Tabletop slow motion video capture

Behind the Scenes of Crafting Stunning Product Videos for a Perfume and Cosmetics Brand

In the ever-evolving world of digital marketing, high-quality, visually engaging content is essential to capture and retain the attention of potential customers. A growing part of the creative services I offer my clients includes video production, with a particular focus on product-centric, tabletop-style videos. These videos are designed to showcase products in their best light, and more often than not, they feature eye-catching slow-motion sequences that truly bring the product to life. In this post, I’ll walk you through a recent project I completed for a perfume and cosmetics brand, where I produced four unique marketing product videos. I’ll also explain some of the technical elements and creative processes involved in making these videos shine.

The Project Brief: 4 Unique Marketing Product Videos

The client’s request was to create four distinct videos to showcase their range of perfumes and fragrances. The goal was to highlight the bottles, labels, and the various fragrance notes of each product, making sure the videos would resonate with the target audience. These videos were designed for social media marketing and needed to be adaptable to different aspect ratios: vertical (for platforms like Instagram Stories and TikTok), square (for Instagram and Facebook posts), and the more traditional 16:9 landscape format (for YouTube and website embeds). This posed an exciting challenge, as the videos needed to be versatile while maintaining high visual quality across multiple formats.

To ensure the footage would be suitable for all cropping needs, I shot the videos in 4K and 5K resolution. These high resolutions allowed me to crop the footage in post-production without sacrificing image quality. The flexibility to crop and reframe shots made it possible to adjust the composition for each format, ensuring that the final product would look great no matter where it was viewed.

Crafting the Storyboard: From Concept to Execution

The first step in this project was to create a detailed brief. As video production is a complex process, I began with a thorough storyboard, which included visual examples of what I envisioned the final product to look like. The storyboard was more than just an artistic plan; it also served as a crucial communication tool between myself and the client. It ensured we were aligned on the creative direction from the start and provided a blueprint for the entire shoot.

Along with the storyboard, I created a list of props that would be required for the shoot. These included various items like textured backgrounds, ingredients (which we would use to represent the fragrance notes), and floral elements. The client was asked to approve the list before I moved forward with sourcing these props. Some props needed to be sourced in advance to ensure we had everything on hand before the shoot day. Proper planning and coordination were key to keeping the project on schedule. For this shoot new Covent Garden flower market proved to be a great resource!

The Creative Process: Showcasing Fragrance and Beauty

Since the client wanted the focus to be on the bottles, labels, and the various perfume notes of each fragrance, the next step was to break down the elements that would be featured in each video. Each fragrance has its own unique blend of notes, and it was important to represent these visually. This required careful planning for each shot, including the use of ingredients and objects that would best convey the essence of each scent.

However, this part of the process also presented some challenges. Many fragrance notes come from ingredients that are either out of season, difficult to source, or simply not usable in their raw form. For example, some of the flowers or spices used in perfumes are delicate and difficult to work with in a live setting. In these instances, a bit of creative thinking and problem-solving were necessary. For instance, we used some props that were artificial, such as faux flowers or stylised representations of spices, which allowed us to still tell the story of the fragrance without being limited by what we could physically source.

In other cases, I had to rely on different techniques to create the right atmosphere. Slow-motion shots were crucial here, as they not only made the products look more luxurious but also gave us the opportunity to highlight the intricate details of the bottles and labels. Capturing the fluid movement of liquid pouring around the bottle or the glint of light reflecting off the glass helped emphasizse the high-end quality of the products.

Technical Challenges and Solutions

Beyond the creative direction, there were several technical aspects of the production that required careful consideration. For example, lighting was key to achieving the polished look the client wanted. I used a combination of high power Led cob lights and reflectors  and diffusion to create even, flattering lighting that highlighted the bottles without casting harsh shadows. For the slow-motion shots, I used high-frame-rate camera to capture smooth, fluid motion. These shots, particularly when paired with close-ups of the bottle or perfume notes, were visually striking and added an element of elegance to the final product.

Another technical challenge was ensuring the videos were colour-corrected and graded to match the branding of the perfume and cosmetics brand. Each video needed to evoke a specific mood, whether it was warm and inviting or cool and refreshing. I spent time in post-production fine-tuning the colours and contrast to achieve the desired aesthetic, making sure each shot aligned with the overall branding and messaging of the product.

Final Thoughts: Bringing it All Together

The final step of the process involved reviewing the edited videos with the client and making any necessary adjustments. With the right combination of props, lighting, and careful shot composition, we were able to create a visually stunning set of product videos that effectively showcased the perfume and cosmetics brand. The versatility of the videos, thanks to their multiple formats, meant they could be used across various social media platforms, maximizing their reach and impact.

Ultimately, this project was a great reminder of how important it is to blend creativity with technical expertise. From the initial concept and storyboard to the careful crafting of each shot, every detail played a part in producing high-quality videos that met the client’s needs. It’s always exciting to take on new challenges in video tabletop production and see how technology and creativity come together to tell a product’s story. Stay connected via our socials to see some of the behind the scene videos.

If you're looking to elevate your brand’s presence with captivating product videos, whether for social media, website content, or other marketing platforms, feel free to reach out. I’d love to help bring your vision to life with professional video content that showcases your products in the best possible light.