JonesMillbank, Bristol-based video production company, conceptualised, produced and directed a music video for Bristol-based Keir’s latest release, Say Love, dropping yesterday.
Managed by Bristol-based Crosstown Concerts and signed to Vertigo Berlin, a division of Universal Music, Keir’s latest single features on the EP A Thorn With A Face.
Rob French, Senior Creative at JonesMillbank and Director of the music video, worked with the team and Keir on the concept and messaging of the video.
“There is a consistent awareness of others around us but it’s never something we dwell on. Walking through streets, everyone has stories. Stories of love, loss, compassion, remorse, lust, an endless list.”
“Say Love leans into this observation and positions our lead storyteller (Keir) on his own journey, balancing on his own path while others are woven around him. This ensemble collectively represent connections we all have with people through our lives, know matter how brief or long, but ultimately fade away as we continue to move forward on our own journey for love, whatever that may mean to that individual.”
One of JonesMillbank’s largest productions to date, the video was shot on-location at Ashton Avenue Bridge, spanning Bristol’s New Cut, with 30 extras, 15 crew, 5 security, and, last but absolutely not least, 1 coffee van.
“Utilising Ashton Avenue Bridge in Bristol was entirely intentional for Say Love.
“The symmetrical, brutal structure enveloping all the action was the perfect pairing to offset the tenderness and vulnerability in the song.
“A hopeful symphony between the architecture and the natural light danced with those emotions as we travel through the uniformed light and shade that floods the bridge in the mornings.”
Full road closure was granted by Bristol City Council with permits from Bristol Film Office, with the concept adapted and the production managed safely and appropriately during national lockdown.
The commission follows the release of two music videos and album content for Bristol-based and Mercury-nominated IDLES.
Visit jonesmillbank.com/work/keir/say-love for the official video, additional write-up and BTS videos and stills.
***
JonesMillbank are a passionate full-service video production company.
They work exclusively in-house with a talented team of multi-disciplined creatives, all the while telling authentic stories long before it was cool for a range of clients such as University of Bristol, Battersea, The Royal Mint and Above & Beyond.
jonesmillbank.com
01173706372
[email protected]
Although 2020 has not been a great year for shooting on location, particularly for branded content or commercials, Bristol filmmaker & writer Gavin Knight got round this problem… By crafting a brilliant script & sourcing rare footage from Bordeaux documentaries, the film was made during the first lockdown & released in April. It promotes a new concept in wine by Viniv – you can blend your own barrel of wine (240 bottles!) under the auspices of Chateau Lynch-Bages.
The Evcom London Film Awards normally take place at the BFI, but sadly this November it was a virtual ceremony. The film can be viewed on Gavin’s website here:
https://buxtonknight.myportfolio.com/viniv-bordeaux-wine
We all love compelling stories that capture our emotions. The characters in these stories have complex arcs that can relate to us in our daily lives. 2D animation videos make the audience associate with the characters and their message. Brand messaging can be delivered with precision and impact through 2D animation and explainer videos to the audience. The characters in 2D animation videos and explainer animation videos display the intrinsic human value of your service.
2D animation videos express the brand purpose to the client through moving objects and figure. This has the ability to capture the attention and increase the quality of engagement of the audience. The target audience is given a flowing account of the business services in a creative way.
Pour life into abstract ideas
Convenient to understand
Product promotion through 2D videos is the simplest way to display the working of the product. The characters in the 2D video can be scripted according to your marketing needs. This leads to an easy understanding of the benefits of your products in the market.
Brand promotion is made easy
Comfortable communication with clients
Convenient to Search
Inform and Astonish viewers
What are animated explainer videos?
Explainer videos are brief animated videos which focus on elucidating the core business idea in an easy, engaging and persuasive way. Explainer videos have clear and compact language. Their attractive visuals appeal to the attention of the viewer.
Main features
Benefits of explainer videos
Explainer videos skyrocket the visibility of your brand and have a strong effect on the marketing strategy.
Convey the business idea in a few seconds
Explainer videos are the perfect way to capture the attention of the audience and get them to stay hooked on to the brand. Incorporation of the explainer video on the homepage of your website will enhance the visit time of the viewer by 2 minutes.
Enhance your brand’s online visibility
Google takes note of the amount of time spent by the visitor on your website. The greater the time, the higher are the chances of your website getting a top ranking in the search results. Video marketing is given a great boost by YouTube which multiplies the probability of getting the optimalvisibility your product is in need of.
Conversions areincreased
The catchy and appealing nature of explainer videos makes them a compelling watch for prospective clients. The end perception of the explainer video stays much longer in the working memory of the individual than a few lines of sentences.
The fun factor in the explainer videosincreases the retention of the information about the brand product and leads to an exponential growth in conversions.
Establishing brand awareness
Live-Action vs. Animation
Animation videos don’t need moody actors and costly locales. This will help you save a lot of money and time. On the other hand, live-action videos tend to be more expensive with the added requirement of the ability for high-quality editing.
There are lots of good animation companies who can deliver the best output for complex products. Animation studios have skilled creative employees who can simplify abstract business ideas and bring them to life.
South West Film: Top Creative video agency for the corporate world
We are a top-notch 2D explainer video animation agency with a high degree of specialization in the creation of 2D animation explainer videos for our corporate clients. We have cutting-edge experience in the creation of motion graphics, explainer videos andinfographics that will present a visually energetic and engaging representation of your business to the customer.
Our commitment to improving your search engine rankings is unparalleled through the creation of amazing videos. We are the top animation studio to generate unique creative ways to bring your business idea to life.
This week marks Skylark Media’s 15th birthday. Although it’s a bit of a weird time to celebrate we wanted to say thanks to the fab clients, partners, colleagues and friends who’ve crossed our paths over the years. Without you we wouldn’t be here.
It feels like yesterday that Jo Haywood, fresh from making climate change documentaries for the Beeb and Discovery Channel, mustered up the courage to set up her own video production company.
Running a creative business isn’t always easy (especially in 2020!), as our peers in the creative industry will agree. Now more than ever, it’s vital to support each other and take collaboration to another level. Over Lockdown, 92% of independent agencies have either collaborated with another agency to take a brief, or are willing to. That’s fantastic news – and we hope that in our partners we’re able to fill skill gaps, deliver great client service and aid creativity where we can. We are looking to expand our network of creatives and agencies, so please get in touch if you’d like to partner at [email protected]
As we enter another Lockdown, we wanted to reassure everyone that it’s business as usual, and we’ll continue to film according to APA guidelines. If you’ve got a few minutes, we’ve launched our new website this week at www.skylarkmedia.co.uk and Jo has a few words to say herself: https://bit.ly/3kQOxkH
This month I’ve been stunned by two different films that come from popular mobile brands, Samsung & Orange.
Although the films are very different, they have some telling things in common. Neither of the films feature any product or service whatsoever, apart from the logo at the end. How refreshing…it’s as if the Covid crisis has forced many brands to have more of a conscience. Both these films support an idea that benefits humanity. Brands are beginning to realise that unless they put their money where their morals lie, unless they can actively demonstrate they are purpose-led, as well as creative in their communications, consumers will just switch off.
SAMSUNG’s film – ‘Inspired by a True Photo’ – is really inspired by an original photo, a simple sack of ‘Onions’, taken by a real person called Scott Anders. But we don’t see Scott take the photo, instead Director Sam Hibbard of Somesuch imagines a story behind the photo that sees a boy meet a girl for the first time – but full of comedy, pathos and using a surreal style. At its heart, the film is about connection – the hope & expectation of the boy’s journey.
Samsung have realised that it’s not the quality of camera that is important but the way people use images to communicate with each other. Samsung claim that when we take and share our images, they take on a life of their own. The shot becomes the conversation. The beauty of Sam’s film is that it avoids all the brand’s technology to tell a fun story using great characters, images & original music.
Connection & communication that is funny & uplifting in the time of Covid has never been more important.
The ORANGE film – ‘The Toy’ – takes a more direct approach to saving humanity by encouraging us to recycle our old phones. Millions of old phones are to be found hibernating in long-forgotten draws & these phones are wasting our planet’s precious resources.
The film is directed by Frédéric Planchon of Iconoclast, aimed at a European rather than UK market. It shows the relationship a little girl has with one of her first toys, the famous ‘Fisher-Price’ rolling phone. We see the girl become an adult & then rediscover her old toy in the attic with her own child. The recycling parable is clear.
Like the Samsung film, ‘The Toy’ uses great images & music to tell a life-affirming story with emotion.
This experimental interactive short by filmmaker Ru Howe is one of the first films crafted with trailblazing technology from Bristol based start up stornaway.io which lets filmmakers create story game experiences easily and creatively without coding. Released at Immersive Encounters this week, you can watch it here.
Part funny vlog, part game, the viewer gets to follow Wolfie all over Bristol, on multiple paths through the city – encountering and re-encountering memorable characters across two timelines.
Behind Howe’s signature jump cut editing and Wolfie’s wide eyed vlogging are layered some wonderfully meditative moments and conversations.
Life Moves Pretty Fast was made hand in hand with the creation of Stornaway.io itself. Originally mapped out on Howe’s kitchen wall with pieces of paper, he and producer Kate Dimbleby used the creative production process to design and prototype an authoring tool which would put the creative process at the heart of stornaway.io‘s revolutionary drag and drop vision.
The film was shot in 2 days with a cast and crew of professional friends on a minimal budget.
Life Moves Pretty Fast is designed to be watched and replayed multiple times – there are over 40 minutes of gameplay (if you find all the secret paths!) but allow yourself 15-20 minutes to take Wolfie through 2-3 different journeys of discovery.
If you are a filmmaker or business interested in making your own interactive content, please contact [email protected] or go to the website and sign up for a free 30 day trial and discounted licenses
https://www.lifemovesprettyfast.io
The short film was made for Viniv Wine during lockdown & released in April. It was written & created by Bristol freelancer, Gavin Knight. The film is made entirely from existing footage, either shot by Viniv themselves or sourced from rare films about Bordeaux. It is voiced by Hugh Bonneville, who recorded the script in his ‘garden shed’ studio at home!
Viniv have developed as a new luxury concept in wine, where customers are allowed to blend their own barrel of wine (240 bottles!) under the guidance of the experts at Chateau Lynch-Bages. They decided to create a promotional film to extend their reach, particularly in the American & UK markets.
Evcom is one of the largest and most prestigious film festivals in Europe for brand films & usually takes place at the BFI in November. The full shortlist can be seen here:
Above & Beyond, the official charity for Bristol city centre hospitals, has launched its Bristol Against Cancer campaign to “talk about the other ‘C’ word.”
JonesMillbank, a Bristol-based video production company, have been working with the charity to create a series of films highlighting the personal stories of those affected by cancer and working in cancer care.
“We met such inspiring individuals and had the privilege of hearing honestly and openly about their journeys and the amazing people who helped them along the way” said Emma Baker, Producer at JonesMillbank.
“From Simon, who was alerted by his vet and went on to beat the disease, to Jonathan, a radiologist at Bristol Royal Infirmary who was asked by a 7-year-old if he would remember him before sadly passing away, we hope the films highlight the strength, struggles and dedication of their stories.”
One in two of us will be affected by cancer in our lifetime, and today, like every day, 2,500 new patients will take their first steps through the doors of one of Bristol city centre hospitals.
To find out more, or to donate to and support the amazing work carried out by Above & Beyond, visit www.aboveandbeyond.org.uk/appeal/bristol-against-cancer.
***
JonesMillbank are a passionate full-service video production company
They work exclusively in-house with a talented team of multi-disciplined creatives, all the while telling authentic stories long before it was cool for a range of clients such as University of Bristol, Battersea, The Royal Mint and IDLES.
jonesmillbank.com
01173706372
[email protected]
If a picture can say a thousand words, then what about a video?
It’s well known that pictures boost engagement, and videos even more so. So, how and why should you start incorporating video in your business right now?
These days video is everywhere we look. We, as people, like to see moving images. From FaceTime, to Netflix, Zoom and the rise of TikTok – it’s evident people like to have visual stimulation and moving pictures. It’s no surprise that, according to HubSpot, more than 50% of consumers want to see videos from brands. And this doesn’t discriminate – be it beauty products, recruitment agencies, clothing brands, or legal services. For each and every sector there is a way that video can boost your business.
We’re always being made aware of how easily people are put off using video in their marketing strategies. It’s a common belief that video is difficult and expensive to produce, as well as time consuming. However, it doesn’t need to be any of these things – and there are a tonne of benefits to using marketing for your businesses. Not to mention that video can actually save you time and money in the long run.
Video boosts conversions and sales
As well as just looking good and being user friendly, videos can also have some pretty positive effects on your conversions and sales. Videos are great on landing pages; they can increase conversions by up to 80% and directly lead to sales. Visitors to your website who watch a video are 64-85% more likely to purchase after watching a product video. Explainer videos let you show, not just tell, all your potential customers what you’ve got to offer them, and how that solves their problem.
Video builds trust
Trust is a key factor in the decision-making process of your potential customers. Content marketing is a concept that exists partially to create long term relationships and trust. Your videos needn’t be ‘salesy’ but more focused on providing useful information and creating value for your customers.
Focus on building trust and creating a relationship so when the time comes when someone requires your product or service, you’ll be the first place they go. It’s really important to think past product and profit – enlighten your audience about your philosophy, show them some valuable information, or tell them about an event they may find interesting. Let them know about your positive practice and they’ll be more likely to stick around. 90% of consumers say that videos give them more confidence to purchase online.
Boost email click throughs
Even just having the word ‘video’ in the subject line of your emails can increase open rates by 7-13%. And not only do videos just get your emails opened, they significantly increase your click-through rates too. Including videos in your emails is a sure-fire way to increase engagement and see real results.
SEO – Google loves video
It’s predicted that by 2021 over 80% of all web traffic will consist of video. Search engines love video – they’re seen as high-quality content and SEO ranking is all about quality. Combine your video with the right key words, an optimised meta description and a solid title, and it can work wonders for your SEO. More about SEO and choosing your keywords.
Video shows great ROI
A pretty widespread belief is that producing video content is expensive. Sure, it is more expensive than other content to produce, however the ROI is so great that 52% of small business owners report that videos have the greatest ROI in marketing. So even if you’re worried about the initial cost of equipment and time investment, you can be reassured that the ROI will make it worth it.
Besides, if you’re creating videos for social media, you don’t have to go all out on professional equipment. A neutral background and a decent camera will get you there.
Video is accessible to the masses for the masses
Video is super accessible to mobile users, and you see people using their mobiles everywhere. From your commute, to at the gym, sat in the pub or walking their dog. The world is phone-obsessed, and this means people are watching video everywhere, all the time. 90% of consumers watch videos on their mobiles, so if you want to be reaching the masses using video is a no-brainer. Just remember to add captions – not only for the large proportion of people who don’t browse with sound, but because it’s also much more accessible for people who’re deaf or hard of hearing.
Show up more in social feeds
The way the worlds going is heavily based on algorithms and social media feeds use these to show people exactly what they want to see. These algorithms are based on users’ previous activity and can make it pretty difficult for smaller businesses to be seen or discovered by new audiences.
Video posts, however, are rising to the top of everyone’s newsfeeds everywhere, and people are more likely to stop scrolling for an eye-catching video, helping your reach. So, when it comes to your social game, video is your ticket to getting noticed.
Staying competitive
While in marketing, the point is trying to separate yourself from the competition and stand out most the time – you also have to stay competitive and over 80% of businesses are now using video for marketing. By using storytelling, you can catch and hold people’s attention. By not using video when so many businesses are, you could be falling behind the market.
YouTube is the world’s second largest search engine
YouTube boasts over a billion users who watch over 250million hours of video each day. It’s where your potential buyers are, so it only makes sense for you to have a presence there too. One of the most popular searches on YouTube is ‘how tos’, these tutorial videos can teach everything you could ever imagine.
Some tips
In terms of how video performs differently across platforms here are some tips for best practice when working out what video you want to show across different platforms. You can always start producing the longest and cut it down when don’t need it as long.
-Instagram 30 seconds
-Twitter 45 seconds
-Facebook 1 minutes
-YouTube 2 minutes
You should always make sure auto play is on your videos so your audience doesn’t have to click play – this way you can capture their attention without them needing to do anything. If you have a voiceover or someone speaking in your videos you should always make sure to have it muted if it plays automatically – it doesn’t make for good user experience if a video starts playing loudly when someone’s on their daily commute!
Conclusion
The only way is up! Video is not likely to go anywhere in terms of popularity. Consumers are craving connection and personality in an impersonal digital world. And to appeal to them you need to allow them that – to see and hear people, to give a real glimpse of what you can offer them and show them about your positive practices. This will in turn have significantly positive effects or your brand, conversion and sales.
As we crawl towards the end of lockdown, it’s unlikely that we’ll return to pre Covid-19 days overnight. Restrictions on social distancing will be commonplace for a while yet – and this will impact across businesses in how they protect staff, how they are run and how they will continue to work with external partners.
So what if you’ve got a story to tell or a product to sell and you want to do it with video? Filming in a busy office or a client testimonial is not on the cards, what other options do you have?
Like most businesses, filming at home with a basic camera has its limitations. Vlogs, community initiatives and live streaming educational videos are among the most commonly produced videos during the Covid-19 crisis. But if you’re yearning to roll out your message sooner through more professional means, animation might just be the answer.
People love watching animations, in fact one of yesterday’s distractions was the show-reel for anime streaming service, Crunchyroll, that doubled its subscribers last year and is now one of the top 10 streaming companies in the US.
At Skylark, we love anime too but it’s just one of the many styles of animation we offer. But what style would be right for you?
How about employing an illustrator to create original characters for your brand? They could be 2d vector people with stick arms all the way to photo-real characters or even a train that animates in your logo. One Big Circle had a complex story to tell about how their automated intelligent video review works on trains and they needed it explained in under two minutes to their audience of train operating companies. Here’s what we came up with:
Or if you want something a bit more minimal, how about this example for Brunel Insurance where we bring to life the two circles that make up their logo to tell the story of investment portfolios. I know, it doesn’t sound possible, but one you’ve got the visual analogy going I hope you’ll agree that the results are very pleasing and will resonate with their sophisticated, high-net-worth audience.
Animated explainers make up the bulk of our work here at Skylark. The compelling thing about this style is the way that text is given life which makes reading it so much more fun. Then when you add in animations of the icons you’ve used on your website you’ve got a winning formula for a social media campaign (see recruitment firm identifi’s social ad).
But for products or services with more complex ideas, animation has always been ingenious in that it takes viewers to the most abstract and far-reaching places. When Carbon Gold tasked us to create an explainer to inform viewers on its product – a biochar soil improver – there was only one way to go. Underground. Take a look for yourselves:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Mevs_MXwak
When you’re making an animation you start with a blank canvas which can be quite daunting. There’s no location footage to fill the frame. But it’ a challenge we love. Give us a call and we can help you to decide on the style to suit your brand and your budget whether it’s a social media campaign or a TV ad.
Other blogs you might like: