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Studio
Your brief
The University of Bristol are a world-leading research institute.
The Specialist Research Institute Migration Mobilities Bristol reports that over 200 academics in Bristol are working on migration relation research.
We have been tasked with developing a series of films to highlight the success in this field and also the University's standout approach to interdisciplinary research.
The content will be amplified in a paid media campaign with the goal of raising the University's academic reputation and rankings positions in the 2024 QS Survey.
Our concepts
#1 / ROUNDTABLE
A roundtable series with two researchers discussing the other’s work and wider migration research.
Approach
A similar approach as we’ve done with the University previously, a roundtable is a convention that gets straight to the point.
As per the University’s interdisciplinary approach, we’ll sit two researchers down with each other to discuss the other’s research, work and collaborations.
To bring warmth to the pieces, and to better engage academics who watch such content regularly, we would strongly recommend filming these pieces in a casual setting such as a coffee shop as opposed to a studio.
This will also help place the viewer as the third silent person sat at the same table.
Similar to your interdisciplinary approach, we’d recommend pairing researchers who are NOT working together. This will inspire a genuine, interested conversation, rather than two colleagues talking about a subject they’re already totally familiar with.
Question and topic pointers can be used by our director to help steer the conversation or cover any key points, but in essence we want to be a fly on the wall.
Logistics
If, as we know can be, getting two researchers together at the same time is a challenge, we could look at each researcher joining a conversation with a consistent ‘interviewer’, like a talk show.
Deliverables
As well as the usual formats, this approach suits small snippets being exported for TikTok or Instagram, where podcast-esque nuggets of interesting facts and viewpoints are commonplace.
This may be useful for the secondary objective of engaging PGT audiences, but we’re not privy to any research or insight as to how engaged academics in general are with TikTok. We assume not very!
#2 / STUDIO
Engaging, to-the-point studio-esque interviews with researchers.
Approach
We’re not reinventing the wheel here. But there’s a reason why interview-led pieces are commonplace; because they work.
Whether it’s Nat Geo documentaries or Sky Sports build ups, the needs of your audience to have a “clear benefit as to why they’d watch the film” are met by a tried-and-trusted interview approach.
Similar to our work with the Faculty of Science and their JWST film, and our Chaos Theory film, the entire approach - whilst standard - will elevate the University’s brand through high production values.
Easy to schedule and film on campus or at our own studios, the concept is also logistically straightforward, whilst snippets of the content are suitable for all your channels.
#3 / VOLUNTEER
An interview-led series that puts purpose into practice.
Approach
As we know, and as you’ve communicated, migration is a challenging, sensitive and serious topic, never less than with the heightened news coverage around Bibby Stockholm which has - at least - highlighted migration numbers.
This concept will be interview-led, but see our academic volunteer for Bristol Refugee Rights (BRR). Whilst there are various volunteer roles, the easiest to work around would be kitchen staff; every Thursday daytime they cook for asylum seekers and refugees at their community kitchen in BS5.
We haven’t yet spoken with BRR, pending your thoughts of the concept, but ideally we would film each researcher on their way to and at the lunch, with an interview conducted after in the dining hall.
The interview content will be interspersed between the cutaway footage of them cooking and serving their service users, since interviewing on-the-fly is likely to be impractical and detract from them needing to perform an actual role.
#4 / MIGRATING
A series of films that highlight the researchers themselves almost as much as the research they’re conducting.
Narrative
Each film will begin at each researcher's home, or local coffee shop if infeasible. To counter the personal, and to engage academics early, the interview-led conversation will begin with the research topic.
The visual narrative will take the form of a visual migration - effectively following them on their commute to University, and - if appropriate - through a few different day-to-day situations.
As the film goes on, we’ll find out more about the researcher themselves, and why they’re passionate about their research topic. Interviews will be conducted in different locations on-the-fly - for example as they’re walking from the bus to campus, or as they walk to the lab or a lecture.
We want the films to feel personal and intimate, as if the watching academic themself is spending a day with them, with conversations happening as they walk down corridors as they would in-person.
A hero portrait will conclude each film, being the only ‘set’ shot of the films, with the researcher’s name, topic and - if appropriate - contact details sat alongside.
The profile-esque film leans into your objectives, positioning the University as an institution that cares about each individual researcher and topic.
Creative
Shoulder-mounted cameras will reinforce the intimate approach, with a subtle colour grade going almost unnoticed amongst a rich soundscape of sync audio - that is sounds captured during interviews and whilst following the researcher around.
#4B / MIGRATING (ALT)
Approach
As per concept 2, except instead of following researchers from home-to-lecture, and showing somewhat of a day-in-the-life, the film will be more conceptual and we’ll follow each researcher on a walk, embodying the movement of people.
Whether a woodland, park, urban or coastal, we’ll pick locations that are either relevant to their topic or personal passions.
As well as an interview-on-the-go, a sit-down interview will also be conducted whilst perched on a rock, tree, or park bench.
"University of Bristol has worked with JonesMillbank on several projects related to our cutting-edge research and our research-informed teaching and learning. They have provided a creative flair that has helped bring complex subjects to life, as well as a safe pair of hands when planning, capturing, and editing complex filming projects, often with senior stakeholders on tight turnarounds."
Thank you
We hope our proposal included everything you need.
If you have any questions, need any help, or would like to see
any more of our work, then please get in touch.
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