Introduction to Sketch
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This document provides guidance for creating films that effectively engage audiences. It recommends focusing on the audience by keeping content concise and visual, allowing natural contributions, and planning for optimal distribution. Common mistakes include poor planning, lack of audience understanding, and failing to promote content. The checklist emphasizes preparing contributors, showing rather than telling stories, and obtaining feedback to refine films for maximum impact and positive word-of-mouth.
Introduction to Sketch
- 1. Sketch - A check list A check list for making better films and leaving your audience refreshed, entertained and informed
- 2. Contents About Sketch How we work Where are we today? The audience What does this mean? How to be ‘audience led’ What are you filming and why? The check list Common mistakes The wish list x10 A brief summary
- 3. About Sketch Sketch produces film content for companies, charities and NGOs Our clients include: British Council, Hearing Dogs for Deaf People, The London Library, Romsey Mill, Penguin UK, Safestore, Kind Consumer, Reprieve, Open Cinema and The Boston Consulting Group We make documentaries for Channel 4 and Current TV We recently won the Britdoc Co-operative ‘It’s good to know’ award We work with award winning documentary makers Focused on an organic investigative documentary approach Our aim is to make a film that responds to the brief and draws in a captive or fresh audience We are flexible and passionate about film’s potential across new media
- 4. How we work We talk to clients as early as possible We clarify budget and resources available We pinpoint the visual content of the film and the tone required We encourage clients not to use scripts We let the event or people or company speak for itself We urge clients to resist heavily branding their film By letting contributors speak for themselves in a natural style - we create transparency and build trust We encourage a two way conversation with the audience- generating comments, calls to action, ratings, sharing
- 5. Trends in online content
- 6. Where are we today? How we consume content is rapidly changing - we have to ensure that the films we produce catch up The collective ‘personalised’ voice is gaining strength - we listen to our friends and like-minded people more and more - rather than searching through media The media’s power is decreasing/changing - they are being cut out of the loop e.g. UK election People who share similar interests are able to find each other far more easily than before Your audience should be able to find or discover more about your organisation or event very quickly Twitter - the pulse of the planet or a just a fashion Facebook - about to make the web very social with the ubiquitous facebook like button and the Open Graph project
- 7. The audience’s attention span is very short
- 8. What does this mean? The context in which people are introduced to media (facebook, twitter, email) is alsmot more important than the source itself. CONTEXT is now king There is a huge amount of content online - your shared audience acts as your first filter and your first referee People don’t like to be lectured or told what to think Look at us and what we do is no longer enough You need to surprise and move people - only connect The audience is smart and you need to earn their trust
- 9. How to be ‘audience led’ Keep a film short. If you make a long film - cut it down and release the film as a series Ensure that the film can be shared and rated (where appropriate) Make it easy for the viewer to find out more through related content Produce text and comment to accompany the film Package the film in the right category - don’t push everything into one folder and assume that your audience is interested in everything Tag your film Use multiple platforms e.g. vimeo, youtube. Ensure that all content on these channels is relevant and fresh. Link to the film on your own blogs
- 11. What are you filming and why? Ask yourself a series of questions: What are you filming and why? How will people react to being filmed? Is it visual? Is this unusual and why? Will something happen/develop over time? Where is it happening? Any implications for filming? Who is involved? Are the people likely to be changed by their experience? Are there any stakeholder issues? Who has final cut? Who is the target audience? How do they consume media? How will this film be distributed online?
- 12. The check list A film needs to be VISUAL Pinpoint the ACTION Think about when the exciting things will happen and make sure that we are there to film them Choose carefully WHO we will focus on and select only a few contributors Big Brother type casting vs. dull but safe casting Allow contributors to be NATURAL and HONEST (with gentle prodding) Keep the camera crew small and give ‘contributors’ cameras to film or do video diaries Create the structure for a JOURNEY Think of it as stops along a tube line - at each stop something is going to change PREPARE PEOPLE - let everyone know that a film crew will be present SHOW the action, don’t report it or TELL us what just happened THINK FIRST about distribution…ask yourself why the audience will watch, why the film will generate positive word of mouth What would the headline of a review of the film be? Think about linking print to the film and generating media coverage Overt branding is not important
- 13. Common mistakes Planning late Poor communications with partners and people on the ground Looking inwards - pleasing the boss but not the audience Not knowing whom to please (Who is the boss? Who is the audience?) Going over budget - by not knowing what you want before you start Uploading content online simply to have something up there Not promoting your films online with text and tags A series of people talking at camera telling us what they have just done Overly obvious enthusiasm - ‘Everything is great’ is a bit boring Filming events that are great LIVE but not so great on screen as ‘you had to be there’ Letting people get nervous and stilted on camera
- 14. The wish list x 10 Define your objective Define your audience Segment the audience (different films/channels for each audience) Prepare and plan Know what you want - develop a result orientated strategy Let people know what you are doing and what you are trying to do Communicate constantly with us Show human relationships at work or human stories/journeys Refine your film - get feedback from outsiders and make changes Get a high impact still image and ensure the film has clean sound
- 15. A quick summary Prepare and Plan Audience, Audience, Audience Surprise people - don’t use the same old, same old approach Do something different this time Make it snappy, make it simple Allocate resources sensibly Commission investigative films rather than event coverage Think about distribution first Obtain objective feedback
- 16. 7 Denmark Street London WC2H 8LZ Tel: +44 207 240 0457 Mob: +44 778 213 2146 Email: jeremy@sketchfilms.co.uk Web: www.sketchfilms.co.uk Questions? If you want to meet to discuss any filming requirements you may have please get in touch. Thank you.
Editor's Notes
- #13: Contributors must be allowed to be spontaneous and natural (with gentle prodding) Your branding is not important - the audience already know what they are watching