Every project brings its own set of unique challenges and opportunities. Our recent collaboration with Third Wave Coffee (TWC) for their 7th-anniversary celebration was exhilarating. Together, we embarked on a creative journey to capture seven distinct emotions in seven short films, all set in the ambiance of a single café. Here's a peek into our whirlwind adventure.
It was a short-notice project. The brief came to us one week before the final 7 videos were supposed to be delivered.
The concept was simple but profound: seven films, seven emotions. Togetherness, Delight, Surprises, Love, Success, Friendship, and Pause were the guiding lights for our creative team. With client approval, we had just one week to bring these emotions to life. Aiming for authenticity, we casted kids and elderly individuals who embodied these emotions naturally.
Our shooting schedule was a race against the clock. Seventeen hours overnight was all we had to create the illusion of multiple café locations. The challenge was to achieve the desired look and to ensure that everyone, especially our younger and older cast members, felt comfortable and not overly tired.
We faced several challenges during this project. First, we had to work with a cast that included both young and elderly members, so scheduling shoots was a bit of a juggling act.
In addition, we had to carefully plan our frames to keep the café setting from looking repetitive across all seven films.
Another hurdle was shooting for both vertical and horizontal formats, which required some creative adaptation.
We also had a limited pool of extras, and making sure we reused them across all seven films without making it too obvious was a puzzle to solve.
To add a layer of urgency, we had an impending strike the next day, which meant we had to get everything done on time.
The biggest challenge, however, was the lighting. We needed to create artificial sunlight for scenes set in the morning, all while dodging reflections from glass doors and eyeglasses. It was a real puzzle to figure out.
We found some inventive solutions to overcome these challenges:
- Meticulous Planning: Detailed call sheets and thorough location scouting ensured smooth operations.
- Storyboarding: Every frame was meticulously storyboarded for a consistent look across cuts.
- Costume Management: Limited extras were given extra costumes to disguise their presence in multiple films.
- Efficient Set Preparation: Dual café setup maximized efficiency, saving valuable time.
- Lighting Expertise: Collaboration with our Director of Photography created the desired morning ambiance, minimizing reflections.
- Camera Angling: Clever angles crafted the illusion of multiple café locations, overcoming the challenge of a repetitive setting.
In just a week, we turned challenges into opportunities. The result was seven heartwarming films that beautifully captured the diverse emotions experienced at Third Wave Coffee. The café's cozy interior served as the perfect backdrop for these heartfelt stories.
The 7 films were published on TWC's Instagram page and collectively garnered over 66 million views.
Watch the videos for yourself!
Our journey, though intense, showcased the power of teamwork, creativity, and determination in filmmaking. Filmbaker is proud to have collaborated with TWC to bring these emotions to life on screen. It was an adventure filled with late-night coffee, laughter, and a shared passion for storytelling.
Ready to celebrate your milestones with us? Partner with our video production company to bring your brand to life through captivating brand films, event videos, corporate shoots, and more. Let's create remarkable moments together.
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