Manchester Met | Brand Film

Client: Manchester Met University

Project: Science & Engineering Launch Film

Location: Manchester, UK

Deliverables:

1 x 90s brand film in 16x9 (with and without subtitles)
10 x social cutdowns (30s, 15s, 6s in 1x1 and 9x16)
30 4k screengrabs for blogs and social posts

Dead Pixel did:

Scriptwriting and creative treatment
Pre-production, site visit & logistics
3 days filming with multi-skilled team
Directing
Editing & grade

Quote of the Shoot:

“Is anyone asthmatic? I want to fill the room with haze”

The brief

Manchester Met approached us with a brief for a new brand film for their science & engineering faculty.

We also knew they approached a number of other skilled production companies and asked if we wanted to pitch for the project.

We reviewed the brief and actually saw that one of OUR previous projects was used as a reference. We took that as a good sign and decided to put together a 10 page deck with ideas and concepts about how we’d bring the university faculty to life through film.

We pitched it in person and 2 weeks later we were awarded the project.

Pre-production

The marketing team loved the concepts we shared alongside the original poem and invited us to site for a recce. We had a good look around the campus and it was quite eye opening seeing all the tech and innovation that’s taking place at the University.

Some of these researchers are trying to solve the energy needs of the future and it was very impressive to see.

We took plenty of pictures knowing this would help flesh out our storyboards and shot lists later.

Once storyboards & scripts were approved by the senior team it was onto scheduling and lighting plans.

Every setup was meticulously planned to capture the facilities, people and the open spaces at the new multi-million pound Dalton building.

Production

It wasn’t, a turn up and ‘shoot the sh*t out of it’ kind of project. It was all storyboarded and we had small windows of time across the shoot to access certain high-tech facilities. We maximised that time on location by bringing a multi-skilled production crew that all mucked in rigging lighting and swinging lenses between setups.

Largely shot handheld with wide angle lenses on our RED gemini to showcase the large open spaces and allow for dynamic camera moves.

After 3 days and one accidental fire alarm (definitely not our fault) later we had 100s of GB worth of footage to be condensed into a impactful 90s brand film.

Post-Production

On top of the finished 90s brand film we also delivered a 30s, 15s and 6s version in 1x1, 9x16 and 16x9 to help market the long form project across the Universities social channels.

That’s one of the many reasons we shoot in 5K, because this list of deliverables is very common and having extra resolution really helps this in the edit.

The University loved the brand film.

We loved making it.

All round great vibes and a project we’re really proud of.