- Brainstorming and Inspiration
I have a passion for all things in the tactical industry. Maybe it was exposure to too many video games and maybe it was just the time I grew up in, but I have always been interested in tactics, gear, firearms, airsoft etc. I was excited to jump on this project and work with Advantage Training to create media that would not only promote Advantage as a business, but give viewers valuable information unique to Joseph Sevy’s (the owner of Advantage Training) experience as a patrol Officer and active shooter response instructor in Idaho.
So we created a list of ideas…
This list helped us decide what we could realistically accomplish within the time-frame of a senior project and what ideas we had ready to go.
We also took inspiration from other content creators in the same genre.
(Above: from top to bottom T.Rex Arms Lucas Botkin, GarandThumb)
I also practiced some effects on stock footage.
Joseph and I conducted personal research on what was popular on social media and YouTube. We decided to focus on the professional training side of the company for the project, as content involving real tactics and firearms outperform airsoft related content. We also noticed a lack of vehicle related training which Joseph sees as a hole in the tactical community. According to our research a person is shot and killed in a road rage incident roughly every 16 hours in the United States. The topic of surviving a vehicle gunfight seemed to be an untapped educational opportunity for us to explore.
- Pre-production
In pre-production I oversaw all video equipment and wrote the script for our video. I also planned and recorded some shorts for the airsoft side of the company to help get customers excited for new airsoft guns coming to the store.
We created 2 creative briefs for each part of the project.
I wrote and created a script about vehicle encounters with Joseph. He would explain what he wanted to say and I would write it out in a way that I felt resonated with our target audience.
I had some extra time and in that free time I wrote a script for a video on firearms and airsoft related gear such as plate carriers, chest rigs, body armor and belts.
We planned a schedule in Microsoft’s Outlook calendar and prepared to shoot.
Gear List
- Blackmagic Leica 6k
- Shotgun Boom Mic
- Portable LED light with mounting solution
- ikan Teleprompter
- Aputure Lantern 90 36”
- Black Backdrop
- White Backdrop
- Godox LED RGB Light Stick
- Godox M600D
- 2x Godox SL150III LED lights
- Zhiyun Crane 3s PRO DSLR Gimbal
- Production
Production on the shorts and the two videos began with the focus on the vehicle video. The shorts for Advantage Airsoft were shot on April 26th and May 1st.
We then recorded the main video on June 5th and 10th.
I then took to the editing bay and whipped up some simple effects and visuals with the company logo. We didn’t want anything too strong, just some visual and audio flare to showcase the brand.
4. Challenges
I think one of the biggest challenges I faced on this project was scheduling. Advantage is a part time business run by Joseph Sevy and two other co-owners. Their time to record and plan out videos is limited and with the senior project having a time limit I had to find ways to work within the time I had available to me.
One way I worked around the time constraints was by making the most of the time we had available to film. If I had more time on each video to capture everything envisioned I would do that going forward to create cinematic moments throughout the educational content to keep viewers involved. For the time available I had to plan out filming times in detail and make the most of the footage I was able to get.
Another way I tackled this problem with time was by utilizing a weekly calendar that participants in the videos could update.
Overall, working with others who have busy schedules has always been a hard part of video creation throughout my time at BYU-Idaho. If the video is not a direct source of income or a grade for those involved, other things take priority and it is up to you to do what you can with what is available. It has always been about solving problems and making it work.
5. Final Product
After all the work here are 4 shorts and a 16 minute video. I am happy with the presentation and tone of the project. I feel that I captured the tone the company aims to bring and through editing made the information given digestible for the audience.
Below is a supercut of the shorts and the main video.
Also, visit Advantage Professional Training here.
Special thanks to KC Tillett for helping me on a few shoots.