Flipping Real Estate Videography Around With Flip Films

Written by Acme Mag

When it comes to real estate videography, there’s often a stock standard approach. One that makes videos look like slideshows – you know the kind. They’re treated as just a quick and simple overview of the home. But there’s opportunity for so much more. Director Lochlan Tangas and Studio Manager Sarah Meldrum of Flip Films tell us that real estate can be approached in a different way.

With a background in wedding videography, Lochlan is used to bringing emotion to film and making sure every piece is unique and tells a story. Working in different spaces, from weddings to brand videos, has allowed Flip Films to evolve real estate videography and become an industry leader. Lochlan tells us that weddings are a matter of  dealing with people in a fast paced environment as there’s a lot of emotion involved. 

“So when it came to real estate, I looked at adding a human element. This typically wasn’t a thing in the industry (aside from just an agent talking). I really wanted to showcase the feel of the home, as little glimpses or moments of someone walking through the space. That was the most basic form, but it was highly effective. And that took off,” says Lochlan.

Lochlan’s approach was to take what worked in wedding videography and apply that to real estate. Or what they call, the ‘Flip Effect. Lochlan explains they have different package options for their clients,  but even their standard property video is still shot using this approach. If clients want to go a step higher, the next package puts that point of difference front and centre, where the team has almost full creative control. This allows for something different and unique to the property, whether that’s focusing on the architecture or other elements.

For Flip Films, there’s a focus on grabbing attention while still delivering a clean product. Lochlan explains TikTok and Instagram Reels are designed to be consumed on mass, meaning you have to act fast to grab viewer attention before they scroll to the next video.

As a full in-house studio, Flip doesn’t rely on freelancers or resources overseas. From pre-production to post-production, they follow an in-studio collaborative process that includes their clients. It’s about honest and clear creative direction. Sarah tells us this union of studio and client means they’re involved every step of the way.

“Everybody is looked after and attended to. We have a personal relationship with all of our clients and make sure they all feel special as well. This way we can attend to every property differently. Sometimes properties can be quite similar but we want to be able to have that approach to put a little different spin on every property,” says Sarah.

When it comes to individual real estate agencies, their approach means each agency (and even each office within that agency) can have a unique feel to their videos. The Flip team tread the line between generalists and specialists well, with each member showcasing strengths while maintaining a broad scope of knowledge. 

One of the most recent examples of their unique approach is their recent collaboration with Jellis Craig Inner North Director Sam Rigopoulos and comedy troupe Sooshi Mango. While the idea itself came from the client, Flip were more than happy to jump in on the project. Ultimately for Flip Films, this idea wasn’t just about the success come sale day but to further establish Sam Rigopolous further in the industry and showcasing that he’s willing to take risks.

“I feel like opportunities arise every month where we get the opportunity to do something out of the typical scope. Because it comes back to social media and getting them out there to leave an impression,” says Lochlan.

Lochlan’s main piece of advice when it comes to considering video for online is that you have to keep in mind that things are evolving rapidly. Gone are the days of just producing a beautiful film. Consider the opening scene to spark curiosity and draw people in as the algorithm’s keep changing.