HOTEL PODSTINE

Hotel Podstine is a 4-star hotel located in a prestigious area of the Croatian island Hvar. Just minutes away from the old town of Hvar, the hotel is a dreamlike vacation getaway for tourist seeking a home away from home in a relaxing environment one can only Imagine. In just three years the hotel has grown from a small vacation resort to a known elegant establishment known worldwide.

PROJECT PROFILE

While the hotel was still in its first year of operation, the hotel owner approached us with an idea to produce a short video that would help him market in the United States and attract American tourists. The video was to showcase the hotel within its breathtaking surrounding along with and all its amenities and friendly staff.

CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES

As we were sipping cold drinks in the shade of centennial palm trees on the hotel's veranda, enjoying the last two days of our vacation, my friend, the hotel owner, walked to me with his little Sony video camera and asked me if I would shoot some video of the hotel for him. We laughed and a joking conversation transpired into a challenge if we could pull it off. With nothing to loose, we accepted the challenge, finished our drinks and got to work. We started to shoot at 5 PM, photographing dreamy images during the nicest part of the day, utilizing orange colors and long shadows of the late afternoon sun.

The following morning, we continued capturing the life on the island as it evolved throughout a clear September day. A few days later, back in the US, we were engulfed in the post-production, writing a script, recording narration, selecting music, editing scenes. While editing the video came easy, sitting in a dark editing suite thousands of miles away from the paradise we just left behind, was not helping our spirits. To style the video and the accessories, we utilized the hotel's already established Brand Identity. Shipping a fully designed and packaged DVD along with a customized interactive CD back to Croatia, we awaited a feedback.

RESULTS

The hotel owner and management called us while watched the video for the tenth time, screaming with excitement, wondering how can a video like this be done in such short time. The 6-minute video presentation could have hardly turned out any better. While the compelling images hold the audience attention, the narrator unveils the details of this almost secret location, creating a desire to book a ticket that very moment. The video won a national Telly award.

MORAL

It's not the equipment. It's the operator! Don't challenge him while he is enjoying his martini.