Engaging with a Global Community of Google Developers
Google I/O Extended Documentary Video Production
It turns out the process of making a video can connect you with an audience as much as the final video itself. That is what we learned from this experience.
Google asked us to help them get developers excited about being a part of I/O Extended. I/O is their premier developer conference held every year in San Francisco. Of course, not every developer can make it, so Google encourages developers to plan I/O extended events (kind of like interactive watch parties) in the places they love, so that developers everywhere can take part.
Our job was to create a video to get the word out about I/O Extended, and get more developers to be a part of it.
Join us.
The video was four months in development. It was an incredibly collaborative process with our partners at Google, and we spent many hours on Google Hangouts and shared Google Docs. We all decided it was best if we can get developers from all over the world to share their story about I/O as well as some of their personal stories. That is the core of the I/O experience– bringing the world together to share the latest and greatest in technology and innovative thinking.
Around the world in 21 days.
We literally went around the world in 21 days. With a total crew of 4 people (along with some great local production support along the way), we conducted over 50 interviews with developers. They shared their stories about what Google I/O and I/O Extended means to them. But they shared much more– what they were working on, their dreams, their passions, why they became developers and what fuels their passion.
We spent time with them in their communities. We took part in hackathons. Meetings. Google Developer Groups. Nights out at the pub. We experienced the differences in each country. So many unique personalities. And unique situations. We found they had lot of things in common. Big dreams. Unbelievable passion for what they do. And a liking for beer.
Every developer’s story matters.
What we learned through this process is that developers really appreciated being a part of the production, and felt our presence accentuated their part of the global development community. For instance, we discovered a thriving developer community in the small town of Pardubice, outside of Prague in the Czech Republic. It’s not an overstatement to say they were beaming with pride and excitement for their own developer community, and the fact that Google felt they were important enough to be a part of this video.
Our presence alone showed that their stories were a central and relevant part of a much larger story. Our video invited them to join the world at I/O extended. Making the video was living proof that, not matter what part of the world they lived in, they were part of global community. And we were lucky enough to join their community, even if it was for just a few months.
“Developers love to improve things. They have been born to make the world better.”
