This three part series seeks to highlight new perspectives on how to present your content. The Trove Studio staff is highly skilled in helping you transform your idea into a expertly produced final product, so let us know if this technique stands out to you as an approach you’d like to try! Be sure to check out part 1 and part 3 of the series.
Many of us are accustomed to getting a story in a linear fashion, told by one narrator – think The Catcher in the Rye, Beloved, or Memoirs of a Geisha. But there are also ways to shine a light on multiple stories within one narrative, or to get creative with timelines. If you’re interested in telling a story fragmented through time or perspective, envisioning your project through the lens of the 5x5 could be a viable endeavor for you.
The 5x5 works much like it sounds; it is comprised of five sets of five second shots (for a total of 25 seconds of storytelling time). The 5x5 is a dynamic and story-driven method by which to frame a film. The five parts can be arranged in a linear fashion, in reverse time order, or any combination of perspective or timelines in between. If you need examples or want to spark your creativity, check out Vimeo’s collection of this type of videos.
You may not think that your video could benefit from this strategy; to that, we say “Think again”! Think for a moment about your product or service, and see if there’s a way to incorporate this fast-moving and multifaceted technique.
● Does your product have multiple uses that it would benefit a prospective user to see? Consider highlighting each use in short bursts to demonstrate that diversity, perhaps before imploring the owner to tell you more about their own. This is an especially effective strategy for engaging your audience – what additional uses could they let you know about? Maybe viewers could teach you things about your product you didn’t even know!
● Does your event look, or can it feel, different depending on the position or view of the attendee? While many films seek to employ the perspective of a singular all-knowing, all-seeing “eye,” yours could serve to showcase the same experience as lived by five different people or from five different viewpoints. This diversity of scope could make your film more dynamic and engaging than the standard review of proceedings.
● Does your service have a number of steps that a viewer might want to see before deciding to work with you? Use the 5x5 format as a way to virtually walk them through what the process could look like. The five by five video could be a creative and engrossing way to showcase what you do – so let the staff at Trove know what you’d like each stage of the film to cover, and we’ll handle the rest!