Something so often forgotten, or crossed off of a budget sheet, is the behind the scenes, or follow up video. ‘Get the primary production done and that’s good enough.’ But when spending the time and effort to achieve “good enough,” recognize the value in going beyond “good enough”. Some stories have so much more meaning and much more impact when another layer is revealed.

But going beyond means that your primary must knock it out of the park first. Director Mark Zibert did just that. He put together a fantastic storyline that built engagement, prior to moving focus to the real story. In the first few moments of the spot he captures the skill and beauty of the dancer, revealing the sometimes painful effort that goes into making a top-level performer. Then through a few subtle hints and the final drop of the cards, the real story emerges. Taylor is a dancer with a prosthetic limb. But this spot for AXA is about ability, and not disability, so it was so important to establish her ability first prior to focussing on her prosthetic (unfortunately the video thumbnail ruins the build, which puts the “click” above the impact of the story).

https://youtu.be/EE92FgeuUnU

But beyond the directing and what makes the primary so moving, agency Fallon, London, UK, did something that many forget, or neglect to put too much value on – the follow up video. When the original commercial spot is complete, the viewer is left inspired, but with inspiration comes a yearning for more information. The opportunity to tell the story behind the primary story is incredibly important as it takes that information and grounds it in a context that creates a sense of achievability for the viewer.