The curious case of the out of focus book case…

A client came to us wanting a green screen background.

“Film a bookcase!”

Yes that was essentially the brief that we worked on recently, but it does make sense when you read into it… (sorry)

Our client, a leading arbitration law firm, has the capacity to have their own filming setup in their offices. They can have green screen and cameras setup and ready whenever needed.

This was obviously an investment for the company, and we wanted to help them make the most of it. The first stage was to offer our expertise on the different types of setup and kit and end results they should be aiming for. Once the consultation was completed, the next question to answer was, what to put in the background?

Green screen can have some creative draw backs

It can never be the same as filming against a genuine backdrop, but it does have the huge advantage that you can literally have ANYTHING in the background. Putting the images of glorious tropical beaches to one side, this means you can pick and chose the right backdrop to suit the content you’re creating.

One good example of this was when they filmed a newsroom style interview. With a wide shot of the two contributors and closeups on each, we needed the ability to pick and chose different angles to suit. So we modelled a 3D studio. The client could chose any specific features they wanted to include in the background, branding, location etc… and we had the flexibility to pick the angles that were just right.

So what about the green screen background?

It may seem extreme to put all that effort into filming a bookcase backdrop, but let’s think about the benefits;

1. Flexible – As with a lot of our clients, the contributors being filmed are very, very busy people. Thinking solely about the green screen setup, the contributor had greater flexibility. They could sit down for the piece to camera at their own location, in their own time.
2. Varied – Filming interviews can often depend on the contributor, some are more comfortable sitting some standing, some may require more takes and more angles. So we filmed multiple angles, wides, close-ups, sitting positions, standing positions. We even captured the shots out of focus, so they have a natural depth of field when combined with the interview footage. So our client has all eventualities covered when the filming takes place.
3. Bespoke – Rather than choosing a stock shot they had something that was authentic. It was personal to them and exactly what they wanted.
4. Content specific – The bookcase was chosen as it had the right feel for the educational content that was being delivered.
5. Reusable – If another project comes up in the future with a similar use, they can reuse the backdrops. So they don’t need to schedule another off location shoot.
6. Cherished – For a normal interview setup, you’re often limited on time spent preparing the location or backdrop. Most of the attention goes on the contributor. One of the hidden benefits of this setup is that we can focus all of our energy on the setting. We can tweak the little details that get everything just right.

See, there’s more thought going into filming a bookcase than you might think!