Production
In 2023 the REW Studio crew created our first REW Original series called RealTours. The vision was to produce an authentic real estate show that focused on the true identities of cities by touring their neighbourhoods with a local Realtor. RealTours informs BC residents and new comers of their options in and outside of Greater Vancouver, despite the increasing costs. With direction and a camera crew from Peeled Media Production; we planned, filmed, edited, and launched a 14 episode series in 7 months. This new adventure had many steep learning curves, long days and tight deadlines, but we’re proud to say we did it!
Art Director
As Art Director of RealTours, I was tasked with establishing the overall style and tone of the show. This included designing the logo and car wrap; and making decisions on the colour grading, animation, photography style, social media, thumbnails, ad campaigns, and article layouts.
In the time leading up to filming, I also participated in the agent interview process, neighbourhood research, and storyboarding. There are several episodes that I planned and researched entirely myself when resources were limited, Chilliwack Episode 2 is my personal favourite.
My responsibilities carried out from the early development phase in June through to the campaign launch of the last episode in December. From September and onwards an episode was launched on “The Guide” (REW’s blog) every Tuesday for 14 weeks. Every episode was supported by a paid media campaign, teaser trailers, social media, and several neighbourhood and industry articles on The Guide.
Source: REW Digital Ltd.
Filming Style Inspiration
In the initial phases of developing the brand and style of the series, our team looked to various TV shows for inspiration. Below are screenshots showcasing camera angles, conversation shots, and title designs that we aimed to incorporate into the show. These visuals served as a reference for communicating our vision with the production crew.
Title & Graphics
For the titles and location names in the episodes, I wanted the text to be part of the frame and feel connected to the tour. One of my favourite shots shows the REW vehicle racing down a farming road, surrounded by expansive cornfields, with the title "Chilliwack" planted in the background, as illustrated below.
Chilliwack, Episode 2
I was born and raised in Chilliwack, so this episode is close to my heart. It is one of many episodes I took charge of planning from start to finish.
Since living in Vancouver for the past 9 years, I have learned that people have strong opinions of Chilliwack, especially because of the smell. This RealTours episode shows that ‘The Wack’ is much more than just vast farm lands and fishing.
Click the image below to view episode and landing page.
Photography Style
As we filmed each episode daily, our hired photographer accompanied us to capture the character and essence of every neighbourhood we toured. I developed a photography style guide for the photographer to ensure consistency in our visuals. These photos were intended for use in each episode's campaign like landing pages, articles, social media, and native ads.
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![“Real” Lifestyle]()
“Real” Lifestyle
I understand having people might be an issue. I just wanted to give some examples of candid images that do not look like stock. We prefer candid images with imperfections that tell stories.
The 70’s shop window image is way to vintage, but I love what it depicts. It could easily be used in a real estate article that talks about tips on finances... -
![Real Estate the REW way]()
Real Estate the REW way
REW Studio does not produce typical real estate content. It is more stylistic and doesn’t hide from the truth. There are plenty of listings on REW.ca to get perfect images of mansions with beautiful views, but that’s over done. To the right are images that have real lighting, perspective and angles to show its character.
A big whole in the ground counts, you can get a bit abstract. -
![Ordinary but Creative]()
Ordinary but Creative
Capture the environment in a cool way. I don’t mean make Burnaby look as cool as Brooklyn, but try to capture the character of a community from ordinary things that catch your eye. The images to the right are ones I found that look interesting because of dramatic lighting and movement.
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![Bonus Points for Way Yellow]()
Bonus Points for Way Yellow
REW’s brand colour Way Yellow, was inspired by urban signage and way finding. Utility the main theme of the REW brand and is one of is of 3 pillars that make up the brand’s DNA. As you explore urban environments you will start to notice how much yellow is used for utility purposes. Capture it!
