{"id":100571,"date":"2018-04-02T11:51:35","date_gmt":"2018-04-02T16:51:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.premiumbeat.com\/blog\/?p=100571"},"modified":"2018-04-02T11:51:35","modified_gmt":"2018-04-02T16:51:35","slug":"tips-shooting-electronic-press-kit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.premiumbeat.com\/blog\/tips-shooting-electronic-press-kit\/","title":{"rendered":"6 Production Tips for Shooting an Electronic Press Kit"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/b>The electronic press kit (EPK) is an\u00a0important element of a film or video production. Here’s everything you need to know about shooting one.<\/h2>\n

Cover image by Studio 72<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

If you\u2019re unfamiliar with\u00a0an\u00a0electronic press kit (EPK), let\u2019s take a minute to catch you up. In the world of feature films (and sometimes even shorts), EPKs are an important part of a film\u2019s promotion cycle. Usually, the production company (or the distributor, if there is one) commissions an EPK during production, and it functions as a catch-all promotion device once the film begins its theatrical (or streaming) run.<\/p>\n

Usually, you film an EPK\u00a0while a film is still in production, and it usually includes a full package of interviews with the director, producers, and principal cast members \u2014 along with behind-the-scenes footage and B-roll. In the old days, these assets\u00a0went to relevant news and press outlets for coverage, either by physically mailing CDs or, later, uploading to sites like Dropbox or other file-sharing services<\/p>\n

EPKs don\u2019t make or break a project, but for serious\u00a0productions,\u00a0an EPK that\u00a0does its job well is a huge\u00a0boon for exposure, which can help a film\u2019s overall bottom line. So, whether you need to shoot one for a feature or produce one for your own project, let\u2019s look at these tips for creating a quality EPK.<\/p>\n

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1. Shoot It Neutral<\/h3>\n

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\n<\/a>Image by\u00a0ponsulak<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

While you may have the urge to knock out some stylized, cool-looking footage for interviews and B-roll, it can actually be counterproductive. The goal of the footage is\u00a0usability \u2014 you want other\u00a0outlets and fellow editors to have as much leeway\u00a0with the material as they can. Sometimes the interview footage gets spliced together with clips of reporters asking questions to set up your EPK-ready answers \u2014 in which case, they need to use your footage to match the style.<\/p>\n

So, shoot as flat and neutral as\u00a0you can to\u00a0accommodate as many\u00a0changes to the edit as possible. If you do want to go for style, add a second file, but\u00a0make the RAW clips available as well.<\/p>\n

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2. Keep It Comfortable<\/h3>\n

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\n<\/a>Image via Kzenon<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Big-budget feature sets can be full of excitement, but you can always tell that the stakes are high. Everyone from the director to the actors to the PAs\u00a0has a purpose, and they have to stay completely focused all the time. That being said, when you’re shooting EPKs on set, you may\u00a0have to call these key players away from their\u00a0tasks to focus on interviews, which may seem mundane and distracting.<\/p>\n

So, to stay\u00a0in the good graces of\u00a0the cast and crew, keep your interviews comfortable, fun, and\u00a0as relaxing\u00a0as possible. The EPK is your particular task, so you want to do it well, but the EPK isn’t going to make or break a movie \u2014 the direction, acting, and production is what really matters. So set your shots before your subjects arrive; offer them water or tea; and keep it quick, lighthearted, and fun. And if a fire breaks out on set, be ready to let them run to it with only a moment’s notice.<\/p>\n

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3. Make Your Actors Look Good<\/h3>\n

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\n<\/a>Image by\u00a0lapandr<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

After you focus on making your EPK interview subjects comfortable, your next biggest job is to make them look good \u2014\u00a0especially<\/em> the actors. Having the hair and makeup team on hand is a good option \u2014 or at least make them aware when you’re recording the talent. Actors care about these things as much you care about\u00a0charging your batteries\u00a0and setting your focus\u00a0\u2014 it’s part of their professional duties. If you can offer a monitor for them to review, they may love you more for it. Check for minute things like shirt wrinkles, makeup\u00a0glare, or forehead sweat, and present them in the best light possible.<\/p>\n

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4. Wide Array of Subjects<\/h3>\n

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\n<\/a>Image via\u00a0phichet chaiyabin<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Depending on your EPK project, interview questions may be pre-arranged, or you may\u00a0need to come up\u00a0with them yourself. If you do get to come up with your own, the goal is to cover a wide array of subjects\u00a0that can help the relevant news outlets, journalists, and whoever else that may come into contact with your EPK. Boilerplate stuff works fine in most instances for what the film is about, what it’s like working with the director, etc., but try to\u00a0throw out a few creative, open-ended softballs\u00a0so your subjects (actors especially) can\u00a0add a little bit about themselves into their answers.<\/p>\n

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5. Don\u2019t Let It Get Stale<\/h3>\n

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\n<\/a>Image via gnepphoto<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

By the same token, when you’re interviewing sometimes 10-15 people for an EPK, asking the same questions\u00a0over and over will just yield\u00a0the same answers. If you’re operating off of a set script, stick to it, but it doesn’t hurt to keep things fresh. If five people have given the same answer already, let your next subject know that. Say, “X, Y, and Z already said this, but what do you think?” Encourage some diversity in your soundbites.<\/p>\n

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6. B-Roll Helps<\/h3>\n

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\n<\/a>Image by\u00a0gnepphoto<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

While\u00a0it doesn’t always get included in an EPK, on-set B-roll\u00a0can be a huge help to the outlets\u00a0covering your project. Yes, they can always work with clips, images, and\u00a0segments from your film’s trailer, but a few moments of your director and cast working together on set is much more interesting in the eyes of their audiences.<\/p>\n

However, getting B-roll on a finely tuned-yet-sometimes-chaotic set can be tricky. You’ll have to pick your spots, stay out of the way, and\u00a0pay attention to how long you can stay there before becoming an annoyance.\u00a0Luckily though, you don’t need much. As long as you show the major players in action, you’ll be ahead of the game.<\/p>\n

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For more production and marketing tips, check out\u00a0some of these articles.<\/p>\n