As a new startup, Robin needed a brand video that encapsulated their unique mission to empower the entire school communities, and support mental health and social-emotional growth for children through live coaching and real world skill-building. The video had to quickly sum up the brand’s value proposition while emotionally resonating with the viewer. Robin wanted the video shot in an classroom setting and to feature real coaches interacting with students. However, given pandemic-related restrictions, achieving this would require hiring youth actors to play the students, and finding a suitable classroom setting in a building that was currently permitting film crews to come on site.
Given that Robin’s coaches are the face of the company and that their skills are foundation of the service that Robin is promoting, ReelSmart’s team quickly realized that the most effective approach would be to allow the coaches themselves to drive the narrative in their own words. We wanted to highlight the power of the coaches’ ability to emotionally connect with and draw out children on the challenges they face. To that end, ReelSmart developed a narrative concept that involved three components:
– A scripted intro and outro featuring a coach talking directly to students about emotional challenges
– Interview content from the coaches to drive the rest of the narrative
– B-roll showing the coaches in action and students using the Robin curriculum platform
At the time of the shoot, most NYC area schools were not allowing video production crews to rent space in their facilities given pandemic restrictions. So we addressed the challenge by renting out a classroom in a Manhattan educational test prep center. To make the the location feel more like an authentic high school classroom we hired a set dresser to purchase and arrange props around the room.
The result was just as we planned. An emotionally impactful, informative, beautifully shot video that quickly summed up the client’s value proposition.
