The short film aspect of my project will be the main piece; the section of the "campaign" that will be at the forefront of the display and will tie together the other components. It is therefore crucial that it meets these requirements by being a high quality production that promotes each aspect of the brand.
Short films are common practice in the advertising world especially when it comes to fashion brands. Many of the top fashion brands will release some kind of moving image product ahead of their seasonal releases. Many will keep it simple, promoting the new products in a setting that represents the theme for that line, which in turn keeps costs low for the company. Others will go the extra mile and create a longer piece, sometimes with a narrative that may or may not make sense, depending on the brand (i.e Gucci).
Over time these short films have become more and more cinematic, something that appeals greatly to me. That the creative world can influence and have an impact on the advertising world through moving image content. This is particularly clear when film directors are called in to direct these short films for brands.
ASTR - the label, Spring 2019
The first short film I came across was ASTR - the label. This 1 minute film was created by Kevin Reyes, a DoP from Los Angeles. Promoting the new Spring 2021 line, this short film is set in a stylish modern garden, with the sun beaming down on the female models who are sporting the new items of clothing. A range of slo-mo shots set the scene for the video, showing each of the models in different parts of the garden before the video picks up pace and presents a variety of editing techniques and features, such as PiP and still image overlays. This add an extra touch to the video where the audience is made to look on at the products and the beauty of the models.
A simple yet effective example of a brand campaign that conveys a clear message on the new range of products being pushed for the upcoming season.
GLAMOUR Hungary 2019
Directed by fashion photographer and filmmaker duo Vivienne & Tamas, the screenshot above shows the title card of the GLAMOUR 2019 Fashion Film for the September 2019 issue of GLAMOUR Hungary magazine. The duo have worked for other labels such as Chanel and Dior in the past, so have experience in the visual fashion field.
Starting a bright summers day, the 21:9-cropped film sets out in a field / marshland where it cuts back and forth to models, in and out of a film-style effect (be that on-camera or post-production effects). Again, with a 1 minute duration, this video keeps it simple to push the aesthetic of the magazine's theme. Quick cuts allow various items of clothing to be displayed throughout the video across various locations, from the field in the start to a small harbour.
The colours in this video are far more vivid than those in the ASTR film, but that is an aspect that sets them apart. Furthermore this may be down to the theme of the video, being set for release as part of a September issue, the video would be set with autumnal colours and settings.
Alexander McQueen Spring / Summer 2019
Moving onto the more well-known labels, this Alexander McQueen film was created by Marsha Vasyukova for the spring / summer 2019 womenswear line. At little over 1 and a half minutes in duration, this slightly ambiguous video is set on rolling hills at dusk, where models wearing a variety of clothing stroll about. With no clear meaning behind the visuals of the video, combined with an eerie backing track of what seems to be rumbling and static, this video represents my general assumption of top end designer labels; they're quite wild. And by wild, I mean that they will often produce seemingly random content to promote their new lines. They benefit from being recognised globally, therefore not relying on the power of advertising to push their products to customers.
Advertising aside, the video is high quality, with aerial shots taken over the hills in a variety of colours ranging from full colour to black and white, cooler tones to warmer tones.
( 1 ) Kevin Reyes - ASTR - the label (2021) [Short Film] At: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KA4a6fE2fdg (Accessed 11/04/21)
( 2 ) Vivienne & Tamas - GLAMOUR Hungary (2019) [Short Film] At: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNlWakWKWb4 (Accessed 11/04/21)
( 3 ) Alexander McQueen - Womenswear Spring/Summer 2019 Campaign (2019) [Short Film] At : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNlWakWKWb4 (Accessed 11/04/21)
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