The Development of an Innovative Concept for a Promotional Video
For the 31st International Symposium of ISSA Construction, which will take place in Berlin in June 2022, a promotional video focusing on the VISION ZERO concept is being produced. PanFilm was commissioned to develop the script (concept for the promotional video) for this special film.
Occupational safety issues have traditionally played a major role at PanFilm. We have been producing training and promotional videos on behalf of various workers’ compensation associations since the 1960s.
In the process, we have built up a vast wealth of experience that we continue to draw upon time and again.
The concept of Vision Zero is anything but new. Strategies for preventing workplace accidents were first developed in the early 19th century, following the founding of the black powder manufacturer E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company. After several workplace accidents—some of them fatal—occurred there, Du Pont established the first safety regulations, which specifically assigned responsibility for safety within the company to management. This has not changed to this day.
Every accident is preventable. Based on this principle, the VISION ZERO strategy has been working since the 1990s to reduce the number of accidents. Starting with road traffic, the strategy has since been adopted across the entire field of occupational safety. VISION ZERO defines, in seven guiding principles, the measures companies can take to reduce the likelihood of accidents.
The Development of the Concept for a Promotional Video on Construction Site Safety
The concept for the promotional film for this project first emerged in 2020. At the time, we discussed a number of very contrasting ideas on the topic, ranging from acted scenes to metaphorical approaches and even animated characters. Within the working group—composed of participants from Germany, Chile, South Korea, Senegal, and the U.S.—it became increasingly clear that the promotional film should feature real scenes with real people. These offer the greatest potential for viewers to relate to the content, and they also help us avoid the mistake of romanticizing the world of construction. After all, in real work situations, it’s genuinely dirty and dusty—and, of course, sometimes dangerous if safety rules aren’t properly followed.
At the time, the film took on a second layer of meaning. There was a desire to create a narrative bridge to private life in addition to presenting the seven golden rules of the workplace. After all, according to the unanimous opinion of the working group on this promotional film, the same rules generally apply there as well for safe and effective cooperation.
And so the idea was born to present each of the seven rules in the form of a short vignette—always as a parallel example from both work and personal life. For example, the topic of functioning brakes applies just as much to concrete mixers as it does to personal bicycles. In this case, this line of thinking leads to Rule Number Five: Ensure safety and health in machines, equipment, and workplaces.
Final script for the promotional video on VISION ZERO at the 31st International Symposium of the ISSA Construction Industry
The script for the approximately four-minute-long promotional video, which we have been developing since mid-2021 in close collaboration with the aforementioned international working group, is now complete. As described, the seven golden rules of VISION ZERO are illustrated in various short dramatic scenes filmed in the home countries of the working group participants. Half of each vignette takes place in a private setting, and the other half in a professional setting.
The promotional film will premiere as part of the 31st International Symposium of the ISSA Construction Industry Section, which will take place this year from June 8–10, 2022, in Berlin.
The main theme of this year’s symposium will be: How can we achieve Vision Zero in the construction industry? This question will be explored in various presentations and panel discussions. The symposium is designed to offer excellent opportunities to make new contacts and expand one’s professional network. In addition to the theoretical foundation, the event provides the opportunity to learn about the practical application of Vision Zero through best-practice case studies at construction sites around Berlin, allowing participants to experience the theoretical knowledge they’ve acquired in real-world work situations.