Promotional Video- Critical Evaluation of Finished product

Critical Evaluation of Finished Product

     For this project I was required to film and produce a promotional video that met with standards acceptable to a client. To begin this I first analysed the codes and conventions of three existing promotional videos. The first of these was a promotional video for the area of Camden in London, which featured the use of visual conventions such as a montage sequence of establishing location shots around the area, and close ups of historical buildings and areas such as parks and busy streets, making the area look vibrant and appealing, this was accompanied by a rhythmic non diegetic soundtrack that overlaid the sound of busy roads and natural noises in the area. The second video was a promotion for a school program called “Butterflies” this videos structure was different from the first as it featured a series of interview scenes with people involved with the program that were speaking directly to the camera, and they were always placed directly in front of something that related to the topic being discussed e.g. the school building. This was aided by on screen graphics to show the audience the person’s title and their involvement with the project, and throughout the video the visuals were accompanied by soft non-diegetic music that didn’t tune out the sound of the interview. The third video was a promotion for a mediation service for divorced couples to work around their issues to put their children’s benefit first. This video was similar to the second one as it featured interviews with people involved with the project with on screen graphics to display their role. However this video differed as it also included small dramatised pieces to show the audience the effects divorce may have on children and it added a sense of narrative to the video, it then diverted to more interview scenes with the actors to show how the mediation process might work. After analysing these videos it seems that the codes and conventions for promotional videos include the use of interviews with the people involved, montage shots, non-diegetic music that doesn’t drown out the background noise and close ups and establishing shots are important in the visual aspect of the videos.

   I intended the style of my promotional video to be influenced by the first promotional video by using close ups, establishing shots and effects such as changing depths of field with any non-diegetic music being quiet and doesn’t drown out the background ambient noise too much. I also intended to take some influence from the third video as it showed the process of the mediation service, my client is the owner of a Tattoo Studio and during meetings they didn’t give me any specific criteria so I thought that showing the process of a tattoo being inked would be an appropriate direction to take. I believe it works well in the video, I used the codes and conventions of the analysed videos by including establishing shots and close ups on the location, I also used depth of field changes to make certain shots look more interesting. The use of influence from the third video was also done well I believe as it gives my video some form of narrative that goes from entering the studio and browsing the designs to going into the work area and then to going through the tattoo process. I believe that I have managed to include many of the code and conventions featured in previous promotional videos to show my influence from them in my production.

  The purpose of my video was to promote my clients business and to show the process of how a tattoo is performed, and I believe the finished product achieves this as the first few establishing shots introduces their business to the audience and then due to the narrative structure it then takes the audience inside the studio and through the use of close ups, showcases the variety of designs that the artists are capable of creating. I wanted to show the studios environment to the audience as a means to show its interior to anyone who may never have visited a tattoo studio before, and to show the kind of designs that were on offer from m client. The final part of the video I wanted to show the process of how a tattoo is performed to express how simple, safe and efficient the procedure is in reality, in contrast to any apprehensions the audience may have concerning the process e.g. if it’s painful or complicated. The message I wanted the video to express to the audience was how the process of getting a tattoo would be performed and to absolve any worries they may have about either pain or complexity as in my finished video I filmed a 2 hour session of a customer getting a tattoo on their shoulder, they show no expression of pain throughout the video, and the close ups of the artist I use I show the concentration and precision that is needed to create the design and I believe the finished product has achieved this.

I intended the audience for my finished product to include people, who most likely would not have had a tattoo before or perhaps even visited a tattoo studio, so I wanted the video to showcase most of the features of the location and to go through the basic process of getting a tattoo. I believe I showed that through the shots of the various designs and background in the studio, including the process of a customer getting their tattoo inked. I believe that it does appeal to the intended audience since the films narrative takes them through the three basic steps of the process such as initially entering the location to browse the designs, then going into the studio itself and being seated which progresses to the actual inking of the tattoo. I think that it would appeal to the audience as it would set aside any worries they may have concerning the safety of the procedure, this is shown through the shots of the customer while he is being worked on and how calm they appear. I also think that the video will appeal to an audience who have already had work done by my client and simply enjoy their work and/or are considering getting more work done by them.

If I were to reproduce my finished product I would likely decide to include more footage of customers getting their tattoos inked as a way to break up the video more, to show a greater variety of the type of artwork my client performs which would make it seem more appealing to the audience. I would also consider trying to get interviews with customers and my client to share what they think of tattoos and their reasons why they have them which would make for a more interesting final video.