27-minutes of unskippable content

It’s not a new ad buy, we’ll get to that later, I’m referring to this week’s Succession episode. Not only was Connor’s Wedding episode unskippable, it was unblinkable, breathable, edge-of-your-couchable, all the -ables. So how did they do it? How did they create a 27-minute scene that captured everyone’s attention?

First, and perhaps most importantly, Succession is shot on film. I had no idea until I started looking into this. Why film? In their words:

“Staying true to the analog tone and texture of film is vital to the look of the series…(film lets) the story and performances take center stage.”

(Film)…”helped to give Succession a special visual platform that is markedly different – dirtier, with more texture and feeling – than most audiences have been used to with modern digital-originated shows.”

They used film to capture the realism and expressions of the actors discussing family issues. After all, Succession is dialogue. There are no car chases, guns, or explosions - it’s just people, really really rich people, talking.

“There’s a unique, organic soulfulness to film, which on this production, paid dividends in helping to visually support the tightrope between the comedy and tragedy of an epic human story.”

They also used the camera(s) as another actor. As you watch the show, it’s as if you’re in the room, plane or luxury apartment. You’ll notice that actors will walk in front of the camera, or obscure the two people you’re trying to eavesdrop on. It’s all intentional, and again it pulls you in and makes you feel like you’re there.

So, what is Borne Content’s take on all this? Are we pushing film? No. But sure, yes we can do film. But it’s not that, it’s something that we keep repeating. There’s a lot of talk about making sure your logo or messaging is in the first six seconds. Do consumers have any attention span left whatsoever? What does google analytics think about our creative approach? Here’s our message - create good content - create a compelling story: 15-30 seconds, maybe even 27 minutes, and consumers will watch it, remember it, and talk about it. Have some faith in your consumers to enjoy a story. Borne Content creates content worth watching. See you next Sunday!