Recently, we had the pleasure of working with Curve Leicester and Birmingham Hippodrome, producing the EPK for the UK tour of ‘The Color Purple’.
‘EPK’ stands for Electronic Press Kit. It provides the audience with an excerpt from the finished piece, whether that be music, film or writing. They work as a promotional tool, highlighting the best and exciting moments through: B-roll, soundbites, interviews and film clips.
We produced an EPK from the cast’s performance of ‘Mysterious Ways’, focusing on the narrative of the recital, with added B-roll. The creative team was made up by: Francesca Costa (Director), Dan Flanders (Steadicam operative), Duncan MacLeod (Camera Operative), and Luke Gale (Drone Operative). Fran’s vision was to create something engaging, whilst wanting to show off the vast array of talent of the whole cast. It was important to be able to capture the different emotions in only a 5 minute video. Fran had planned before hand a slight choreography for the steadicam movements, to allow Dan to move in and around the performers without disturbance; with the added intent of shooting longer takes.
Dan was operating the Digitalfoto Thanos Pro II with the Zhyiun Crane 3s. The steadicam guided Dan to move swiftly around the actors, allowing him to create a smooth shift in focus as he was panning the stage. The combination of intimate close ups and wide angle shots of the cast help to bring the track to life by showcasing the talent from many points of view.
Luke Gale, of Cineflow, is one of our freelancers in which we work closely with. It was exciting for both us and Luke to use the drones inside of the theatre, being able to push the boundaries to what can be achieved in what is realistically quite a small space. With direction from Fran, Luke was able to capture amazing sweeping shots of the cast and stage, using the FPV drone with the naked GoPro. The dynamic shots work well at capturing the many layers of the ensemble from different vantage points. A notable moment, was during the start of the increased tempo following the arched pathway to the priest, allowing the viewer to feel the increased speed.
Have a look for yourself at the final video below, and check out some of the behind the scenes too!
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