One of the places where photography has grown tremendously is in the manufacturing and industrial industry. People need to show how things are made, and they need to do it without actually being there. There is a vast amount of engineering and skill sets found in a factory, and if your photography is in this line of work, you'll find this video by Benedict Redgrove stimulating and inspiring.
Created for ESPN, the video was captured at the Wilson Factory in Thailand. He has a tight crop and gets you inside the machine's process. It shows the industrial process with all its metals, molds, machines, and materials. It starts with measured rubber sheets and follows a 24-step process to have the balls stamped with the Wilson logo and packaged into containers.
To take a simple object like a tennis ball and show how it is made in such a hypnotic way really helps the viewer to experience it and not just wait to see what's next. Its aesthetic richness in color, composition, and flow integrate so well, while it teaches the viewer what takes place in order for you to have your day at the club on Saturdays, serving away. He used only the sound of the factory, with no additional background music like you would expect this kind of video to have. After you've seen this, you most likely think about it the next time you catch a ball — any ball for that matter.
I've done these types of factory and production videos in the past for clients. I used to do them for the money and not because they inspired me. This video made me think twice about the manufacturing industries and how I can play a positive role in them. I am certainly thinking about re-editing some old work now. Be sure to check out Redgrove's site and follow him on Facebook and Instagram!
Awesome video. I did a search for his name in vimeo to check out more of his work and found that it isn't Benjamin Redgrove. It's Benedict Redgrove.
Great video, minimalist approach but very visceral.
I'm actually surprised how much of that is still done by hand.
that chick that turns the tennis balls the right way before they get the brand stamped on? She looked absolutely thrilled to be there :P lol
A shame too that the photographer probably got paid more for this one shoot than most of the factory workers see in 5 years.
Thats not a job you get into through a love of turning tennis balls.