Summary
Targeting specialized tech companies with outdated web presence, I connected with Josef Dobrowsky. Initially hesitant, Josef later expressed interest in collaborating to revamp his company’s online image. Facing the challenges of an aging industry persona, Josef sought to modernize CONEXTRU GmbH. He disliked the faceless corporate image and enlisted my help to breathe new life into the company’s digital presence.
Our journey led us to Istanbul for a crucial shoot, where we took footage of multilayer pipeheads in tests and production of machinery. Transitioning to post-production, my aerospace engineering background proved invaluable. Drawing on this knowledge, I captured important details during extruder and pipehead testing, aligning visuals with the intended message. The result was a compelling video series ready for web use.
Visit CONEXTRU.eu to explore the culmination of our collaborative efforts.
How we got here
by Roman Pilgerstorfer
CONEXTRU
By the end of 2022, I was seeking new customers in the industrial sector, for whom I could provide the most value through my combined knowledge of mechanical engineering and film production.
I specifically targeted highly specialized technology companies with outdated web presence, and perhaps even those already utilizing video.
Upon initial contact with Josef Dobrowsky, he was interested in what I had to offer for him and his company. However, he wanted to review my work first and was unsure if it was suitable for his business.
It was only a few months later when he reached out to me again and said: “Roman, I want to create a new website. My designer likes your ideas; maybe we could collaborate.”
As we delved deeper into his requirements, Josef explained that he was approaching the age when most people retire in Austria. Despite wanting to continue his business, he faced the challenge that his expertise was highly developed, but his online presence was outdated, giving the impression of being “stuck in the past.”
Also, he didn’t like that the company was faceless. CONEXTRU GmbH is managed and run by Josef Dobrowsky himself, and all of his well-trusted partners and customers know and love that.
Josef told me that for shooting great material, there was one caveat: “Roman my partners work abroad. Could you or would you want to go to Istanbul with me for a few days?”
Pre Production
So we met and talked about it. Josef soon explained to me another concern. Media firms would tell him in his early career days that his work was not suitable for video work since you could not see really anything at the process of extrusion. Having an in-depth understanding of the industry, I got into the details of how I could help CONEXTRU with video work. What we could do, and what we can’t.
Josef liked the ideas and I made it clear that I could provide him with high-quality video work in due time if we managed to finalize the concepts and content before our shooting days.
In film and video production, there is always the elephant in the room: “What to say? What is this about?” Essentially, what do we want to achieve with this production, and what is the message at the end of the day?
So we agreed it is best that Josef gets it very clear how he wants to present his company and what the key message should be, and a copywriter would refine the content to match language, content, and intent.
As we got into personal contact, I got a feeling for what Josef likes, what his values are and how he wants to present CONEXTRU as a whole, which leaves me hints about what music should be appropriate and also what type of voice actor would be a good fit. Not to waste any time & money, I like to present different options in music and voice-over artists and often let the customer decide what they like most or I help them out with their decision.
After declaring what the content should be about, I got in touch with the designer of the project – Liza – and we figured it would be best to split the content and make a balanced overlap between video and text on the website. So Josef and I were both happy to get into business and first went to shoot in Istanbul for 3 Days. In this time we had a 3 layer extruder pipehad and new machinery from CONEXTRU which would make the main content on the new homepage with Josef Dobrowsky working together with his partners.
Shooting
For me personally, Istanbul was a very special trip. It was actually the first time for me flying commercially even though I have my personal glider license and over a hundred hours as Pilot in Command. Though the actual work, focus, and pressure were intense, and I was exhausted after every day, we had an awesome time together, and I think it is actually that, which built a good trust base very quickly.
Also, the stakes were high. Since flying another time would cause extra costs, I had to stand for the quality which I promise, make no mistakes to lose any material that I have shot so far + CONEXTRU would not test a three-layer pipehead with three extruders every other day.
All in all, the trip went well, and we had a great time.
After working through all the footage from Istanbul, we met up to film the remaining material for all four parts of the website’s videos.
Like pretty much all people not working full time in front of a camera, Josef also had his initial struggles delivering his personal message, which is embedded in the “location” Video. At this stage, I always get straight to the point, reassuring my clients or non-professional actors that shooting talking head scenes is always a bit messy and needs some time to get comfortable with the camera and the message one wants to present. Hell, even I, working year-round with cameras, am not very good speaking in front of it for advertising.
Now it was time to dive into post-production, the phase where all the meticulously planned work comes together, culminating in the desired output if executed correctly.
Post Production
Drawing from my professional background in aerospace engineering, I possess a deep understanding of the intricacies and nuances of various technological processes. If not within the first 30 minutes of explanation, my familiarity with these processes enables me to swiftly grasp the critical scenes, moments, and details during the extruder and pipehead testing phase. This proficiency not only allows me to capture these crucial elements in the field but also empowers me to seamlessly align the spoken copy text with apt footage. The result is a video that effectively conveys the intended emotions.
After a revision and a few minor changes in the edit, we were both happy to declare the videos ready for web use.
You can take a look at the finished website at CONEXTRU.eu.
