Video Production Archives — Dynomite Video Production Agency

Dynomite Launches Two New Showreels

Posted on August 1, 2017 | by jfletcher

Last year Dynomite celebrated 10 years in business, and it almost goes without saying that our industry has changed phenomenally in that time, not only in terms of the equipment used but also the type of videos that are in demand. One of the interesting things about trading in a time of social media is that everyone can view your work when you first start, and they can also watch it as it changes and improves. Growth today is a publicly shared experience.

Since the release of our last showreel, Dynomite has doubled in size, and the quality of our work has increased to a level that we are really proud of. This is in no small part down to the wonderful clients that we collaborate with, who drive us to make really creative, memorable videos that work for them. We’ve also taken the time to invest in new equipment, so that the work we produce is always future proof; one of the newest additions to our arsenal is a drone, which opens up a whole new range of possibilities for our clients and their videos.

So, with this new wave of high calibre videos, we thought it was high time we released an updated showreel – and it’s one that we’re truly proud to put our name on:

One area where we’ve really worked hard to develop our services is with our animated videos and graphic design. We’ve recently enlisted the skills of a talented specialist animator, which has enabled us to offer increasingly stunning graphics whenever the client needs them. With this service skyrocketing in popularity over the past 12 months, we felt the need to showcase it in a dedicated second reel:

So, what do you think of our new showreels? Drop us a line and let us know – or visit our offices to find out how we can make video work for your marketing plans.

How to choose a Video Production Company

Posted on May 6, 2015 | by jfletcher

So, you’ve made the right decision, and chosen to have video content created for your website. You’re one step closer to generating brand awareness and potential new business. The decision to have a video is easy; the decision of who’ll make it is not.

There’s countless video production companies out there, and almost as many guides on how to choose them, some of which contain conflicting advice. All put together, it’s a lot of online ‘noise’ which doesn’t help narrow down your search.

But when it comes to it, all you need to consider are these three steps:

1) Know how you want your video to look, and why

Your finished video will usually be the introduction potential clients have to you and your business, so it needs to represent who you are as a brand, and, put simply, it needs to look ‘right’. Do you have a certain style you want to replicate? Is this personal preference, or do you like it because you think it will work best for your company? Do you know that your target customers will respond well to this style?

These questions will help you decide which type of video you want. A lot of video content these days is viewed on mobile devices, so you may want to ensure your video will work on that platform – or, if your target audience is older, you might consider other, more effective ways to promote the finished product.

Once you’ve decided on a video style and format, browse the websites of video production companies, and make sure they have examples of the type of video you want. If you want your video to feature primarily online and go ‘viral’, check the YouTube hits of a production company’s previous videos. Or, on the other end of the spectrum, if you want your video to work on television as well as online, you need to ensure that the company you choose has the correct experience and equipment to deliver this format (not all cameras are ‘broadcast ready’!).

A lot can be said for finding a company that specialises in the type of video you want, but don’t rule out companies that offer a variety of styles. Multi-talented agencies can be the most creative, and they’ll be able to make your video different and memorable rather than sticking to a well-worn, forgettable formula.

2) Establish your budget, and how to achieve your video within it

Consider this scenario – you need to provide a printed presentation to a senior colleague or client. The paper choice is vital. Print your words on thick, glossy card and you’ll be seen as frivolous rather than sensible. Print it on bargain paper, and it may well weather and smudge before you can deliver it. You need simple, good quality paper that gets your message across unhindered.

It’s the same principle with promotional videos. Not every business will suit an extravagant and expensive video, but presenting yourself to your client via low-quality footage (such as the increasingly popular ‘phone camera footage’) will give off the wrong impression.

It’s important that your chosen production company have good quality equipment, but more importantly, they need to know how to use it. Technology is now more available and affordable than ever before, but it’s also accessible to amateurs, resulting in more and more promotional videos online which are out of focus or overblown. And how can you deliver a message correctly to your client when your face is blurred?

As with most things, when it comes to video, you do get what you pay for. But it’s important to know that your chosen company understands your budget, that they can work to it, and that they have enough hands-on experience to deliver the best quality product at a sensible price. What’s more, they’ll give you recommendations about how to get what you want within your budget, and they’ll be honest up front about what isn’t achievable.

3) Make sure you like the people behind the camera!

This may not sound important, but it is. You’ll have lots of questions that need answering – probably even more after reading this article! So you need to make sure that you trust the people you’re working with enough to ask those questions, and to expect a genuine response, even at the umpteenth hour when the money has been spent.

A good production company will be friendly, welcoming (wanting your business without desperation), and good listeners. Through as many meetings as it takes, they need to find out who you are, to make sure your company’s ‘personality’ shows in your video – and more importantly, good communication will ensure that they properly understand what your company does! If your video production company doesn’t get to know you, then the message will be lost before the final product reaches your target audience.

A good working relationship is key. It’s the foundation that’s laid beneath everything that goes into your video. The best creative ideas are passed around in a relaxed and informal setting, so make sure your production company are people you’d like to go out for coffee with!

In-person conversation is the greatest tool we have, and it works both ways. As the video production company gets to know you, you in turn will find out more about them. If they do not prove their expertise, and if they’re unable to answer your questions, it’s likely the finished product will be unsatisfactory. Or worse, it’ll just ‘sit on the shelf’ when it’s finished.

In the end, you have to find the best production company for you, and it’s not a ‘one size fits all’ scenario. You have to trust your instincts to know what’s best for your business.

We hope that you find the above useful. And if you’d like to find out why Dynomite Productions Ltd could be the ideal choice for you, then please get in touch!

Dynomite’s Guide To: Event Videos

Posted on April 24, 2015 | by jfletcher

Over the next few blog posts, we’ll be going behind the scenes on the different types of videos and services we offer to clients. The first in our ‘Dynomite’s Guide To…’ series, since we’ve got Marketing Week Live on our minds at the moment (as well as our recent trip to Hamburg), is of course, Event Videos.

Event videos cover a few different areas – exhibitions, conferences, large-scale presentations such as book launches and film premieres, the list goes on – and they’re a form of video which never stops being popular. There are some strong benefits for commissioning a video of your event:

The finished video can be hosted on social media, increasing your online presence and click-through rate. If it’s an event featuring members of the public, they may spot themselves in the video and even share it around, creating a talking point.
It can work as a promotional video – either to advertise your next event or just to showcase your business in general.
You can send the video to people who were unable to attend the event, making sure they don’t miss out on the all-important insight into your business. Or you can send it to people who did attend, offering a memento as a way of saying thankyou.
You can use footage from the event to send to clients (potential or valued), proving your professionalism within your field.
TESTIMONIALS. There’s nothing better than a good review from a user of your services, and how often do you get the opportunity to get many of them in one room, with a camera ready and willing to pick up those all-important quotes?

So, how do we go about creating the perfect event video for you? Initially, we get to know you and your business, and find out what you want to achieve from your video. Then we look into the best way to capture your event.

Coverage is key. If there are speakers at your event, we use multiple cameras to capture everything they say and do, and to give us options for a slick, flawless edit. We also recommend dedicating one of our cameramen as a ‘roaming camera’, constantly moving and capturing the little details of your day – which can be use to enhance your video on a promotional level – as well as capturing reactions and testimonials from your attendees.

We appreciate the time and effort which goes into organising an event from your side – so we make sure you’re getting the best quality and attention to detail from our side. After all, if you don’t get the best out of your video, and can’t show off the event at the caliber it deserves, then your efforts are in danger of being wasted.

Do you have an exhibition, conference, or other special event coming up that you’d like filmed? Get in touch!

And don’t forget to visit our stand at this year’s Marketing Week Live, on the 29th and 30th April 2015.

New promotional video for Shredall & SDS

Posted on November 6, 2014 | by jfletcher

Yesterday we were proud to release our latest promotional for Shredall & SDS, the secure document shredding, storage and scanning company. Shredall has been a great contact for Dynomite over the years, so we were delighted when they came to us again to make their new video.

As a family-run business, Shredall care about people – not just their clients, but also those within their own company. They wanted their workers to feature heavily in their latest video, and we worked with them to help give their team members a voice.

10498640_895290843832780_984032629736604176_o — Some of our team on the Shredall shoot

We worked closely with Shredall throughout pre-production to develop a concept and script – one which allowed their team to shine through whilst still portraying the company’s vision and goals. We also took our time on the edit, weaving together a montage of footage with the various layers of dialogue, and Shredall had their input throughout this process too.

Shredall & SDS – Promotional Video

We think the finished result is definitely worth the efforts put into it from both sides, and the company’s personality is showcased well in the video. If you agree, and if you would like us to come and tell your company’s story, then please get in touch!

Derbyshire County Council – video production campaign

Posted on February 9, 2013 | by admin

The brief:

Derbyshire County Council wanted a series of TV ads that can be integrated within there existing print and online marketing campaign. The ads needed to fit in with the look of the print advertising using the clean white background, the strap line and the the concept.

The creative:

Working with a Derbyshire based creative agency and the County Council we came up with a number of concepts that would bring the print based images to life whilst keeping them on brand and recognizable as part of a larger campaign.

We wanted the adverts to have a story that the viewer can follow, which when working with 20 seconds of edited time meant for a lot of storyboards and bad acting to test out the run length. To make these work we decided that instead of just cutting to each actor we needed something visual that would move the story and keep a consistent pace. Once the concepts and storyboards were approved we filmed the adverts over 1 day and then went straight into post production where we added animation, colouring and grading and ready for broadcast output.

The outcome:

We filmed and edited 5 adverts in total looking to initially use two and then a further two later on in the year. The adverts were approved and put through clearing to ensure all legal advertising standard requirements were met. We worked with the ad buyers to ensure all deadlines were met. The adverts went out on ITV East Midlands and ITV Yorkshire at prime time slots over a period of two weeks and were viewed by over 2 million people. They were also used online on ITV player and the Derbyshire County Council website.

Music Video, Miss 600 Typically Me

Posted on January 1, 2013 | by jfletcher

Following the success of their first single and video ‘Twist’ we were very pleased to be asked to make the 3rd video for sensational new duo Miss600.

The creative

The video needed to showcase a full band production and include scenarios that are mentioned in the lyrics. It was an exterior shoot in December and so we were limited to time because of the weather conditions. – Even though we rigged tarpaulin above the entire band and used continuous lighting there was always the worry of changing weather conditions that will affect the continuity. – Luckily everyone was willing to work flat out until we had worked our way through the storyboard of shots that we had created in pre production.

We knew that we wanted a very deliberate pace to the final edit and this was implemented during production by creating movement to the shots that matched the song.

In order to create the scenarios for the video and to make it stand out by adding a somewhat quirky element we decided to film Hannah, the lead singer, in front of a green screen, and then create an illustrated look to the image, an idea that we got from the brilliant opening credits to the film Juno. – By doing this is allowed us to create a look that contrasted with the black and white live action band shots and allows the viewer to concentrate on the performance.

Get all of the latest Miss600 news from their website

We hope that you enjoy!

Digital grading and manipulating the image

Posted on June 21, 2012 | by admin

Just a quick blog update today. We are currently working on the edit for a new music video. It was filmed in an old army tent and had actors and soldiers in costume as the band played around them.

Part of the song needed a dark and desaturated look to give a more intense feeling and fit in with the pace. Below you can see two stills one which was shot on the day with a P2 High definition camera in its raw format, and next to it you can see the image once it has been graded.

The other part to the song is going to have an aged 8mm look to it, the reason for this is the warm nostalgic feeling that 8mm creates.

Q. So, why is digital grading important?

A. Because its better to be a needle in a haystack, than a haystack.

Dynomite’s guide to crowd funding campaigns

Posted on February 9, 2012 | by jfletcher

What is crowd funding? Well its when you create a campaign for something which asks people to donate / pledge money to, and you will often give them something for their donation (a perk).

We are currently running our third crowd funding campaign for our upcoming feature film ‘All that remains’, which is being done through a company called indigogo.

The film is being made under the company Major Oak Entertainment Ltd

This is what we have done:

When setting up the campaign we supplied as much information about the film and the company background as we could, including synopsis, a promo video, artwork and relevant links to blogs which allow people to track the progress of the film. We then created a number of ‘perks’ that people would receive depending on the amount donated. Perks are a great way to give something back to those who are kind enough to have donated and show your appreciation.

A great way to spread awareness about your campaign is to email bloggers, especially those who could have an interest in your film, and tell them about the campaign, the project, why you are making it and why it is important. Another easy way is to email your friends and family and ask them to pass on the email to anyone who they think could be interested.

Good luck with your project!

All that remains is produced by MajorOak Entertainment Ltd, in association with Dynomite Productions Ltd and Pixel revolution films

Video production and title animations

Posted on January 25, 2012 | by jfletcher

How important is it to have motion graphics animation in your video production. Well that depends on the level of animation and how you would want to use it.

Title animations – Animating your title / logo, no matter how simple, can have a big effect on your video production. It is often the first thing that the viewer will see and therefore gives the first impression of your company. Motion graphics animation can be effective when they are designed to fit in with the brand/service/product that the company is promoting. For example if you are an architect a fitting title animation would be to animate a blueprint that spells our the company name.

Once the title animation has been designed it can then be replicated for any other text animation throughout the video keeping the branding consistent.