Navigating the storm: Capturing the spirit of the Mt. Pleasant Beer Festival in the rain

June 2024
Collaborators: Bo Parker, Carolyn Parker

As a video creator, one of the most exciting projects we get to work on is filming live events. The energy, the people, the spontaneous moments—there's nothing quite like it. So, when we were hired to film a video for a highly anticipated Mt. Pleasant craft beer festival, we were pumped! We had tons of plans: picturesque shots of the Mt. Pleasant downtown, close-ups of the beautifully crafted beer with those lens flares we love so much, and dynamic footage of festival-goers enjoying the brews from around the state and fun activities.

But as it often goes with outdoor events, Mother Nature had different plans.

The best laid plans

Our initial plan was fairly mapped out. We scouted the location days in advance, mapping out the best angles to capture the golden hues of sunset filtering through the beer glasses. We envisioned slow-motion shots of beer being poured. We built a beer holder rig to do an experimental shot (more on that another time). Our storyboard ideas were filled with vibrant, sunlit scenes, each carefully crafted to highlight the fun atmosphere of the festival.

But, on the morning of the festival, clouds started to appear on the horizon. Within hours, it started to rain and didn't show any signs of stopping soon. Not just a drizzle, but a healthy downpour for the afternoon. Our plans for drone footage and sunlit shots were washed away, quite literally.

At first, there was a sinking feeling of the plans we laid not happening. How could we capture the essence of a lively, vibrant festival in such gloomy weather? But as we stood sipping a craft brew, a new idea began to take shape. While we couldn’t change the weather, we could change our focus. So, we did.

Instead of fixating on the visuals we had lost, we decided to capture the raw, unfiltered excitement of the event. The rain became a backdrop for a different kind of story—a story of a community coming out to THE event of the summer, no matter the weather. And despite the weather, the energy of the event was high as the band Jedi Mind Trip took the stage.

We began by filming the festival-goers, many of whom embraced the rain, dancing in the street and laughing despite being soaked. The rain ponchos and umbrellas added a unique, colorful element to the footage unlike we had seen before. We captured close-ups of friends clinking glasses. The rain added a beautiful texture to the footage, with droplets glistening and creating a dynamic atmosphere.

Then, miraculously, towards the end of the night with an hour left of the event, the sun came out and we were able to have a bit of golden hour glow to top off the evening. By this time, festivalgoers were feeling good and the band was in full gear. It ended up being a perfect ending to a challenging day.

Embracing the unexpected

By the end of the day, our footage was nothing like what we had planned, but it was arguably something even better. It was real, it was heartfelt, and it truly captured the spirit of the beer fest. The rain, initially a source of frustration, became an integral part of the narrative to capture good times, against less-than-ideal weather.

When we presented the final video to the festival organizers, they were thrilled and loved how we had turned a potential setback into a compelling highlight video.

The Takeaway

This experience was a powerful reminder that as creators, our job is to be present and tell the story of the event, no matter the circumstances. And sometimes you must abandon the plan you walked in with. Sometimes, the most unexpected challenges can lead to the most authentic and memorable content. With any luck, we'll be back to make that picturesque video, but for all considered, this one will have a special place in my heart. Cheers!