LA Media was delighted to be asked back for the fourth time to produce the Glasgow King's Theatre Pantomime television advert for their latest production of 'Sleeping Beauty. We always love making this advert and it is a real highlight of our production calendar. This year they have an all-star cast of celebrities to take on the colourful mantels of these beloved childhood characters

.LA Media filming 'Sleeping Beauty' promo

Image by LA Media 'Filming outside the King's Theatre'

 

Sleeping Beauty is starring the legendary Scottish actress Elaine C Smith as The Fairy, joined by comedian and panto star Johnny Mac who joins her as Sleeping Beauty’s hapless sidekick Muddles, and Juliet Cadzow (River City, Balamory) and Paul-James Corrigan (River City, Gary Tank Commander) as the wicked fairy, Carabosse, and her put-upon son Slimeball.

Filming Sleeping Beauty promo

Image by LA Media 'On stage filming Elaine C Smith' 

 

The theme of this advert was ' The Return of Elaine C Smith' to the King's Theatre Glasgow. We had to shoot everything without revealing Elaine until the very last shot. This meant using creative angles and subtle hints, such as her character's wand, to allude to who was returning!

Filming 'Sleeping Beauty' promo

Image by LA Media 'The team posing for a quick selfie

 

The mysterious fairy was to arrive at the theatre and rescue the cursed Sleeping Beauty from her eternal slumber on the stairs of the theatre! Luckily for everyone, Elaine came and with a wave of her wand set things right and it was a happy ending for cast, crew, and production!

Filming 'Sleeping Beauty' promo

Image by LA Media 'Filming on stage at the King's Theatre Glasgow'

 

Client: Ambassador Theatre Group (ATG)
Production: LA Media
Camera: Shu Lorimer
Sound: Bob Mac Dougal
Runner: Andrew Glenn

 

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Visit our website lamedia.co.uk and if you have any questions, e-mail us at [email protected] or give us a call on 0131 622 0220

LA Media was thrilled to be asked once again by MTP, one of Scotland's leading commercial production companies, to come out and do some exciting drone filming. We were asked to film the aerials for a new action-adventure promotion for bottled water brand Highland Spring.

This involved us flying two drones simultaneously in the air. One drone was to be chasing a fearless stuntman over lumpy and treacherous terrain while the other drone was busy catching the train in motion as it crossed the famous and historical Glenfinnan viaduct at the same time. No small feat!

We also worked with the London agency’s visual effects people to achieve a shot from above where the stuntman leaped from a great height onto a green screen inflatable landing area.

This shot would eventually composite to make it look as if the stuntman had jumped onto the moving train we had filmed earlier. Milk Tray Man eat yer heart out!

This shoot was all about timing. We had a narrow window of weather, train availability, and non-gusting winds in which to achieve a series of complex shots.

Drone screen grab from Highland Spring Ad

Image by LA Media  'Drone Filming at Glenfinnan Via Duct'

The Challenges: Two Drones One Train!

On this shoot, the challenges were that we had to fly two drones in the same airspace at the same time without the pilot having a line of sight to each other. So we could see the drones but the two pilots couldn’t see each other. You see how that was a problem. We just had to be extra careful and put more control measures in place.

Getting to the location where they wanted us to fly from was no picnic either. We started on a road below the viaduct and climbed a meandering rough path (over water at times) to reach a sort of base camp.

From this base camp, we went on further up the hills to various locations traveling over bumpy, muddy, boggy-ridden terrain. It was no fun believe us.

At one point Justin vanished up to his knees in a sinking cold bog and had to be rescued by his fellow team members, no easy task! We could have used a few Sherpas and donkeys.

However, the production company we worked with was truly amazing. They did the bulk of the carrying and were helpful in keeping us going. The rain was persistent, the wind was billowing and the train was on a schedule with narrow windows of one hour time for its availability.

Drone screen grab from Highland Spring Ad in Glenfinnan

Image by LA Media 'Drone Filming at Glenfinnan' 

Get that Drone a Sweater!

You may not know this about drone batteries but they don’t like the cold and it was freezing. This meant shorter flight times and more battery changes, which ultimately meant more stress for everyone! Oh, the glamour of show biz!

Despite the weather, the location, and the batteries having a hissy fit we nailed the shots and the production were delighted with the final product.

Fourth Time's the Charm!

So before we rocked up on location three other drone companies had tried and failed (melted their drones) by attempting to fly through the steam of the train! It was -as they say - Scorchio!

Armed with this knowledge of previous attempts we selected our flight path very carefully through the steam. However, it was still a hair-raising experience but luckily our drone survived.

Drone screen grab from Highland Spring Ad Glenfinnan Steam Train

Image by LA Media 'Drone Filming at Glenfinnan Via Duct'

 

It's Going to Be a Bumpy Ride...

Owing to the terrain we couldn’t land the Inspire 1 on the ground. The Vulcan Raven was OK because it had its own landing platform wherever it went. But with the Inspire 1, we resorted to hand launch and hand recovery.

Here’s a handy tip, when recovering by hand make sure you don’t cover up the landing sensors which lower the landing gears. If you do happen to do this you run the risk of having your finger crushed by the landing gear winding mechanism.

Justin found this little handy tip out the hard way and nearly lost his thumb in the process.

Credits

Client: Highland Spring

Agency: Whitespace

Production: MTP

Director: James Brown

Creative: Neil Walker

Drone Pilot: Peter Maughan

Gimbal operators: Justin Adams / Iain White

Location: Glenfinnan Viaduct

Big Star: The Steam Train

 

We hope you enjoyed this blog post! Don’t forget to follow us on: TwitterFacebook and Instagram for your daily dose of media & drone chat!

Visit our website lamedia.co.uk and if you have any questions, e-mail us at [email protected] or give us a call on 0131 622 0220

So why video? Well, you know that old saying a picture is worth a thousand words? Well, now the picture has officially been replaced by the video. Facebook users alone watch 8 billion videos per day, that’s one reason that why video is considered one of the best marketing tools a company can have.

Video by LA Media 'Why Video is so Important'

Guess video did kill the radio star after all… however, the facts and figures don’t lie and the bottom line is that video is king. Cisco projects that global Internet traffic from videos will make up 80% of all internet traffic by 2019.

Whether it’s buying a product or trusting a company to deliver a service - people don’t like pushy pitches. They want information so they can make what feels like an informed decision.

Considering that YouTube reaches more 18+-year-olds during prime-time viewing hours than any cable TV network it is hard to ignore the value of video.

An engaging video is a versatile visual asset that can be used in so many ways to improve your brand. That is why in this blog we look at the five reasons why video is going to be a worthwhile asset to add to your company’s marketing strategy.

What video can do for you

1. Use video to improve your sales

Did you know that enjoyment of video ads increase purchase intent by 97 percent and brand association by 139 percent? Another study showed that marketers who used video grew their revenue 49% faster than non-video users.

A video is a great medium to deliver a clear concise message. Instead of asking your customers or stakeholders to read about you, you can show them why you are the top dog. Nowadays, your customers will probably wonder why you don’t have a video!

It has been estimated that at least 55% of people watch videos online every day. So if you don’t have a video online you are missing out on a sizable segment of the market.

According to a report published by Forrester, including video in an email leads to a whopping 200-300 percent increase in click-through rate.

2. Use video to improve your SEO

If you want to improve your website’s ranking then quality original content is key. A good regular blog, a frequently updated website, and a fresh snappy copy will all help to achieve this.

But ever since Google bought YouTube, a high-quality video has become critical for SEO rankings and converting prospects into customers. Websites with video tend to keep users engaged for longer. According to Unbounce by including a video on your homepage you can increase conversion rates by 20 percent or more.

Using visual assets can help improve your SEO

 

In fact, video boosts organic traffic by about 157% from search engines, prompts a 105% increase in time spent on a site, and leads to about 2X the number of conversions compared to a site with no video.

This benefit isn’t limited to your website. As we’ve mentioned this video is an asset! You can also share it via your various social media platforms. It will increase the impact and reach of your video and user engagement, all of which ultimately boost your SEO!

By creating your own YouTube channel and posting your video to your Google+ page you can increase your search engine bump by adding targeted keywords in your video title, tags, and descriptions. An added bonus is you won’t run the risk of being penalised by Google for duplicated content.

3. Extend your reach with a video!

Advertisers on prime-time broadcast TV could have reached 56% more 18-49-year olds by also advertising on YouTube.

Sharing is caring and you are more likely to get a user to share your content if it is a good video! Having a well-shared video or even a viral video is good for your brand.

Use social media to extend your brand reach

 

Research has shown that brand recall and brand association rose 7% among viewers who had been recommended a video versus viewers who found it by browsing.

A video is more likely to get you shares on social media! Social video generates more than 1,200% more shares than text and images alone.

4. Stand out in the crowd

 Cisco project that by 2020 every second, nearly a million minutes of video content will cross the network. Not only is it a powerful medium but you can use it as a tool to differentiate yourself from your competition. Your visual assets are important, they are your chance to showcase your unique company personality, culture, and brand ethos in a relatable way.

Your visual assets are important, they are your chance to showcase your unique company personality, culture, and brand ethos in a relatable way.

A memorable well-crafted video will give you stronger brand recognition than any text can.

According to NIELSEN Wire, 36 percent of online consumers trust video ads. But on the flip side, 61% of users say they have been put off buying a product after watching a bad explainer video.

Stand out from the crowd

This is why you need to get a great production team that understands your needs and delivers a final product that meets your brief.

Did you know that 85% of Facebook video is watched without sound? Your video will need to have excellent visuals and not depend too strongly on a soundtrack.

You should consider the use of some engaging subtitles so your content will be understood without sound too!

Videos need to be punchy and engaging from the moment they start.

5. Improve Communication

According to Animoto, 4 times as many consumers would rather watch a video about a product than reading about it.

Videos keep your audience interested, even during boring subject matter! This is why video is such a great tool. It makes complex content more relatable.

why video : it can improve communcation

And while well-written content is effective for many audiences, visual marketing is an even more powerful tool to increase interactions and actions.

After all, it takes less effort to watch a video than to read a text. In summation "We're entering this new golden age of video"  - Mark Zuckerberg on social media sharing and video.

 

We hope that this blog has been enlightening and will help inspire your next project. If you enjoyed this blog don’t forget to follow us on: TwitterFacebook, and Instagram for your daily dose of media & drone chat!

Visit our website lamedia.co.uk and if you have any questions, e-mail us at [email protected] or give us a call on 0131 622 0220

 

 

 

 

 

 

It’s the most magical time of the year, when everyone is cross-dressing and hurling custard pies; of course, we mean it’s panto season again. LA Media was back filming another panto commercial for the Glasgow King’s Theatre's 2016 magical production of Cinderella.

Video by LA Media ' Gregor Fisher & Tony Roper as the Ugly Sisters ' 

 

The theme this season was a parody of the popular Channel 4 TV show 'First Dates', which saw Prince Charming’s date with Cinderella gate-crashed by the two beautiful (Oh no they’re not!) ugly sisters, who made some absurd claims to be the fairest in the land. Luckily it all worked in the end and true love prevailed with help of her Fairy Godmother.

This year we had a lot of fun filming with the two ugly sisters Gregor Fisher (Rab C Nesbitt, Naked Video) and Tony Roper (Rab C Nesbitt, The Steamie). They were also joined by a host of other magical characters which included: King’s Panto favourite Des Clarke (Capital FM) as Buttons, River City’s Gary Lamont as Dandini,  Elaine MacKenzie Ellis (Rab C Nesbitt, Me Too) as the Fairy Godmother, Josh Tevendale (Avenue Q) as Prince Charming and Gillian Ford as the stunning Cinderella.

Cinderella - Des Clarke as Buttons

Image by LA Media 'Des Clarke as Buttons'  

We were filming in narrative form, which was good for helping the actors to follow the action of the storyline. We used a Canon 5D Mark2, an oldie but a goodie. Although you trade off the bit-rate, it has a full-size sensor, which means it can handle colours much better: useful on such a colourful production!

Cinderella - Fairy Godmother & Cast

Image by LA Media 'Gary Lamont as Dandini  &  Elaine MacKenzie Ellis as Fairy Godmother'

 

This was a really fast-paced shoot and was completed in under four hours; everyone really played their part to perfection. The cast was awesome and knew their lines spot on, so no gag reels here. The support shown by the King’s Theatre Production company was amazing but we’d also like to give a big thank you to Eve Alexander and her team for all their help. They all came together to make our production a really enjoyable one.

The support shown by the King’s Theatre Production company was amazing but we’d also like to give a big thank you to Eve Alexander and her team for all their help. They all came together to make our production a really enjoyable one.

Gillian Ford as Cinderella

Image by LA Media ' Gillian Ford as Cinderella ' 

 

If you have little ones this would be the perfect show to take them along to! Glasgow has a rich history of top-quality panto and this year’s production of Cinderella won’t disappoint.

 

If you enjoyed this blog don’t forget to follow us on TwitterFacebook and Instagram for your daily dose of media chat!

Visit our website lamedia.co.uk and if you have any questions, e-mail us at [email protected] or give us a call on 0131 622 0220

LA Media was asked to film drone footage for award-winning Greek filmmaker and visual artist Evangelia Kranioti. Kranioti was selected to capture the vision of historic luxury cashmere manufacturer Barrie’s new Autumn/ Winter 2016 collection.

Drone Footage by LA Media 

This new collection is this legendary mill’s fifth signature collection and it was our second time teaming up with the brand. Established in the Scottish Borders in 1903, Barrie Knitwear is renowned for its premium cashmere and traditional expertise. Barrie supplies some of the most prestigious fashion houses in the world, including

This new collection is this legendary mill’s fifth signature collection and it was our second time teaming up with the brand. Established in the Scottish Borders in 1903, Barrie Knitwear is renowned for its premium cashmere and traditional expertise. Barrie supplies some of the most prestigious fashion houses in the world, including

Barrie supplies some of the most prestigious fashion houses in the world, including Chanel, which acquired Barrie in 2012.

barrie-model-waterfall: Filming with Director Evangelia Kranioti

Image by LA Media 'Drone Filming on the Isle of Skye'

 

Kranioti’s avant-garde style brings this beautiful collection to life on the Isle of Skye. The video shows the struggle and commitment of craftsmanship with the beauty of the Scottish landscape. Using our heavy lift rig, the Vulcan Raven, and our Gremsy H16 gimbal, we fly an ARRI Alexa Mini camera to take sweeping shots of Skye’s pristine shoreline. Because our drone is so versatile we were able to get fairly close to the model, which was draped in the most exquisite cashmere, to capture a really unique perspective. In one day we filmed the model in at least ten different outfits in multiple different locations.

barrie-skye-croft: Filming with Director Evangelia Kranioti

Image by LA Media 'Drone Filming on the Isle of Skye'

 

To capture a shot of the cliffs and the iconic Neist Point lighthouse we had to fly our drone out over the Atlantic ocean, which was a pretty nerve-wracking yet totally awesome moment. To do this we had to take the drone out to the maximum limit we could legally reach.

barrie-skye-lighthouse: Filming with Director Evangelia Kranioti

Image by LA Media 'Drone Filming on the Isle of Skye at Neist Point lighthouse'

 

With Kranioti’s direction, we think we were able to capture the essence of the collection. From landscapes in the south of Scotland, the video then pursues stunning Gaelic panoramas towards the North of the country. The video reveals a very enigmatic and ever glorious Scotland, with Barrie’s collection acting as the red thread that finely weaves it all together.

The video reveals a very enigmatic and ever glorious Scotland, with Barrie’s collection acting as the red thread that finely weaves it all together.

 

To see the full video click here. If you enjoyed this blog don’t forget to follow us on: TwitterFacebook and Instagram  for your daily dose of media & drone chat!

Visit our website lamedia.co.uk and if you have any questions, e-mail us at [email protected] or give us a call on 0131 622 0220

 

Earlier this year LA Media provided drone filming for Volvo's campaign for their new V90 Cross Country vehicle.  It was all top secret and ‘hush-hush’ until Volvo had their launch…well, now they have so we can share with you!

 Drone Footage by LA Media 'The New V-90 Cross Country by Volvo' 

 

We were thrilled to be part of this amazing production, which was shot on the stunning Isle of Skye and Glen Etive near Glencoe.

If you have never been to Skye, you should definitely go! Not only is it Scotland’s largest island within the Inner Hebrides, but it is also home to some of Scotland’s most breath-taking and unspoiled landscapes, which is probably why it was voted 4th best island in the World by National Geographic magazine.

drone filming for Volvo

Image by LA Media ‘Drone Following the New V-90 Cross Country’ 

 

Watch the video to see Volvo’s stunning new car but also to take a glorious journey through one of Scotland’s most iconic islands. To achieve these shots, we used an Arri Alexa Mini camera mounted on an advanced brushless GREMSY H16 gimbal, mounted on our heavy-lift multi-rotor UAV, the Vulcan Raven drone.

This was a great shoot with some challenging Scottish weather! A fantastic experience and, as always, a pleasure to work with such a talented group of people!

drone filming for Volvo

Image by LA Media ‘Drone Filming Over the Water’ 

Client: Redwood (Redwood - inspiring content)

Brand: Volvo Cars

Director: Martin Swift

Drone Filming: L.A. Media

Production and Locations: LS Productions

We hope you enjoyed this blog post! Don’t forget to follow us on: TwitterFacebook, and Instagram for your daily dose of media & drone chat!

Visit our website lamedia.co.uk and if you have any questions, e-mail us at [email protected] or give us a call on 0131 622 0220

Here are some behind-the-scenes pictures of a recent shoot at The Cook School Scotland panto for the King’s Theatre Glasgow. The theme of this shoot was Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs meets the Great British Bake Off. It’s a pie-off between Hector the Henchman, the Wicked Queen, and Muddles: with Snow White and Prince Lorenzo as the judges. Justin, our director, enjoyed an unexpected drama school reunion with two of the panto’s stars: Juliet Cadzow as the Wicked Queen & Gregor Ficher as Hector the Henchman. You may know these two from Balamory and Rab C. Nesbit. Lots of pies and puns were had all around: this was a fast-paced but enjoyable shoot.

If you want to see the bravest panto o’ them ‘aw you can buy tickets online

http://www.atgtickets.com/shows/snow-white/kings-theatre/#overview_tab

 

Visit our website lamedia.co.uk and if you have any questions, e-mail us at [email protected] or give us a call on 0131 622 0220