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Handbook
3 min read

HTW Creative Brief

The HTW Creative Brief is shared with videography and content partners at the start of each year. It provides the background, goals, style direction, and key assets needed to produce content that reflects the HTW brand.

About Hawaii Tech Week

Hawaii Tech Week is an annual week of events where the local and global tech community comes together to build relationships, level up, and create opportunity. Founders, investors, engineers, executives, and builders gather across 50+ independently-hosted events — from panels and mixers to product launches and keynotes.

Our mission is to accelerate tech talent, capital, and adoption — to empower our people, grow Hawaii's economy, and build the future.

For current HTW dates, see the Dates & Cadence page.

Target Audience

  • Tech Founders & Professionals (local + global)
  • Investors: VCs, Angels, LPs
  • Students & Future Technologists
  • Corporate & Industry Leaders
  • Government Partners
  • Local Creatives & Community Builders

Key Stats

Founded in 2024, our first year we achieved:

  • 50+ events during the week across 20+ venues, 4.7 / 5 star rating
  • 2,500 person list, 1,750 attended at least one event (~70%), avg. 2.7x events per attendee

Objectives

The goal of our videography and content partnership is to:

  1. Tell the story of HTW through compelling short-form video, still imagery, and event documentation.
  2. Drive attendee engagement and FOMO through real-time and post-event social media content.
  3. Create a visual identity that reflects both Hawaii's unique setting and the ambition of a world-class tech ecosystem — people, technology, places.
  4. Generate content that touches hearts and minds and is capable of driving a broader movement around tech in Hawaii.
  5. Grow the HTW asset library, including website headers, speaker photos, event recaps, overview and sponsor decks, and social content.
  6. Feed and grow the HTW social media presence and audience across platforms.

Tone of Voice

HTW content is warm, authentic, and inspiring — never stiff or overly corporate. We are building something deeply rooted in Hawaii while connecting to global tech. Our visual and verbal tone should feel like:

  • Premium but human. World-class events. Real people. Genuine moments.
  • Hawaii-grounded. The setting matters. Natural beauty, local venues, and the spirit of the islands should be felt, not just seen.
  • Energetic and optimistic. This is a place where people are building things, launching ideas, and making connections that change their lives.
  • Stories, not highlights. We want content that makes people feel something — not just a glossy recap reel.

Style References and Inspiration

Use these references to calibrate pacing, framing, and narrative structure before each production cycle:

Highlight / Sizzle Reference

About Video Reference

Panel References

Channel Reference

Do's and Don'ts

Do's

  • Capture authentic moments of connection — founders talking, attendees networking, speakers engaging with the crowd
  • Show the range of events: panels, mixers, product launches, keynotes, experiential activations
  • Feature Hawaii's unique setting: the venues, natural beauty, and the feeling of being somewhere special
  • Focus on people: faces, energy, emotion, and candid interactions
  • Tell stories through sequences — arrival, energy building, key moments, reactions, after-event
  • Capture B-roll for versatility: wide establishing shots, detail close-ups, movement, atmosphere
  • Follow the shot list and coordinate with the HTW team on priority events and moments
  • Post to social in real time during events and tag HTW accounts to enable reposts
  • Deliver organized, labeled files on time per the agreed production schedule

Don'ts

  • Don't stage or over-direct subjects — natural moments are more powerful than posed ones
  • Don't miss key moments: speaker on stage, opening remarks, crowd reaction, milestone announcements
  • Don't post raw or unedited footage publicly — everything shared should reflect HTW's brand quality
  • Don't share content featuring identifiable minors without verified consent
  • Don't neglect audio quality for panel and speaker content — clear audio is non-negotiable
  • Don't work in a silo — if something comes up on-site, communicate with the HTW team immediately

Last updated Apr 8, 2026