Meet Lemonlight client Gravitas!
D.C.-based Gravitas is the dream child of Chef Matt Baker, a restaurant where diners can experience customizable four- to seven-course tasting menus in an intimate, laid back setting. The project was so personal to Matt, he even designed some of the restaurant himself. Because of his passion, we had to create a video focused on telling his unique story.
Here’s the video we came up with, and some tips on what we did to make it stand out!
Start with character. We open with Matt perusing a farmers’ market to select the best, freshest tomatoes. As soon as he takes a bite at 0:09, we cut to him cutting one up and timed it to his voiceover detailing his passion for cooking and familial background in the kitchen. This was the perfect establishing sequence to set the tone of his narrative.
Focus on the details. Throughout the middle, we use a camera trick called focus shifting that takes an extreme close-up and makes it active by shifting the focus over an object, like we do with the delicious food at 0:36, 0:51, 0:58, and again at 1:30. This creates a cool visual effect that captures your viewer’s attention and draws them in.
Follow the three-act structure. Act one: Matt shares the importance of his farm-to-table philosophy. Act two: Matt pours out his heart and shares his influences as a chef. Act three: Matt lets the food speak for itself and invites you to his restaurant. Viola! A compelling story that engages viewers by familiarizing them with Matt and his personal journey to Gravitas.
