Transformation Weekend Promo

For the City Changers’ Transformation Weekend, I moved away from the standard recap video of fast-paced visuals cut to a beat. My vision was to capture the true essence of the event by letting the participants speak for themselves. I wanted viewers to see people just like them stepping out of their comfort zones, making the experience relatable and real. By building the film on a foundation of authentic testimonials, the B-roll became the cherry on top of a much deeper story.

The challenge with testimonials is getting past polite or rehearsed answers. I focused on creating a safe, quiet space amidst the high energy of the event where participants felt comfortable being vulnerable. By prioritizing genuine conversation over a formal interview, I was able to capture the moments where the facade dropped, revealing the true impact of the weekend. I managed to get people who had never presented in front of a camera so comfortable that they forgot they were being filmed, allowing their unscripted emotions to shine through. To ensure an efficient post-production process, I carefully guided them to provide answers that were clear, short, and to the point.

Since this was a charity production, I operated as a one-man crew, handling the interviewing, camera operation, and audio simultaneously. I used a two-camera setup with a large, soft key light, a big bounce to fill in the shadows on the faces, and a hair light to make the subjects pop from the background. This allowed me to create an intense, high-contrast look that mirrored the emotional weight of the stories. While working solo meant navigating technical hurdles, including some microphone challenges, the raw honesty of the final result resonated deeply with everyone involved. Ultimately, I convinced the team that a strategic promo is far more valuable than a simple aftermovie; by capturing these stories early, we delivered a powerful marketing tool nearly a year before the next edition of the event.