Why Are BTS Videos Important to your Production?
Before things blow out of proportion, we’re not talking about the K-Pop sensation (sorry, Army fans). Instead, we’ll let the following quote set the stage:
"Both film and fashion are businesses where the audience doesn't feel or see the work that goes on behind the scenes."— Tom Ford
That’s right, behind-the-scenes videos— the supplementary reel that reveals the ‘making-of’ in video production, often with a good blend of gags and insightful content—is what’s up in this week’s article. We examine the history and significance of BTS content— how it could be a highly marketable asset for your brand and why we take great pride in filming them for every project.
What’s (behind the) Behind-the-scenes?
It goes by many names: bloopers, outtakes, or ‘the making of’.
But did you know that one of the earliest known BTS videos was produced by film giant, Warner Bros., in the 1930s? These Golden Age BTS featurettes known as, ‘Breakdowns’, were produced annually for a ritzy private dinner & dance event organized by the Warner Club— where big stars, studio employees, and executives gather for a night of partying and celebration. In ‘Breakdowns’, we witness a compilation of never-before-seen footage from a production set, from gag reels to watching the crew and filmmakers at work, but better yet, seeing stars blow up and curse on set, especially in a time where censorship thrived in Hollywood.
While the ‘Breakdowns’ videos were not released and available to the public back in the day, BTS videos started to grow more prominent in many films as years passed. Behind-the-scenes content became appreciated as an entertaining and fun companion to a film, often played during the end credits or as a promotional extra in a home video release.
The Evolution
If you’ve never seen a Jackie Chan film before, or even bothered to stay on once the credits roll, then you’re doing yourself a great disservice. As many would already know, action icon Jackie Chan loves to incorporate outtakes at the end of his films. These additional reels were spliced together to show the meticulous and arduous process of making those flicks, not to mention, the amount of preparation behind all the jaw-dropping, daredevilish stunts we’ve come to love.
The explosive pole jump stunt from ‘Police Story’ (1985)
However, there are a couple of honorable mentions in order; these are the BTS content that was not weaved together as a compilation but instead, works as a stand-alone entity with a cohesive narrative structure on its own. Documentaries like Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse (1991), Burden of Dreams (1982), or Boundless (2013), explore the painstaking craft and raw passions behind some of the most endeared films and notable filmmakers in cinematic history.
So, as you can see, a well-made BTS video has all the makings to be more than just a sidekick.
An Indirect Marketing Strategy
The element of intrigue is insatiable. And having the opportunity to watch a creative process is part of the charm of BTS content.
When you are documenting your crew working as a team, sharing a few laughs, and overcoming barriers together to accomplish a day’s shoot, it allows your clients or general viewers to appreciate and understand the scale of your work.
Furthermore, it highlights the professional work ethics, practices, and skillsets that you are armed with to tell your client’s story. Like a film or TV show, the crew members you feature in your BTS videos become recurring characters that your clients could resonate with and potentially build a sense of rapport.
From an industry perspective, BTS material reveals healthy trade secrets on the what’s what in the production world. Whether you are filming with a new type of gear, technique, or at some unique shooting location, having behind-the-scenes content would actively keep viewers in awe of your creative process and gives your brand an unparalleled identity— or at least something that stands out from the others.
Our BTS Philosophy
Here at The Story Behind, we understand the challenging work (and fun) that goes on behind the scenes—it is the bread and butter of our operations. By having an assigned BTS videographer for every project, we aim to capture moments that best display our personalities, drive, and collaborative work culture on set. On top of that, we are also challenging our craft at creative editing with the materials that were shot.
Our philosophy to filming behind-the-scenes featurettes is to always be shooting, as it is never better to have more footage to work with than less. Next, having a narrative flow— employing a nice mix of master shots, bloopers, or guerilla-style interviews— increases the watchability and gives viewers context of what’s happening on screen. Otherwise, it would be no different than a regular event highlight reel.
As a form of training, we usually assign our junior crew members to handle the BTS content. This allows the juniors to get familiar with the camera, to learn and observe the processes on set, and hone their creative voice (and comic timing) through editing. This training also serves as an assessment for our team leaders to gauge where that individual stands based on their skill set—to determine whether they require more coaching or if they are ready to take on bigger roles.
Here are some of the behind-the-scenes videos that we’ve produced over the years:
Yahoo Yummy Answers (BTS)
Watch the main project here: https://fb.watch/5Mp9YGmIDL/
RMSS Father’s Day Video (BTS)
Watch the main project here: https://youtu.be/LmPjbQDjxsc
Filming a BTS video is similar to doing an events coverage piece, where there is a lot of anticipation and understanding of natural light involved. So, with this form of training for our juniors, it compels them to make the best of what little things they have, to create a well-produced and engaging video that they can call their own.