Amplify your message with Event Videography: Case Study
Filming the “No Toll” public meeting at the Village Valley Centre, Ashhurst.
Community voices need to be heard
When the New Zealand Transport Authority (NZTA) Waka Kotahi were asking the public to make submissions on the proposed toll on the State Highway 3—Te Ahu a Turanga: Manawatū Tararua Highway (the replacement road for the Manawatu Gorge) - it became clear that I should get involved to help spread the word.
This proposed road toll would affect my trips to see family over the hill and increase business travel costs to Tararua, Wairarapa, and Hawke’s Bay. I teamed up with the event organisers of the “No Toll” Ashhurst public meeting to make sure their community voices were heard by a wider audience.
The Challenge
The event organisers faced the challenge of encouraging the community to make submissions against the toll proposal before the October 7th deadline. They needed to spread the message beyond the meeting's physical audience. While a large dedicated group of locals attended, many others—due to distance, time constraints, or other commitments—couldn’t be there in person. Extending the conversation to a broader audience was vital to maximise involvement for the cause and encourage as many people as possible to make submissions.
Briclops Involvement
With permission from the event organisers, I attended the meeting to provide single-camera full event coverage. My presence and the purpose for filming was announced by the MC at the start of the event to ensure transparency with attendees. My goal was to capture the spirited discussions from community members and representatives and the responses from NZTA and MPs while ensuring the video was engaging and accessible for an online audience.
Respecting Attendees' Preferences
Not everyone in the audience wanted to appear on camera. Some attendees chose to stand at the back of the room, avoiding the seats that would be within the camera’s view. I recognised and respected their intentions by framing my shots to focus on the seated crowd, keeping those who wished to remain off-camera out of view. This approach balanced the need for comprehensive event coverage while respecting the wishes of attendees.
Deliverables
The full coverage video was edited and uploaded to YouTube the following day with links to the video shared across local Facebook community groups. This quick turnaround allowed viewers who couldn’t attend in person to see the meeting content while there was still time to make submissions. Informative graphics were added throughout the video, and presentation slides were included as a Picture in Picture or full screen to provide more clarity. Chapter markers and a video description were added when uploading the video to YouTube - this gives the viewer more control over how they consume the video content. The video description provides more details and context for viewers. Included in the video description was a call to action with a link to make submissions on NZTA’s website.
The Video Outcome
The results were remarkable. YouTube statistics revealed that the video had more than double the number of views compared to the number of in-person attendees. This extended reach allowed more people to comprehend the toll's implications and information on how they could contribute their views through the submission process.
The Toll Decision
By 7th October 2024 the NZTA had received 12,076 submissions. 4,571 of those submissions were from people who live locally in Ashhurst, Woodville, Pahiatua and Dannevirke. On 13 December 2024, the collective efforts of the communities and their advocates on both sides of the hill, led to success. The decision to scrap the proposed toll was announced by local Government MP’s in December 2024. This was a much welcomed early Christmas present!
How Briclops Can Help You
If you’re organising a public meeting or private event and want your message to reach beyond the venue, then professional videography is a great solution. This event was captured with a single camera, however we can also produce multi-camera videos which will increase the production value of your event. As you can see from the deliverables above I provide tailored services to meet your event’s needs. Allow me to help make your next event more impactful and get in touch today.
Conclusion
While it’s difficult for me to quantify the direct impact of the “No Toll” video, I believe it successfully played a role in amplifying community concerns and helped to rally support against the toll. By partnering with Briclops, your event can be heard by a wider audience and create the engagement you intended. Are you ready to work together to expand outside your venue?
"You can amplify your message to make it loud, or we can expand your event to an online crowd!”.
