What started as a passion for skating and pro skating videos led Fiverr Pro Will Berman to pick up a camcorder and start recording. Years later, the technology has changed (although he still has the original camcorder) but Will’s passion for capturing and producing incredible stories hasn’t wavered. He’s working with the Fiverr Pro Team this week in Cannes, capturing incredible live content for their global creative campaign. Here’s Will’s Fiverr Pro story:
Tell us a little about you. Who you are, where you’re from, what you do on Fiverr Pro.
My name is Will Berman and I’m from a town called Lightwater within Surrey in the UK (which is about an hour outside of London).
I run a small video production company called Moving Glass, and on Fiverr Pro we have a Gig in the ‘Short Video Ads’ category – which is all about us creating some creative and engaging content to promote businesses and services.
How did you get your start freelancing? Is Fiverr your full-time Gig, or more of a side hustle?
I got into filming at an early age, which stemmed from me being heavily into skateboarding and skate videos, which led me to wanting to capture my local skate scene.
So, much to my parents initial dismay, the family camcorder became the skate cam in my quest to replicate the pro skate videos – I actually still have the camera to this day which serves as a great reminder of how far things have come!
I then did an internship with a snowboard magazine where I was working on weekly video podcasts for them, before returning to the UK where I started to get my first freelance jobs, before settling into a production company full time for a few years.
After that, I decided it was time to stretch my creative wings once more so then took the plunge and started Moving Glass, which was 3 years ago now, and I haven’t looked back since!
It’s a side hustle right now but something we’re really excited about going forward.
Walk us through your creative process. What information do you need from a buyer to set them up for success?
We always like to know as much as possible about a buyer and their brand, so we can build a comprehensive picture of their needs and ensure that what we create enhances their brand and conveys their key messages. It’s always essential to know who they’re targeting and where the video will be played or hosted, and we always ask them to share any other videos that they’ve liked so we can work towards a common goal.
We always endeavor to have a chat over Skype or meet in person to discuss this and get the best understanding possible of what they’d like to achieve.
Tell us a little bit about your team—who they are, and how you work together.
In the Moving Glass team there’s two full timers – myself and my partner Cat. I head up the creative on jobs and film and edit, while Cat is a producer and also edits. We also enlist the help of some superb freelancers, which is the case this week.
Sam is a super duper editor and motion graphics/3D whizz who I used to work with, and Ed is an incredibly talented filmmaker, I’m chuffed that they’re along for the ride this week. We all bring different skills and perspectives to the table which I think creates a well-rounded and solid team.
Thank you for lending your talents to helping us build an exclusively Fiverr Pro campaign for The Work. What are you most excited for this week?
It’s my first time at the festival, so I’m really looking forward to soaking up the atmosphere whilst having the honour of capturing it, and also seeing the content we’re producing coming together at the end. It’s always the best feeling when all your prep and hard work comes together like a jigsaw in the edit!
I’ll also be keeping my eyes peeled for David Attenborough – he’s an absolute legend and have been incredibly excited since he was announced as a speaker a couple of weeks ago.
What is the significance of the Cannes Lions, in your opinion as a creative?
Having so many like-minded creatives from all over the world in one place is a pretty unique and special thing, and the impression I’ve got is that it’s a really good community vibe where everyone is willing to share ideas and inspiration. Most of all, the work at the festival sets the benchmark in the industry for people like me to strive towards.
What are the key elements of good video storytelling?
Behind any good video is a well thought out plan; pre-production is key to a project’s success. Lighting is key to creating the right mood to tell a story, and on the other end of the process, microscopic precision and polish in the edit is key – a fraction of a second can make or break a cut, and if the edit is sloppy then the whole production value is knocked even if the rest is flawless. Essentially, every ingredient is equally as important to telling the story.
How would you describe your style?
I wouldn’t say that I have a particular style, but having worked on such a variety of projects and subject matters I’m able to adapt to the needs of a client to create unique work.
Has working on Fiverr Pro changed the way you think about your profession and/or freelancing?
One of the main benefits is definitely having the work essentially fall on your lap, it saves hours of time hunting down work and marketing, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Time is also saved on chasing payment, the order process is streamlined to ensure that you instantly receive the information you need from a buyer…with all of these time savers it frees you up to focus your efforts and energy on creativity.
What the value of Fiverr Pro for buyers?
It takes a lot of the guesswork and fears out of the process for people who are new to looking for creative services, being able to read reviews and easily communicate with sellers saves them time. It also allows the buyer to pick from a pool of world class creatives to find the perfect fit for their requirements and offers transparency on the delivery time of the job, making it efficient for the buyer with no surprises.
What drives you as an entrepreneur? Why do you do what you do?
Creativity drives me forward and I strive to make things that interest and excite people, and am always looking to develop new ways of executing ideas.
I also think it’s incredibly important to work on personal projects that have no boundaries and you can let your ideas run wild. It’s addictive and thrilling to piece it together in the moment and let your creativity lead the way in how the edit is assembled.
The latest personal project I completed was a video I made of myself and Cat’s road trip around America last year, it was a mammoth task but thoroughly rewarding and enjoyable. https://vimeo.com/240646255
What are your goals for 2018—and what can we expect next from you?
This year I really want to work on more short video ads for food products and producers, hopefully through the Fiverr platform! We’ve worked on a few this year profiling various chefs in London which has really inspired us. Food is a subject matter than can be interpreted in so many different ways and sparks creativity for me. We did a short video ad for a curry paste called Shemin’s a couple of years ago which was a blast to work on as the client loved the M&S Food ads, so we took a lot of inspiration from those but hopefully pulled it off in our own way!
Want to know more about how Will is helping the story of The Work? Ask him in the comments below—and follow along throughout the week with #FiverrDoesCannes!
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