Portfolio: Uptown Station Promotional Video | LAI Video

Uptown Station Promo

Commercial real estate is complex. From local market forces to national economic trends, investors must consider a variety of factors outside of their control. With so many variables that can affect a building’s value, how should companies use video to market their properties? Working with Newmark Knight Frank, LAI Video produced a promotional video for Uptown Station in Oakland. The video offers a case study in positioning a commercial property as an attractive investment.

Uptown’s Rising

With Silicon Valley’s rise, San Francisco often captures the media’s attention. What’s less known is that the forces of technology, innovation, and economic development are also shaping Oakland. 

As Account Rep, Niles recognized that Uptown Station’s location in downtown Oakland was a valuable asset. With the building itself still in development, Newmark Knight Frank was in need of a teaser that would tout Uptown Station’s extraordinary potential. Keeping Oakland’s momentum at top of mind, Niles pitched a concept that would present Uptown Station at the center of a city quickly becoming the next big thing in Bay Area real estate.

Oakland Through A New Lens

Having landed on a concept, the team set out by air to capture the sights and sounds of the city dubbed “the bright side of the Bay.” Seeking to portray Oakland’s distinctive ethos, we used cinematic techniques that made for a thoughtful—and breathtaking—depiction of the city.

As producer, Sarah worked with a licensed drone operator to capture stunning aerial footage of Oakland’s skyline. Favata and Jordan used time-lapse and drive-by cinematography that reveals Oakland’s bustling cityscape. Close-up and slow-motion shots draw out downtown Oakland’s vibrant energy. Portraying Oakland’s pulse as a world-class city, the LAI Video crew rendered a marked level of artistry that gives justice to the city’s remarkable spirit.

It's Happening In Uptown

Whereas the LAI Video crew arrived in Oakland with a detailed vision, it was in post-production that we really brought Uptown Station’s story to life. Appealing to an international audience, we used kinetic text within the video to relay key messages, as interviews could have been difficult for non-native English speakers to follow. Anthony motion-tracked this text to the spectacular commercial and residential properties already built or currently under development, painting a picture of a thriving city that’s bound for a prosperous future. Composite renderings of buildings under construction inspire confidence that Oakland’s economy is flourishing, and 3D-depictions of Uptown Station reveal a top-tier property befitting of the world’s leading companies and organizations.

An ode to Oakland’s unlimited potential, the final video positions Uptown Station as the natural outcome of the propitious forces converging on the bright side of the Bay.