Behind the Scenes of 'Don't Hire a Dick!' - A Local Film Production by Lightspeed Graphics

Welcome to an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the making of "Don't Hire a Dick!", a commercial video produced by Lightspeed Graphics. In this blog, we’ll dive into the creative process, from conceptualization to execution, highlighting the techniques and the collaborative effort that brought this project to life. Join us as we explore the complete video production process from storyboard creation, scriptwriting, staging, practical and visual effects, plus more.

Starts with a Concept

Our journey began with a simple concept: showcasing the pitfalls of hiring the wrong moving company. Inspired by real-life moving day disasters, we wanted to create a narrative that was relatable yet comically exaggerated to capture our audience's attention. This concept was developed in close collaboration with Justin Duncan, bringing the original concept to us.

Storyboarding with AI / ChatGPT

To plan our shots, we first needed to create detailed storyboards. Each frame was meticulously crafted using a specific prompt within ChatGPT to outline the sequence of events, ensuring every shot was planned to convey the right message and emotion. These sketches served as a blueprint for our production, guiding every creative decision from camera angles to actor positioning.

Scriptwriting

Parallel to storyboard development, our scriptwriting team crafted dialogue and action that would resonate with viewers and highlight the key messages of our brand partners. The script went through several revisions to balance humor with informational content, ensuring the final product was both entertaining and educational. We used the original concept to create a script using the assistance of ChatGPT and storytelling techniques. We also took into account, when creating the script, the ability to cut it down into 15 second segments to be later used as marketing videos.

Lighting and Staging

Lighting and staging were critical in creating the right atmosphere for each scene. We chose outdoor scenery for the initial move to enhance the mood, from the bright and hopeful morning of a new move to the chaotic and frustrating scenes of moving mishaps. Our choice of staging was designed to emphasize the contrast between the incompetent 'Dick's Mooving' company and the professionalism of the Masters of Moving. We used a fairly simple setup with a basic t2i rebel to film the sloppy and not-at-all professional "Dick Mooving" company to give it an outdated, grainy look. Where as the shots filmed with Masters of Moving used drone footage at 4k (later down rez to 1080p), but with significant difference in colorization.

Practical Effects

To add authenticity and humor to our film, we employed several practical effects. For instance, the opening scene where the box falls from the top of a car was achieved by discreetly pulling it with a string. We planed this shot by having the truck moving slowly and landing at its final position, while one of our crew members yanked the string in a final pull as the trucks comes to a screeching halt. In post-production we used After Effects to remove the wire using a combination of matte compositions techniques and cc wire removal. Another challenge was the mover’s shirt, originally too bright and unclear. We used visual effects techniques like rotoscoping to enhance visibility and clarity of the text, ensuring the brand humor was well-received.

Performance and Direction

The heart of "Don't Hire a Dick!" lies in the incredible performances by our cast. Directed to bring out the humor and relatability of each situation, the actors delivered performances that were both believable and engaging. Special thanks to our director and filmographer, Kirk Gonzales who guided the crew with a steady hand and a clear vision.

Post-Production

In post-production, our video editing team worked meticulously, using Premiere Pro to piece together the best takes, apply color grading, and integrating sound effects that complemented the visual storytelling. Our efforts culminated in a polished final product that we are very proud to present. We landed on a full 45 second commercial, and cut down several the following segments into a 30 second and 15 second commercial.

Conclusion

"Don't Hire a Dick!" is a testament to the creativity and dedication of our team at Lightspeed Graphics. We extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone involved, especially our partners, Masters of Moving and Justin Duncan Small Business Voice Media for their support and collaboration.

Special Thanks

We would like to express our gratitude to our main talent and actress Cassandra Augusto, Justin Duncan as Dick, all the staff, crew members, and actors whose commitment and hard work made this production possible. Your talents and efforts are what bring our visions to life!