As companies working on large-scale projects look for innovative ways to showcase their projects, time lapse photography and videography has become an increasingly prominent tool for just this. But what is a time lapse, and how can it help these companies achieve their goals? In this blog post, we’ll take a look at the meaning behind time lapse photography and videography, and how it can be used to enhance project showcasing.
What is Time Lapse?
Time lapse is a creative and engaging way of producing a video that condenses a long period of time into a shorter duration. By capturing frames at a lower frequency than normal, these videos offer a unique perspective, highlighting the gradual progress and transformation of construction, infrastructure and transportation projects over a long period of time. They allow viewers to witness months or even years of work unfold in a matter of minutes.
The Benefits of Time Lapse for Large Scale Projects
Time lapse videography is an incredibly useful tool for construction, transport, and infrastructure companies, offering a range of benefits including:
Showcasing Project Progress
Time lapse videos can visually show the progress over a long period of time by condensing the entire project into just a few minutes.
Better Stakeholder Engagement
Visual representation of the project in the form of time lapse videos can help engage stakeholders in a more effective manner.
Improved Documentation and Communication
These time lapse videos can serve as a log of your project’s progress and can serve as an important communication tool between team members and other stakeholders.
Live Feeds and Site Monitoring
Whilst other forms of filming techniques will get you an eye-catching project video, a time lapse can be used for live monitoring, thanks to its fixed position. You don’t have to call up the production company to get a quick look at your project video, with a time lapse you access the content whenever you need to.
Remote Access
No matter where you or your team are in the world, you no longer have to absorb the time and cost of having to be there in person with time lapse cameras. This feature can be revolutionary for project managers and clients looking to keep track of their projects from head office.
Go Back in Time
Of course, we’re not saying that time lapses allow you to literally teleport back in time, but if you’re managing a complex project and want to easily track the success of a project, a time lapse allows you to leap back to a part of a project with ease.
Using Time Lapses for Project Showcasing
When it comes to showcasing construction and infrastructure projects, time lapse videos provide a comprehensive overview of the entire project timeline. They encapsulate the essence of the project, demonstrating the vision, strategy, and successful outcomes. By condensing the construction process, time lapse videos engage viewers, increase brand visibility, and attract potential clients, making them an invaluable marketing tool to use in closing future deals and projects.
Engaging Stakeholders and Earning Support
Time lapse videos go beyond presenting a project’s physical attributes; they tell a story. They engage stakeholders, investors, and potential clients by visually narrating the project’s journey, showcasing its vision, strategy, and successful outcomes. By providing a dynamic and immersive experience, these videos build trust, confidence, and credibility among stakeholders, fostering stronger relationships and potential business opportunities.
Benefits of Collaborating with a Production Company
By partnering with a film and photography production company such as Inside Out Group, you’re able to leverage our expertise and experience. We’re experienced in handling all aspects of the time lapse video production process, from meticulous planning and shooting to skilled editing and delivery.
By entrusting the project to professionals, you’re able to focus on your core operations. You can grow your business while the production company brings their creative input and tailors the video to align with your branding and marketing objectives.
Choosing the Right Time Lapse Partner
Choosing the right photography and videography company is crucial for the success of your time lapse video. You need a partner that understands the intricacies of your project as well as the unique challenges that come with construction and infrastructure projects.
At Inside Out Group, we specialise in time lapse photography and videography services that are designed specifically for construction and infrastructure companies. Our team of experts has the experience and technical skills required to capture your project’s milestones in stunning detail.
Factors to Consider when Choosing a Time Lapse Production Company
There’s a lot of choice out there, and each company will have their area of expertise, so it’s useful to do some research into what’s important to your business.
For example, for some industries, such as the construction industry, it might be important for any external contractor to meet a number of health and safety requirements.
Other industries, such as marketing agencies, may require a production company that can produce a quick turnaround.
For most organisations considering time lapse services, you’ll want to consider the following:
Accreditations for Health & Safety
Our in-house team are accredited with Construction Line Gold, Builders Profile Premium, ISO9001 and CSCS, making your risk assessment that bit easier.
Budget and Timelines
Discuss budget and timeline considerations with the production company upfront. Ensure that they can deliver the project within your desired timeframe and budget constraints. Transparency and clarity regarding pricing and project milestones are crucial for a successful collaboration.
Creativity and Artistic Vision
Seek a production company that demonstrates creativity and artistic vision in their work. Time lapse videos should go beyond mere documentation and capture the essence and aesthetic appeal of the project. The company should have a keen eye for composition, lighting, and visual storytelling.
Previous Work & Testimonials
It’s crucial to choose a time lapse production company that you’re certain can get the job done efficiently, on-budget, and within a strict timescale. Looking at previous examples of work, previous client case studies within a similar industry, and viewing the company’s reviews on Google or Trustpilot can be some excellent ways of finding the right time lapse production company for your project.
We’ve worked on some really ambitious projects for major companies within the infrastructure, construction and transport sector.
Planning a Time Lapse Video
Project Timeline
We’ll put together a plan for the duration of the project and identify the key stages or milestones that should be captured in the time lapse video.
Shooting Locations
We’ll identify the optimal shooting locations and angles that will provide the most comprehensive and visually engaging coverage of the project. We’ll find the best elevated positions, nearby vantage points, or strategic viewpoints that showcase the scale and scope of your project.
If permanent power is not available, we can provide battery and solar options to make camera locations straightforward. The priority is ensuring the best shooting location is used.
Safety and Permissions
We hold a wide range of industry-specific accreditations, such as Construction Line Gold, Builders Profile Premium, ISO9001 and CSCS. We’re also RISQS (Rail Industry Supplier Qualification Scheme) Audited and Verified and all staff have PTS (Personal Track Safety qualifications) so access to rail sites is no issue for our company. We’ll consult with project managers, contractors, and relevant authorities to adhere to safety guidelines and obtain the required approvals for capturing the footage.
Collaboration with Project Stakeholders
We’ll discuss their vision, objectives, and specific areas of interest that should be highlighted in the time lapse video. Regular communication and coordination to ensure alignment between the project goals and the video’s storytelling.
Conclusion
Time lapse videography provides construction and infrastructure companies with an invaluable tool for showcasing their projects. The technique can serve as an effective communication tool, help engage stakeholders better, and offer a visual timeline of project progress.
By choosing the right partner, you can ensure that your time lapse video captures the essence of your project and helps it stand out.
