Behind the Scenes - Crafting Stunning Visuals for Gozney.
At The Picture House, we thrive on pushing creative boundaries, and our recent shoot with Gozney was no exception. Before we packed up our gear, we wanted to share an inside look at some of the setups and techniques that made this shoot both challenging and incredibly rewarding.
Experimentation and Collaboration
This project was all about experimentation, playing with different ideas, and discovering what worked best. The creative team at Gozney came to us with their vision, and we collaborated to bring it to life, exploring innovative techniques to capture striking visuals.
One of the most exciting challenges involved filming charcoal bouncing in a speaker at high speed. Gozney envisioned a dynamic shot with pieces of charcoal flying in all directions, and we needed to figure out how to achieve it.
Engineering the Perfect Shot
To bring this concept to life, we rigged up a PA speaker with C-stands and connected it to an amplifier. Using FL Studio (formerly Fruity Loops), we generated a simple sine wave and adjusted its frequency to find the perfect resonance for the charcoal. The testing phase was crucial—too high a frequency, and the charcoal wouldn’t bounce effectively; too low, and we wouldn’t get the right energy.
We started with coffee beans to gauge the effect, but when we switched to charcoal, the results were mesmerizing. The varying sizes and weights of the charcoal, along with the fine dust, created a beautifully chaotic movement that looked incredible on camera.
Seamless Remote Control
To maintain full control over the shoot, we used a MacBook Pro running Red Control Pro. This setup allowed us to tweak camera settings—focus, iris, ISO, shutter angle—while simultaneously adjusting the oscillator in FL Studio. It made the process fluid, letting us fine-tune the motion and respond instantly to feedback from the Gozney team.
Lighting the Scene
Lighting played a crucial role in achieving the perfect look. Our setup included:
A 12x UltraBounce book light with three 1200Ds to provide a soft, immersive glow.
An F10 Fresnel on a 600D as a backlight to enhance the texture and specular highlights.
A 3120 on a 600X to add some fill from the other side.
This relatively simple setup allowed us to highlight the intricate motion of the charcoal while maintaining a clean and polished look.
Crafting the Perfect Product Reveal
Another key shot involved a product reveal with low-key lighting and projected patterns. Gozney wanted a transition from a bone-colored dome to a black dome with a cross-hair pattern projected across it.
To achieve this, we positioned a 4K laser projector directly under the camera to project the pattern across the scene. Using After Effects, we masked out the product and plinth to ensure precise projection placement. This technique created a seamless, high-contrast reveal that matched Gozney’s vision.
Embracing the Unpredictable
One of the joys of high-speed shooting is discovering unexpected magic. During the shoot, we experimented with throwing charcoal dust onto the products, creating abstract stencil-like outlines on the white background. This spontaneous effect turned out to be one of the most visually striking moments of the day.
The Final Piece
After wrapping up the shoot, we handed the footage over to the Gozney team, who did an outstanding job with the edit. We then did some colour grading work to enhance the final look, bringing everything together into a polished, cinematic piece.
Wrapping Up
This shoot was a perfect example of why we love what we do. The combination of creative problem-solving, technical ingenuity, and collaboration with an awesome client made it an incredibly fulfilling experience. Huge thanks to the Gozney team for their fantastic creative vision and for allowing us to experiment and bring their ideas to life.
Stay tuned for more behind-the-scenes insights from The Picture House!