What It Really Takes to Produce a 3 Minute Corporate Film. Behind the Scenes of Emart Malaysia’s Christmas Project

Siew Chung Lee
Dec 8, 2025
3 min read

When people watch a 3-minute Christmas short film, they often see only the magic on screen — the warm lights, the festive colours, the joyful performances.But behind those three minutes is a story of collaboration, craft, and an entire team working quietly to make every detail come alive.

This year, our team at Motion Foundry, a Sarawak production house specialising in corporate productions and short film storytelling, had the joy of creating a festive piece for Emart Malaysia. What began as a simple holiday idea soon grew into a full production journey involving script development, casting, art direction, lighting design, on-location filming, animation, and post-production.

From Concept to Camera — How a Christmas Story Comes to Life

Although the final video is short, the preparation was anything but. Over the course of a month, our team set out to build a Christmas world inside our client’s office — all while ensuring the story remained heartfelt and relatable.

Here’s a glimpse of what went into it:

1. Story & Script Development

We spent days shaping the narrative, refining dialogue, and designing a tone that fits both the festive season and Emart’s brand personality. Every line, every gesture, every beat was crafted with intention.

2. Casting & Character Direction

Choosing the right faces to bring the story to life is always crucial. We worked closely with our talents — from rehearsals to emotional beats — to ensure the performance felt natural and genuine.

3. Location Transformation

A huge thank-you to our client for opening their office doors to us. With the space generously provided, our art and lighting teams transformed a working environment into a warm Christmas setting — complete with decorations, props, colour palettes, and festive textures.

4. Production Design & Props

Every ornament, file, gift box, and table setting was intentionally selected or custom-built. Crafting Christmas on-camera requires precision, imagination, and a good dose of teamwork.

5. Lighting & Technical Setup

From large soft sources to grocery-aisle lighting rigs, our crew carefully shaped every frame. Behind each shot were grips, gaffers, camera assistants, and operators adjusting equipment to achieve the right festive mood.

6. Filming Days — Two Days of Coordination and Heart

Across different scenes — in the office, supermarket aisles, kitchen setups — the Motion Foundry crew worked in rhythm. As a studio in Sarawak known for corporate productions, Sarawak short film production, and Sarawak animation, our goal is always to blend technical excellence with human warmth.

7. Post-Production, Music & Animation

Editing, colour grading, sound design, and small touches of animation completed the piece.A short film may last only minutes, but shaping its emotional arc takes patience, focus, and many late nights at the editing suite.

A Christmas Story Made Possible by People

More than equipment, more than technique — what truly made this project special was the people behind it.

Every crew member, from production assistants to cinematographers to the post team, played a part in bringing this story to life. Christmas is about togetherness, and this production embodied exactly that spirit.

To our client, Emart Malaysia — thank you for trusting us with your space, your time, and your story.

To our Motion Foundry family — thank you for your dedication, your creativity, and your heart. A short film is never really short. It is built from countless small decisions, moments of problem-solving, and the collective effort of a team that cares deeply about the work.