“If you can tell a true story, you can’t be wrong.” -Jack Kerouac
New Beginnings
Every time we begin working with a new client, we always start by asking questions. What kind of story do we want to tell? Who are we telling it to? And what is really the reason – the “why” – behind it all? When we began working with the talented team at Byte on their newest series, “Behind the Smile”, it was clear from the very beginning that we were on the same page about telling authentic stories, focused on the human experience more than product features or price points. We were excited because this is exactly the type of content we love to create. With our background in documentary work, capturing real moments and crafting a story out of them is familiar territory. So when the team at Byte told us they wanted to feature real users’ stories, we knew this was a job for us.
Finding the Smiles
We spent several weeks looking through the stories that real Byte users had shared in their customer reviews. After that, we spent time talking to them via Zoom, learning not only about their experience with transforming their smile but how that affects their real life. We found out that this experience can really be life-changing. Beyond physical appearance, people shared stories with us of changes in their attitude, confidence, and overall well-being. Of course, there is so much more that impacts a person’s life beyond their choice to use dental aligners. But in fact, it’s all connected. That’s a story worth telling.
Ultimately, we found two beautiful subjects with unique stories to share. Alexandra Grace found that as an actress, her Byte journey was a part of building up her confidence, especially in front of the camera. Alyssa Acevedo is a hardworking mother who found that transforming her smile with Byte was something that she needed to do for herself. And by taking care of herself, she is also taking care of her loved ones. We had such a great time filming with these inspirational women!
Always Cinematic
No matter if we are filming for television broadcast, large format, or social media content, we never compromise on image quality. We set out to create a look that would define the series and do justice to the gorgeous smiles we would be featuring. Working with our talented DP Eric Soboleski, we chose the RED MONSTRO 8K, with Angenieux EZ Zoom lenses. Because for us there really isn’t such a thing as too much resolution 😉. The ability to adjust the RAW image in post is such a crucial factor, and the overall look that the higher-quality cinema setup can bring to the project is just tough to beat.
We also had our amazing photographer, Gabriela Oltean, with us on set to capture stills of each of our subjects. As well as a fantastic crew including Director’s Assistant Megan Chumbley and Production Designer Grace Hinson. We always aim to get more footage and stills than we need out of every shooting day. An interview may be straightforward in terms of the setup, but we are all about coverage, coverage, coverage. It is rare that we shoot only one video over the course of the day because we are always thinking about the potential for b-roll, stills, additional angles, and moments that can be used for cutdowns, promos, and additional content.
Transformation, Complete
When we’re shooting docu-style content, capturing the footage is just the beginning. Alyssa and Alexandra shared so many great stories and moments with us, which allowed us to really focus on the human elements rather than the superficial. We feel that final videos are something that everyone can relate to, and we hope they bring a smile to your face! Check out the full series HERE.
