02 Apr Case Study: GIY Promo Video
Grow It Yourself Ireland (GIY) is a non-profit social enterprise. Their mission is to educate and enable a global food-growing movement. They aim to rebuild a sustainable food system. GIY is based just outside Waterford at their HQ.
Project Background
Idiosync has partnered with GIY multiple times, often through other companies. GIY has a strong online presence, producing regular gardening and cooking videos. We have provided videography and editing services for several of these series. Today, we focus on a small project: a video for GIY’s partnership with Sky television. This video promotes a giveaway of the Sky VIP Grow Box, a gift for Sky VIP customers from GIY.
Concept Development
GIY wanted their CEO and Founder, Michael Kelly, to present the Grow Box on camera. We suggested filming him in one of their larger greenhouses, standing in the doorway. This setup framed GIY HQ’s beautiful grass roof and vegetable patches in the background.
If the weather turned rainy, the greenhouse would keep us dry. We would avoid showing the rain by framing out the windows and using a shallow depth of field to blur any rain particles in the background.
The client’s goal was to explain the giveaway in one shot, without cutting to any b-roll. We planned to fix the camera on Michael and the Grow Box. We also proposed close-ups of the Grow Box to aid in editing.
Pre-Production
Michael prepared his own script and did not need a teleprompter, which we have available. Storyboarding was straightforward since we were familiar with the location. We did not need to scout the site as we had been to GIY HQ several times for other shoots.
Production
We used a Panasonic 4K camera on a sturdy tripod, along with two bi-colour LED panel lights. Even filming during midday, using lights helped maintain consistent lighting. This was important in case the sun went behind clouds.
The shoot featured Michael speaking directly to the camera. He needed several takes for a one-minute script, which can be tricky to memorise. We captured additional close-up shots of the Grow Box to hide edits. For pieces like this, we recommend using a teleprompter. It helps the presenter read the script naturally while looking at the lens. For complex productions with multiple cameras, a separate teleprompter operator may be beneficial.
For sound, we used a lavalier microphone clipped to Michael’s shirt. Unfortunately, the greenhouse did not have space for a shotgun microphone on a c-stand. However, we monitored the sound throughout and it was clear.
Post-Production
The editing process was simple. We focused on graphics, as there was a call to action at the end of the video. Colour grading was key to making the garden greens pop while keeping skin tones accurate. Sound design involved layering some background music with Michael’s audio.
Execution Details
We had a tight turnaround. The first draft of the edit was ready on the same day, with minor tweaks made over two additional drafts. When Idiosync quotes for editing, we typically include three drafts. The first is a rough cut, close to the final output. The second draft allows for client feedback. The third is for small adjustments or missed changes, like subtitles.
The budget covered the project. We quoted for a single day of shooting and a half day of editing, with one videographer and one video editor.
Results and Impact
The main deliverable was a one-minute video. GIY was very pleased with it, and it was sent to Sky for distribution to their VIP subscribers. The final video was not distributed publicly.
Lessons Learned
From this shoot, we learned to balance the green background with skin tones, which can be tricky. It looked great in the end. We also realised we should push for teleprompters in client budgets more often. We need to better explain the benefits of a teleprompter to clients. A single videographer can manage sound, operate a static camera, and run a teleprompter. The only challenge is maintaining focus, so we always monitor our cameras and use markers for the subject’s position between takes.
This project was a great success, and we have filmed other projects with GIY since.
Conclusion
We delivered a cost-effective shoot and edit with a fast turnaround. This was crucial for meeting Sky’s deadline for the giveaway content.