Ever wondered what goes into creating a compelling live-action promo video? We recently finished producing a new Explainly live action promotional video and are excited to finally debut it! So, here’s a deep dive into the making of our latest project.
Phase 1: Pre-Production – Laying the Foundation
Every successful project starts with strong pre-production. Through meticulous brainstorming, scripting, and storyboarding, we developed a cohesive, engaging, and funny story along with a clear action plan to bring it to life.
- Concept Development: In our brainstorming sessions we explored several scenarios of what we imagined the promotional video looking like. Many of our team members developed their own pitches for the video. One took place in a classroom, another in a news room, and another in an art gallery. Our final concept was in an art gallery that pulled creative aspects from the other pitches. The concept played off the familiar experience of standing in front of modern art and wondering what it means, but instead of abstract art, the confusing piece was a clunky software demo.
- Scriptwriting: After defining the concept, we moved into the scripting phase. Several iterations of the script were developed while we were moving through multiple rounds of feedback from essential stakeholders. Since the promotional video is only 90 seconds long, we needed to ensure that every word contributed to the overall narrative. Perhaps even more importantly, we ensured that comedic beats were woven into the script seamlessly to keep the mood and tone upbeat. The completed script became one of the most imperative assets during the next phases of production, as it is used to develop an exact budget, a storyboard, a prop list, cast list, and more.
- Storyboarding: Breaking down the script and visualizing the scenes beat by beat was essential. Our illustrator created detailed storyboards outlining camera angles, character movements, and scene transitions. This provided us a skeleton to work off of, so that other departments can identify what is needed from them for each scene.
- Casting: Finding the right talent to bring our characters to life was paramount. We held auditions to select actors who not only fit the roles but also understood our brand’s essence. During this process, we were lucky enough to encounter Kate Hess. Kate completely embodied who we were looking for in an Explainly’s spokesperson; someone who was fun, upbeat, but professional at the same time. She even went the extra mile in her audition by including her own frame, showing us just how much she understood the character and the story.
- Location Scouting: Identifying suitable locations that aligned with our script and aesthetic vision was key. Fortunately, we were able to source a small art gallery in Los Angeles for filming. It has been home to several art installations in the past and was the perfect size for what we needed. And it had an easily accessible bathroom, which can prove harder than you think for some productions!
- Props: Our art department worked diligently to create sets and gather props that enhanced the visual storytelling and provided an authentic backdrop. Our creative producer hand painted the interactive frame with our Explainly spokesperson in it as well as the other pieces featured in the art gallery.
- Production Design and Costume: Our script featured a scene where the Explainly spokesperson steps into a frame and transforms from a researcher, writer, to creative producer. This required multiple costume changes and worlds to be created during the production phase in order to bring that sequence to life, which is actually only about 5 seconds of the whole video!
- Budgeting & Scheduling: A detailed budget and production schedule were created to ensure efficient resource allocation and timely completion of the project. Our budget was clear and concise, making sure to include an allocation for contingency, in case we needed to make any last minute purchases during the day of production (which we did).
Phase 2: Production – Bringing the Vision to Life
As the day of filming approaches, the butterflies start to flurry. However, much of our planning paid off during production. The crew was clear on what they needed to do the day of and we were off to the races!
- Lighting & Sound: We were fortunate enough to enter the location the night before to set up our lighting equipment, which made the day of filming that much smoother. This moved up our schedule and allowed us to start filming earlier than expected. Although we filmed next to a cafe that was playing music…yikes- we were able to capture clear enough sound to where it was not an issue.
- Filming: After a few rehearsals and blocking with the actors, we were ready to get the camera rolling! Multiple takes were filmed for each scene to ensure that we had multiple options to choose from during the editing phase. We often referred back to our storyboard in order to ensure that we were filming takes that would cut together smoothly during the editing process.
- Directing Talent: Luckily, our actors worked hard beforehand to memorize their lines and prepare their performance. We only had to provide minimal guidance and feedback to bring their best performances and ensure their reads were authentic and aligned with the Explainly brand.
Phase 3: Post-Production – Polishing the Masterpiece
Once filming wrapped, the extensive work of post-production began, transforming raw footage into a polished final product.
- Editing: Our editor meticulously reviewed hours of footage, selecting the best takes and seamlessly stitching them together to create a cohesive narrative flow. Place holders were used during this process for compositions that needed to be created in visual effects.
- Motion Graphics: Throughout certain parts of the video, we planned to have certain motion graphics to enhance our storytelling. During our planning in the pre-production phase, we identified scenes where we would need to create a keying grid so that our animators could insert a motion graphic during post production.
- Visual Effects: We also employed visual effects to create compositions such as the scene that featured researchers, writers, and creative producers. During this phase, we also took the opportunity to remove small blemishes such as c-stands, unwanted shadows, boom mic, wall sockets or wires out of scenes.
- Color Grading: This process involved adjusting the colors and tones of the footage to enhance the visual appeal and establish a consistent aesthetic throughout the video.
- Sound Design & Mixing: Beyond simply editing the audio, our sound designer added sound effects, background music, and mixed all audio elements to create a rich and immersive auditory experience. We also used emerging AI technologies to clean up our actor’s audio during filming.
- Review & Revisions: The final video, after going through multiple rounds of revisions per step, incorporating rounds of reviews from key stakeholders met all objectives and exceeded expectations.
The Final Product
The result of this collaborative effort is a live-action promotional video that we are incredibly proud of. It effectively communicates the essence of Explainly, showcasing our capabilities and connecting with our audience on a deeper level.
Creating a live-action promo is a complex but rewarding process. It requires a blend of creative vision, technical expertise, and seamless teamwork. We hope this behind-the-scenes look has given you a greater appreciation for the dedication and artistry that goes into producing high-quality video content.
Want a live action promotional video of your own? Get a quote today at explainly.com.
