Two days ago the new series of JBL TV episodes started with JBL TV #31: BASIC. ADVANCED. PROFESSIONAL. The attentive viewer will have noticed that some things have changed. The background, for example, and the camera angles. We hope you like the new format. What you can’t see are all the phases of creation, testing and release needed to get here. So how is a JBL TV episode like this created?
From August 15 to 19, 2021, the online marketing team went to Vienna to assist our biologist Heiko as he shot our latest JBL TV episodes and to give you a look behind the scenes. The film location was the “Haus des Meeres” in the heart of the city. Within three days we had a total of 18 new episodes in the can. In this blog post I'd like to give you a little more detail about everything that goes on behind the scenes and what a day of filming looks like.
Beforehand, at JBL GmbH & Co. KG. in Neuhofen, we packed one box per episode with the products and utensils needed for the shoot. This meant we had 18 boxes for 18 episodes on set.
Before the shooting of an episode could start, the set was tidied, the utensils + products needed were put in place and the aquarium or terrarium was cleaned. Heiko of course had already given some thought to the sequence and order of the individual parts beforehand and on set he and the film team decided such issues as how the camera settings and the light needed to be modified. Believe me, it is very tricky to quickly install products such as filters and CO2 systems in such a way that the visual factor is guaranteed too!
Once everything is in the right place, the shoot can begin. As soon as the camera is running, there is complete silence on the set and Heiko starts his video. Afterwards, they check again to see if anything has been forgotten or needs to be done differently. If this is not the case, the episode is finished and work on the next one can start.
While the new set is being constructed, Heiko has another look at the content of the next episode. Speed is of the essence and we need to work hard if we are to keep to our schedule of 18 episodes in three days!
For each episode an intro needed to be filmed at the numerous aquariums and terrariums in the Haus des Meeres in order to better illustrate the topics being dealt with. Since the Haus des Meeres was always busy, we filmed the intros early after opening time, when the number of visitors was at its lowest. Creating the intros, however, turned out to be more difficult than expected. The lighting conditions were different in every room and we had the reflection of the aquariums/terrariums to struggle with. The problem was solved with a molleton cloth, held up by two people so that reflections and unwanted light were never visible.
All in all, our days shooting in Vienna were exhausting, but a lot of fun. Even though the it was tight squeeze we managed to shoot all 18 episodes and the JBL team returned home satisfied!
