Filming Meet the Candidates for the Manawatū Business Chamber at the Square Edge Community Arts in Palmerston North. Interview host Stefan Speller questions Green MP and Candidate Teanau Tuiono on why he is standing for re-election as a party list MP in this 3 camera setup.
Helping Businesses Get To Know Their Candidates
General elections can have a real impact on the business community. Decisions made by elected representatives, along with the policies they support, can influence the environment in which regional businesses operate and grow.
The Manawatū Business Chamber's Meet the Candidates interview series was created to help local businesses learn about the candidates standing for election, understand their priorities and hear how they could support businesses across our region if elected.
Rather than relying solely on a panel discussion or debate, the Chamber chose individual video interviews to give each candidate an opportunity to explain their position. With the interviews published online, Chamber members and the wider business community (anyone online) could watch at a time that suited them.
The result was a collection of 10 videos, produced from a single day of filming.
The Challenge
In previous general elections, the Chamber had hosted Meet the Candidates events as panel discussions or debates in front of an audience of Chamber members. While this format brings people together, limited speaking time can make it difficult for viewers to hear each candidate's full perspective.
Individual interviews offered a different approach, giving each candidate dedicated time to discuss their policies, priorities and potential contributions to the Manawatū business community.
The challenge was to produce a consistent, professionally presented series that made the information accessible online while allowing viewers to focus on what each candidate had to say.
The Interview Format
Stefan Speller hosted the interviews, guiding each conversation and giving candidates the opportunity to explain their policies, priorities and potential contributions to the business community.
Stefan put considerable research into the candidates and their parties' policies. His preparation enabled him to provide context where needed and ask informed questions that encouraged meaningful discussion.
Each interview ran for approximately 20–30 minutes, giving candidates time to explain their positions on topics in greater depth. The individual interview format also allowed viewers to hear each candidate's responses directly and build a clearer understanding of the people seeking election.
The aim was to provide consistent, balanced information that businesses could use to inform their understanding of the candidates, rather than tell viewers whom to support.
Briclops Involvement
Briclops managed the production process from pre-production planning through to filming, editing and publication. Manawatū Business Chamber CEO Amanda Linsley arranged the FX Theatre at Square Edge Community Arts as the filming venue.
Located centrally in Palmerston North, the theatre was well suited to the production. It’s spacious, windowless room allowed me to control the lighting, while the thick walls helped reduce outside noise being heard on the microphones.
The FX Theatre at Square Edge Community Arts before the stage was set up for the candidate interviews.
Pre-production: Planning for a Consistent Result
I planned the technical setup, including camera placement, lighting, audio recording and the arrangements needed to film a consistent series of interviews.
I also coordinated people and timings through a run sheet, and provided candidates with information to help them prepare for their time on set and in front of the cameras.
With eight interviews to complete in one day, thorough preparation was essential. Planning the schedule and production requirements helped keep filming organised and ensured each candidate had a consistent interview setup.
Bringing Local Businesses into the Production
I wanted the interviews to have a professional, considered appearance. The set needed to look appropriate for business-related discussions without distracting viewers from the conversations.
A polished result doesn't have to rely on the budget of a large production studio. Careful planning, thoughtful set design and collaboration can make a significant difference to the production value.
Briclops didn’t own the furniture and furnishings needed to achieve the look I had in mind, so I approached other members of the Manawatū Business Chamber for help.
I had met Keith Davis from Int. Workspaces at previous Business After Five (BA5) events. He was happy to contribute a table and chairs from his Int. Workspaces’ inventory.
I discovered Letitia Montford at Spaces I.D. through the Chamber's member directory. As an interior designer, Letitia brought her expertise to the set, helping create a cohesive look around the furniture I had selected.
Letitia also reached out to Vanessa Carey at Mitre 10 Mega Palmerston North, who supplied the rug and pot plants to complete the set.
Their contributions helped create a professional setting for the interviews while bringing local businesses into the production. To recognise their involvement, the participating businesses were credited in each of the 10 videos and in the YouTube video descriptions, with links to their websites or, where appropriate, to the items they supplied.
This collaboration demonstrated how Manawatū Business Chamber members can contribute their skills and resources to a shared project, helping create to a better result for the client and the wider business community.
If you appreciate the finished set, please support the local businesses that helped make it possible.
The FX Theatre with the interview setup, including 3 cameras and 3 lights. The look of the set could not have been possible without the support and collaboration of Spaces I.D., Int. Workspaces, and Mitre 10 Mega Palmerston North.
Production: Capturing Every Perspective
Each interview was filmed using a three-camera setup, filmed in 4K resolution. This gave me multiple perspectives to work with during editing, allowing me to create a more engaging viewing experience than a single static camera could provide.
Clear audio was equally important. The focus was on making the conversations easy to follow so viewers could concentrate on the candidates' responses.
The candidates were impressed with the setup and the professionalism of the production set. This was encouraging feedback and reinforced the importance of creating a well prepared environment.
The Director’s view, live switching between camera angles on set at the FX Theatre. Stefan Speller interviews Labour Party MP and Candidate Tangi Utikere on what policies Labour has that benefit business in the Manawatū.
Post-production: Turning video footage into an Online Resource
I edited the footage into the finished interviews, prepared the videos for online viewing and published them on the Manawatū Business Chamber's YouTube channel.
The final collection comprised:
Eight individual interviews, allowing viewers to watch each candidate separately.
One Palmerston North compilation, bringing four Palmerston North candidate interviews together in a single video.
One Rangitīkei compilation, bringing four Rangitīkei candidate interviews together in a single video.
This gave the Chamber 10 published videos from one day's filming. Viewers could choose to watch an individual candidate or view the interviews for their electorate together.
I also set up the Chamber's YouTube channel, giving it a dedicated platform for publishing the interviews and sharing video content with its audience in the future. See my blog about why every business should have it’s own YouTube channel.
The project delivered more than a series of finished videos. It provided the Chamber with an online resource and a platform it could continue using to communicate with its members and the wider community.
Editing National Party candidate Ankit Bansal’s multi-camera interview 4K video using DaVinci Resolve editing software.
The Value of Video for the Business Community
The Meet the Candidates project gave the Manawatū Business Chamber a collection of videos that members and the wider business community could access online.
For viewers, the benefits included:
Access to information: Hear directly from candidates about their policies, priorities and potential support for regional businesses.
Convenience: Watch interviews online at a time that suits them, without needing to attend an event in person.
A consistent format: Hear from each candidate in a similar setting, making it easier to understand their respective positions.
A resource to revisit and share: Return to the interviews or share them with colleagues who want to learn more.
A better understanding of local issues: Consider how candidates' priorities could affect the Manawatū business environment.
For the Chamber, the project created 10 videos that could be shared with its audience beyond the original filming sessions. The individual interviews and electorate compilations offered flexibility in how the information could be accessed and shared, while the YouTube channel provided a platform for future video content. The election is over now, but if you haven’t watched the interviews yet then head over to the Manawatū Business Chamber’s channel on YouTube.
Feedback from the Project
Stefan Speller, who hosted the Meet the Candidates interviews, shared his feedback in a LinkedIn post:
“I cannot recommend Brian highly enough. From project management, communication, organization and the actual functions of recording, editing and end product. Make Briclops your first thought for livestreaming, videography and anything in this space.”
Stefan's feedback reflected the approach I apply to every project: working collaboratively, keeping the process organised and delivering a finished product that meets the client's needs. A successful video production is more than just the final video. It’s the combination of clear communication, detailed organisation and project management that contributes to a smooth experience for everyone involved.
Giving Your Audience More Value Through Video
The Meet the Candidates project is an example of how organisations can use video to deliver information that matters to their members, customers and communities.
Whether you're hosting a conference, interviewing experts, communicating important information or wanting to make a public meeting more accessible to people who couldn't attend, then video is what you need to extend the reach and life of your content.
At Briclops, I manage the whole video production:
Pre-production: Planning the project and understanding what your audience needs.
Production: Filming and recording clear, professional content.
Post-production: Editing the footage into a polished, engaging final product.
Publication: Preparing and publishing your videos on the platforms where your audience can find them.
By managing the process from beginning to end, I can help organisations turn their ideas, events and expertise into video content that communicates clearly and serves a purpose beyond the day it was recorded.
For the Manawatū Business Chamber, the goal was to help the business community hear directly from our local candidates to better understand what they could offer businesses in our region. My role was to bring that information to viewers through professional video production, thoughtful presentation and an accessible online platform.
If your organisation wants to communicate more effectively, extend the reach of an event or make valuable information available to a wider audience, then get in touch with us.
"Informing your community with an interview show? Get Briclops to manage your production flow!”
