Vimeo for iPhone

Vimeo for iPhone - Andrea Allen Interview

Vimeo is the online video resource of choice for filmmakers and film-lovers alike, so the risk involved in creating a viral for the brand's new iPhone app is pretty high – your audience really know their onions! Thankfully the film, created by Vimeo’s Director of Production + Community Andrea Allen, is a joyous, crafty and deliciously lo-fi romp that perfectly embodies the spirit of the company and the community it cultivates. We chatted to Andrea about the filmmaking process, the artistry involved and the pressure of communicating to a savvy crowd.
 

You’re Vimeo’s Director of Production + Community. What does that mean?

That means I get to lead the team on any videos we produce. This ranges from educational videos we make for Vimeo Video School, to promotional videos that announce the cool new features on the site.  I’m also a part of the community team so keeping things rad and making sure our members’ experiences are always positive is top of mind.

How did you come to make the viral for the new Vimeo iPhone app?

I had the idea to use puppets for the video, and when I pitched it to my two teammates, Bill and Corey, they loved it. We brainstormed a storyline and had a rough storyboard done by the end of the day. We all were very excited to work with puppets.

The film features pretty intricate marionettes. Did you guys make them yourselves?

Corey Ellis, our junior editor, made the puppets by hand over the course of a week. He sculpted their heads, hands, and shoes out of clay, sewed the clothes, and rigged the puppets all on his own. I was blown away when I saw what he had made.

The film opens with a mum making a fairly YouTube stuff video, but ends with something much more creative and anarchic. Were you keen to mark the differences between the brands in the film?

I don’t totally agree that taking a video of a baby’s first steps is a Youtube specific video. Vimeo is full of everyday life type of videos and those are some of my favorite videos to watch! What sets Vimeo apart is the thought and creativity our members put into their videos – even the everyday life kind.

The baby has some serious ADD issues. Have you had a bad experience with a kiddy in the past (sorry if this question dregs up painful memories)?

I wanted to surprise people. When you start watching the video you see puppets, you see it’s a mom and baby, and you immediately think you know where this is all going. I told Corey I wanted the puppets to be a little creepy so that even folks who think they know what’s up will be somewhat aware that something isn’t totally right. This set the scene for us to completely flip the typical narrative on its head (literally) and have a lot of fun with the freedom the puppets provided. But to answer your question, I was a lifeguard at one time and drew from some of those experiences.

Did you feel the pressure of making the film in-house? After all, you guys are the housers and curators of some of the world’s best short-form work?

Pressure isn’t the right word. We felt more excited and motivated than pressured. Bill and Corey are so skilled and so talented that it feels good to push each other creatively.  The Vimeo community is a constant source of inspiration for us and we like to strive to mirror that as much as possible in the videos we make.

What do the rest of the Vimeo team make of the film?

I think they really liked it! When we were in the midst of shooting, we were actually displaced due to Hurricane Sandy and working out of a temporary office. This meant lots of Vimeo staffers who don’t usually see how the sausage is made were suddenly in the sausage factory with us. It definitely generated a bit of buzz and when it was finally ready for primetime the Vimeo staff had a great response.

What have you done with the puppets?

The baby is sitting on my desk... staring at me. And mom and dad are getting some alone time in a drawer in the production office.

Published December 2012