Presumably you’ve landed on this blogpost because you’re interested in stereoscopic 3D, and you’re possibly considering having a 3D film commissioned. This blogpost is intended to take you through some of the considerations to bear in mind when commissioning a stereoscopic 3D film, and how to create a brief which ensures you get what you want.
When you first approach a production company the first thing they will ask is what is to be shown in the film. So having an idea of what might be included will speed everything up. This doesn’t need to be a shot-by-shot running order for what you’re looking to create, summarising the aims and objectives is usually sufficient – where will the film be shown? are you looking to incorporate stereoscopic 3D motion graphics & flythroughs etc.
A good production company will talk you through all the areas you need to consider, but thinking through the following points will really help youi get ahead of the game:
- The intended purpose for your stereoscopic 3D film; will it be used at exhibitions and live events, a training tool for existing staff, promotional content for prospective customers or as a sleek impactful marketing film.
- Who is the film targeted towards; is the film being created for a captive audience waiting patiently to view it or will it need to include some elements of enticement to draw in the audience.
- What is the message you’d like to communicate; this seems like the most obvious point but so often it’s the issue which is most frequently overlooked. If you don’t effectively communicate your message to the viewer then it’s likely to be overlooked, if you don’t communicate your message to the production company then it almost certainly will be.
- How long would you like your video to be; this will often be determined by the intended purpose of your video and the audience it is targeted towards. Your video will usually be most effective if your message is clear and concise, it should leave the viewer wanting more.
- Would you like to use voiceover or presenters; if the film is to be used at a live event then it’s possible that a presenters voice or narration will be lost on the audience, it may be worth considering motion graphics and animated text as an alternative.
- The music choice will impact the overall tone of the film; most production companies will assist you in choosing some appropriate music. Gaining copyright clearance for a commercially available music track is often time consuming and very expensive, if you’d like the music to fit a certain style then ‘soundalikes’ from a production music library can often offer a much more affordable solution.
- How many locations are you looking to film at; this is a factor which is often overlooked but will have a huge impact on the overall budget for your production. A professional 3D camera mirror rig, fully crewed up with stereographer, director, camera op, data technician and runner will likely cost in the region of at least £7-8k per filming day, the proximity of filming locations to each other will impact hugely on your overall production budget.
- What is your budget; when taking a brief this is the question which I most frequently ask, unfortunately it’s extremely rare that I receive an answer. It’s worth bearing in mind that production companies will be keen to accommodate to your budget, if you know that you can’t spend more than £15k on your film then make the production company aware of this, this way they will put forward a proposal which they feel best hits your objectives within this budget. They’ll often even put forward more cost effective options should you decide you don’t want to spend this much to ensure they win your business. Stereoscopic 3D production is an expensive business and if you don’t provide an indication of budget then it’s likely you’ll receive a whole host of quotes back which perfectly fit your objectives, the only problem is there’s no way that you can afford them.
Once you’ve produced your brief it’s time to approach stereoscopic 3D production companies who may be able to produce your film. Each production company will have varying ideas on how they can best meet your objectives, it is important that you send the same brief to each of the production companies that you approach to ensure they’re all working to the same set of requirements. It is a good idea to ask each of the production companies to supply you with a concise breakdown of deliverables for the project, some companies may charge extra for different types of file delivery, re-encoding your content etc. so this info will help to ensure you’re comparing ‘like for like’ quotes.
If you’re looking to produce a 3D film then the likelyhood is that you want it to be enjoyed by as large an audience as possible, and a targeted DM campaign of branded anaglyph 3D glasses with a link to your content on YouTube 3D can be a good way to give people a teaser of the true 3D experience you’d like them to experience when they visit you at an exhibition, live event or your business premises.
The creation of 3D graphics is complex and time consuming, mistakes can be expensive to rectify. If your film has a large amount of complex S3D graphics then it would be well worth requesting these aspects be fully storyboarded before any production commences.
One of the most important aspects in selecting a company to produce your stereoscopic 3D film is their experience in this field. The industry is in it’s relative infancy and there are only a few companies experienced in working in the medium to a professional standard. You should ask to see examples of other Stereoscopic 3D content that they have produced, and to ensure you don’t get any nasty surprises also request to see the films on a 3DTV.
You will likely be in very close contact with the production company you engage on the project, it is crucial that you feel comfortable working with them because it’s likely you’ll be spenging a lot of time in close contact with each other.
There are a whole host of other aspects which you should also think about but for now I think I’ve probably rattled on long enough. If we can help with any of your stereoscopic 3D production requirements then feel free to get in touch.