 2010 – Mostly Outsourced

2010 – 2011 – Employed a creative director

2012 – 2014 – Diversified Creative Development among teams

2014 – Began working in multi disciplinary creative teams

2015 – Employed art director with agency experience

2015 – Government funding design decreased giving USD most of the team made redundant

2016 – Those who remain still continue of with the HCD banner

Included: Video producers, social media, ux design, etc.

“Constantly fighting to have creative freedom. Fight for creative space”

What has been learnt…

“Always create for your target audience…”

• Demographic Segmentation
• Attidunial Segmentation
• Behavioural segmentation

People who cry a lot

Rational Pragmatist…

Attitudinal Segmentation detracted from good storytelling

• Pragmatic Segment stories were overly dry
• Can be overly emotional – Needs to be more well rounded. People get sick of this. (Example of World Vision ad)
• Example – News Segment style – Nothing to draw in audience

Use audience segmentation – Focus on look and feel

“…A great or interesting story is about everyone or it will not last”

How Human Centred Design regards audience

• Recognise gut instinct Broad spectrum
• What is their understanding
• Listen to audience, even those on the periphery
• Insights

Case Study – World Vision gifts

Audience Insights

– Worried about recipient response to just getting card

– New gift buyers don’t understand how gifts work

“Focus on easy option. Too much on plate”

How might we – Reassure gift buyers

Explain how gift works

Keep duration to 1:30

Response

• Feature a seasoned Australian Gifts buyer
• It’s going to be really daggy

Example: Granny gives a gift and who is affected (Elements: Granny, Kids)

“Not World vision telling the story”

Also used Instagram and Facebook of Kids getting gifts (Another campaign: Jorge campaign)

Gave them room on how they would produce

Case Study – Jetstar’s Starkers

Brief: Show a 3 minute kid in 7 days

100 hours of archived footage

Creative Solution: Rapid Design

30 minute – Understand session

Idea Session

Concept: Sensory moments

Universal to human experience

Didn’t do 3 minutes. Chose 1:30

Moral of the story…

– Spend time on Creative development/design to save time, but do so rapidly

No time to overthink creativity

• Don’t jump to execution before you have created a concept

Creative design keeps creatives happy

Example: “Birkman Personality Test”

• Be aware of what affects you creatively. Positively and negatively

…Create something out of nothing

Case Study – Syrian Refugee Crisis

Create campaign in one week

Process:

• Script in one day
• Filmed in two hours
• Edit and voice over completed the next day

Example: Voice over

“Matching creativity with resource”

Moral of the story… Turn a lack of resources in to a creative opportunity

Creative Design: “Takes a long time to implement”

Speed Bumps:

• Clients want to be involved but there is often push back from creative teams. The need to extract information. Not always know what they want. It’s how you take clients through the creative process.
• No time for prototyping. Can lead to half baked executions. NFP – No time for prototyping
• Some people just want to be workhorses
• Over complicating the creativity rather than looking for simple ideas. Good ideas stick – Realise it if possible. Take ego out of room

Moral…Become an advocate for Human Centred Design

Example: “Save Africa mock ad”

Interactive Advertising – Interactivising

Merges media and real life experience

Example: Fashion Revolution: Social experiment – Buy $2 Shirt or Donate

Example: Guns with History – Social Experiment –