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VIDEO CONTENT FOR ELECTRONICS:A behind the scenes production guide

www.invodo.com | Invodo © 2014

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Real movie magic goes into making video content for electronics. Devices like phones, tablets, and computers can be harder to shoot than the average product due to reflective surfaces and screens. This guide provides a behind the scenes look at some of the best practices we’ve developed at Invodo for shooting video content featuring electronics.

Electronics companies have huge share of voice online, with telecom and computing products comprising 15% of total digital ad spend.1 And telecom companies put a whopping 77% of their mobile spend into video and rich media.2 But if you’re looking to invest in video, creating just any video content won’t drive results. The right content will speak to your customers, answer their questions, and represent your brand.

Why Video MattersVideo is here to stay. It engages customers, drives positive ROI, and more:

2/3 of consumers watch product videos.3

1.8x71% of consumers say video is the

best way to bring product features to life.5

93% of viewers find video helpful in comparison shopping.6

INTRODUCTION

1 IAB. ‘Internet Advertising Revenue Report FY2013.’2 AdWeek. ‘Telcos put 77 percent of their mobile spend in video and rich media3 Chain Store Age. Retailers Must ‘Think Visual.’4 Invodo. ‘E-commerce Video Benchmarks Report: Q2 & Q3 2013.’5 MediaPost. ‘U.S. Smartphone Users Most Video-Centric.’6 Animoto. ‘Video Helps Persuade 73% of People to Buy a Product or Service.’

of video viewers are more likely to buy than non-viewers.4

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TRICKS OF THE TRADE

Creating content for electronics requires special production and technical skills. Whether you’re creating video content in-house, hiring a digital agency or production studio, or engaging a video expert, here are a few things you should know when shooting video for electronics.

White Screens, Not Green Screens

When shooting video of a device, you can’t leave the screen or monitor black and replace it in post-production. Most digital agencies make the mistake of loading a green screen on the device. In reality, white screens are actually better for screen replacement, because they allow special effects artists to make compositing look more realistic.

Touch Screen Markers

Actors that interact with devices in a natural, human way take electronics product videos from good to great. Because device screens are deactivated before shooting, actors are looking at blank screens. They only know where and when to touch the device from the guidance of the director, but most directors aren’t device experts. When guesswork is the only thing guiding on-camera device usage, it can be difficult to achieve realistic results. At Invodo we use a creative work-around: a phone app that locks the device and creates touch-point mapping. This expert trick shows actors exactly where and when to touch, making device interaction precise and authentic.

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Phone Rigs Fix “The Shake”

A common problem with filming hand-held devices is what we like to call “the shake.” An actor’s hands naturally move a bit while touching the device or even while remaining still. This problem gets worse with active lifestyle shots in settings like cars or restaurants. Shakiness makes it harder for your customer to follow the on-device user experience and for your post-production team to do screen replacements. It’s a difficult problem to avoid, but it’s important to reduce “the shake” as much as possible. At Invodo, we use specialized phone rigs that rests on the actor’s shoulder that help to stabilize the device. This cuts down on shakiness and improves video quality, while also reducing the duration and cost of post-production.

Screen Replacement

Screen replacement is the process by which visual effects artists simulate the device’s screen in post-production. Even with new higher-resolution devices, screen replacement is a necessary step to high quality video content. Screen replacement:

• Displays vibrancy increases, allowing shoppers to distinguish events taking place on the device

• Allows on-screen tweaks to be made for brand compliance, such as battery charge levels, time displays, and signal strength

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“The timing of on-device events is important. I need to know exactly how long it takes to send a text message so I can direct the actor & ensure their motions will sync with post-animation.”

AN A+ TEAM DELIVERS A+ CONTENT

Having a team of experts in place will take your video content from “meh” to “amazing!” If you want a video that really shines, you’ll need an all-star team of skilled directors, producers, device specialists, and special effects artists with experience creating video for electronics.

The Creative DirectorDirectors set the vision for the video and fulfill that vision by guiding actors and technical crews on set.

Mission-Critical Responsibilities

• Develops true-to-life story-lines around top features

• Regulates lighting with an eye towards highlighting logos and no glare

• Directs actors movements and grips to be clear, concise, and natural

The one thing that distinguishes exceptional directors from the rest is a deep understanding of all parts of the production process. This understanding allows the director to begin with the end in mind. Some shots are more difficult and time-intensive to edit in post, so seasoned directors shape creative based on go-to-market time-lines and budget. They’ll also prevent unnecessary roadblocks for animators from happening, like fingers covering screen corners or overexposure and glare on the screen.

“Whenever I get a device pre-launch, I take photos & send to the client to confirm that it’s the correct model & make. You don’t have a lot of time to work with, so there’s little room for error.”

The ProducerWhen a new device is ready to launch, it’s go time. A superstar producer considers all the details and gets content turned around quickly and efficiently. With such short time-lines for launch schedules, there’s no room for mistakes or learning on the job.

Mission-Critical Responsibilities

• Manages the video budget, builds dynamic production schedules, and keeps timetables on-track

• Syncs with clients on creative briefs, materials, feedback, and contracts

• Ensures brand and legal compliance with the client

There are a few extras to look for in your producer. They should want to test the key selling points of the device in advance to avoid on-set surprises. A producer who knows consumer electronics recognizes that device launches are top secret, so they’ll enforce NDAs and on set social media bans accordingly. Finally, they hold a reputation for efficiently running teams and delivering under tight time-lines.

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“There’s a lot I pay close atten-tion to. Watching for smudging on the device. Looking for any weird interactions with the de-vice & correcting the actors. I’ve got my eye on every little thing about the device, really.”

The Device SpecialistDevice specialists ensure that the real star - the product - shines as brightly as possible. To achieve this, there are many device-specific details that cannot be overlooked.

Mission-Critical Responsibilities

• Studies the device and user flow, features, and events

• Delivers a brief on the device to the internal creative team

• Coaches actors on how to interact with the device, including proper swiping speed, device handling, and phone rotation

The device specialist is a unicorn - a unique, hard-to-fill role that you’ll only find on a video team with a lot of experience shooting devices with screens. For that reason, you can use the inclusion of a device specialist on a production team as an indicator of your agency’s or video expert’s level of expertise.

“On every set it helps to have a post-prod resource so you’ll have an advisor for what will take a long time or not in post, so you can make an educated decision weighing creative objectives & timeframes.”

The Special Effects ArtistSpecial effects artists are the magicians that make your video look professional and compelling with high-quality motion graphics and stunning visual effects.

Mission-Critical Responsibilities

• Edits scenes and audio into a seamless video flow

• Animates device screens and stabilizes images to reduce shakiness

• Uses all the tools: tracking, rotoscoping, keying, painting, animation, color, compositing, and rendering

There’s a spectrum of skill necessary for various post-production tricks. Want a night shot but don’t want to camp out ten hours on set? Let post-production turn a day shot into a night shot. Shakiness of a moving car feel distracting? Animate the car’s dashboard so only the landscape is moving. Don’t want the pedestrian passerby in the shot? Rotoscope them out. It takes wizard skills to replace moving screens, so pick your animators wisely!

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SUMMING IT UP

Video is a rising star in the electronic device marketing mix and one of the first tools consumers are exposed to when considering a purchase. Maximizing the return on your video investment matters, and so does guarding brand consistency. There are unique best practices for electronics, and quality hinges on the teams’ experience shooting devices. Ultimately, the key to creating visual content that drives sales is picking a partner with expertise in video for electronics.

About Us

At Invodo, we believe in showing, not telling. We think consumers agree. So we help our clients create rich, interactive visual experiences by combining the right blend of technology, creative content, and vision. The results are increased sales and measurable engagement through the whole customer journey. Learn how you can get visual at www.invodo.com/solutions/electronics.

Contact

Website: www.invodo.com

Email: info@invodo.com

Call: 512.279.4800

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