Cass Productions: Beyond the screen

How Strategic Planning and Mixed Media Crafted DMU's Impactful Graduation Video

Showreel. Photoreel. Film makers. Video Production Company Hampshire. Blog.

UNIVERSITY VIDEO PRODUCTION FOR DMU GRADUATION 2024


Creating a memorable university video production isn’t just about capturing moments on film; it’s about strategic planning, thoughtful storytelling, and in some cases, using a blend of media to tell a powerful story. For De Montfort University’s (DMU) 2024 graduation video, our careful planning, creative transitions, and innovative mixed-media approach helped us craft a film that resonated deeply with students, faculty, and families. We brought DMU’s vision to life by merging creativity with precise execution, ensuring this university video production felt meaningful, modern, and emotionally engaging.

THE PROJECT: UNIVERSITY VIDEO PRODUCTION FOR DMU

DMU is known as “the empowering university,” a dynamic and diverse institution with 26,000 students from all backgrounds. Every year, their graduation ceremonies celebrate not only academic success but also the deeply personal journeys of their graduates.

DMU approached us with a clear vision: to create a graduation film that captured this spirit of empowerment and showcased how the university played a vital role in shaping each student’s path. This made it an ideal opportunity to demonstrate how a considered university video production can elevate a narrative and amplify the identity of an institution.

CREATIVE PROPOSAL FOR A UNIVERSITY VIDEO PRODUCTION

Our goal was to celebrate DMU students by highlighting their journeys, growth and the connections they built. We used a mixed-media approach, combining graphic highlights, rapid cuts, lively transitions,and an upbeat soundtrack to create a sleek, modern aesthetic that reflects what contemporary university video production can achieve.

The film centred around three core themes

Journey

From students starting at DMU to graduation, we used a rewind-style creative effect to show “where it all started,” visualising the arc of student life.

Community 

To highlight friendships and connections, we incorporated students’ own footage in a scrapbook-style layout, adding a personal, authentic layer to the production.

Success

We showcased achievements, passions and individuality by filming students engaging in the hobbies and interests that define who they are.

  •  

One of the strengths of this mixed-media approach it its flexibility. It allows us to convey messages quickly, set the tone effectively and transition smoothly between scenes, all vital in a strong university video production.

See another example of our mixed media work here 

PRE-PRODUCTION: BUILDING A STRONG UNIVERSITY VIDEO PRODUCTION

Pre-production was essential to the success of this project. We collaborated closely with DMU to understand their goals, gather student stories and identify key themes. After receiving detailed bios for each featured student, we developed a storyboard, script and shot list to ensure the narrative felt cohesive and intentional.

We finalised locations, clothing, props and visual guidelines to ensure everything aligned with DMU’s brand identity. This level of planning is a hallmark of professional university video production, enabling us to pre-empt challenges and craft purposeful transitions that give the final film its distinctive flow. 

Our camera operators and editors regularly keep up with emerging efiting trends and creative techniques. We incorporated both in-camera and digital transitions, tailored to each student’s personality, to elevate the energy and bring a contemporary feel to the video.

UNIVERSITY VIDEO PRODUCTION: FILMING ON CAMPUS

Filming took place over two days on DMU’s main campus. We followed five students, capturing their daily routines, their social interactions and their experiences across teaching spaces, studios, communal areas and outdoor venues. Each student shared what DMU meant to them, adding genuine emotional depth. 

Thanks to strong pre-production planning, we executed dynamic techniques such as match cuts and action transitions to connect scenes in a visually engaging way. These choices didn’t just add style, the reinforced how students’ passions and academic paths are intertwined, showcasing the essence of a truly impactful university video production.

We used two Sony FX6 cameras to capture high-quality 4K footage, allowing us to adapt the video for multiple aspect ratios and platforms. We paired tripod setups with gimbal movement to achieve a balanced mix of stability and fluidity, ensuring both efficiency and creative flexibility on set.

Click here to see the full video.

 
  • graduation film, university video production, video production

Our editors use the Adobe Creative Suite, including Premiere Pro, After Effects, and Photoshop, which were the main programs used to edit this project.

Aside from utilising transitions and techniques that come standard with Premiere Pro, we leverage paid plugins to further enhance the creative possibilities and experiment with unique effects to refine the final edit—giving it something extra. The plugins and presets range from motion blurs, zooms, and changes to the overall look and color.

For example, we make use of Motion Array’s plugins, which offer over 50 professional plugins for video editing, compatible with industry-leading software like Premiere Pro, After Effects, Final Cut Pro, and DaVinci Resolve. You can explore these plugins at https://motionarray.com/plugins/.

However, there are also other plugins and presets available from a host of content creators and online communities as well—some of which are absolutely free to use!

The editing process for DMU took about one month, including building the graphics, incorporating client amendments, and repurposing the content for different outputs.

The final product was a vibrant, professional film that captured the pride, joy, and spirit of DMU’s 2024 graduating class.

Through close collaboration with DMU and meticulous planning, we ensured that every element—from the upbeat soundtrack to the heartfelt interviews—resonated deeply with graduates, staff, and families alike. Despite a tight schedule and budget, we delivered a polished product that not only met but exceeded expectations.

DMU praised our innovative approach, the quality of the final edits, and our ability to deliver on time and within budget. Hearing their enthusiastic feedback was the perfect end to this rewarding project.

“I worked with Cass on a project in Leicester and at every stage of the process, the team was a dream to work with. Their pitch was well considered, and when it came time to film, they were creative in their approach and receptive to any amends we asked. A big shout-out to the producer on our project who coordinated everything seamlessly!”

James Bavin, Communications Officer, De Montfort University

Are you looking to create a captivating video that tells your story? Contact us today to learn how we can bring your vision to life. Check out our portfolio for more examples of our work.