Promo Video Research: (Week 2)

With these promo videos, I noticed some techniques that they used that could be quite helpful to either use and or just be inspired by for our Promo video. Also, within my research of promo videos, I tried specifically looking at AUT promo videos but also other university promo videos to get a feel of what our promo could look like or just get inspired by these videos and the techniques that were used.

Promo Video Examples:

This Video had no dialogue in the film but was more of a montage of the campus and I thought that it could help inspire us for our establishing shots and how to do it. I also noticed that they do a lot of slight panning in most of the clips mixed with certain shots as mentioned below. (I like the simplicity of this one.)

Techniques used…

• close ups
• Panning
• Dolly out/ in
• Low angles
• Over the shoulder shot
• Full shot

Music is quite calming, relaxing, (sounds happy, chill but can be romantic- I think this was also to try and complement the establishing shots of (beautiful) natural/ man-made parts of this campus.)

This one was the one of the ones I quite liked when looking for promo video inspiration. I like the the balance between. This one showed montages of the campus but also had a voice-over and interviews compared to the first video. I really liked the kind of shots they took and how it was taken. I liked how it felt quite natural with the scenes and showed the ethos of the campus. Showed

Techniques used…

• Establishing shot
• Medium close up / Medium shots
• Panning/ (Slight) slow angles
• Over the shoulder shot/ medium close up
• Tracking shots
• Close up
• Dolly out
• Aerial shots

Edits:

• Slow motion
• Music sounds heroic, courageous, adventurous- adds drama.

Techniques used…

• Tracking shots
• Medium shots/ Close ups
• Over the shoulders
• Medium/ close ups

Edits:

• Voice-over
• Slow motion
• Music seems motivational, to me it feels like its a new beginning- a new start which is showing a new start at uni.

The feel of this video was quite different to the other ones as it was more quirky and engaging in an uplifting way. Also I really like the transitions in this video as they were quite smooth and creative. Also, this one was much longer then the other ones as this was basically a short film as it was 10 mins.

Techniques used…

• Dolly in / Dolly out
• Panning around people./ Tilt
• Medium shot
• Close ups
• High angle
• Medium full shots

Edits:

• Voice-over
• Slow motion
• Classical music, Dj, upbeat music

Extra Videos:

(0.00-3.46)

There was a variety of techniques used like…

• Aerial shots (Cuts to different parts of Auckland- different locations/ parts of Auckland.)
• Medium shots (when talking- so that we see the surroundings too.)
• Long shots
• Panning (Used in transitions)
• Tracking shot

Extra:

• Scenes would match what she was explaining or talking about.
• Fade edit, small parts of zoom ins and tilts.
• Split screen of Auckland. (4 or 2 clips at once)
• Music that matches the feel of the promo. (Chill, adventurous, sight seeing- travel.)
• dutch angles (2 clips only.)

Techniques used:

• Medium shots
• Slight Low angle
• Over the shoulder
• Tilts
• Overhead shot (Overview of table, work.)

Extra:

• Edit- split screen
• Edit- sound transition scenes (Taking photos.)

Reflection: After watching a few promo videos I noticed a pattern between the techniques within the videos. I noticed that most of the films used panning, tracking shots, establishing shots, close ups, over the shoulder shots and medium close ups.

Also reflecting from the collection of promo videos, most of the videos feel very welcoming, warm and inviting, as if you too want to attend to this university. On the other hand, there was also a feeling of endless possibilities in Christ University’s promo video. It gives us that feeling that you can achieve anything and that the sky is the limit. To me, it had more of a superhero feel and a triumphant feel to the promo video which is also another take on how we could do our promo video. But considering that our campus is much more quiet, community focused/ relationship focused, South Campus gives me more of a warm, accepting, diverse, natural and a bit of a slower feel but doesn’t mean to say we can’t also make the viewer feel like there are a lot of possibilities at South Campus too.