Gustavo Preston: Discovery to Production

Boston video production agency, Skillman Video Group, uses a unique process that helps companies realize and communicate their branding goals through meaningful video. We recently took mechanical engineering company, Gustavo Preston, through this process to create an interesting informational video about their one-of-a-kind business.

Discovery: An “Explainer” Video

Our Discovery meeting with Gustavo Preston is a great example of how we dedicate time to learning about our client and their needs. We learned that Gustavo Preston’s water filter technology is extremely unique in the marketplace, and that the technology is complicated and requires explanation. We also learned their target audience consisted of engineers who were familiar with Gustavo Preston’s technology, so we were able to make a longer, more detailed “explainer” video. We decided to script and animate the video- we even had our animator tag along for the Discovery meeting to ensure everyone was on the same page.

Strategy: Scripting Excellence

The conversations we had in the Discovery phase carried over into the Strategy phase. Our client’s main goal was to explain the complex nature of what they do in a short video. Going off of this, we decided on three major pillars for the animated video: to educate, to sell expertise, and to communicate thoroughness. Our script would be based on these ideas and the discussion we had in the Discovery stage.

 Creative/Concept: Drawing It All Up

In the Creative/Concept stage, we finalized a succinct script, carefully weaving in complicated technological terms white still sounding conversational. Once we had the narration down after some back and forth with our client,

We drew up a storyboard for 3D animation that would visually support Gustavo Preston’s message. We worked on the overall look and feel of the piece, which included deciding exactly what images would be animated and how we would animate them. Because we weren’t actually going to be shooting live action video, planning for production was essential to ensure success.

Planning/Pre-Production: The Right Voice

Before we could begin production, however, we needed to find voiceover talent to read our script. Our client gave us an idea of the voice they wanted and that they preferred to have a woman’s voice in the video. We auditioned many voiceover actors, who were mainly women. We worked with our client to pick the candidate who would best portray Gustavo Preston’s message. During Planning/Pre-Production, we also bought assets and stock footage to create an intro that would set up the rest of the animated video. Our animator worked on a rough markup to show Gustavo Preston and make sure he was on the right track.

Production: A Digital World

For this project, the Production and Editing & Finishing stage were one. Our animator worked for a couple of weeks to build an original universe and “move” the camera around the digitally created space. Our animator even layered in After Effects graphics. He also made a scratch track of the voiceover script before the final was recorded to make sure our client approved of the way narration and animation were working together. After the graphics and visuals were locked down, we recorded the script with our voiceover artist. Our animator then added her audio, which was enhanced even further with enticing music.

Out of the Boston video production companies, Skillman Video Group is dedicated to the needs of our clients from start to finish. The work we did with Gustavo Preston is a great example of this, as we took their original vision to the next level by making it come to life with animation, dialogue, and music. If you’re interested in getting started on your own project, contact us at [email protected].

Gustavo Preston – Rainwater Reuse System Video: