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Category: Corporate Film School

A Deep Dive into the Layers of Netflix’s New Promo Spot

Date: December 4, 2024 Category: Corporate, Corporate Film School, Uncategorized Comments: 0

Netflix's latest spot is more than just a promo, it's a layered masterpiece of coded storytelling.  From subtle (and not so subtle) use of film language to reference the style and themes of some of its shows to cameos (some quite obscure) by stars of Netflix Originals, the spot also rewards careful viewers with a clever sonic Easter egg only film nerds will catch. In this video, I go in deep (too deep?) to unpack the layers: https://vimeo.com/1036073686?share=copy

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Why Don’t More Companies Have Sonic Brand Identities?

Date: November 6, 2024 Category: Corporate, Corporate Film School, Uncategorized Comments: 0

We were recently producing content for a client in the midst of a rebranding and we were trying to figure out which version of their branding package to apply to the videos while at the same time thinking about music to underscore the narratives and wearily reaching for the same stock music libraries… It struck me that, for the same reasons that companies invest in distinct visual identities to distinguish their brand, including logo, typeface, palette, photographic style and specific guidelines for their use in every medium, they should also create a sonic identity with a recognizable musical theme translated into stings and beds for…

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Corporate Film School #13: Music

Date: July 29, 2024 Category: Corporate Film School, Uncategorized Comments: 0

Music may be the Language of Love but it's also useful for propelling and punctuating your video narrative.  And because music has its own language, it can be intimidating to talk about.  In this episode of the hit series Corporate Film School, we strip down to the underscore and boogie, corporate-style. 

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Top 10 Tips to Make Better Corporate Videos

Date: June 27, 2023 Category: Corporate, Corporate Film School Tags: , Comments: 0

Concepts Every Producer and Client Should Understand  We call it Corporate Film School because, after a couple of decades of producing videos for top companies, and coming from a film school and broadcast background, we’ve realized that the basic (and fascinating) elements of film language not only help you make better videos but enhance the collaboration with your creative partners.  #1. Film Language   To figure out how a video or film is working (or, crucially, not working), it’s essential that you understand that film is a kind of language with its own particular grammar based on the placement and/or movement of the camera, editing and other production elements.  Being able to “read”…

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Corporate Film School #11: Zoom Capture

Date: June 7, 2023 Category: Corporate Film School Comments: 1

So, it only took a global pandemic but you've mastered Zoom for meetings.  But, Zoom has also transformed corporate video; if you can capture Zoom recordings effectively, you have instant access to voices and expertise all over the world. https://vimeo.com/832688064Here's our handy buying guide to the tech mentioned in the video with links to purchase.    Edited by: Angelo Tantuico Filmed by: Ted King

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Corporate Film School #10: Talking Heads

Date: June 5, 2023 Category: Corporate Film School Comments: 0

In this new episode of Corporate Film School I appear as a talking head, referencing the Talking Heads to talk about the problems with talking heads, including the prevalence of so many people like me as talking heads.  It will make more sense when you watch it.    Editor: Liz Soolkin   Cinematography: Theodore King  Filmed at the Pickerel Pie Loft   https://player.vimeo.com/820893347

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Corporate Film School #9: Graphics

Date: June 5, 2023 Category: Corporate Film School Comments: 0

I gave up on trying to find the right metaphor for the role that graphics play in corporate videos; are they the furniture in the house of your narrative?  The wardrobe on the avatar of your story?  The signage on the Vegas Strip of your immersive experience?  Whatever.  Graphics are a crucial signifier of production values, sophistication, and a powerful reflection of your brand.  They should not be applied as an afterthought or (mis)handled by amateurs.  Open the book, as it were, on Graphics in this latest episode of Pickerel Pie’s Corporate Film School.  Editor: Liz Soolkin  Graphic Design: Greg Rusling /AARMADA ENTERTAINMENT  Cinematography: Theodore…

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Corporate Film School #8: Editing

Date: June 30, 2021 Category: Corporate Film School Tags: Comments: 0

https://player.vimeo.com/video/563771121 If just capturing scenes in the camera was all it took to make a great video, we’d all have a shot at being Fellini or Zhao.  Editing, and its’ fascinating psychological effects, is what makes film narratives sing.  But, maybe you don’t want to be Zhao or Fellini (why, are you busy?), you just want to make a video that is engaging and crisp.  Understanding how film editing works, the magic of pictorial juxtaposition and the grammar it creates is essential to making and talking about high-quality video.  In this episode of Corporate Film School, we explore the mystery and actual magic of the…

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Corporate Film School #7: Authenticity

Date: May 13, 2021 Category: Corporate Film School Comments: 0

If producers spent nearly as much time actually trying to cultivate it as they do faking it, we might see a lot more of it in corporate videos but authenticity is one of those qualities, like charisma, that is devilishly difficult to define, much less achieve.  Yet, it’s considered to be among the most important characteristics of a successful appearance in a video.  Almost everyone I talked to while putting this episode of CFS together had a different take on authenticity; some thought it’s innate and could not be learned, others have various tricks they use to conjure it and one colleague is convinced that…

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