140K views · 460K impressions · 25 reels
Led by
"It's Written in the Books" Campaign
The Client
Sifriyat Pijama gifts Hebrew books to over 350,000 Israeli kids, promoting literacy through schools, daycare centers, and family literacy programs.
My Role (Subcontracted by "Brief." Advertising Agency)
On set Director · Cinematographer · Props + Scene Styling · Full Editing and Sound · Motion Design
Brief
After a Zoom kickoff with the PJ Library marketing team and "Brief" Agency’s creative lead, we aligned on a clear production plan: 25 short-form reels, each featuring a different children’s book. The visual approach combined top-down camera shots, mystical props, and colorful fabric backdrops. Branded stickers anchored the look, and all videos were delivered in 9:16 format for Instagram and Facebook.
Objective
Create 25 engaging, short-form videos — each themed around a different children's book — for Facebook and Instagram.
Each reel acts as a standalone moment of magic, encouraging parents and children to rediscover books together.
Each reel acts as a standalone moment of magic, encouraging parents and children to rediscover books together.
Pre-Production
Key Messages
- Children’s books create emotion and spark meaningful conversations
- Books are fun, surprising, and even hilarious
- Trendy content with the potential to inspire user-generated responses
Target Audience
Primary: Families with young children, relatives
Secondary: Educators and school staff
Building a Visual Spellbook
To match the brief’s mystical and humorous tone, we developed a visual language based on exaggerated fortune-teller setups: velvet fabrics, odd little props, and glowing stickers — all filmed from above. Each video became a mini-stage, styled like a children’s game-night séance.
The creative reference was “kids’ mysticism meets TikTok humor.” Our goal was to make the books feel magical, weird, and alive.
Prop Curation
We curated a reusable kit of whimsical, mystic, and slightly absurd props that could be rearranged for each shoot. These included -Crystals, antique objects, brand's stickers and a rotating set of colorful backdrops
Format Planning
Based on the creative brief, we established a consistent structure for all 25 reels:
1. Opening Title Card – “You ask, the book answers!”
2. Mystic Setup – Animated question appears over the scene
3. Book Reveal – A hand enters, places the book, opens a random page
4. Answer Highlighted – Emphasis on the chosen sentence
5. Call to Action – “Share your Questions”
Filming
Top-Down Tabletop Magic
With 25 reels to shoot in a limited window, we developed an efficient reset system:
Fabrics were laid out like costume changes — fast to swap
Props were grouped by theme and rotated between takes
Sticker placement was templated to align with caption-safe zones
Production Setup
Gear: Sony FX30, rigged on a high bar
Format: Shot in 4K (for zoom-in effect in post)
Lighting: 2 large high-output light fixtures and a light tube.
Location: PJ Library offices
Monitoring
To ensure an efficient, streamlined edit, real-time monitoring was essential. Every object, gesture, and placement had to be precisely tracked on set — so that each reel matched the format, hit its marks, and stayed visually consistent across the full series.
Getting the “perfect” book reveal sometimes took 6–7 takes.
From Set to Screen
With all 25 reels captured through a repeatable, tightly framed process, the focus shifted to post-production — where timing, text, and tone would bring each mini-story to life. The editing phase was all about rhythm, clarity, and preserving the playful magic of the live-action setups.
Post-Production Workflow
Assembly with Rhythm and Intention
Although the shots were simple, the edit demanded a careful balance of clarity, timing, and charm. We built each reel in layers — adding graphics, voiceovers, sound effects, captions, and motion effects, one step at a time. Throughout the process, we collaborated closely with the agency and client, bouncing versions back and forth to ensure every detail felt just right.
Project Tools
A streamlined workflow ensured consistency across 25 videos without compromising quality.
Motion Design in After Effects
Once the rough cut was approved, I moved to After Effects to bring each scene to life with guided motion.
The first motion layer zoomed into the book from the full top-shot, isolating the chosen sentence within the page. Then, a secondary animation “snaked” the sentence out of the book and into a clear, readable overlay — ensuring legibility on mobile devices without breaking the visual connection to the printed text.
Sound & Sync
Each reel opened with a playful question from a parent, child, or teacher — answered by a dramatic voiceover that gave the book a “God-like” presence. A professional narrator recorded each response, first teasing the reveal (“I have your answer…”), then reading the sentence aloud to complete the moment.
Final Thoughts
This project was about more than delivering content — it was about creating a tiny ritual. Each reel invited viewers to ask a question, open a book, and find something unexpected inside. Across 25 videos, we combined playful visuals, mystical setups, and real children’s literature to remind families that curiosity still lives on the page. In a feed full of noise, this series offered a quiet kind of magic — one book at a time.
