As we all know the manufacturing industry in the UK is pretty unique and something to be savoured by all. With a history of making high-end products in our own backyard, sometimes we can be the envy of the world. As such we as a country must ensure we promote our manufacturing services in the best light possible using video to tell the story. This is why we thought we would share with you a few ideas to help make your next manufacturing video a success.
The process
At Compass Video we believe that manufacturing can be a beautiful process and sometimes even humorous when captured correctly. We use a storytelling approach when we begin to plan our manufacturing videos for clients. It is not just about capturing the sexiest machines, it is about understanding the process from drawing board to the showroom. Our videos tell the story of the process, the dreams that started it all and show you how a piece of metal can start life as a lump and finish helping someone fulfil their wildest fantasy. In the case of a recent client, this included building flying cars and motorised surfboards. You may enter the building with some pre-conceived ideas but that never lasts for long and we aim to dig as deep as possible while we plan the shoot.
After initial meetings, working out what you want to achieve and who is the target audience and where the video will be used, we will move to the interview phase of the process. This can be a single person interview, the CEO for example, but to really understand any process it is great to get the story from the horse’s mouth. We might spend an entire day talking to a variety of people around the plant/factory to get the ins and outs of the manufacturing process. The interviews will lead the final video production and guide the viewer on their journey through a complex build process that does not make any sense without a bit of commentary. As you can see from the above image, we have even included the testing test for this engine, filming them as they start a 1000 hour testing process to ensure the engine works for that long without a service and discover any weakness.
Getting in deep
One of the hardest places to film is actually the factory floor, due to the dangerous nature of CNC milling machines it is sometimes necessary to sacrifice your equipment in the search for the best shot. That is where the GoPro comes in and there is a reason why they are called Heroes. On a recent video shoot, we bit the bullet and sent our hero into the parts of a machine where no camera belongs. That’s right into the heart of a CNC Milling machine to get covered in gooey lube, as the machine gets to work converting a lump of metal into a working piece of machinery.
The journey from forge to shopfloor is one that can be full of obstacles, challenge and in the end joy. When trying to make something of high quality and value, things can go wrong all the time so why not when you have perfected the process put it on film for prosperity. Talk about the challenges, share with your audience the hardship of trying to make the perfect product. Delivering this information in a story will help bring your product to life for the viewer and add value not just to the price of the product but to the brand as well.
Why not give us a call to find out how we can start the process of making your manufacturing video. Tell us what you want to achieve and we will help do the rest through research, interviews and a production process like no other.