Client Project (ADMA6007)

Nikon’s Creative Brief

Interpreting The Brief

Nikon’s creative brief calls for a short-form video (30 seconds to 2 minutes) aimed at inspiring a new generation of visual storytellers. The focus is not just on showcasing the technical quality of Nikon’s equipment, but on expressing its role as a creative partner—a brand that supports individuality, emotional storytelling, and personal growth. Their tagline, “Your Vision, Our Lens,” highlights this shift in focus from product to purpose, positioning Nikon as a collaborator in the creative journey.

This aligns with broader marketing trends where camera brands prioritise emotive, story-led content over traditional product promotion. Brands like Canon, Sony, and GoPro have increasingly adopted similar strategies, recognising that audiences—particularly Gen Z—connect more deeply with authentic, emotionally resonant narratives than with technical specs. Nikon’s manifesto, with phrases like “Keep exploring” and “Keep believing,” reflects this movement toward purposeful content that values reflection, growth, and expression.

From an academic perspective, Nikon’s approach aligns with principles of emotional branding (Gobé, 2010), which emphasise forging meaningful bonds between consumers and brands through shared values, stating “Emotional branding is about building a personal dialogue with consumers”. It also speaks to Gillian Rose’s (2001) ideas around visual culture, where imagery is understood as an act of interpretation, not just representation. Furthermore, Schmitt’s (1999) concept of the experiential brand reinforces Nikon’s role in delivering a creative and emotionally immersive experience, rather than simply a functional product.

In essence, the brief encourages creators to move beyond aesthetics and explore the why behind their work—positioning Nikon as a tool for connection, reflection, and storytelling in a world increasingly saturated by surface-level beauty.

Research

Nikon has a long-established reputation in photography and imaging, dating back to its founding in 1917 as Nippon Kogaku K.K. Originally focused on optical instruments, the company became globally recognised for its precision engineering—particularly with the release of the Nikon F in 1959, which became a landmark in professional 35mm SLR photography.

For decades, Nikon has been the brand of choice for war photographers, documentarians, and NASA astronauts. As noted in Nikon’s own history archive, “the Nikon F series became the trusted companion of professionals around the world, capturing some of the most iconic moments of the 20th century” (Nikon Corporation, 2020).

Today, the company continues to innovate with its mirrorless Z-series cameras, while also shifting its brand focus to appeal to emerging creators. Nikon’s more recent campaigns move away from purely showcasing product specs, and instead promote a more human, emotive connection. The emphasis is on “empowering creative exploration and growth” (Nikon, 2025), aligning the brand with storytelling, identity, and purpose.

This evolution reflects a broader industry trend where legacy camera brands are adapting to the rise of content creation and Gen Z audiences. As noted by Fromm and Read (2018), younger consumers engage most with brands that support individual expression and emotional authenticity, something Nikon is increasingly embracing.

Nikon’s brief challenges creators to deliver a short film that not only showcases the camera, but also communicates emotion, identity, and storytelling purpose. To approach this effectively, it’s crucial to view screen production not just as content creation, but as a form of creative enquiry—a process where story, message, and audience engagement are developed through practice (Batty et al., 2019).

As Kureth and Sauls (2020) emphasise, developing a marketing mindset from concept to release means understanding how emotional narratives and authentic voice connect with an audience. This is particularly relevant in Nikon’s case, as the brand aims to engage Gen Z users who value purpose-driven, visually-led storytelling.

Hines (2011) reinforces that digital campaigns must be platform-conscious, with content designed for shareability and emotional impact across Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok. This reflects Nikon’s positioning as a brand that empowers creativity, not just sells cameras.

From a research perspective, McIntyre (2020) and Smith & Dean (2014) both support the idea that creative work can act as a form of research in itself, generating insight through the production process. The brief, then, becomes an opportunity to explore questions like “What does storytelling mean to me?” or “How can visual media reflect growth and identity?”

On the practical side, Brown (2008) argues that successful freelance productions rely on clear messaging, efficient planning, and audience awareness—skills equally crucial in branded storytelling. Meanwhile, Chaffey and Ellis-Chadwick (2019) highlight the need for integrated digital strategy, where content aligns with brand values and audience behaviour to create a meaningful, measurable impact.

Together, these sources support an approach that combines creative storytelling, audience empathy, and strategic digital thinking—exactly what Nikon’s brief calls for.

To contextualise Nikon’s emphasis on emotionally driven content, I explored how other camera brands are approaching similar strategies. One particularly relevant example is “Wildlife Photographer Brooke Bartleson and the OM SYSTEM OM-1 Mark II”. The short promotional film follows Bartleson as she photographs wildlife in the Scottish Highlands, presenting her work as both a creative pursuit and a deeply personal connection with nature.

Visually, the piece is strong—cinematic landscapes, soft lighting, and intimate wildlife shots build a lifestyle aesthetic that appeals to creators who view photography as a means of self-expression. This mirrors the emotional and purpose-led visual direction that Nikon encourages in its own brand messaging.

However, while the film’s imagery successfully communicates an emotive experience, the voice-over falls short. The narration is highly scripted and lacks authenticity, with phrasing that at times feels generated or corporate. The delivery is polished but emotionally flat, making it harder for the viewer to connect with Bartleson’s message on a human level. The disconnect between the naturalistic visuals and the inauthentic tone of the script undermines the intended emotional resonance.

This is further complicated by the film’s frequent focus on technical features such as the camera’s lightweight design, frame rate, and AI-powered autofocus. While these details serve to promote the product, their heavy presence in the voice-over shifts the balance away from storytelling and toward specification-based marketing. As discussed earlier in this portfolio, younger audiences—particularly Gen Z—tend to respond more positively to authentic, emotionally resonant content than to tech-led promotion (Fromm & Read, 2018).

The inclusion of these technical elements also reveals much about the film’s intended audience. It appears to be designed for a dual demographic: on one hand, experienced photographers interested in performance and gear; on the other, newer or emerging creatives inspired by the lifestyle visuals and the allure of nature-led storytelling. This hybrid targeting approach is increasingly common in camera marketing, though it risks diluting the emotional core of the message if the balance between inspiration and product detail isn’t carefully managed.

This case study was helpful in reinforcing a key insight from my research: that authenticity in tone and delivery is essential when crafting short-form content for creative audiences. It also highlighted a challenge relevant to my own production—how to subtly communicate a camera’s strengths while keeping the emotional narrative front and centre. As Batty (2018) suggests, screen production can be understood as a form of creative practice that reveals meaning through process. In this context, the tension between voice-over and visuals in the Bartleson film became a useful lens through which to reflect on how I want my own film to feel, sound, and connect.

Ideate, Pitch & Pre-Production

The initial concept for this project was shaped by a conversation with Maja from Nikon, who encouraged me to think about how my content could inspire younger people. This, alongside Nikon’s Human Prompt campaign — which explores emotional storytelling and personal growth — led me to the idea of creating a reflective short film titled A Prompt to My Past Self. The piece will act as a message to my younger self, drawing on my own experiences of feeling lost in my early twenties and finding purpose through photography. Rather than focusing on technical features, the video aims to highlight the emotional and personal impact of visual storytelling, aligning with Nikon’s emphasis on creativity, individuality, and the human experience (Nikon, 2023).

The concept of a reflective, personal narrative aimed at younger creators aligns strongly with current trends in youth engagement and mental health. Framing the film as a message to my past self offers a relatable and emotionally accessible structure, especially for young people navigating uncertainty in their creative journeys. Moreover, studies have consistently shown that engagement with nature — whether through direct experience or visual imagery — is linked to improved mental health, reduced stress, and a stronger sense of purpose (Capaldi, Passmore, Nisbet, Zelenski & Dopko, 2015). As my film reflects on how photography in natural environments helped reshape my perspective, it also speaks to a broader audience increasingly turning to the outdoors for wellbeing, a trend noted in recent media coverage and supported by nature-focused youth initiatives (The Guardian, 2023). Together, this supports the idea that my project is both audience-relevant and emotionally impactful, while aligning with Nikon’s brand goals of empowering self-expression through visual storytelling.

I first shared the idea with Maja from Nikon during an informal conversation at The Photography and Video Show on 8th March 2025. She responded positively and felt the concept aligned well with Nikon’s brand and the brief. I also discussed the idea with peers, who gave encouraging feedback and felt the direction was strong and relevant.

I began writing the voice-over early in the process, using it as a way to shape the overall tone and message of the film. I focused on making it feel personal and reflective, while subtly highlighting the role Nikon has played in my creative journey. Key ideas included the emotional impact of engaging with nature, and how photography became a way to reconnect, find purpose, and grow.

After writing the voice-over, I used it as the foundation to build an AV (audio-visual) script. I split the narration into individual time-coded segments and matched each one with supporting visuals, thinking carefully about how each image could carry or enhance the emotion being expressed. This format helped me plan the tone, timing, and pacing of the entire film — especially as I was aiming for a tight 2-minute duration. By assigning start and end timecodes to each shot, I was able to stay organised during filming and keep the edit focused later on.

From the AV script, I created a detailed shot list, selecting locations, framing styles, and camera movements that would best reflect the themes of growth, presence, and connection to nature. This kind of structured planning aligns with Batty’s (2018) idea that screen production is not just technical, but a creative method of enquiry — helping shape meaning through the practical decisions made during pre-production.

I began storyboarding by sketching the visuals I had planned out in my AV script. While these drawings helped lay the groundwork, I quickly found that my ability to draw didn’t accurately reflect the cinematic look or emotional tone I was aiming for. This made it difficult to visualise the pacing and framing of key scenes.

To improve this, I used ChatGPT’s image generation tools. I supplied my original drawings and AV script to generate a set of storyboard frames that better captured the atmosphere, composition, and natural settings I had in mind. This helped clarify my creative vision and gave me a more accurate visual reference going into production.

As Artis (2012) notes, effective storyboarding doesn’t require perfect drawing skills — it’s about communicating visual ideas clearly and efficiently. In this case, combining my sketches with AI-generated visuals gave me a flexible and practical solution that fit the needs of my workflow.

Video Specification:

• Title: A Prompt to My Past Self

• Client: Nikon

• Duration: 2 minutes

• Format: Short-form branded film

• Aspect Ratio: 21:9 (ultra-widescreen cinematic)

• Resolution: 5040 x 2160 pixels (4K ultra-widescreen)

• Frame Rate: 24fps (cinematic standard)

• Cameras Used:

  • Nikon Z6III

  • Nikon Z9

• Lenses: Nikon Z-mount lenses, varied focal lengths

• Recording Format: N-Log internal recording for maximum flexibility.

• Final Export Format: H.264 (.mp4), with archival export available in ProRes

• Colour Profile: Graded to Rec.709 for wide compatibility.
  

Since I appear throughout the film, I knew early on that I’d need a dedicated camera operator to handle the shots of me and maintain the visual quality I was aiming for. I reached out to Sam Higgins, an award-winning cinematographer who I’ve worked with on a number of projects previously. His experience in narrative and branded content made him a strong fit for the project, and I felt confident he could capture the personal and emotive tone I wanted.

We began discussing the project informally, and during a conversation on 12th March 2025, Sam helped me refine one of the film’s most important visual transitions — a match cut that serves as a narrative and visual bridge, justifying the shift between multiple locations and scenes featuring different Nikon cameras. Without it, the variation in environments could feel disconnected, but the match cut allows them to flow together as part of the same reflective journey.

I sent Sam the voice-over script, AV plan, and early references so he could get a clear sense of the structure and tone. Once he was on board, we worked around his freelance schedule to lock in two to three key shooting days — focused on both the natural landscapes and the more intimate indoor moments. We also left flexibility for weather windows, as the natural setting was essential to the emotional tone of the film.

This kind of creative collaboration reflects Kureth & Sauls’ (2020) emphasis on developing a marketing mindset that starts from the concept phase — involving strategic thinking, visual storytelling, and working with others to bring out the strongest version of an idea.

To keep planning streamlined, I created a dedicated pre-production page that acted as a central hub for the project. This page allowed both myself and Sam to easily access key documents, including the AV script, shot list, storyboard, location photos, and call sheets. Hosting it online meant we could stay aligned on creative decisions and scheduling, even when working remotely or on different days.

This type of accessible, centralised resource reflects Brown’s (2008) emphasis on clear communication and organisation as essential components of successful freelance video production. By keeping all pre-production materials in one place, we were able to minimise confusion and keep the shoot efficient and focused.

To support the project and demonstrate its relevance to Nikon, I created a structured pitch deck that introduced both myself and the concept. I opened with a short summary of my background, highlighting my experience with Nikon equipment and the role photography has played in my creative development. This helped to frame the project as both brand-relevant and personally meaningful.

To help convey the tone, pacing, and visual style of the proposed film, I included previous examples of my work, along with a video storyboard. This storyboard used AI-generated frames based on my shot list and was paired with a scratch voice-over and basic sound design. It offered a clear preview of the film’s emotional tone and timing, and helped visualise the concept early on — for both myself and the client. It also gave me a head start in understanding how the shoot would need to be structured.

I developed a full and realistic project budget based on standard freelance production practices. The costings were structured to cover crew and talent fees, travel, sustenance and locations, and equipment hire and wear, providing a clear breakdown of anticipated project expenses. Rates were informed by my previous experience delivering commercial video work, ensuring that the figures reflected realistic industry expectations for small-scale branded content production.

Crew fees were calculated across three estimated shooting days, with an allowance of two edit days per shoot day — a common structure in freelance video production to cover editing, sound design, colour grading, and any necessary client revisions. Public and accessible locations were prioritised to control overhead costs, and specialist equipment such as sliders and tracking devices were scheduled to be hired for a single day to minimise expenditure. As Artis (2012, p. 123) notes, “keeping production lean without sacrificing production value is the hallmark of successful freelance video work,” an approach I applied throughout the budgeting process.

The final budget projected a total cost of £4,170, presented clearly with a detailed breakdown (see Figure 1). By including a transparent cost structure as part of the pitch, I aimed to demonstrate that the project was not only creatively aligned with Nikon’s brief but also logistically and financially viable. This approach reflects Kingsnorth’s (2022) view that professional project proposals must balance creative ambition with operational and financial clarity to build brand trust and client confidence.

In addition, I included a detailed timeline, outlining key stages from pre-production through to delivery. This helped set clear expectations around project milestones, review points, and final delivery dates. Providing a timeline not only demonstrates strong organisational skills, but also reassures the client that the process has been thought through — making it easier to plan around feedback, scheduling, and any unforeseen changes.

Together, these elements — portfolio examples, storyboard video, supporting research, formal quote, and timeline — positioned the project as both creatively compelling and professionally managed. As Neugebauer (2016) points out, drawing from real-world experience and presenting projects with this level of structure builds trust and strengthens your standing as a creative practitioner.

In preparation for the pitch meeting with Nikon, I created presenter notes for each slide in my deck to ensure I had a clear structure and could speak confidently without simply reading from the screen. These notes helped me stay focused on the key points I wanted to communicate while keeping the delivery natural and engaging. As Artis (2012) notes, the key to pitching is “knowing your material, not just reading it,” which guided my approach.

To ensure the pitch was well-paced, I timed myself running through it several times, aiming for a 7–10 minute window. This helped me keep the presentation concise while allowing space for each point to land. Aware that I tend to speak quickly, I also watched presentation coaching videos to improve my delivery. These offered useful techniques like emphasising enunciation and building in pauses — tools that helped me manage speed and clarity more effectively.

My goal was to present the project in a professional but laid-back and approachable way, reflecting the tone of the film and Nikon’s current brand messaging. As Kingsnorth (2022, p. 53) explains, “you must speak in your audience’s language — not yours. Don’t dress up your content in jargon or overly complex messaging. Keep it real, relatable and aligned with your audience’s world.” This shaped both my tone and structure when delivering the pitch.

After the meeting, I followed up with a thank-you email and attached the pitch deck as a PDF, giving the Nikon team an easy way to revisit the presentation at their own pace.

Nikon responded positively to the pitch and concept. During the meeting, they expressed enthusiasm for the idea and confirmed that it aligned well with their brand direction. They also addressed and eased a few concerns I had raised about the tone and structure of the piece, which gave me added confidence moving forward. Their support reinforced that the project was on the right track, and they were excited to see how it would take shape in the final production.

Production

Filming took place over four core shoot days, with additional pickup shots captured independently at home. The project was originally scheduled across three days, but additional time was required to complete coverage, accommodate weather, and ensure variety across locations.

Key locations included indoor setups and multiple outdoor environments. To achieve the visual variety needed for the match cut sequence, multiple locations were used — including stops made en route to main locations. Coastal scenes were initially planned for the Green Bridge of Wales but were ultimately filmed at Rhossili due to more practical access and more favourable light.

A range of equipment was used to elevate the visual quality of the project. Tracking shots and smooth push-ins were achieved using a dolly and gimbal setup, adding motion to otherwise static scenes. A drone was also used to capture unique angles, contributing to the cinematic tone of the film. These tools provided flexibility in framing and pacing, and allowed for dynamic movement within the frame — techniques Artis (2012) highlights as effective ways to increase production value and emotional impact, even in small-scale productions.

The indoor scenes, particularly those filmed at the desk, were staged and lit in a controlled, narrative style. A basic three-point lighting setup was used: a key light to illuminate the subject from the side, a hair light to provide separation from the background, and accent lights to subtly highlight key elements within the frame — including Nikon cameras on the shelf and the fireplace in the background. This setup was designed to bring depth to the scene and maintain visual emphasis on both the subject and the brand environment.

For the printer scenes, a single light was positioned to one side to cast directional shadows and texture. The printer featured in these shots was a Canon model, so framing and lighting were carefully managed to ensure that the branding was not visible. This helped maintain brand integrity within the film and reflects Kingsnorth’s (2022) emphasis on the importance of visual alignment with brand identity in all aspects of campaign delivery.

The print-hanging sequence required a more stylised approach. A single light source at full power was used to create strong directional contrast, and an ND filter was applied to the lens to further deepen shadows and push the subject into silhouette. This technique helped draw focus to the print itself. As Brown (2008) notes, using limited lighting setups with intentional contrast can create powerful visual effects even within small-scale productions — a principle applied here to elevate the scene’s tone without requiring a complex rig.

The outdoor scenes were filmed entirely using natural light, with location scouting and shot planning adapted to maximise the creative potential of the available conditions. Rather than avoiding the harsh midday sun, we intentionally used it to our advantage — filming in woodland areas where direct light could filter dramatically through the trees, creating dynamic highlights, deep shadows, and lens flares. This approach introduced atmosphere and a stronger sense of depth to the outdoor sequences. As Artis (2012, p. 193) notes, “filmmaking is about using what you have at your disposal,” and learning to work creatively with natural elements like light can often deliver a more cinematic result than relying solely on controlled setups.

To complement the visuals, I also captured ambient audio and foley throughout the production process. Using a Zoom HN3 recorder, I collected natural sounds including handwriting at the desk, the printer operating, footsteps, and environmental textures such as wind and bird calls. Gathering live location sound helped strengthen the authenticity of the film’s atmosphere and offered flexibility during the sound design phase. As Batty (2018) discusses, integrating layered sound captured during production helps enhance the emotional realism of screen narratives, creating a more immersive experience for the audience.

Although the primary focus remained on the visuals, recording supporting audio during production aligned with Brown’s (2008) advice that successful small-scale productions should prioritise capturing as much useable material as possible on location, reducing reliance on post-production fixes. These techniques ensured that both the soundscape and the visuals carried forward the same level of authenticity and attention to detail planned during pre-production.

Post-Production

Post-production was completed using DaVinci Resolve, chosen for its ability to natively process N-RAW files — essential for maintaining maximum image quality from the Nikon Z6III and Z9 footage. The edit timeline was built progressively alongside production. After each filming day, new material was ingested, backed up, and organised into a structured project workflow for easy retrieval.

The voice-over track developed during pre-production acted as the structural base for the timeline. Visual sequences were edited to match the pacing and emotional flow already established in the AV script and storyboard. This pre-planning stage helped accelerate the rough cut process, an approach supported by Batty (2018), who stresses the value of using pre-visualisation frameworks to create a strong narrative backbone during editing.

Throughout March and April 2025, I held regular informal conversations with Samuel Higgins to discuss the developing edit, particularly around the pacing of sequences and refining visual transitions. These collaborative discussions helped ensure that the film’s cinematic tone was carried consistently from capture through to final edit.

During post-production, I explored the use of Epidemic Sound’s AI-powered voice cloning tool, which allows creators to generate synthetic voiceovers based on samples of their own voice (Epidemic Sound, 2024). The tool is designed to streamline the editing process by enabling quick adjustments to narration without requiring full re-recordings.

However, after trialling the AI-generated voice, I found that it lacked the emotional nuance and authenticity of my original recording. The synthetic voice failed to convincingly replicate the natural cadence, expressiveness, and personal tone that were essential to the film’s emotive style. As Epidemic Sound (2024) acknowledges, while AI voices offer significant convenience for technical workflows, they are still limited in replicating the full depth of human vocal performance.

Given the personal narrative at the heart of this project, maintaining an authentic connection was essential. The film’s message — reflecting on my own creative journey — demanded a genuine human voice to reinforce the emotional resonance and credibility of the storytelling. As I have previously explored in my own research on personal branding, building trust through authenticity is central to maintaining audience engagement and aligning creative outputs with personal and professional identity (Phillips, 2025).

As a result, I chose to retain the original voice-over recording to preserve the honesty and emotional connection that were fundamental both to the narrative itself and to the wider representation of my personal brand.

Colour grading was a multi-stage process structured within DaVinci Resolve’s node-based workflow. On the first node, a Color Space Transform (CST) effect was applied to bring the N-Log footage into a wide colour gamut working space. This step ensured that maximum dynamic range and tonal information were preserved during the primary grade, allowing greater flexibility for exposure correction, contrast control, and colour balancing (Blackmagic Design, 2022).

After grading adjustments were completed across additional nodes — including contrast refinement, colour correction, and selective masking — a final Color Space Transform node was used to convert the footage into Rec.709 colour space with a Gamma 2.4 output. This final transform standardised the deliverable format, ensuring broad compatibility across a wide range of screens and devices, as recommended for general viewing outputs (Blackmagic Design, 2022).

This structured grading process reflects best practices outlined by Blackmagic Design (2022), where colour space transforms are used at the start and end of the grading pipeline to maximise image integrity while preparing footage for real-world display environments.

Following the initial colour space transform, grading was conducted systematically across a structured node tree within DaVinci Resolve. Early nodes were used to manage exposure and contrast, ensuring consistent dynamic range across the varied lighting conditions encountered during production. Further nodes focused on colour balancing and selective masking, allowing specific regions of the frame to be adjusted independently without affecting the overall image integrity.

After shot-by-shot adjustments were completed, an adjustment clip was applied across the full timeline, carrying a global LUT to unify the tone and colour palette across different sequences. This step was essential to maintain a consistent and professional aesthetic that would meet Nikon’s brand expectations and resonate with the intended audience. As Kingsnorth (2022) stresses, visual consistency across deliverables is critical for brand trust and audience engagement, particularly when content is shared across multiple digital platforms.

This post-production workflow also reflects Brown’s (2008) emphasis on creating polished, professional-standard visuals that align with industry expectations for commercial and branded content.

One technical challenge encountered during editing was the creation of the match cut sequence, which involved aligning multiple different locations and framings into a single flowing transition. I used opacity blending techniques and precise framing adjustments to visually align motion across frames, a process refined through multiple iterations.

The final project was delivered in 21:9 aspect ratio, 24fps, and a vertical resolution of 2160px, maintaining a cinematic visual language throughout. Rushes were exported as .mov files for Apple device compatibility during editing, while the final delivery file was rendered as an H.264 MP4 for broad platform accessibility. The choice of 21:9 format also aligned with Nikon’s current strategic emphasis on video production markets, particularly following their acquisition of RED Digital Cinema (PetaPixel, 2024), marking their expansion into professional cinema sectors.

Sound design blended location-captured foley (recorded using a Zoom H4N Pro) with supplementary sound effects and ambient textures sourced from Epidemic Sound. Integrating practical location sound with curated SFX followed the best practices described by Artis (2012), who notes that “layered sound, even in small productions, is critical to achieving emotional authenticity.”

Deliverable

Using feedback from peers, friends, and family — a key part of Gibbs’ (1988) experiential learning cycle — I completed the video on schedule and to a standard I am proud of. The final film is presented below.

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