When the Atlanta Ballet got in touch and asked us to partner with them and produce promo videos for the North American Premiere of “Coco Chanel: The Life of a Fashion Icon” we jumped at the opportunity.
Ideas started flowing as soon as we read “One dancer weaving through mannequins, using light and shadow to create a mood” on the creative brief the marketing director provided. The vision was clear, so we started with storyboard drawings.
Ideas started flowing as soon as we read “One dancer weaving through mannequins, using light and shadow to create a mood” on the creative brief the marketing director provided. The vision was clear, so we started with storyboard drawings.
Because we were making :30 and :15 spots to be used as pre-roll advertising on YouTube and other social platforms, we knew the number of shots in each would be limited. Once the voiceover script was finalized, we combined a scratch track (temporary voiceover recording) with the storyboard drawings to create an animatic.
Making the animatic proved helpful to the Director of Photography when planning what shots to get and what order to get them in. Our one day shoot was going to be busy, so having a streamlined shortlist was essential.
The pacing of these spots was important as well, and the right pacing depended on the voiceover performance. Rather than one of us attempting a scratch voiceover track using the midcentury Euro-voice we had in mind, we used AI and had good luck with our talent, “Benjamin.” We later replaced the AI voiceover with a real human talent, which was much better.
Considering that Coco Chanel was a controversial character in real life, we aimed for high-drama visuals by using bright lights and a dark background. Wardrobe was an important consideration too. Because of her status as an early fashion icon we chose items she was known for wearing like a low, rakish hat, a long string of pearls and a short black jacket as a clear nod to her famous form.
The pacing of these spots was important as well, and the right pacing depended on the voiceover performance. Rather than one of us attempting a scratch voiceover track using the midcentury Euro-voice we had in mind, we used AI and had good luck with our talent, “Benjamin.” We later replaced the AI voiceover with a real human talent, which was much better.
Considering that Coco Chanel was a controversial character in real life, we aimed for high-drama visuals by using bright lights and a dark background. Wardrobe was an important consideration too. Because of her status as an early fashion icon we chose items she was known for wearing like a low, rakish hat, a long string of pearls and a short black jacket as a clear nod to her famous form.
Collaboration was key in making this project a success. Working with the Ballet’s marketing director throughout the process had us pointed in the right direction from the start. And having the artistic director, Gennadi Nedvigin, on set provided the crew with a high degree of confidence that we captured the shots needed for some great promos. Make sure to get your tickets at atlantaballet.com and enjoy a new type of storytelling on stage.