How to shoot cinematic Real Estate video – Ben Kelly Lanbury

Property prices are booming across the world, and the audience is getting more virtual. We’re happy to buy cars, holidays and now property online – even very expensive property. And for the mega rich purchasers who often live miles away from the properties they want to buy, producing a cinematic real estate video is now essential to the marketing of a property. 
We speak to property developers Ben Kelly and Ben Gannon of Lanbury London on what their potential buyers need in a real estate video. 
Ben Kelly Lanbury: It needs to be a virtual viewing. Everything that you want to convey in the property has to be in the film. We need to be able to see everything without it being a boring tour. 
Lawrence Jacomelli: Director, Beast  We need to make sure we have all the right kit. I’d suggest first we have a light-weight drone, for internal shots. But also a more robust drone that hovers over the land around the estates – if necessary. Also we need a wide-angle zoom lens, A DSLR and a slider. 
I’d suggest we need actors, beautiful ones, older ones and children – so the audience can always think “yes that could be us” in the shot. 
Ben Gannon Lanbury: We need to convey the luxury and the size of the development. 
Lawrence Jacomelli Director, Beast: A lot of people who by these types of properties want to know what their new estate looks like when they have guests round. So a stylised view of the driveway with all the cars lined up. A dining room full of people. A pool-side crowded with cocktail drinkers on a summer evening is the types of shots we need. So a full cast is needed. 
Additional we need to show the different times of day at the property. What does early morning look like? Where is the sun rising, what does breakfast then a quick game of tennis look like? These types of shots are essential. 
Ben Gannon / Ben Kelly Lanbury: We’d also need to show the practical elements of the property
Lawrence: I think you allow certain characters around the house who are doing these practical things. Eg throwing clothes down a laundry shoot, or opening up the double fridge, watching the 100 inch television with friends. We wouldn’t use a “host” or an estate agent, we would want to show the reality of living there. 
Ben Gannon / Ben Kelly LanburyWhat kind of budget is this? 
Lawrence For the very top end luxury properties in Tuscany, France, The Hamptons, Surrey people could be spending over £100K on their marketing and the film production, but this is for £30M plus properties. 

Ben Kelly and Ben Gannon are Directors of property development company, Lanbury Group London