Industry Spotlight: Local Production Company has Mastered the Art of Business Storytelling

Eden Sabolboro of Reel Clever Films can do it all. Filmmaker by day, blogger by night and an all around stylish lady has relocated to Michigan to produce a successful and fashionable life for herself. Reel Clever Films is a full-service production company and specializes in business storytelling, producing videos for fashion companies, weddings, events and even independent films. We were lucky enough to get a chance to ask them a few questions about what they do, why they do it, and why a video might be right for your company.

Image from RCF

DGG: Tell us about yourself, Eden.

Eden Sabolboro: My name is Eden Sabolboro, an actor, filmmaker and lifestyle blogger based here in Metro Detroit.  I immigrated here from Cebu City, Philippines to start a family with my husband and business partner, Thaad Sabolboro, who was raised here in Michigan. I've worn many hats in the media back there, having worked in the past as a radio broadcaster, digital/social media marketer and as a fashion stylist. I shifted my attention to film and videography sometime in 2012, and have been hooked ever since. My husband and I met in film school back in the Philippines, and as they say, the rest is history! We've been independent and small-scale commercial filmmakers since 2010, with some of the short films we've made successfully competing in respected film festivals in the Philippines and abroad. We now have a bouncing (and very hyperactive!) 8-month old named Dallas, and are also partners and proprietors of Reel Clever Films, a full-service video production company based in Detroit and the rest of Southeast Michigan.

I've only been in the state (and in the US, at that!) for a little over a year now, so everything is very new to me. Admittedly, there were a bunch of struggles with being in a new place and being a new mom at the same time, but it's been a lot more awesome lately. I also always feel like a kid lost in a candy store whenever I spend time in Detroit -- I grow more and more in love with the city everyday! When I'm not working on RCF, you can also find me life + style blogging over at Chic in the Tropics.

DGG: Tell us about Reel Clever Flims.

ES: Reel Clever Films is the small, yet full-service video production company that I started with my husband, who is a fantastic editor and cinematographer. We specialize in creating custom video services for businesses and individuals with a distinct cinematic flair. We always aim to create remarkable video content that sees results for our clients, yet remains true and genuine to our style as independent filmmakers. Though commercial videography is our focus for the time being, we do eventually want to keep creating independent films, hopefully being able to work on our first feature-length film soon.

DGG: Describe your job in one sentence.

ES: My job is to constantly seek inspiration and turning them into a complete visual experience. 

Image from RCF

DGG: What does a short film do for a brand, and why should more companies consider it?

ES: In marketing, it's undeniable that video as a promotional tool for a brand or lifestyle really works. A content-rich explainer video or commercial speaks volumes, and reaches out and empowers consumers like no other medium can. It's also been well-documented that video produces actual results. Brands experience increased conversion rates, information retention, higher search engine rankings, and increased brand trust -- I even read a study that said 85% of consumers trusted and eventually bought from a brand more after seeing a good explainer video of the brand. That's a pretty good reason for a company to get into the action. Although some small-scale entrepreneurs would initially find rates for business videos intimidating, simple research would say that the benefits (and the potential sales) will outweigh the costs. 2015 onwards will obviously be all about video marketing.

DGG: Describe the process of doing a short film for a company. 

ES: Typically, we would ask a client or an agency at least 4 to 8 weeks to complete a project from the drawing board to the final output. There's a lot of stages involved, such as research, scripting, storyboarding, creating mock-ups, the actual shoot dates, post-production, and so on. Much like other content producers, we always aim to have ample time with pre-production so that we have minimal flaws (if at all) to fix in post. Naturally, we want an in-depth discussion with the client way before starting the project to really get a deeper understanding of them and their desired outcomes for the project. 

DGG: What's the most rewarding thing about presenting a finished video to a client?

ES: Thaad and I are both extremely passionate about what we do, and I'm not just saying that -- we've figuratively gone through hell and high water to go above and beyond our client's expectations. To be able to deliver a final product that stays true to our client's voice and their ultimate goals, and being able to place our unique label on a medium that lasts forever, makes all the hard work worth it.

Image from RCF

DGG: If you could film anyone in the fashion world, who would it be, what would you want the film to be about and why?

ES: It's pretty hard to choose considering there's just so many inspiring figures in fashion, but for now, I'd love the chance to work with Alexander Wang. I'm such an admirer of his overall aesthetic, and his rise from a young designer to a global force is nothing short of amazing. In addition, his style has the kind of edge I'd love to be able to play with more in our films. 

DGG: Describe your style.

ES: Partly minimalist, partly contemporary, partly edgy. You will always find a leather jacket, a lot of black separates, and black ankle boots in my closet. 

DGG: How do you take your coffee?

ES: I wish I was cool enough to say that black coffee is my thing, but I take a ton of half-and-halfs with mine.

DGG: POPSUGAR Fashion or Refinery 29?

ES: I spend a ridiculous amount of time on Refinery29. Popsugar's pretty awesome, too. I also love Dazed and Vice.com.

DGG: Instagram Video or SnapChat Video?

ES: There's something liberating about Snapchat. I definitely love the fact that I can post incredibly goofy videos of me that I'd otherwise be too embarrassed to post on Instagram. 

Image from RCF