00 | Ideation & First steps

Before really trying to stitch a story together, we decided on the essential components our video should incorporate. In our case these were: 

- Dynamic compositions and formations

- Choreography in form of dance

- A simple storyline working for a music video or commercial

- A  filmic character through outfits and music

The medium we decided for was commercial, where deciding on the product was a difficult decision. In the beginning we intended to wrap all the ideas and frameworks into one video, which also meant sacrificing a lot a potential ideas, that weren't fitting the context yet. 

To give ourselves more chances to explore and experiment with video as a medium itself, we decided on filming 3 shorter, separate clips. This gave us the possibility to incorporate the variety of ideas into different setups, different storylines.

After that, we started collecting ideas and references, were representative  for the visuals, colors and compositions we wanted to create.

01 | Concept

Our main intention was to create a series of 3 different Spec-Ads, each representating one topic of the overall semester topic. Each video should have a concept on their own and work as an individual ad, while being part of an ficticious Coca Cola series.

From the beginning we knew how our end product should look visually and which character it should portray - the harder challenge was deciding a fitting storyline, that would incorporate all of the aspects we wished for our film. As dancers our own, we definitely were influenced by our personal backgrounds, but we wanted to engage this project as designers, where the outlet was focused around a certain product context, rather than being a dance video made by dancers. Dance and Choreography was intended to act as a supporting cast, undermining the storyline, but not taking to much attention in the overall project.

02 | Planning & Research

During the preparation process we realized pretty quick, that the main challenge wasn't in the artistic aspects like choreographing, staging or performing, but more in the technical aspects like storyboarding, shot planning, filming techniques and post-production. At this stage our main focus lied on:

- Storyboard/Shotlist

- Mood

- Location

- Actors

- Outfits

- Timeframe

While the storyline not being fully developed yet, the decisions on which vibe each video should at least have drove our projects forwards. We scouted different locations and options, that were fitting each storyline, while simultaneously choosing the cast for each video. 

To get familiar with the RED Dragon camera and necessary equipment, we scheduled numerous trials for various shot ideas. It was obvious that our filmic knowledge couldn't match our intentions yet, so this stage took a lot of time and effort. At the same time we were blown away by the quality and possibilities the camera offered enhancing our imagination drastically.

03 | Spec-Ad "Ton"

The general idea was based on making sound as a filmic component visible, not just being meant to be background addition. For this video we wanted to have a Retro-like atmosphere, which led to the decision to film in the Café Noir, in Halle. They kindly offered us to film the first video for 2 days, each day having a 3 hour timeframe, without charging us anything for renting cost. 

For this video specifically we took 2 days in the location to prepare each shot with our mobile phones and generating an overall feeling of how we shoot the scenes. This being the first time filming with complex equipment, directing a group of people for a concept video and the small time window, the main challenge lied in the efficiency to navigate the equipment and cast in a structured way.

Final Video

04 | Spec-Ad "Tempo"

The intention of the 2nd video was to visualize the topic „Tempo“ through the general storyline, steady increased pacing, dynamic cuts and sounds. This time we weren't able to test-shoot the scenes on our phones in the location before, having us to rely on the references we researched. The setup being an office setting meant needing way more preparation for outfits, props, actors and structure, which Ada handled masterfully.

Also for this shoot we were able to use more advanced equipment like a camera slider, a dolly and various camera add-ons and weren't limited by a short time window.

05 | Spec-Ad "Tanz"

The last video was meant to be dance-focused. We planned a whole concept with a storyline. Unfortunately, we couldn’t film the entire commercial because we were short on time and some actors and choreographers weren’t available on the planned shooting days. We still wanted to film at least some dancing scenes and parts of the video, so we made it happen. Min choreographed and mapped out one whole part, and a friend of ours, who’s a professional dancer, choreographed a second one. That’s how our sneak peek of the last video came together. We plan to finish the video during the semester break, as we remain confident in the concept and storyline.

06 | Behind the scenes

07 | Equipment + Software

We had the opportunity to try out a lot of exciting equipment. As mentioned earlier, we decided to film all three videos with the RED Dragon. For the most part, we used a tripod and an external monitor so the actors could see themselves and better assess the scene. We used various lights, from small compact ones that worked great in the café setting to large lights with stands in the photo studio.

Additionally, we used a slider and a dolly for some scenes. However, we had to allocate more time for laying out the tracks for these specific scenes than we initially anticipated.

Regarding software, we used the app 'Magic ARRI ViewFinder' for planning the shots and lenses we would need. For post-production, we worked with DaVinci Resolve.

08 | Conclusion

It was a very rich, valuable, yet demanding semester. Film encompasses so many areas where one can grow and learn. This semester, we took on everything from concept creation, shot planning, and set construction to acting and performing. We have developed significantly and gained a real appreciation for filmmaking.

The decision to film with the RED Dragon, despite having no prior camera experience, might have seemed rushed at first, but it was the right one. We quickly became comfortable with the equipment through practice.

Moreover, in the past few months, we have seen firsthand and understood how much work goes into filmmaking. It wasn’t clear before why separate teams are needed for tasks like lighting, microphones, and costumes. Now it’s evident – even a small production is often a major undertaking. Fortunately, we had many helping hands – without them, we wouldn't have achieved this result.

This semester has greatly inspired us and ignited a small spark. Yes, it was a lot of work, but we gladly took it on and sometimes got lost in the process because it was so enjoyable. This certainly won’t be our last filmmaking experience, and we look forward to exploring and filming even more in the future.