A few recent examples of my explainer videos…

The IT Supplier and Kaspersky

In this first example I worked with a long term marketing partner to develop a short video concerning the IT Suppliers link with the anti-virus giant Kaspersky. The images were revealed and displayed around the logo which was displayed again at the end as we pan out to see it ‘top right’ on a chart – enhancing the voiceover message. All the images were exactly timed to reveal in syncronisation with the voiceover. This is really important to re-enforce the message and dramatically increase the likelihood of the viewer taking in the message.

 

Script and voiceover by Stephen Smith www.stephensmith.biz

West Yorkshire Police

The Forces Professional Standards Unit approached me to develop a series of 6 one minute videos that they could send out to all officers and civilian staff reminding them of the need to follow internal professional standards and policies. Past experience had shown that emails or paper flyers were not effective and the Force hoped that a short, lighthearted video would prove more effective. This is the first video in that series and within a few days it had received 1,000 hits, far more effective that the previous methods of communication!

NB: I even provided graphics in an A5 format so that copies could be pinned on Police Station noticeboards.

Wessex Resolutions Community Interest Group

This was the first in a series of 6 videos advertising an ethical loan service for a community interest group. I created a generic framework within which I was then able to include different characters – the target homeowner groups that the interest group wanted to reach (the elderly, the young family and the single person). This allowed them to keep the cost of the project down and speeded up production.

Kate Guest Hypnotherapy

Kate wanted a video to help explain her services in a gentle way that showed how clients would benefit from her hypnotherapy service. As Kate met with clients on a one-to-one basis then it was appropriate to use her voice to tell her story. The grey to coloured images tell us how her clients move from a dark place to a more colourful one.

Help a Child

This explainer video was one in a series of 9 for a Dutch NGO working around the World to help children living in deprived areas. The client and I firstly developed the script – perhaps the most important element of any explainer video project. I then created a video of static draft images (the mockup) with a rough voiceover. The client and I then tweaked and changed images before the final video was produced. The output from this very worthwhile project is now viewed by hundreds of NGO volunteers across Africa.

 

 

Handmade is Best

In this explainer video Clare my co-worker (and daughter!) created a light and airy video to sell the concept that handmade is best and I think it worked very well. The interesting mix of images depicting artisans at work, coupled with a jaunty music really carries the viewer through this explainer to reach the final call to action, revealed at the end as the camera pans out to show the images making up the word ‘Handmade’.

 

ZSmart CRM

This high definition explainer video was created for display on a large screen at an international customer relationship conference held in Monaco. Working with a London marketing company I produced a script and video that sells the benefit of the ZSmart software product – bringing non digital services providers into the digital world by improving links with their customers. I wanted to show everyday people doing everyday things like shopping or watching football while at the same time benefiting from the ZSmart product. You may notice too that I love to create drawings from a 3D perspective, not just flat images but perhaps from above looking down on my cartoon actors. As with the IT Supplier video, the ZSmart explainer video images were drawn around the central logo before the final reveal of the ZSmart strapline ‘Power Within Reach’.

Roman History

This short explainer video clip shows that I can deliver other styles of animation. I’m always looking to provide my clients with exactly what they want, so if you’ve come across a style that you particularly like, just give me a call and I will see what I can do (I love a challenge!). This video was great fun to work on. I wanted it to provide factually correct information yet in a colourful and fun way. I even referenced ‘Mr Ben’ walking into the dressing up room at the start before he embarked upon his next exciting journey.

 

The Write Factor

This has to be one of the most fun projects that I have worked on. I came up with the idea of a train journey with customers embarking and disembarking as the train travelled through the countryside. This was designed to get the message across that when working with the Write Factor team, you can drop in and out as you please. For this explainer video we wanted to show the team members in caricature format as it is they with whom their clients would deal direct. Again the jaunty music (provided by Rob at the Write Factor) really does carry the viewer through the video and the added sound effects are great at giving the video real depth. We end our journey with the viewers book being published and the final, all important, call to action.

 

Passive House Architects

Another fun explainer video project allowing me lots of creative freedom was this project for a group of specialist passive house architects. They were looking for a light hearted way of explaining the benefits of a passive house build as against existing construction materials. The client wanted the video to entertain as much as inform, and thought it would be good to show how architects have kept up with the times in terms of innovative construction techniques. I therefore came up with the idea of creating an explainer video that showed how architects had evolved (albeit in a lighthearted manner) and how they would go on to develop. I even worked on my Sir David Attenborough impersonation for the voiceover to add a further dimension!

 

Patient Opinion (now Care Opinion)

This is the Australian explainer video of an original UK version which was created for a charity that seeks to ensure that the voice of the patient is heard and to let those in the care professions know. In this, as with many explainer videos, I created a series of characters that the viewer can quickly relate and buy in to. The viewer can then follow the characters story as the video progresses ending up, as always, with the all important call to action.

A History of Castles

An explainer video again demonstrating that not all such videos have to be in a whiteboard format. A very pleasing project to work on with music that sets the scene and imagery interspersed with real photographs. You may note that the background ‘paper’ is also textured. I can provide videos with all sorts of backgrounds and colours, even vignettes.