>OUR APPROACH
>MOTION GRAPHICS
>LTA: FEATURE DOC
>CFS: SCIENCE, FULL SERVICE
> BU: SOCIAL
> MIT UA: FOUND-FOOTAGE
FIG 1 - The editing bay, March 2024.
WE KEEP IT COZY.
OUR APPROACH
At 4th District, we cut a lot of styles. Precisely and quickly. From our 2 feature docs and ongoing projects with commercial clients, we live for the unique and challenging. When COVID came around, we constructed a remote workflow to create from anywhere in the world. And now in the age of AI, we have created workflows to match. Editing in today’s world may be about speed and short attention, but it’s also about keeping story first.
The secret? We believe is lightweight, transparent and collaborative workflows. Tight integration between producers, editors and art directors. An always-learning mindset to create new tools and a hunger to make systems robust enough to adapt to any asset.
MOtiON gRAPHICS
At 4th District, our approach to motion graphics is to keep it effective, elegant, and straightforward. Sometimes an injection of movement is all that is needed, sometimes an abstract 2.5D scene is the right approach. We believe that motion graphics should be tightly integrated with footage, and to develop a look/feel parallel to post-production.
Case Study: FEATURE DOC
LIGHTER THAN AIR
TEASER TRAILER
2-MIN
In order to raise more funding for our 2nd feature film “Lighter Than Air,” we cut a quick teaser following our first trip to France. Unlike other extreme sports films, LTA is intended to celebrate the meditation-like state of high altitude paragliding as a way to explore our natural world. Garnished with a bit of found-footage and rich color grading, this teaser set the team on a unifying path and tone to tackle a difficult summer of filming in high altitude conditions in Pakistan.
FIG 2 - WORKFLOW PIPELINE FOR LIGHTER THAN AIR. TO PROCESS 40 DAYS OF PRINCIPAL FOOTAGE, FOUND FOOTAGE, anD 360-CAM FROM 7 PARAGLIDERS.
Case Study
Commonwealth Fusion Systems
The CFS brand is precise, kinetic, and true to their startup speed and roots. Our approach with CFS is always to look-develop iteratively alongside execution, throwing out ideas and assembling edits in parallel. With a deep asset library of over 100 hours of footage and drone footage that 4th District has produced (and counting!), along with monthly folders, timelapses, and external submitted footage - needless to say, organizing a dynamic asset library is key to ensure quick turns.
We’ve developed a pipeline to distill and quickly create a variety of deliverables, sometimes in timescale of days. Over the years we’ve made hundreds of integrated investor videos, press packages, and external social videos.
INTRO VIDEO
THE CHALLENGE
Create 1X 2-min video to introduce CFS social channels and to live on their site about page. Must be engaging and showcase the latest assets from CFS. Turnaround of 2 weeks.
THE APPROACH
For this piece, it was a easy as finding the right sound bytes, quickly pulling recent and not-so-recent footage, then topping if off with accents of motion graphics to highlight key points throughout.
Fusion 101
4X 3-MIN
THE CHALLENGE
Create 4X 3-min series that helps public understanding of fusion energy, how Tokamaks works, and the CFS unique approach to fusion. Turnaround of 1 month including a unique look and asset development that fits into existing brand style (which 4th District also developed).
THE APPROACH
For public education and understanding, we decided to use abstract and simplified 2D elements, illustrating complex scientific concepts. We used a simplified color palette to reduces ideas such as heat, energy, and movement into easily understandable symbols, which are then unified across the series.
Case Study
BU STUDENT HEALTH SERVICES
Welcome to SHS
1X 6-MIN
+ 5X SOCIAL CUTS
Student Health Services (SHS) approached 4th District looking to help incoming students at orientation better understand their services, in an approachable and personable way. To do so, we chose to create a vignette style edit with intentional scene work to highlight the welcoming personalities of the staff.
OUR VOICE OUR CHOICE
4X :30
+ STATIC VARIATIONS
As part of BU’s Committee for Sexual Assault & Harassment Prevention (CSAHP) launch, 4th District helped create a series of quick bite-sized ads to show on campus video billboards. With a limitation of no audio, motion graphics “quote boxes” were used to illustrate healthy conversations empowering action to prevent sexual harassment.
Case Study
MIT UNDERGRADUATE ASSOCIATION
During the Black Lives Matter protests and the height of COVID, the MIT Undergraduate Association (MITUA) wanted to welcome their incoming class with style. By creating a novel one-off visual style with found-footage only, we were able to capture the energy, rich history, and importance of MIT’s undergraduate leadership.
