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How to do ‘How to’ Films

2011-05-03T17:19:42Z

In the past few years, companies such as Intel and Nokia, that needed to inform business audiences and consumers about new and complex concepts, products, and technologies, have turned to us for some How To know-how.
So we all sat down around the kitchen table one afternoon and felt like it was time to break down our process and find out what were the key rules to creating “How To” Films. And today, we feel like sharing them.

1. We live in a complex world.

Why make a How To film? Well, to explain things of course. Complex ideas, new technologies, and specialist concepts often need that extra explanation, especially for a mainstream audience.
Film is a very accessible medium and a perfect How To vehicle as you can show, rather than merely tell. It’s like holding your audience’s hand as you guide them through new ideas – though without sweaty palms coming into contact.

2. Grill your client.

OK, so you won’t need harsh lighting and a well-honed good-cop, bad-cop routine, but make sure you ask your clients all the right questions.
What’s the core message they want to get across? What are the additional key points? Under what conditions will the film be viewed? Will there be specific screenings for the target audience? What kind of film does it need to be? Spectacular or intimate? Serious or silly?

3. Know your audience.

Find out who your audience is, what they like, what kind of language they use.
Every audience, from corporate suits to teens in jeans, has its own communication style and value system. You need a genuine understanding of their needs to know how your film can reach them.
Also, how can you go beyond your specific target and reach a wider audience?

4. Be intimate, don’t intimidate.

When telling a story, remember what the Caterpillar said to Alice: “start at the beginning and when you get to the end, stop”.
Never forget that you are talking to a stranger, so always introduce yourself but be friendly, not formal. This way you can build up an intimacy that will ensure your viewer keeps listening even if your story becomes more complex.
Decide how you will tell your story: with a voice-over, subtitles, or just visually.

5. Write a bestseller.

The script is the most important part of your How To film. If the script isn’t good, your film won’t be either.
The script will define your characters, the tone of voice, and how the central messages are conveyed. Make sure your script works as a standalone piece that is clear, engaging, and delivers the message.
If you’re saying “you’ll get this bit when you see the film”, your script isn’t ready yet. Keep working.

6. Think edit, not epic.

We all have a million different things we could be reading, watching, browsing, doing, poking, or tweeting.
Work on the assumption that your audience won’t give you much more than a minute of their time, before a video of their friend’s dog rolling over will supplant your masterpiece.
So keep it short and keep it interesting. You don’t need to say everything – just make sure the core message comes across loud and proud.

7. How do I look?

Chic and beautiful is great, but make sure your film’s style is appropriate to your story.
Character design is often preferable, as live action may suggest specific realities that alienate viewers. Characters often feel more approachable, memorable and unique, without outshining the film’s content.
But whether you use abstract graphics and characters, or live action and real people, it is essential for your visual design to form a cohesive part of your story.

8. Build a strong foundation.

Storyboard your script, starting with the key-frames. Create enough frames to tell the full story then make it into an animatic.
An animatic is the skeleton of your How To film. Add the voice-over elements from your script over the sequence of still frames and if you can clearly understand what the film is trying to say, you’ve got it cracked.

9. It’s layered, it was made like that.

Every good film has layers, little extras that add value and depth to the central message.
Easter Eggs are asides, background details, and characterization that enrich a film, and help observant viewers to identify more closely with your message. Just ensure they don’t obstruct the main message and story. A good Easter Egg is subtle enough so those who don’t spot it, won’t know they have missed out.

10. Metaphors can open doors.

We may consider ourselves a scientific civilization that understands the world through empirical observation, but we still speak in metaphors.
So don’t be afraid to explain your message by equating it to something else. Whether a metaphor is visual or verbal, it’s a powerful trick for turning a complex idea into a recognizable concept.

11. Laughter is the best medecine.

The bitterest pill can be swallowed by a good laugh, provided it doesn’t make you choke.
Humour is great for keeping your audience entertained and interested, and can even be instructive if done right.
But don’t feel the need to fill your script with laugh-out-loud gags. Subtle aspects, like a sound effect, the way a character is animated, or a visual joke are often better ways of keeping your audience amused.

12. Sounds of success.

TV, voice-over, music, and sound effects are crucial elements that make your film come to life. The right voice-over will have a major impact on how people receive your message and can make or break a film. The same goes for music, so consider both carefully, while ensuring that they complement your core message.
Sound effects can add humour or help draw attention to your message, though subtle and sparing is the key.

13. Roll up, roll up …

So, remember way back at the start when you discussed with your client how the film would be presented. If you made the film with these conditions in mind, make sure you stick to them.
But don’t be afraid to send the film beyond the boundaries of its intended audience. A good How To film can become viral and reach new people and places.

See Things Differently: the Making Of

2011-03-03T08:32:36Z

Airside recently produced See Things Differently – an animation for a major telecommunications company about seizing opportunity and opening your mind to the possibilities of the universe.

We really stretched our creative legs on this film, developing fresh design and animation styles, as well as new live action and stop motion techniques.

So, we thought it would be fun to give you a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the film and show you how we created a fun-size Milky Way in our studio.

A sense of warmth and a pinch of playfulness were essential sentiments for the film, so we decided our designs should have a handcrafted feel.

We found an old fish tank, set it up in a quiet corner of the studio and began our world making.

Through the careful application of coloured inks, we created the graceful swirls and spirals of our home galaxy.

Budding builders of worlds should note that a single drop of milk will become a marvellous mass of stars and nebulae.

While a quick stir will set your whole galaxy in motion.

Next we explored the vast reaches of space from a coffee table.

Using a wide-angled lens, we filmed a firmament fashioned from glitter, while torchlight added twinkle to our little stars.

To contrast the wondrous destination of the film’s ending, our hero has an honest and deliberately crafted simplicity.

But what he lacks in detail, he makes up for in character, as subtle gestures and bold shadows add depth and tone to our simple seeker.

We also produced the film’s music and sound effects in-house.

Find out more about the process of creating the sounds of the universe in this short podcast, presented by Airside sound-maker supreme George.

It’s surprising what you can do with some full-fat milk, silver glitter, a second-hand fish tank, and your imagination.

We hope after opening to your eyes to mysteries of our creation, you’ll see things differently too.

La Promenade

2011-02-16T10:12:29Z

Fashion is often more about accessories than clothes.

That is certainly true for the very stylish femmes strolling La Promenade in this new Airside animation where this year’s essential accessory is a ludicrous pet.

A panther, a pig, and a seal are the must-have animal accoutrements adorning the catwalk in this short video.

Will you be taking the hog for walk this season?

What’s Going On In The Basement?

2010-11-23T20:39:29Z

If one sculpture makes your wall look cool, imagine what toucan do? This blatant plagarising of an old Guinness joke is our way of mysteriously introducing you to the latest Airside experiment. Like all good secret experiments this one is taking place deep underground away from prying eyes (i.e. the basement of our studio). We cannot reveal too much beyond the fact that Alex’s woodwork skills are being put to the test. In the meantime, enjoy these ambiguous close-ups. As Rolf Harris used to say: can you tell what it is yet?

Block Clock

2010-11-23T17:01:10Z

Clocks are great. From Big Ben or Yokohama’s Cosmo Clock 21 to that £13 Ikea wall clock that nearly everyone I know has in their kitchen, the variety of the machines we use to tell time is endlessly interesting.

I’ve always been fascinated by visualisations of time and digital/interactive clocks in particular. So about a year ago, I had a go at prototyping one myself. I wanted to experiment and while not too worried about matching the achievements of Jens Olsen, I did want to it to be somehow mesmerizing and essentially make a visual clock that might make a good screensaver.

At the time I had been dabbling with physics in Flash and I thought it might be nice to find a way to represent time with solid/physical objects. Making use of two excellent open source libraries for Flash — John Dalziel’s Computus Engine for accurate timekeeping and the Box2D physics engine — I designed Block Clock.

On Block Clock, a coloured block is dropped into a blank screen every second. The blocks come in a variety of sizes and fall under the pull of ‘gravity’, colliding with previous blocks to build a stack. As 60 seconds pass the blocks pile up, bounce around and fall over, until the end of the minute when the screen clears and block of a new colour begin the count all over again.

Block Clock is perhaps not the most practical representation of the time, but rather than it live on my hard drive for the rest of eternity, I thought it would be nice to share this unpolished little experiment. So I have set up a little standalone site for it, which you can check out here. (Apologies to iPad and iPhone users who won’t be able to see it).

I’d love to know what you think so please send any thoughts or feedback to me on Twitter at @Futurefabric or @AirsidePlay

Hugo le Radis

2010-11-23T16:31:22Z

When we first announced our plans for Airside Play, we told you that it would be a place for “one-off art pieces and demented late-night weaving experiments”. And just in case you thought we were joking about the latter, here’s where our Vege-a-Porter series is heading. Ok, so this work-in-progress crocheted Hugo le Radis is the result of hook and yarn rather than weft and loom, but you get the point. Airside director Nat is back in the studio after a six-month sabbatical and she immediately got to work on the important stuff – crocheting Hugo le Radis into something soft and cuddly. There is still much time-consuming hooking and holding to be done, which is why this may currently look more turnip than radish. We’ll keep you posted as le Radis grows.

The Gravity Monster

2010-11-23T16:36:45Z

These are some preview images of a children’s iPad app that we are currently working on at Airside.

The images feature the Gravity Monster — a creature that Alex created while watching his young son falling over a lot and getting many bumps and bruises, as a way to explain Newton’s great natural phenomenon to a child.

When Alex told me his idea, I wanted to be part of it and over the past couple of years I have drawn dozens of different scenarios involving Monsieur Gravity.

We are now in the pre-production stage or an interactive storybook that will tell the story of Oliver, an energetic, but clumsy little boy who befriends the Gravity Monster.

We can’t reveal too much about it yet but these images gives you a taste of it all. Super excited..