THE BLOG

How I Turned a Training Video Brief into a Cinematic Brand Story

May 19, 2025

This breakdown will give you insight into real-world client work at the intersection of brand, style, and storytelling.

Beyond the Brief: How a Training Video Became a Cinematic Brand Story at The Cosmopolitan

Every project starts with a brief, but I’ve learned that the most impactful work often comes from pushing past that initial request to create something truly memorable. That was exactly the case when I was approached by the Cosmopolitan Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. What started as a request for a training video evolved into a cinematic brand experience.

Understanding the Client's Vision

When the Cosmopolitan first reached out, they said something that instantly set the tone: "We’re the Cosmopolitan. We don’t want a training video." Even though the piece was for internal use, it still had to represent their brand and carry the same energy and message as their public-facing campaigns.

To really understand what they were after, I immersed myself in their existing branding—watching TV commercials and studying their tagline, "the right amount of wrong." One spot stood out to me in particular: it played with visual rules, using different fonts, colors, and sizes for every word. It broke all the design rules—and it worked. That level of creative freedom lit the spark for my approach.

Blending Brand and Training in the Concept

Inspired by their bold identity, I pitched an idea that blended storytelling with the training objectives: show a couple enjoying a suite at the Cosmopolitan, then rewind the sequence to reveal the housekeeping team’s meticulous preparation leading up to their arrival. This concept let us start with the brand’s trademark edge and elegance, then transition into the practical training content.

The team loved the idea, especially the opportunity to open with a romantic sunset shot of the couple on the balcony overlooking the Fountains of Bellagio. That one shot became our scheduling anchor—we worked backwards from sunset to plan the entire shoot.

Shooting in a Live Casino Environment

Shooting inside a working casino comes with its challenges. We had to move quickly and stay discreet—no stopping foot traffic, no controlling who walked into frame. I kept the gear lean, using a Sony FS700 on a Ronin gimbal. We started with exterior shots: the car arriving, and the couple walking through the lobby.

For the car shot, I told the driver to come straight at the camera while I moved around them—trusting I’d get out of the way in time. I wanted a dynamic move that started low, rose as the car approached, passed over the hood, and landed back down on the headlight. We shot this at 240 fps, likely on a 14mm lens. For the lobby scene, my height (I’m 6'8") worked to my advantage. With my arm raised, I could get nearly 9 feet of elevation for those sweeping gimbal movements.

Filming the car

In the lobby

Once we got to the suite, we filmed the couple’s moments and then pivoted to the housekeeping process. Every detail mattered—from the placement of the remote to the fold of the towels. We captured these in close-ups, often using a small track or rotating gimbal movements to add interest.

Building the Story in Post

In post-production, I started by locking in the music. The track became the heartbeat of the edit, setting the rhythm for the pacing and transitions. Once I had the right song, everything else followed.

I used speed ramping as a key technique—starting shots in slow motion, like a foot stepping out of a car, then ramping up the speed to keep things feeling fresh and modern. To further reflect the brand’s identity, I incorporated on-screen text with different fonts, sizes, and colors timed perfectly to the music—just like the commercial that inspired me.

Client Relationships Are Built on Value

What this project really taught me is how important it is to bring more to the table than what’s asked. By understanding the brand deeply and pitching something unexpected—but aligned—I was able to turn a simple training video into a cinematic brand moment.

Clients respond to confidence and clarity. When they feel that you understand their needs and can deliver beyond expectations, trust is built. And that trust gives you the creative freedom to do your best work.

This experience with the Cosmopolitan is a reminder of what’s possible when you blend brand, story, and strategy. With the right vision and approach, even a training video can become something unforgettable.