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Journal

Field notes from the Far North.

What we shot each week, where, and what we learned doing it. Real estate, brand films, drone and the odd school gala.

Virtually staged lounge at 76 Takahe Road, Ahipara, with the "This photo has been digitally staged" label in the top corner

Latest

How we do virtual staging, and why it's always labelled

Same-day virtual staging at Takahe Road, Ahipara, two Arizto jobs at Cable Bay, a shoot moved a day for rain, and our new website going live.

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Open-plan dining room opening onto the deck at 4 Sunlover Way, Karikari Peninsula

Can AI fix a grey-sky listing photo instead of a reshoot?

Five Far North jobs in three days, most delivered the same day, from Herekino to the Karikari Peninsula, and an overcast shoot relit with AI instead of a second trip.
Ahipara School gathered on the summit of Whangatauatia during their Te Wiki o te Reo Māori walk, with the bay and sand dunes behind, from the air

Filming Ahipara School on top of Whangatauatia, from home

Ahipara School walked up Whangatauatia for Te Wiki o te Reo Māori, and we filmed them at the summit with a drone flown from home. Plus a banner approved and a wind check that saved a trip.
Homes and driveways on a green Far North hillside, from the air

What are the lines drawn on bare land listing photos?

A three-shoot Saturday in Ahipara and Kaitaia, a Pukenui job delivered the same day, and how we draw boundary lines on bare land photos.
Coastline at 368 Henderson Bay Road, Pukenui, from the air

What happens when it's windy on shoot day?

Two Far North shoots under gale warnings, how we decide whether to fly the drone, and a quarry website video re-cut in under 20 minutes.
Bellingham Quarries website hero film, drone descending into the quarry

How long should a website hero video be?

Filming Bellingham Quarries from Te Kao to Larmers Road for their website, a bare land job in Mangamuka, and what we learned making website banner videos.
Tidal Construction crew framing roof trusses on site

Framing day at Taipa Heights, and what an "AI brain" actually is

Filming Tidal Construction's framing crew at Taipa Heights, a Cape Reinga recce for a website banner, and our first AI-brain builds for Far North businesses.
Trent from Arcline Architecture talking to camera in the kitchen of the modern black build, from our Dream Home Tour film

How many videos can you get out of one shoot day?

Turning one Arcline interview day into a dozen short cuts, four behind-the-scenes reels in a day, and a Karikari listing from shoot to YouTube in two days.
Rural Far North property and gardens from the air

How fast can you get listing photos back in the Far North?

Our fastest week yet. A Waiharara listing went from unbooked to approved in six hours, 16 Haze agents got headshots in an afternoon, and 1,299 awards night photos.
Nancy Loane on the beach with her dog, with subtitles

How a new agent markets themselves with no listings yet

Three debut reels for a new Raine & Horne Mangonui agent, bare land videos at Ahipara and Taipa, and a Kaitaia shoot I edited the same afternoon.
Lounge looking out over the harbour at 1 Richmond Road, Mill Bay

Can you put a hit song on a listing video?

How we license music for real estate videos so YouTube and Facebook don't block them, a Karikari listing turned around in three days, and a new agent's debut reels.
Deck and open-plan living at 7 Whitney Lane, Karikari Peninsula

Six jobs in one day, and headshots signed off inside the hour

A six-job Wednesday across Kaitaia, agent headshots for Haze Real Estate approved the same day, and 7 Whitney Lane delivered on the Karikari Peninsula.
Covered deck looking over bush to the sea at 204 SH10, Coopers Beach

What a "clean master" is, and seven edits in one go

Why some agencies ask for a listing video with no logos or end card, how we handle a list of edits from an agent, and a three-job Matariki Friday.
Far North coastline and bay from the air

Six shoots in five days, and why estuary homes wait for the tide

A busy week across Ahipara, Kaingaroa, Taipa and Cable Bay, a Matariki brand film for Kai Ora Honey, and why we time estuary shoots around high tide.