1. How we've helped Florian Poirot on their ambitious expansion
Recently, we were approached by a famous chef and king of macaroons himself, Florian Poirot. Florian is a well-respected chef and UK Pastry Champion – French Pastry Consultant. It’s safe to say he and his wife, Celine, are perfectionists, which reflects in their beautiful patisserie in the heart of Malton. They are now opening their second store in York down the famous cobbled street, The Shambles.
2. Florian put our Videography & Photography Services to work
Florian wanted to use Visuals Media for our photography and videography services. We had a clear brief: to make a full production video of them baking and showcasing their amazing work in their state-of-the-art kitchen, also in Malton. This video will be played on loop in their York shop and used for their tasting events. They want to show that everything in the shop is crafted by themselves and made with passion.
3. Capturing Quality Imagery for the Café
Along with the video, they also wanted 12 pictures of both end products and production shots, which are going to be displayed on foam-ex boards around their café. Finally, we had a product shoot to do for a new chocolate they were launching. These images will be used on their website and featured in their new chocolate menu, so consistency was key.
4. Collaboration and Planning for Success
I sat down with Florian prior to booking a date in the diary to ensure we were all happy with the brief and could deliver the end product. We also had a discussion about managing their website, which we hopefully will be taking the reins on very soon. Once we got a feel for exactly what they wanted, we penciled a date in the diary and got to planning.
5. Filming the Production Process
The first shoot was the film production, which entailed a full day in the kitchen capturing a wide range of products being made from start to finish. There were a lot of elements to capture; we always overshoot so we don’t leave anything out. We filmed everything from baking cookies and macaroons to fruit tarts, even their new chocolate mould of the iconic York Minster (which will be available in the York store).
Yes, I ate a lot of sweet treats throughout the day, and Florian even boxed some up for me to take home!
They were SO good!
6. Editing for Impact
We had just over eight hours of filming; the end product was just under five minutes. Crazy, we know, but there was a lot to capture, and in all our films, we aim to tell a story and keep the viewers engaged. After the shoot, it was back to the studio for endless hours of editing. For this particular edit, we did, however, save a bit of time because we didn’t need to hunt for the perfect song. The video is going to be played on loop; therefore, for this brief, we didn’t need any audio.
7. Transitioning to P2: Capturing Stunning Pictures
Once we were happy with the video, it was time to move on to P2 – The Pictures. Although it was only 12 pictures, we booked another full day to ensure the best possible outcome. We had lighting and props for this shoot to keep each shot different and exciting. We captured a wide range of pictures, from product shots to production, and some cool breakdowns of what goes into certain ingredients. We also wanted to capture something that showed Florian’s personality: fun and very sensible.
8. Creative Techniques for Unique Shots
We had the idea to spray chocolate out of the chocolate casing using a compressor. The camera was on the tripod; I was bending down to set up the shot, and then we had a pane of glass over my camera lens. A very messy and silly idea, but the end shot is very cool—you’ll have to visit the shop to see that one! Pictures complete and another great day in the kitchen; definitely the most time I’ve ever spent in a kitchen! Then it was back to the studio and back on the editing.
9. P3 The Chocolate Product Shoot
This one was in the studio; we had a white backdrop and studio lighting. The brief was to capture two angles of the individual chocolates and five complete packaging shots. We needed each chocolate to be positioned in the same place to ensure consistency throughout the menu. It was pretty difficult, but we did it, and the outcome looks really good, keeping the shadows and tones the same across each chocolate.
10. Final Review and Client Collaboration
So that’s the film complete, photos complete, and the product shots done. I then penciled in a meeting with Florian and the team to go over everything, making sure they were happy and making any last-minute amendments. The team was very happy with the outcome—smiles all around, which is very rewarding. We did make a couple of amendments, of which I really thought it was the money shot: the glazing of a cake in slow-motion magic. But Florian said the cake mixture was too thick. Like I mentioned earlier, they’re perfectionists.
11. Looking Ahead: Future Collaborations
They were really happy with the outcome and want to use Visuals Media moving forward for all we can deliver. We’re a digital and creative agency, so we offer a wide range of services to fulfill needs. We have designers in-house and also the facilities to print, so they left it in our capable hands to design their new coffee menu board and to print all 12 photos onto foam-ex board. We have completed the menu board design, which they are happy with; we are now onto the final part, which is printing the 12 images. We are all very excited to see these printed and up on the wall.
12. Excitement for the Final Deliverables
It’s an absolute pleasure working with Florian, Celine, and the team, and we look forward to the future. I’m very much looking forward to sitting down in their York café with my favorite Roost coffee and a fruit tart! Opening dates to follow. Head over to their Instagram for more details – chef_florian_poirot.
