Before COVID-19 took over the planet I had a few projects on file. DARCC (the Dallas Area Rape Crisis Center) asked for a clean cut video introducing them and asking people to donate. I took this project as a new challenge to complete a project in the COVID-era. Shot over two weeks in June and edited throughout September the final product reflects a back-to-basics video that serves it’s function.
The video served three purposes:
- Show audiences the work DARCC does for victims of sexual abuse
- Demonstrate DARCC’s value to the community of Dallas/North Texas
- Petition for Monthly Recurring Donations
We filmed over two different days interviewing over ten subjects. I maintained six feet of distance the entire time during my interview. Janelle Gettman, the communications team member at DARCC, sat in the room with me for interviews so she could ask the staff questions I might have missed. We took interviews at different times of day, with a wide variety of people covering a dearth of topics to get the most comprehensive coverage possible. Without any B roll to shoot we had to live with only talking heads. The final product turned out better than I anticipated given I had to cut so many times. A concise and linear narrative for viewers to understand DARCC’s mission.
If their story interests you please visit: https://dallasrapecrisis.org/ for more details! Please consider joining their believer campaign in order to support a strong program with a good cause!
Breaking down the Project
A few things I like about this project and a few things that I would improve if I could.
- Color – Everyone looks fairly washed out and the color is inconsistent. These subjects were lit by LED overhead lights and one large LED key light set to match the room’s color temperature. No natural light was used or else minimized. While they are softly lit the color balance is different in several compositions.
- Location – Because of COVID-19 I felt reluctant to shoot in any other location. Typically on interview shoots I like to see a variety of backgrounds. It helps pick different sections apart and generally adds a variety to the color palette. This was done all in one location over two days to minimize exposure between interviews.
English