The Production Attic team and I, filming in my teeny tiny illustration studio.

Since the start of 2020 I’ve been graphic recording and live illustrating at online, virtual & hybrid events

I’ve noticed as time’s gone on that busy clients are less and less likely to spend time reading loads of words on my website. I wanted a way to communicate what I do QUICKLY! And to help potential clients get to know me and a little more about my live illustration business and how I can help them.

Words = **yawn**

Enter… VIDEO!

How I made a video for my live event illustration business

Step 1: decide what kind of video you need for your business

I wanted a video that built the know, like and trust factor for people visiting my website for the first time.

The video had to show that:

I work 100% online, remotely, with loads of cool clients all across the world
My illustrations really do help companies make their (sometimes very dry, niche, jargon-filled) information exciting and accessible
I’m friendly, approachable and I love what I do
It’s really exciting for attendees when I live illustrate at an online event

I wasn’t too worried about showing the HOW behind I work with clients, because I already have a beautiful explainer video, animated by Emily Redfearn (thanks, Emily!) I felt like the very nitty-gritty process stuff was covered there.

Here’s the explainer video animation I already had:

Step 2: Choosing a videographer / film crew

I did a Google search and found a filming company not too far away in Glasgow. I liked their previous work, they had transparent pricing on their website, good reviews, and they got back to me quickly with a quote for the kind of video I wanted. They ticked all of the boxes.

Thanks, Production Attic!

I wanted to make the video relatively soon and they could accommodate that which was brilliant. I wanted a speedy turnaround because A: I was already 4 months pregnant when I commissioned the video and B: The end of the tax year was approaching - let’s get those business expenses through the books, quiiiiick!

I also invited Sarah from Pictorial Photography along for the day to help out and get some bonus photos (paid, obvs. Good website/blog photos + photographer-big-sisters are worth their weight in gold.)

Step 3: Location location location

I live in a beauuuuutiful seaside town in the very North East of England in Northumberland called Berwick upon Tweed. I knew I wanted some nice shots of Berwick - the whole thing about this video is “hello! I live in this beautiful rural bit of the world but I can totally still work with you, wherever you are. HOORAY FOR THE INTERNET”.

Having Pictorial Photography along to the shoot was brilliant for her location expertise. She’s always doing branding and lifestyle shoots around town and knows when the light is best and what time to get the best shots.

My studio is very cute (yes, I’m biased) so that was the main location. Bonus: the lighting was controllable in the studio and we didn’t have to worry about the weather.

Steph and Martin filming the interview bit before going for a walk around Berwick

Other stuff to consider:

Space (my studio is a tiny 11m2)
All of the gear fitted into the studio and we made use of the corridor when we needed my studio to be nice and empty. Luckily my office-neighbours were all out that day. I did plan the shoot for a day when we wouldn’t be disturbing them!
Covid - I asked everyone to do a lateral flow test because tiny studio + pregnancy + just don’t really want to get covid.
Everyone tested negative. Wahoo!
Weather - the North East of England in March is generally cold and rainy
We were lucky! It was sunny and blustery all morning, and by the time the rain started, we’d finished all of the outdoors filming.

Step 4: Plan the Day

Thankfully, the film crew did this. They also did a risk assessment. Dying was not allowed.

Timings

08:00 – Collect hire car and head to the office

09:00 - Crew load up kit, leave base

11:15 – Arrive location, unload kit

11:30 – Set-up for interview with one camera

12:30 – Filming interview with Katie

13:15 – Lunch

14:00 – Filming b-roll (see below for b-roll options)

17:15 – Wrap filming, derig, load car

19:15 –Return to base, ingest rushes

19:30 – Finish

We actually got finished up a lot earlier than expected. Which was good! I was tired, hah.

The Video Brief

We are filming a fun promo video for Katie Chappell, who is a live illustrator. The aim of this film is to outline:

• Who is Katie?

• What is live illustration?

• What can it be used for?

• How Katie can work globally

B-Roll to shoot (these are the filler bits so that the whole video isn’t just me talking at the camera)

• Katie illustrating onto perspex

• Katie illustrating remotely

• Video call with team

• Shots of studio

• GVs of Katie around Berwick Upon Tweed

Questions from Instagram.

I posted about my filming day on Instagram and did one of those question box things in case anyone wanted to know stuff about having a video made. You didn’t disappoint! Thanks for asking the juicy questions.

How Much Did the video Cost?

Roughly £3k including VAT (I’m VAT registered so I can claim that bit back, weyyy.) My initial quote was lower - the company have a cost calculator on their website that I really liked - and the extra costs all made sense because there were extra things like travel, post-production/editing and all that stuff.

Did you have a script?

Nope. BUT Production Attic created a list of questions to ask me that would get me to say the stuff I needed to say.

How do you not-be-awkward on camera?

I don’t know! Haha. I still felt very awkward at times BUT Leonie Dawson (my Australian business-aunty) recommended thinking about all the marvellous people you’ll be helping. Having questions, rather than a script REALLY helped. I know for a fact that when I read things off a screen or auto prompt thingie, I act like a robot. Not the vibe I was going for. Getting someone to ask you questions just off-camera = you behaving like a normal human answering questions, laughing a bit, not being a robot.

How do you get over the being-in-front-of-the-camera bit?

See above. Ya just gotta suck it up. Honestly, think how much YOU like seeing the face behind the business. It’s interesting! Humans are nosy! Alsoooo, people buy from people. Letting people get to know you a bit is good for your customers - they’ll feel like they can trust you :) Also, there will never be a perfect time where you look exactly “ready” to be filmed or photographed. You’re lovely just as you are. I promise.

What was your Motivation for Making a Video about your live illustration business like This?

Showing people what I do really quickly and easily. (Nobody can be arsed to read anymore, I reckon.)

This video will be a brilliant tool to help future and existing clients quickly understand how I can help them, and who I am. (In that order!)

How did it feel to have a video made?

EXCITING! Also nerve-wracking, I panicked that I was just wasting my time and money and being a big ol’ narcissistic wanker a few times but honestly on the day it was all fine and I’m really excited to see the final thing.

Also, being 5 and a bit months pregnant during the filming means I’m looking forward to showing this future small person “Look! You’re in this video too!”

Being able to add my own illustrations and animations to the video will make it really special.

…aaaaand HERE IT IS!

I hope this has been helpful!

Come say hi on Instagram and let me know if you’re planning on making a video too! (I’m @katiedraws)

click here to Learn more about live illustration