Tips to optimize Video b-roll libraries
One of the key lessons I’ve learned in video is that you can never have too much video b-roll to use for projects. Over the past fifteen years I’ve created over 100 photo libraries for wineries, agricultural companies & tourism associations where my background as a photojournalist has helped me craft impactful stories through imagery. More planning is needed to create video b-roll libraries, but the same principles apply – timeless, sense of place, storytelling video clips with compelling visuals to captivate the viewers attention.
When carefully planned, video and photography can be captured on the same shoot; this is especially relevant for events like harvest, spectacular sunsets or sunrises, and lifestyle shoots involving many models and styling where it would be cost prohibitive or impossible to reproduce the same scene on different days. Several cameras can be set up to capture the action from multiple angles, including time-lapse, drone aerials, adding camera motion with a slider or jib, etc, and ideally two shooters work in close tandem with similar aesthetics for each scene.
Here’s a few examples of short video clips that have been used in social media and archive b-roll for larger video stories. Creating effective video b-roll clips is a similar strategy as creating effective photo libraries, which I’ve detailed on a previous blog post linked here –
http://blog.andreajohnsonphotography.com/the-art-of-creating-effective-wine-image-libraries/
Highlights from Travel Oregon story & Willamette Valley Wine Region of the Year videos
Herding Longhorn cattle at Willakenzie Estate Vineyard, Willamette Valley, Oregon
Saffron Fields Vineyard Fireworks
Rosé swirl
To view the full videos, please visit my video productions company website: http://lumariaproductions.com/portfolio/
The art of creating effective Wine Image Libraries
I’m regularly asked for tips by wineries, marketing folks, public relations firms, and wine associations how to create an effective image library. Specific needs include utilizing photos on websites to inspire consumers to visit, in press releases to gain more editorial exposure & in advertising campaigns to increase awareness for the region.
In Cole Danehower’s presentation “Optimizing your Brand’s story”, he moderated a panel of journalists & PR agencies for winery specific marketing tips. Here’s a summary of quotes on the importance of photography: “Those with the best pictures win, if you’re only going to do one thing this year for your marketing, invest in photography & partner with a photographer that understands your brand and their style reflects your story” “Images are the new headline. 90% of info transmitted into our brain are visual, visuals transmit 60,000x faster than text, and photos are so easy to share.”
I’ve spent the past fifteen years creating over 100 image libraries for wineries & tourism associations, where my background as a photojournalist has helped me craft an impactful story through imagery. Magazine editors & designers have given me the following guidelines for many of my assignments, I’ve consolidated these tips to four main points:
#1 request – Sense of place photos. What does this mean? A photo of a vineyard can look like any other vineyard around the world unless care is taken to focus on the land’s unique aspects in the best light. It’s very challenging to tell a compelling, unique story in just one photo, but with reduced editorial space and attention spans this can be the critical deciding factor if you get coverage.
Mt. Hood is an iconic backdrop to many of Oregon’s wine regions, and with people in the landscape it helps the viewer visualize creating this experience for themselves.
This aerial photo of Penner-Ash winery & estate vineyard has been on two magazine covers, the opening spread in the Wine Spectator Oregon story, and countless other stories and marketing collateral:
examples of dramatic weather or lighting:
Aerial view over Soter Vineyards, Willamette Valley, Oregon
Early winter storm at Maryhill winery in the Columbia River Gorge, Washington
Harvest moon at Doubleback vineyard, Walla Walla, Washington
Archery Summit’s Swine & Wine alfresco dinner
Perfect summer evening at Red Hills Estate Vineyard, Willamette Valley, Oregon
Acclaimed Gilt Club executive chef Chris Carrikerevent cooks up a succulent slow roasted pig
Guests enjoying special pourings of Archery Summit pinot noir
Click here to check out the gallery of photos – http://bit.ly/ArcherySummit
Behind the scenes with Rex Pickett, author of Sideways & Vertical
Rex Pickett on Oregon from Holmes & Johnson productions on Vimeo.
Sideways author Rex Pickett talks about his new book, Vertical, and his love of Oregon wine country.
For the cover of this month’s Oregon Wine Press magazine, http://www.oregonwinepress.com/, I flew down to Santa Monica with Robert Holmes to photograph and interview Rex Pickett about his latest book, Vertical, the sequel to Sideways. I wasn’t sure what to expect. Would the author be similar to his now infamous character, Miles – or had success changed him to become more like his charming but philandering character Jack? While Rex could easily play either role, after spending a relaxed afternoon chatting about Oregon, pinot noir, and the life of an artist I can see how Rex could be a blend of both, weaving autobiographical details into many of his stories.
Rex has not had an easy road to success. Although the movie Sideways won an Acadamy Award for the best adapted screenplay, Rex only received a pittance of the profits. His struggles to get his first book published were monumental. He still lives very modestly; the cover photo and interview are in his one bedroom apartment in Santa Monica. I hadn’t read Vertical at the time of our interview, but I was curious how he would depict my hometown and the Oregon wine country I’ve come to know so intimately during the past ten years. Now that I’ve finished the book I won’t give away the details of which wines are featured or how the story unfolds, but I can say fact and fiction are balanced with comedy and tragedy, evoking a surprising range of emotions. Oregon pinot noir is celebrated throughout the book, and a variery of artisanal wineries are mentioned. How the book, or possible movie, will affect Oregon wine will be an interesting development. I’d love to hear your thoughts, feel free to comment below . . .