Over the past few years, we have seen video become one of the most powerful ways of reaching an audience. You’ll probably be familiar with bad and brilliant attempts at video content as brands increasingly put budget towards this. From B2B conference videos to Christmas campaigns, at Prohibition we’ve done it all. You can watch and read about more examples of our recent video content here.
Earlier in 2019 we received a brief from Mappin & Webb to create a 2020 brand film that would communicate who the brand is to new customers, whilst still embracing the key brand values.
In what has been one of Prohibition’s biggest productions to date, we were involved with brainstorming the concept, scouting locations, finding models, wardrobe styling and filming.
The shoot took place at a stunning grade II* listed building called Birdsall House, located in North Yorkshire. The beautiful grounds and grand interior allowed us to capture an extremely visually impressive video. The brief specified that the video must sit harmoniously through the four seasons, so it could be shared in its entirety throughout the year, or as four separate seasonal videos.
Now let’s take you through how we achieved the finished result. The production involved being on location for three days, here’s a quick rundown of what we got up to:
Day One: We arrived at lunchtime and were greeted by our lovely host at Birdsall. Time to start setting up; number one on our list was to ensure each scene included Mappin and Webb colours using wardrobe and props such as chairs, cushions, flowers etc., as well as branded items such as Champagne flutes, jewellery boxes and bags, cutlery, books and photograph frames. Each scene needed to include an opportunity for brand recall and it was therefore down to us to ensure this would happen through the use of these branded props. The set styling of such a grand building required numerous props, big and small to set the scene. After that, we turned to organising wardrobe – set up day was a great chance to get everything ironed, steamed and hung up in order of scene and model.
Day Two: Up for 7am with everyone on set by 8am. First on the agenda was making sure that the models were in hair and make-up, any final touches were being made to set, the camera crew had everything they needed and that everyone had eaten breakfast – no one works well on an empty stomach! One of the most important tasks for us on any shoot is to keep track of time (easier said than done). Each member of the Prohibition team had a specific job, one in wardrobe dressing the models, getting them into hair and make-up and keeping track of who was needed when. Another member of the team was on set at all times, keeping an eye on the jewellery positioning, wiping any finger marks on watches, keeping the client happy and ensuring we filmed exactly what we needed. Whilst someone else stuck with the photographer, jumping in any time one of the models was free to capture some shots.
Day 3: The second day on shoot can be harder, everyone is tired from the 12+ hour day before and you’re conscious that every shot needs to be captured before the end of the day. The team had the same job roles as the previous day but also packed away clothes and props and realigned rooms where possible. Any scenes and product close-ups that weren’t quite perfected the day before must be re-done, which was made even trickier by the natural lighting as the day went on. Once we had captured everything we needed and the client was happy it was time to pack up and head home.
The project doesn’t end there for us, we work alongside the production company to meet edit deadlines, ensure amends are made and generally manage the entire process. The post photoshoot journey can often take longer than pulling an entire video campaign together.
In the end, we were part of producing a beautifully stylised video with intricate product detail that the client loved!
Watch the finished Mappin & Webb brand video here:
At Prohibition, we’ve worked on a range of exciting campaigns where we’ve produced engaging and creative video content for brands across all sectors. If you’re interested in what video services we can offer and how they might help your brand – find out more here.
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