Collaborative Creative Process
Why collaboration?
Creativity can come from anywhere, that’s why collaboration is important. But good design is 90% iteration and 10% inspiration.
Most people design starting with the last things first. But I lead by a process incorporating several design principles.
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Building a video is like building a home. The parts that people see, are the last things to get done.
It starts with understanding who will live there and what they love and need. A place to host dinner parties? A large yard for kids to play in? A place to store all their outdoor toys? Or something else? Where do they want to be. On the beach? In the city? In the mountains, or somewhere entirely different?
Only with that vision, can the design begin.
The foundation gets poured, the frame is built, and finally all the things that make it home — the finishes, appliances, fixtures, colors, and everything that you and your friends will see, touch, feel, and love — go in last. Why does that matter? Because most people design starting with the last things first.
Video is the same. The process starts with Message Distillation. Then we Design and Frame the Story. And finally we add everything people see, hear, and sense in Video Production.
THE PROCESS
PHASE ONE
Message Distillation
WEEKS 1 & 2
We meet with you in a Creative Kick-off Meeting.
We deliver 3 video treatments.
You choose 1 video treatment and provide feedback
In the Message Distillation phase, we seek to understand your product, what makes it revolutionary, and why you're passionate about it. [READ MORE]
Typically, you’ve already sent us a creative brief and information about your product. But our goal is to distill everything into a story, like a metaphor — one that will get your customers excited, without to much explanation.
It starts with a Creative Kick Off Meeting and about one week later we deliver three treatments for telling your story through video. You choose your favorite and provide feedback.
PHASE TWO
Design and Frame the Story
WEEKS 2 & 3
We meet with you in a Creative Discovery Meeting.
We deliver a script synopsis, 3 moodboards, and storyboard keyframes.
You choose 1 moodboard and provide feedback on everything.
In the process of framing the story, we take the treatment you like most, incorporate your feedback, and develop it into a story. [READ MORE]
This is a sculpting process where we apply design principles to create the underpinnings of your video and align the arrival points of the story, with the critical pillars of your product, along with the aesthetic and emotional qualities of your brand personality, to make your customers feel it’s video worth watching. It begins with a Creative Discovery Meeting where we explore the choices you made and delve deeper.
At the end of framing the story, we deliver a script synopsis, 3 mood boards (from which you choose one to that defines the look and feel that you like best), and keyframes of the storyboard. Together these documents begin to reveal what makes your video special.
A script synopsis reads like a book in process. Key parts of the plot have been determined but the timing of events and exact details are open to your feedback. Moodboards bring together sample images, color, and looks that set the tone and feel of your video. And keyframes from the storyboard help illustrate how the video will show what is happening in the story.
PHASE THREE
Video Production
WEEKS 3 to 8
We deliver multiple production items including a script, storyboard, graphic samples,
casting recommendations, location recommendations, and set design recommendation.
casting recommendations, location recommendations, and set design recommendation.
You provide feedback, sign-offs, and suggestions.
We and you both attend video shoots and voice-over recording sessions.
We deliver several post-production items including a first and second draft-cuts of the video, a final video, and all production assets.
In video production, we turn the story into a video. [READ MORE]
A script is written. Locations, actors, voice actors, key personalities, wardrobe and set design are chosen. If the video includes graphics or animation, samples are sent to you. If the video includes stock photos or videos, samples are sent to you.
Finally we shoot the live action segments, do the animations, and bring together all the pieces.
This is where your video comes to life; this is the fun part.