McEwan Fraser Legal - Recruitment Film
We are delighted to present a recruitment campaign video for McEwan Fraser Legal, as part of the brilliant work we do within our Creative Team! Whilst working primarily within property, the team here at Nest Marketing work within a number of other fields too - be it law, recruitment and beyond! Coming together to spearhead this project was an incredibly exciting opportunity. We were able to brainstorm some fantastic ideas and after many months of hard work, it came to fruition!
Creating a hero video piece requires a great deal of prior planning, coordination and no small amount of luck with the weather - all of which we were fortunate enough to have for the McEwan Fraser Legal shoot. What was an incredibly satisfying and brilliant few days of filming made for a solid bank of content we were then able to use and adapt to a powerful voiceover and storyline. The end result was a brilliant and dynamic film which ticked all the boxes - and we are excited to break it down for you below!
View the video below:
The Brief
With the after-effects of Covid pervading the job market, it has never been more difficult to find legal talent in Edinburgh, hence why McEwan Fraser Legal approached us to find a way to attract the very best of the best.
Our brief from the fantastic team at McEwan Fraser Legal was to come up with a snappy, contemporary hero film that acted as a recruitment tool for both younger trainees, and more senior, partner-level figures. The content had to be shareable and engaging, and filmed with the intention of working well across all social media platforms too.
As a well-respected firm with a profound history within Edinburgh, the key was to ensure that the piece, whilst staying fresh, had to also stay true to the significant legal presence of the company.
Our Answer
Taking into account the intended demographics for the video, the team at Nest had to consider two widely different segments. The content had to appeal and engage to both young trainees sitting at graduate-level, whilst also allowing more senior lawyers and partner-level individuals to relate to the film. Therefore, a story had to be told which narrates the lives of both these demographics in order to encompass the brief fully.
Storyline
A storyline had to be formed first and foremost - this is paramount to a brand film having cohesion and providing a grounding sense of familiarity. We trace the steps of young trainees, learning and building up their knowledge to eventually join the team at McEwan Fraser Legal. Simultaneously, we follow senior solicitors through client deals, walking to court, and leading meetings in the boardroom. By showcasing a full range of tasks at all levels, this allowed the viewer to follow the footsteps of these individuals and see what a day-to-day at the firm may be like.
Storyboarding
When there are multiple storylines, making sure that we understand how the stories flow and shots fit in together is a crucial part of the production process. We do this by laying out a moodboard, then transition this into a shot list and storyboard. A storyboard, put simply, is a sequence of drawings that represent the shots planned for a video production. It assists in conceptualising the piece, and allowing for clearer organisation of storylines - especially when there are multiple!
The opening story traces along several more senior individuals, who are seen walking to court - showcasing the more corporate and business-law related areas in which McEwan Fraser Legal specialise. We also follow two senior solicitors who start their day in a more leisurely way - walking to the office, visiting a coffee shop, chatting. The lifestyle elements round out the visuals by breaking up more corporate scenes, and showcasing the vibrant corporate culture of the firm. Front-facing and corporate relationships are exemplified in various office scenes - presentations in the boardroom and interacting with clients.
To represent the trainees and younger demographics involved with McEwan Fraser Legal, we trace along the path of several young people - two students, and two trainees. The students, sitting in the grand law library of Edinburgh, showcases the graduate scheme that the firm has in place for budding lawyers. The trainees are seen interacting with more senior members of staff, learning directly from the best.
Voiceover & Scripting
One of the many perks of working in a creative agency is the ability to exchange all sorts of brilliant ideas - often meaning that what might have once been the original plan happily changes into additional, improved versions. One such example is this very project - our intention was to simply use a backing track and on-screen text animation to illustrate key elements of the business.
However, upon some further consideration and research, copy was written with the intention of using a voiceover for the video. The tone of voice gave an urgency and cinematic feel to the video, utilising grammatical structures for emphasis, such as minor sentences, repetition and strong use of metre. Verging on the poetic, the voiceover was the driving force of the film upon which the imagery was based on.
Using strong, dynamic language, the pace and tone of the piece is able to advance and progress. By building a sense of anticipation over the course of the content, the video is able to stay incredibly engaging and showcase the portfolio of the business in a consistently interesting way.
The repeated phrasing “Is this you?” is a striking call to the listener, asking them directly to consider their own views and suitability - whilst providing regular ‘check-points’ so as to give a rolling rhythm to the video. The measured and regular three-word intervals are testaments to skills necessary to work for McEwan Fraser Legal: you should be able to collaborate; think on your feet; fit into the culture.
The use of language was kept consistent with the feel of the brand - whilst aspirational and uplifting, the tone was still kept to a professional, formal format to be in-keeping with the serious nature of a legal firm. The conclusive “We are McEwan Fraser Legal/ Are you?” adds a rounded ending: reiterating the brand, whilst once again directly engaging with the audience. As a recruitment piece, the intention is to encourage suitable candidates to apply - however the video in of itself acted as an initial ‘interview’ of sorts. By asking the viewer to question whether they themselves have what it takes, we are able to encourage those that do, to apply.
We are, once again, delighted to have been involved with this fantastic campaign for McEwan Fraser Legal. A huge thank you to the cooperation and support of the team - and here is to many more good things to come!
