The topic of reels which both support product releases and product showcases is an interesting one. Interesting in the sense that these reels sometimes appear with very different tones and scopes. Some organizations choose to build a reel very much like a promotional ad, where the product is barely illustrated, and the tone of the message is all about depicting the sensation and overall joy and delight that particular solution will impart with its target audience. And then there are actual product/feature driven reels, where the user gets a chance to visualize the scope of what a product or feature actually is and does, with that reel illustrating the process or journey for one of its main users. The reel essentially and particular in this last scenario, should be telling a story, which if done right, should resonate with those who are trying to learn more about that same product. This article looks at the different phases involved in crafting a successful reel, featuring some examples in the process.

The brief. The Adobe Communications team has written a very interesting article on building a Creative Brief, which can be read here. Essentially a brief exists to document and organize the intention, scope, timeline, deliverables and goal definition of a particular project. In the case of a product/feature showcase reel, that brief should contain a few essential chapters/section which should illustrate what the consumers will perceive from the reel, and also what are the logistical aspects that are essential for the creative team to consider, when they actually go through the process of building the reel itself. In the past the briefs I’ve prepared are usually divided in the following sequence.

Outline, where the project is briefly introduced, which includes a definition of its scope in terms of being a product versus a feature project, and what the overall aim for the solution actually is (in this case, what is the footprint for the reel itself). Following that outline, there’s a Topic Description, where the scope of the product or feature being showcased is presented with additional color and depth. This is the part of the brief where the product/feature pitch is included, since it succinctly illustrates the purpose that it serves (and its uniqueness when compared to its competitors). The description should also illustrate who the main users are, and in what context will they be using the product or feature. Following this section, the document should also include the Goals of the Reel, where all the targets the reel should solve for, support and accelerate are succinctly described. These are the key metrics by which the effectiveness of the reel is going to be measured upon. They also become barometers for the storytelling and subsequent storyboarding exercises which need to occur. Past this section the document also includes Specific Requirements of the Reel, which specifically addresses the acceptability criteria for this reel. This includes factors like storytelling expectations, duration, focus on specific aspects of a certain flow or particular aspect of the product/feature, anything that best illustrates what is being showcased in an effective manner (and by effective, it should actually translates as succinct, substantial, specific and sincere). The last two components of this document include Timelines and Deliverables and also Resources. Timelines and Deliverables are essential for the teams to understand the strategy they need to articulate, which impacts resources, costs and planning. Those factors have to be accounted for while also making sure that revisions & iterative cycles are contemplated. Deliverables include the expectations in terms beyond the final product, which also includes other items that are produced on the path towards the final reel (including script, storyboards, animation, voiceovers, motion and score). Resources serve as a showcase for research that has been crafted to support the endeavor. It typically includes benchmarking analysis, alongside products that while not from the same industry, have solidly captured the attention of its users and consumers. If done properly, the Brief should be an apt support for the teams that are going to embark on the process of understanding what they’re illustrating, what they’ll be emphasizing and what the holistic narrative should be (emphasizing in the process qualities of the solution which include value, relevancy, clarity, friction and hopefully minimizing distraction).

Scripting & Storyboarding. Building a script and a storyboard, are topics that should have articles of their own, but I’ll succinctly provide some considerations on how they become a part of the process of building a reel. A script or screenplay according to Wikipedia is: “A screenplay is a form of narration in which the movements, actions, expressions and dialogue of the characters are described in a certain format. Visual or cinematographic cues may be given, as well as scene descriptions and scene changes.” Which is to say, when building the script for the reel, the content writers should build a narrative, a storyline, populate it with characters (the users of the application or feature) and outline the context in which they’ll interact with each other, while bringing to the forefront the aspects of the product/feature which are being highlighted. And this should be done in a way that contemplates: Context Establishment (what is the situation that prompts the existence of the solution), who the main characters are, what are the motivations for what they’re doing, how the product enables the success of what they want to do, showcasing the virtuosity and uniqueness of the solution, and finally, the successful accomplishment of their task/mission. Accordingly to what Wikipedia details, the script/screenplay should illustrate/detail what types of visual cues and animations are expected, which best serve the story, including character interactions, product features which need to be highlighted with detail, and just as importantly, what keywords and messaging needs to be emphasized. This part of the reel definition is essential, since this is where the tone of the reel is established, as well as the details that are going to make it more impactful and distinguishable.

Storyboarding is typically the following step. This technique is meant to illustrate what the screenplay has defined, and brings to life the content that has been previously established and iterated upon. Storyboard according to wikipedia is: “A storyboard is a graphic organizer that consists of illustrations or images displayed in sequence for the purpose of pre-visualizing a motion picture, animation, motion graphic or interactive media sequence. The storyboarding process, in the form it is known today, was developed at Walt Disney Productions during the early 1930s, after several years of similar processes being in use at Walt Disney and other animation studios.” Author Nick Babich has also written about Storyboarding in UX Design in a comprehensive article published in 2017, which can be read here. All these pertinent descriptions and explanations surface the following: storyboards are essential for the team to visualize what the reel is going to include, which includes tone, visual and possibly art direction, transitions & motion details, and how to balance the voice-over and/or text cues which will quite possibly co-exist in the reel. This phase is one where the iterative cycles usually occur for a considerable amount of time, which is why the brief outlines timelines, in order to maintain accountability for the teams who are producing and delivering all these different artifacts.

Production & Deliverables. This phase of the reel process is the one where all of the content and strategy previously outlined are leveraged in order to create the final output. The Motion Graphics team (or professional, depending on the scale of the project, timeline, available resources and cost), will parse through the screenplay and storyboards produced, in order to bring that content to life. This is the phase where animations and editing of content is crafted (depending on the nature of the reel, it can involve software packages such as Adobe After Effects, Adobe Premiere and/or Final Cut), VoiceOvers are recorded, alongside a score (which can for instance be purchased from a media stock library site such as Epidemic Sound, or specifically and uniquely conceived for the project itself), all with the intent of bringing the narrative to life. At this point in the gestation of the reel, the Motion team/professional has an opportunity to introduce additional details on animations, transitions, refine the art direction in general, always keeping in mind the goals established in the brief, all of which should position and align the reel with the branding of the product/feature that is supporting. Much like the screenplay/script and storyboard phase, this is one where there should be a timeline buffer which accounts for iterative cycles, which are bound to happen upon reviews and analysis of the output. An example of a reel I collaborated on and worked on can be viewed by clicking here.

This problem solving process, is not very different of solving a Product Design challenge. Characters/consumers need to be understood, as does the problem itself. An activity centered systems approach is also embraced, as are the iterative cycles. Reels have the power to enhance the footprint of a product solution, of both captivating and delighting the target audiences in ways that a powerful pitch sometimes simply can not. Reels have the power of emphasizing the robustness of a solution, and more so, create a bridge with the users who will be using it by cleverly illustrating the situations and the outcomes in which users find themselves in, and how the product solution can potentiate happier outcomes. It has the power to further cement empathy with users.

I’ll conclude with a quote from scientist Albert Einstein on the topic of Creativity.

“Creativity is intelligence having fun.”