In late 2014, Melbourne based company Pridmore Electronics contacted Dream Engine with a challenge to deliver a same day edit for their end of year Christmas party. The party was a casual golf tournament with a dinner at the end of the day. The challenging part was to shoot the whole tournament and then provide a same day edit in time to be shown at dinner. Keep reading to find out how we approached the project and how the video added a lot to the event.
Pre-Production
Just like any event video project, great preparation was crucial. Being Melbourne, there was always the possibility that the weather might change. The key here was to pack smart. We needed to be prepared for whatever happened on the day whilst keeping our camera kit light enough to be portable. Rain gear, sunscreen, camera UV filters… it was all there and double-checked the night before. 
On The Day
Arriving at the shoot we hit the ground running, the golfers had teed off earlier than scheduled so we had to work fast. Luckily there was no ‘surprise Melbourne rain’ to speak of, but direct sunlight needs to be addressed too. Just like any direct light, if you aren’t careful it can create unflattering shadows and ruin your shots. Finding flattering angles and making use of any shade helped a lot. Because this was a time for the Pridmore crew to rewind and relax it was important to respect that and to be unobtrusive. At the same time, in order to get the best footage of people enjoying themselves, it was vital to strike up a rapport with the team. This ensured they were all relaxed, smiling and having fun in the footage. Having extensive experience shooting event videos was absolutely crucial. Knowing what would work and what wouldn’t made sure we didn’t waste any time. Being a golf tournament, there wasn’t going to be an opportunity to repeat things. Getting everything right the first time was important and with a very limited time to edit the video together it meant the less footage we had the faster it would be to edit.
Post Production
Being a same day edit, this stage needed to be done precisely and quickly. If the video was going to be finished in time for the team to watch it at dinner, there was going to be no time to mess around. Coming into this part of the project with a plan was crucial. We had the outline of the edit all planned out before the day. The music was chosen, the structure of the video had been mapped out, all that was left was to fill in the gaps with the footage from the days shoot. We passed over the footage once, taking out the best shots as we went. The best shots were then arranged onto a sequence and the video was ready.
The Results
Pridmore were really pleased with the video, it added a lot to their celebration. The team loved seeing themselves out on the golf course and it gave the whole group a talking point and something to focus around. With the camera floating around all day it encouraged people to have fun and get involved in the social, team building side of the tournament. The video played on loop for the rest of the evening so that people could gather around casually and show each other what they did. The next day we sent the video to them on a DVD so they’ll have a copy handy for the next time they need a good laugh.
Are you planning an event in Melbourne and want an experienced team to shoot and edit it? Contact Dream Engine today.
Ryan Spanger is one of Melbourne’s most respected and sought-after video production professionals. Ryan founded Dream Engine in 2002, and specialises in helping medium to large corporates, government departments, and the non-profit sector to connect with their audience more effectively by using video.
