You've reached the phase of your start-up where you're considering making a video that tells your story. You've seen that one video from that one start-up your friend showed you that you thought was awesome and want to do something as good as that but you're not quite sure how to go about doing this since you have no experience in video production. What's the process of video production? Should I do an animation or a live-action film? How long should the video be? Who should I contact? How much does it cost? How long does it take? So many questions, so little time. But stress no more, friend, for we are here to answer all your questions. About the speakers: We are Mirek Hamet and Ben Soussan, co-founders of Niveau2, an emerging montreal based video production house. Together we share a vast portfolio of commercial and artistic work in a variety of fields: fiction, non-fiction, promotional, comedy, animation and experimental film. We founded Niveau2 to use our cinematographic and storytelling expertise to help montreal start-ups showcase their awesome product.

1. ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW
ABOUT MAKING A
VIDEO FOR YOUR STARTUP
presents
a workshop by

2. LET’S TALK ABOUT US
MIREK HAMET
Co-Founder at Niveau2
BEN SOUSSAN
Co-Founder at Niveau2
NIVEAU2
Montreal-based video production
house that specialises in promotional
content for brands
www.niveau2.tv

3. What is a video?
• Motion pictures (24fps or 30fps) + sound
• Narrative filmmaking (fiction)
• non-narrative: documentary & experimental

4. What is a video?
Techniques:
- Animation, live action and compositing

5. EXAMPLE OF POPULAR COMPOSITING
TECHNIQUES USED IN STARTUP VIDEOS

6. What is a video?
So what is the goal of your video?
• To encode your story with the best medium.

7. What’s a good story?
“ an account of imaginary or real people and events
told for entertainment ”
What makes a good story?
- RELATABLE
- REMARKABLE
- AUTHENTIC

8. The PROCESS
• STEP 1: PITCHING PHASE
• STEP 2: DEVELOPPEMENT
• STEP 3: PRE-PRODUCTION
• STEP 4: PRODUCTION
• STEP 5: POST-PRODUCTION
• STEP 6: DISTRIBUTION
• STEP 7: ????
• STEP 8: PROFIT!!!!

9. STEP 1 : PITCHING PHASE
• What’s your story?
• Tell us more about your story!!
• The CLIENT BRIEF
• The PROPOSAL
• The QUOTE $$$

10. 1. What’s your story?
(who are you? what brought you here?)
2. Who is your target customer?
(who are we talking to? the most detailled but generic profile)
3. What’s their problem?
(in what state is your target customer right now ? what are his struggles? )
4. What is the solution you offer?
(describe your product and/or service and how it will solve these problems )
5. Why is your solution the best solution?
( what’s your edge; what makes you remarkable)
6. What’s your vision?
(what’s your companie’s philosophy? how do you see the future of your company?)
The 6 Questions( AKA the N2-6Q, trademark pending)

11. HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?
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12. STEP 2 : DEVELOPPEMENT
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13. SCRIPT EXCERPT

14. BUDGET EXAMPLE

15. STEP 3: PREPRODUCTION
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16. STORY-BOARD EXCERPT

17. STEP 4: PRODUCTION
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18. FRAMING PROTIPS

20. LIGHTING PROTIPS
• Always take a picture of your future location before
deciding to shoot in it!
• The sun is the most powerfull light source - look out
for windows. But be carefull when mixing daylight and
tungsten lighting. Office neons makes you look like a
zombie.
• Three-point lighting if you can or if the room is already
filled with lights...
• Backlight your subjects and use the most amount of
light sources possible to create contrast.
• Find the best spot for you actor to stand in.

22. DON’T FORGET WHITE BALANCE!!

23. STEP 5: POST-PRODUCTION
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26. STEP 5: DISTRIBUTION
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28. STEP 6: ????
Ask away.

29. STEP 7: PROFIT