Project Overview
The challenge was to create a short form video framework that allowed 20 VCE Top All Round High Achievers for 2015 to be filmed speaking succinctly and passionately about their hopes and dreams for the future. It was filmed on location at the centrally located offices of the Victorian Department of Education and Training, providing convenience for the participants and cost efficiencies for the Department.
The creative solution was around writing a ‘Note to my 50-year old self’. We asked the students to compose a letter that revealed aspirations and hopes for what they hoped to achieve by the time they had reached fifty years of age. Every student was filmed reading their letter in their own unique style. The result was a series of candid, personal and endearing comments about their dreams and place in the world.
The video was screened at an awards event which was attended by family, friends and teachers - many of whom commented on how it had affected them. This video, along with others produced for the event also had an application beyond the event on the Awards website, promoting the program and celebrating the outstanding success of the award recipients.
Project Commissioner
Department of Education and Training
Project Creator
Team
Executive Producer - Tara Byrne
Director - Sophie Meyrick
DOP- Joanne Donahoe-Beckwith
Editor - Damian Corby
Project Brief
The Premier’s VCE Awards recognise young Victorians who have completed the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) with distinction. In 2016, a total of 289 students were presented with Premier’s VCE Awards at a formal ceremony held on the 28th April. Approximately 1100 guests attended the ceremony including dignitaries the Hon. Governor of Victoria, Linda Dessau AM, and the Deputy Premier of Victoria, the Hon. James Merlino MP.
The ceremony was designed as a ‘touch point’ for a broader communications effort aimed at promoting the success of award recipients through media and social media announcements, the Department’s website and internal channels.
An important component of the event was the inclusion of video segments to contrast the more formal proceedings with engaging short films about the experiences and achievements of the impressive 20 VCE Top All Round High Achievers.
Each year, new concepts are refined to provide a personal and heartfelt delivery of the information to the audience. A ‘Note to my 50-year old self’ is one example of film that was created to share the students’ hopes for the future and provide a moment for the audience to make a further connection by reflecting on their achievements.
Project Innovation/Need
Immediacy’s commitment as the producer of the films is to be as innovative as possible with the visual look, the camera techniques, the ability to extract personal and heart-felt responses in a short time and creative editing results in a high-level of production by industry standards.
Design Challenge
The challenge is to find new ways to create variations on the requirements for the short films capturing the essence of the student’s achievements. The location for the filming is office based and is the same every year and so the use of different concepts, background effects and props contribute to a completely different visual look for each year. Cleverly constructed story lines and editing to the selected music tracks combine for a powerful viewing experience for the audience at the event and online.
Effectiveness
Guest feedback in 2016 was overwhelmingly positive. An open-ended question that asked guests what they enjoyed most or least about the ceremony provided further insight into what shaped their views. Significantly, the ceremony’s video content made the greatest impression – with more than 60 positive references to the three videos, including recall of the specific themes of each.
Following are two of the qualitative responses received:
“… I enjoyed seeing past recipients talk about where they are now and their expectations when they were younger. I also enjoyed the letters to my 50 year-old self. All great ideas which added hope and promise of things to come to a wonderful celebration of achievement.”
“…We also enjoyed the videos from past award winners who were inspiring with their stories of their particular journeys after VCE. It gave the kids the idea that whilst the 'goal' remains the same, the journey to reach that goal may change course several times. The video of the current VCE winners was well put together and brought a few tears to my eyes as I watched them, particularly when they thanked their mums.”
Film, Video, Viral
This award celebrates creative and innovative visual and audio corporate communications that place an emphasis on design values. Consideration given to the technical, conceptual and aesthetic elements, viewer engagement and message delivery.
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