The Challenge: Making an Online Keynote Video Engaging
Each October, the Ohio Department of Transportation hosts the nation’s largest engineering conference, Ohio Transportation Engineering Conference or OTEC (otecohio.org). In October 2020, an in-person conference was no longer possible due to the Covid-19 pandemic. To continue providing an exceptional experience worth attracting sponsors and attendees, the Ohio Department of Transportation Director, Dr. Jack Marchbanks, wanted to deliver a keynote speech that went beyond a Zoom call.
In August 2020, Director Marchbanks enlisted the help of the ODOT Communications Video Team to help achieve his vision of creating an informational, documentary-style keynote address that would provide an overview of Ohio’s transportation system’s past, present and future. The Video Team was excited to take on the project despite the daunting October deadline, only two months away.
The Results
The resulting video, featuring locations from around the state, interviews with Ohio’s top transportation movers and shakers, and an entertaining monologue delivered by the Director of ODOT himself, opened the virtual conference to high praise. Attendees and sponsors alike were emailing the conference planners with enthused kudos and excitement over the video. Conference planners agreed that the keynote was the best they had seen in their tenure. The high standard expected from OTEC was clearly upheld.
The video project was a true highlight in a year of much uncertainty, and it would not have been possible without the Adobe Creative Suite.
Using Adobe Premiere and Adobe After Effects
The video was edited entirely with Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe After Effects and Adobe Audition. Tasked with delivering many statistics in an exciting visual way, we leaned heavily on Adobe After Effects to create motion graphics that would keep the viewers engaged. The ability to generate motion graphic templates in AE to work with directly in Adobe Premiere Pro streamlined the editing process on our tight timeframe.
We also utilized Adobe After Effects to achieve Director Marchbanks’ vision of a teleportation visual effect ala Star Trek to close his speech. Relying on AE’s particle generator, a budget-Abrams teleportation effect was achieved, ending the keynote with levity, excitement and humor.
Star Trek inspired teleportation effect rendered in Adobe After Effects
ODOT Videographer, Colin Trubee, and ODOT Photographer/Drone Pilot Bruce Hull set up the shot
Behind the scenes video of the ODOT video team filming in Zanesville, OH
Due to length of the original video, we are submitting the condensed version of the keynote address, which does not include the interview portion. However, the original 50 minute presentation can be found below.
