INTRO
As an architectural or design practice, the mere thought of using film will likely trigger a flurry of concerns around costs and its return on investment (ROI), and perhaps some toe-curling at the thought of appearing on film, before being hurriedly filed under ‘maybe later’ and mentally swept under the carpet.
And while this is all entirely understandable, our hope is that this guide brings what the medium has to offer into clearer focus for you, and provides a structured way of approaching it.
We’ll describe the three key types of film you can use, the use cases and advantages for each one, plus some other important considerations.
THE BRAND FILM
WHAT IS IT?
Your brand is simply your relationship with your audience. A Brand Film functions to build that relationship.
It should be an evergreen distillation of what you do, who you are, who you best serve and how you do it. It’s human-led storytelling that communicates your values, design principles and culture. A Brand Film typically ranges from 90 seconds to 5 minutes, sometimes more, and would usually sit in the About section on your website.
WHAT DOES IT DO?
At its heart, a Brand Film is about relationship-building. It’s there to grow confidence and trust in the mind of your client by communicating credibility and purpose. A Brand Film shows your potential client who the practice is, how the service works, how it’s unique, and how it serves them, and all before the first call.
A Brand Film answers the questions your potential clients might be asking before deciding to work with you:
Will these people understand our vision?
Can we trust them with our project?
Do they seem like the kind of team we want to work with?
And when you offer a high-value creative service, where trust comes before conversion, giving potential clients confidence in who you are and what it will feel like to work with you becomes even more valuable.
THE PROJECT FILM
WHAT IS IT?
This is an interview-led study of a particular building, project or development. It’s proof for a client who needs evidence that you can deliver on a particular type of project.
Typically a longer form of film, structured around an interview or interviews, featuring the key people involved in the project. Topics might include the initial vision and principles of the design, the construction process, the challenges overcome and the outcome.
Architecture and design is meant to be experienced, but if a client is unable or unwilling to visit your project, the Project Film is the next best thing.
If budget is your main obstacle to using film, a Project Film may be your best option since in some cases the developer might share, or even cover, the cost, because the finished film can also support their own marketing.
WHAT DOES IT DO?
It immerses your audience in what it feels like to move through the space, giving a sense of the ambience with shifting light, scale, compositions, textures and sounds.
It allows you to showcase technical expertise in design principles, construction methods, the use of materials and the ability to seamlessly collaborate with contractors, suppliers and commissioning clients.
In doing so, a Project Film answers a different set of questions:
Can they actually deliver on a project, not just design and render?
Does the finished result match what was promised at the start?
Were their clients happy with the results?
THE MOOD FILM
WHAT IS IT?
This is perhaps the simplest, yet no less powerful form of film.
Still narrative-led but generally using a voice-over, taken from an interview, rather than the talking head interview itself.
Leaning heavily on beautiful, cinematic imagery of interiors, exteriors and spaces in-between, a Mood Film feels more poetic, tactile, sensual even.
The contrasting textures of materials. Rain on glass. Shimmering light moving across a concrete curve.
WHAT DOES IT DO?
A Mood Film creates exactly that: a mood. An emotional response that stays in the heart and mind of the viewer, creating a deeper connection.
It allows people to experience something of the atmosphere of a space before ever setting foot in it - the light, materials, movement, scale and feeling that can be difficult to communicate through words or still images alone.
And because it is less concerned with explaining and more concerned with evoking a feeling, a Mood Film can be particularly powerful for practices wanting to express a distinctive aesthetic, point of view or design sensibility.
THINGS TO CONSIDER
Having outlined the different types of film and their potential advantages, it’s important to mention some of the things to consider before committing to film.
Having a clear strategy or purpose for the film
A film should have a greater purpose than simply being aesthetically pleasing on your homepage.
The real value of film lies in creating clarity, confidence and trust in your potential client’s decision making.
So you need to be clear on who you want to be talking to, what they need to hear from you, and how you can serve them better than anyone else, and before any filming happens.
This is why a consultation process is so important.
Doing it yourself
Not all video requires professional production, but it’s important to understand which type of video is doing which job, and matching the effort to the stakes.
It’s fine to DIY on social media, where it’s 'here today, gone tomorrow', and your audience expects informal, unpolished content which reads as authentic, rather than amateurish.
However, a film for your practice is an entirely different kind of asset, often forming a first impression of your practice for a prospective client, and living on your website homepage and in pitches for months or years to come.
It’s there to demonstrate the judgement and craft you bring to everything you do, and getting that wrong can undercut the credibility it was meant to build.
Beyond how it looks, it’s about getting the story right for your practice. A professional brand storyteller with an outside perspective and a thorough consultation process will surface that story, and know how to deliver it in the most impactful way.
Measuring ROI and success
The buying journey for a high-value creative service isn't straightforward.
For low-value B2C sales, someone might watch a product video and buy immediately, but with high-value services, decisions often involve multiple stakeholders, internal approvals, months of deliberation and relationship management.
A potential client might watch your Brand Film before a first meeting, or a finance director might view your Project Film before approving a budget. These are moments of real influence that are invisible to an analytics dashboard.
Measuring success is more than just counting views on a publicly listed video. While lots of views can signal growing visibility and awareness, they most certainly are not the key success indicator for a high value creative service. 'Who?' is much more important question than 'how many?'. A highly targeted film that speaks to your ideal client is more valuable than a generic film that appeals to a broader audience who has no intention to work with you.
A better way to measure the success of a film is to consider questions like:
You’re not just getting one film
With either one of the 3 options outlined above, it’s not just a single piece of film that’s delivered. You should also expect a full suite of deliverables, including multiple short edits, formatted for social channels, and in our case, a visually led landing page loop that immediately brings your homepage to life and the full filmed (and edited) interview, chunked into chapters or themes- useful when a potential client is interested to take a deeper dive.
SUMMARY
If you’ve read this far, then hopefully you see the potential benefits of resisting the urge to add to the ‘maybe later’ pile, and instead put it in the ‘to do’ pile.
Because the medium of film creates trust by showing - not just telling - your potential client who you are, and how you can serve them. Your people, processes, principles, portfolios, brought to life in a way that photos and words simply can’t.
If you would like to explore further, you’re very welcome to book a 30min exploratory call with us through our website, where we can discuss where you are, where you want to be and whether we can help you get there.