We asked Ayoub El Kalai about 3 Things To Know when directing a video commercial.
Know what you're really selling
Most people don't remember the product that much.
They remember the feeling.
Before thinking about lenses, lighting, camera movement, or any of that, ask yourself:
What should someone feel when this ends?
Comfort? Desire? Energy?
Once that's clear, everything else becomes easier.
Most people don't remember the product that much.
They remember the feeling.
Before thinking about lenses, lighting, camera movement, or any of that, ask yourself:
What should someone feel when this ends?
Comfort? Desire? Energy?
Once that's clear, everything else becomes easier.
Prep like crazy
Commercial shoots move too fast to start finding ideas on set.
I like to know every detail before the shoot:
- the rhythm of the edit
- where the transitions happen
- what lens gives the right energy
- how the actors move inside the frame
Honestly, most of the directing happens before the shoot.
The set is just execution.
Commercial shoots move too fast to start finding ideas on set.
I like to know every detail before the shoot:
- the rhythm of the edit
- where the transitions happen
- what lens gives the right energy
- how the actors move inside the frame
Honestly, most of the directing happens before the shoot.
The set is just execution.
Obsess over the final touches
What makes something feel expensive today is rarely the budget.
It's usually the small things people rush:
- the timing of a cut
- the music
- the details in post-production
Today, even a small crew can make something feel big.
But only if you obsess over the details all the way to the final export.
What makes something feel expensive today is rarely the budget.
It's usually the small things people rush:
- the timing of a cut
- the music
- the details in post-production
Today, even a small crew can make something feel big.
But only if you obsess over the details all the way to the final export.
Photo: @ayoub_elkalai