Shooting Commercials During Covid-19
By: Justin Curry / Collette Liantonio
Shooting commercials during the Covid-19 crisis is challenging. Large camera crews, talent and production teams are unable to assemble due to the potential spreading of the Corona Virus. However, necessity is the mother of invention so there are many ways in which a production company can still create commercials without gathering a camera crew.
Recycling old footage, using graphics for the entire commercial, animation, iPhone filming, using stock footage from an online source and even creating a YouTube channel for your company are all viable options. By using any of these methods or a combination, a brand-new commercial can be created in isolation from home. It may not be the traditional way in doing things, but during this unprecedented time, it is a viable option.
Use recycled footage to create a new opening or new product offer for an existing campaign. If new scenes are needed and you’re not a professional videographer, you can use an iPhone on a 4K setting. Outdoor filming requires less lighting and can be broadcast quality. When developing testimonials or product endorsements, producers send products to peoples’ homes and have the end users film their personal experiences and reactions on their individual iPhones. The director can even assist the end user via Zoom or simple FaceTime. Apple has launched a series of commercials using these authentic clips of real people.
Using stock footage is another great way to gather footage for a commercial since it is accessible online. There might be hours of research involved in trying to select the best videos or stills for your commercial. During quarantine, time should not be a problem!
Another option is to produce commercials with all graphics or animation. Production companies may also create their own YouTube channel, another platform that can be accessed by anyone at home. These channels can provide a playlist with prior commercials, while also creating a daily show that informs people concerning new products they are trying to sell.
