OUR WORK ETHIC
When you choose to work with us, whether you’re one of our valued customers who pays for our video production services, or a video production partner who helps us deliver outstanding videos, on this page you’ll learn about our work ethic, how we approach our daily tasks, and the values we hold dear.
General values and beliefs
We strongly believe in the power of communication and emotions through video. In fact, we don’t just believe, we know that video has the ability to convey raw emotion and drive powerful feelings and actions.
A well-produced, filmed, and edited video can yield exceptional results in the long run, and there’s a direct correlation between the quality of the video and its impact, regardless of the intended outcome.
That’s why we emphasise the importance of aligning the vision among all parties involved, and we hold ourselves and our team to a standard of perfection throughout the production process. While we may not be producing Hollywood movies (yet 🙂), we strive for nothing less than perfection in every small detail, from the shoot to the final edit.
To achieve outstanding results, we actively listen to feedback and creative ideas from everyone involved. We don’t shy away from admitting when something isn’t working, and we’re candid with our clients about any concerns. However, we also make every effort to find the right solution with the resources at hand.
We are open to continuous improvement, and we never tire of hearing feedback and creative input. We keep working until we believe it can’t get any better, and we are committed to delivering exceptional videos that surpass expectations.
Video Shooting
On shoot day, it’s game on! We firmly believe that capturing great footage is the foundation of creating a fantastic video. While editing is where the magic happens, our editors need to start with high-quality ingredients, and that means having the best possible raw footage provided by our shooters.
To achieve exceptional results during our shoots, we request our customers to provide us with as much detail as possible about their project. This allows us to prepare a comprehensive brief for our shooters and be fully prepared for the shoot.
To ensure smooth shoot days, we ask our shooters to conduct a thorough check of all equipment the day before the shoot and pack it in a manner that aligns with the style of the shoot. This minimises time spent on technical issues and equipment transport during production, allowing us to focus on creative aspects.
It’s crucial for our shooters to have 100% confidence in their equipment and carry backup options in case of any failures, as comfort and confidence during the shoot are key to capturing exceptional footage.
While we can’t guarantee everything will go perfectly, we are committed to delivering the best possible results through meticulous planning and preparation.
On-set mindset
Our shooters are always on the lookout for the next best shot. We strive to capture the perfect shot at all times. With this mindset, we also anticipate the editing process. Whether our shooter is also the editor or someone else takes care of the editing, the shooter is responsible for providing the editor with great material to work with. This means:
- Always being alert and attentive to capture every important moment.
- Shooting from different angles and perspectives, using varying focal lengths to convey different emotions.
- Finding unique vantage points and putting in the effort to move around and perfect framing.
- Creating visually pleasing images in-camera, utilising natural and artificial light to create exposure contrast and colour contrast, resulting in stunning visuals in post-production.
- Never hesitating to overshoot, as having more footage is better than having less. Our editor's role is then to carefully select the best material for use in the final product.
Technical - video recording
- Video resolution: we ask that our shooters record in 4K for most of our projects, so we can have access to the highest quality during editing.
- Bit-rate and bit depth: 10-bit 4:2:2 will give us a better environment to work with in post, and log footage will leave room for some advanced colour grading.
- WB, ISO and SS: We request our shooters to pay careful attention to white balance, ensuring it's properly calibrated, and avoid pushing the ISO to a level where digital noise becomes noticeable. We also recommend following the shutter speed rule of thumb, which is to double the frame rate, to achieve smooth motion capture (unless the project requires for more/less motion blur, ex. green screen work)
- Focus: We believe in smart focus management. This may involve using manual or automatic focus, depending on the situation. The goal is to create a professional image that doesn't reveal focus point jumping from subject to subject unnaturally, ensuring a seamless and visually pleasing result.
- Picture profile: we typically shoot in log, although not every occasion requires log/flat footage. Log footage is ideal for more flexible colour grading, and we prefer to use it for projects where we aim to fine-tune our grading in post-production. However, it does require additional effort during post-production.
Technical - audio recording
On set, we are not just videographers, but also sound recordists. We highly value working with talented videomakers who recognise that sound is equally as important as video in creating an immersive and impactful experience. We believe that high-quality audio is essential to complement and enhance the visuals, and we are dedicated to capturing pristine sound to ensure the overall production meets the highest standards.
For this reason, we thoroughly plan our video shoots also in the sound department, and we prepare our audio equipment so we don’t incur in any particular hiccup during production. Recovering a badly recorded audio in post is tedious, and sometimes impossible, and our videographers need to strive for perfect results during shoot, so our editors have a good audio track to work with to start off.
- On-set monitoring: we require our shooters to monitor their audio live to ensure high-quality recording is taking place.
- Multiple sources and backups: especially for live events, it is crucial to capture audio from multiple sources to allow for flexibility in post-production and for backup purposes.
- Dialogue and interviews: for dialogue and interviews, we utilise lapel microphones or professional booms (supercardioid) to capture clear voices while also being mindful of background noise. If a location is unsuitable for dialogue recording, we proactively communicate this and seek out a better location.
- Live music: capturing live music is always difficult, we always recommend getting as many sources as possible, a mixed output from the audio desk plus an ambient mic are the bare minimum to obtain a balanced mix in post production.
Video Editing
Video editing is similar to baking the perfect cake, with various ingredients at our disposal, such as our own footage or externally provided footage, music track/s, still graphics and motion graphics, audio sources and recordings, and audio effects.
However, the most crucial ingredient, which is often overlooked, is the creative brief, akin to a “recipe”. The creative brief encompasses essential information, including the “why” of the video.
Regardless of the content, our editor must remember that a video is a medium of communication, and in order to create an impactful video, they must adhere to the underlying purpose or reason for its existence.
- We review all the footage to familiarise ourselves with the content that has been shot and gain a better understanding of how to organise the work ahead.
- We approach the editing process with a big-picture perspective, aiming to create a cohesive video that builds momentum, tension, and release.
- Our goal is to ensure that all aspects of the edit are tasteful. Our team of video editors has a keen eye for detail and strives for perfection in selecting the best footage, using seamless transitions, expertly mixing audio and effects, and fine-tuning colour grading.
- We maintain an open mind about revisions and requests, and we welcome them even if it means changing the course and making significant adjustments.
Communication
We prioritise over-communication as we believe it is essential for clarity and transparency. Under-communication is not condoned or understood in our professional environment, and we believe that communication should never break down. While we acknowledge that people can be busy, we believe that a quick reply, even a simple one-liner, is sufficient to assure everyone that the line of communication is open.
