A long-term family friend recently asked if we could create a short film about something very dear to his heart — a wooden bureau that took him many years of hard work during his spare time to design and build as a gift for his daughter. As he now lives very far from his daughter, he rarely gets the chance to enjoy the fruits of his handiwork and so this video would serve as a permanent reminder of the bureau which he can take with him everywhere.
Even if one has no background in carpentry, it’s hard not to be bowled-over by the beauty of this piece of furniture. The attention to detail is impeccable, the fit and finish is extraordinary, and the amount of thought that went into its design and execution is plain to see.
This was unlike any project we’ve tackled before, but the process for producing the film was actually much the same as all our other projects — it had to tell a story. More specifically, it had to take the viewer on a journey which allowed them to explore and discover the beauty of this piece of art without being able to physically see it or touch it.
What sort of journey can you have around a piece of inanimate furniture I hear you ask? Well, firstly it’s only inanimate until you start to pull on the drawer handles and turn the keys … then the magic starts to occur! Panels fold out, doors open, drawers slide in and out, and if you know where to push, a secret compartment even opens too.
Then there’s the simple awe of wondering how on earth it was built — the longer you stare at a beautiful joints, the exquisite marquetry (where dozens of tiny slivers of wood of different colours are set into surface of the bureau to create an image or pattern), the hidden catches and hinges — the more amazing seems the achievement.
Once all the fascinating features of the bureau had been filmed, the film had to be set to suitable royalty-free backing music. Finding the right backing music for a film is as important as filming it beautifully — the wrong music can ruin a film and make it unwatchable. After much research and listening to many different sample tracks, a beautiful, ethereal piece of contemporary piano music by German composer Justus Rümenapp was chosen, and the video clips were then synchronised to change in time with the phrases in the music.
This video is a homage to the years of work that went into the creation of this beautiful piece of furniture. So grab a tea (or the beverage of your choice!), sit back and enjoy the film!
The master craftsman who created this piece of furniture, Jeremy Scott, was absolutely delighted with the final film and he keeps telling us how he watches it almost every day and that he fears one day he will wear out the recording! Below is a short testimonial he provided for us to use on our website:
“Dear David, I just want you to know that you have done a splendid job on producing the video, which gives me so much pleasure. The video, just as you have presented it has exceeded all my expectations. I’m inclined to wonder if it does not look better than the original product!” — Jeremy Scott
Are you a master of your craft? Are you looking for a sensitively-produced video to promote your business or art-form? Give us a call or drop us an email today and we’d be delighted to talk through your requirements with you.