How creative can I be using fcpx on this project?

Just finished watching Ripple trainings 'Creative editing' tutorial which was great. I didn't feel like it applied to me as I tend to do small business promo's and the odd weddings etc.

But, a client has just contacted me to cover their business conference at an usual location BUT its a day of fun (ping pong, eating indoors from caravans gypsy style, tarot card reading from drag queens, ukulele bands etc !) I am sure you're getting the picture.

However there is a clear 'corporate message and part of the finished edit will have a CEO's formal intro and outro message

From an editors point of view, how would you balance a formal yet 'off the wall' (almost moulin rouge type) finished product

PS Its a sole project so I get to take all the footage too

Sit down and write the story you're telling. Even a corporate promo is telling a story. Understand your story in detail first, all of its parts, each chapter, then start planning the production. Everything is storytelling with video. Or it ends up like most modern music videos, "crap".

What Ben said. Even* corporate videos should have a story. In my opinion even the dryest corporate videos should have a level of emotional engagement - why the hell else would anyone pay attention?



*maybe that should be 'especially'.

Thanks BenB/Robertdee

I keep getting drawn towards the creative almost 'funfair/funhouse" type of experience that client is creating.

Maybe if I write it down like BenB says and somehow discuss with the client first to make sure I'm not going off on a tangent that may help.

Does anybody still do storyboards to plan their stories out beforehand (seen a few apps out there)?

With something like this I'll chat to the client first and work out what they want to convey in the final video (mood, details, length, etc) and then plan what I need to get everything covered. Make sure you have a shot list and cross stuff off. You can't necessarily storyboard a live event you're covering. I'll usually then shape the story in post. I would ask for visual references of the location if you can get them and ask about sound (always forgotten).

Thanks robertdee

Its a very unusual venue, old furnace/forge building renovated with old caravans inside acting as Food/Bars.

Hoping to get a direct feed from the AV crew to my Zoom H4N, then capture some additional audio with colleagues via a shotgun (don't think I will have time to set up lab mic's)

Lighting is not particularly brilliant so thought about filming in 25p rather than 50p which would also help to the 'film' look in post edit

Here's a 4 part video series on storytelling from stillmotion that you might find useful.

vimeo.com/64207362
vimeo.com/64257951
vimeo.com/64607162
vimeo.com/64673177

Talk to the client for sure. And write down so you both are very clear, exactly what the message should be, in only 1 or 2 sentences. Then, verify with the client what the theme of the story will be. Get those two clear with the client, you're half way home.

Cinemaloha

They were great tutorials, certainly got me thinking more about the pre production process and planning stages.

Might even try story boarding to see if it helps..

BenB, the videos above coincide with what you suggested also..

Great advice guys

My last word, think it through, put it on paper first, but, don't over think it, be appropriate without being a dick about everything. If that makes any sense.

No expertise here as a 'movie maker' as ben et al, but, a few hundred years ago, some 15y in advertising as a 'conceptionist' (<< there're so silly titles in that business :woohoo: ) told me, there are basically three sorts of 'movies':

• plain documentary, mostly along a timeline ("and then that, and then that, and then…")
• story… and I do like the word 'fictional' as contradict to documentary, which means - imho! - the storyline has little to do with the actual set-up (Ufo in a Western town, love-story in a jail, talking puppets..)
• and - as a marketing guy - 'the movie with an effect'

No, I haven't found a better word for it yet, but:
Ask your client, what effect should the movie have to its audience? Just a "wow we had a good time, hadn't we?" for those who were there? Is the movie part of a bigger plan, for instance to impress investors (=all those - imho! - actual silly nonsense in office-design, "hey we have a slide! And we have a swing in the office! And we have a pool table!")... ?

Who will watch this movie? And what effect should this movie have on this audience?

Yes, it's all about - bad word ahead! - manipulation!

A good movie manipulates the audience - it makes you laugh, it makes you cry... it impresses, calls for action, show a different perspective, makes you thinking.

Many years ago, this ad

was made to give a very square cloth-shop a new 'image' - it didn't even show the cloths you get in that shop, nor did it fit to the tristesse of the shops itself - ... but it had an effect!

• documentary? easy done, follow a nice trainee on that party, how she discovers all the excitements.
• fiction? Use the set-up of that party to tell the story of magician... or a dreamer. Or...
• effect? … hmm, not so easy, to pull the 'goal' of your movie out of your client's nose :S

btw, 'manipulation': the 'trainee' in the doc should be a professional actress

Thanks Karsten

Thats a really detailed response, I may need to read over it a few times to 'digest' the information