If you have a trade fair stand, it often pays to have a trade fair film made and present it as an aftermovie. Find out how this filmed documentation extends the life of your trade fair stand and what the legal requirements are.
Contents
- Trade fair alternatives: the free eBook (in German)
- Creating a trade fair film: is it worth it?
- Important: a trade fair film about your trade fair appearance or for your stand?
- What makes a good trade fair film (aftermovie)?
- How long does the film production company need on site?
- Filming at trade fairs: legal certainty?
- How is a trade fair aftermovie made?
- What does it cost to have a trade fair film made?
- How can I use a trade fair film?
- Conclusion: plan the trade fair film and how you will use it in good time.
Trade fair alternatives: the free eBook (in German)
During the Covid pandemic, trade fairs could not take place for a long time. Trade fair alternatives helped companies keep generating sales despite the crisis: with various live formats or on-demand videos, trade fair appearances could be held in a modern and appealing form.
Creating a trade fair film: is it worth it?
First of all: if you are thinking about having a trade fair film made, you are right on trend. Demand for films for or about trade fair stands was higher than ever in 2021, when this article was first written, and looked set to keep rising for a while. Why is that?
There is no question that trade fairs are expensive: stand construction, stand rental, giveaways, staff and travel costs and entertainment on the stand. All this ties up enormous resources, staff and money. So why should you spend even more money and time on a trade fair film?
Is a trade fair film worth it? Absolutely. For a comparatively small addition to your trade fair budget, you get a marketing tool that offers enormous added value not only at the fair itself but above all afterwards. This makes your trade fair stand last longer and lets you use the communication measure over a longer period – which lowers the costs relative to the marketing lifetime.
In summary: a trade fair film is the ideal addition to your trade fair appearance. It adds a multimedia component and allows long-term marketing – and so extends the life of your communication messages.
Important: a trade fair film about your trade fair appearance or for your stand?
There are two types of trade fair film: a trade fair film about your trade fair appearance, i.e. a kind of event coverage or aftermovie. And secondly, a trade fair film that you show on your stand, i.e. a kind of corporate or product video, sometimes also an explainer video or mood film.
What makes a good trade fair film (aftermovie)?
A good trade fair film as event coverage/aftermovie contains everything that makes your stand what it is. This can include, for example:
- An impression of the stand
- Information about the products and promotions on show
- Good conversations
- Satisfied customers
- Motivated stand staff
- A great atmosphere
- Special entertainment (live cooking, activity areas or similar)
When outsiders watch a good trade fair aftermovie, they should wish they had been there. At the same time, it should convey enough information, e.g. about the product range or the service. The trade fair film has the task, so to speak, of passing on the whole feeling of the trade fair appearance and capturing it for ever.
Example of a trade fair film about a trade fair appearance:
How long does the film production company need on site?
Depending on how big the stand is and how extensively you want to show which content, the production company needs about 0.5 to 1.5 days to create a good trade fair film. The second factor is how busy the stand is. If the stand is not very busy, the production company will probably need longer to capture good – and above all enough – scenes that convey the desired feeling. On the other hand, if the stand is very crowded, the production company has to find time slots in which staff are available for specific shots or the stand can be shown in all its glory.
Variety in the film is always nice, too. The longer the crew films on site, the more different faces it gets in front of the lens. This makes the stand look busy and more interesting to outsiders.
Filming at trade fairs: legal certainty?
How do you make sure you are legally allowed to film? Can you just film? Does everyone have to sign something? Do you have to inform visitors? I can reassure you: even in times of the GDPR, a trade fair film should not fail because of visitor consent. Your film production company will be happy to advise you on how to set up releases and contracts.
Informing visitors
Do you have to inform visitors individually? In principle, yes – every visitor must have the opportunity to find out. Ideally, you inform them in advance with the invitation or a separate email that filming and/or photography will take place. Here you should also state how and where the footage will be used and distributed (e.g. on your website, your social media channels, your newsletter etc.). You are on the safest side if you have your stand visitors actively consent, e.g. when buying a ticket or by signature or similar.
At large trade fairs such as Gamescom or FIBO, visitors already accept the organiser’s terms and conditions when they buy their ticket, which state, among other things, that filming and photography will take place at the event. In addition, photo and filming notices are put up throughout the event.
You should also put up notices on your own stand informing people about filming and photography. Here you should again explain how the footage will be used, for example by referring to a link (ideally also to your privacy policy). Visitors should also have the opportunity to object to the publication of footage showing them.
Allowing objections
In our experience, most visitors have nothing against being filmed. Visitors more or less expect it at a trade fair, especially when the footage shows crowds or large groups. It is still polite to ask visitors who are filmed close up – for example during a personal conversation with one of your staff – separately.
What if a visitor doesn’t want to be seen at all? That is no problem either. We have had very good experiences with adding a note to all signs (and in personal conversation) that people can send an informal objection and a photo of themselves by email to an address you define (or directly to the film production company). The photo is used to identify the person objecting, so that all footage showing his or her face can be removed.
Informing staff
You should definitely inform your staff when you have a trade fair film made. Unfortunately, I have often arrived at a location with the crew to find that the staff didn’t know about it. Most colleagues don’t take kindly to that.
I think everyone wants to smarten up a bit when there is filming involved. That is always an advantage for you and the film too: staff are well turned out and less camera-shy.
If everyone knows early enough, shifts can also be swapped if necessary, so that everyone who is happy to be filmed is there for the shoot. This makes work on set easier for everyone and creates a good atmosphere.
- Visitors should be informed in advance
- At large events, visitors accept the terms and conditions when they buy a ticket
- Notices about photography and filming on the stand are helpful
- Explain the purpose and place of use, and give people the opportunity to object
- Let your staff in on your plans
How is a trade fair aftermovie made?
A trade fair aftermovie is divided, as standard, into pre-production, the shoot and post-production. However, since it is a live documentation rather than a fully planned shoot, there is usually no script written in advance for a trade fair film – unlike a corporate film, for example. This is because you react dynamically on site and can only plan partly in advance.
A trade fair film is generally filmed documentary-style according to the “run-and-gun” principle. “Gun” here of course means pressing the record button.
Some scenes are also filmed semi-documentary-style on site: someone in the crew has an idea – for example, that a member of staff should hand a bag to a visitor. The scene is then set up and filmed.
Once the trade fair film has been shot, a rough cut is made and you decide whether you would like a voice-over or just music, with text overlays to match the images, for example. Based on your feedback, the film is finalised and delivered to you.
Examples of text overlays in a trade fair film:
- The trade fair film is divided into pre-production, the shoot and post-production
- The work is documentary or semi-documentary
- A trade fair film is often accompanied by text overlays, a voice-over and/or interviews
What does it cost to have a trade fair film made?
Having a trade fair film made costs on average 2,000 to 5,000 euros. It all depends on what you have in mind and would like. The biggest cost factor here is the number of shooting days needed. The bigger the stand or the more extensive the content, the more time the film crew needs to capture everything and enough different faces.
Sound bites from stand visitors are particularly popular in trade fair films. For this, the set needs not only a camera operator but also an editor and a sound engineer, who record the sound bites and make sure the right messages are collected for the film.
On top of this come third-party costs such as music or a voice-over. Incidentally, this is a very easy way to add a lot of value, by using a well-known or even famous voice (e.g. Simon Jäger, or Manfred Lehmann, the German voice of “Bruce Willis”). If you decide on a trade fair film without a voice-over, the music is particularly important and carries the mood. Besides stock music, you can also choose composed music created especially for you.
- The biggest cost factor is the number of shooting days
- The crew needed on site changes depending on your ideas
- You decide flexibly on the costs (and quality) of music and voice-over
How can I use a trade fair film?
To make a trade fair film pay off, it has to be used and marketed in a targeted way. In the company archive it may be nice to look at, but it won’t give you much back.
Below I have put together the most popular ways of using it.
In-house
One of the most popular uses is in-house. The trade fair film is emailed to visitors and staff as a reminder.
It can also be used in-house as a thank-you to all colleagues for the good teamwork.
External
Using your trade fair film externally can bring you to the attention of new visitors or new customers. It can show outsiders what they can experience and try out with you at the fair. You can, for example, share the trade fair film on social media such as Facebook, Instagram and co. and make a contact or two with the right hashtags and tags.
Sending it to customers who couldn’t make it
A trade fair aftermovie is also particularly good for showing customers who couldn’t find the time what the fair was like. At the same time, it motivates them to be there next time. Everyone likes watching a video sent in a friendly email with a short text.
Conclusion: plan the trade fair film and how you will use it in good time.
Start planning your trade fair film – and how you want to use it – early enough. Here too, let the film production company you trust advise you on your options. As soon as you have decided to have a trade fair film made, you should also let your staff and colleagues know.
If you would like to find out more about what you can do with film, I can recommend the following articles:
