PRODUCING A VIDEO FOR THE FIRST TIME

Transcription

522
PRODUCING
A VIDEO FOR THE
FIRST TIME
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
What To Expect With Video Production
3
Who is this Ebook For?
4
Selecting The Right Production Company
10
The Process
15
Chapter 1:Pre-Production
16
Chapter 2:Production
28
Chapter 3:Post-Production
33
Distribution43
Conclusion48
What To Expect With
Video Production
A 1st Timer’s Guide to Producing Videos
Many organizations are new to video. Often times they come in with very little knowledge
with regards to how long it takes; the level of effort involved; what it costs; what makes
video effective; and simply what to expect throughout the process.
Making an effective video presentation is a bit more complex than simply turning on a
camera and letting it run. A video project is a lot of work. But they can be extremely rewarding and beneficial.
This eBook is designed for busy small business professionals, internal marketing directors
expected to answer client’s questions about the video production process, and anyone
else looking to educate themselves on the production process.
WWW.522PRODUCTIONS.COM
3
Who is this Ebook For?
We created this eBook to help business owners, internal marketing directors,
account directors, or anyone new to the video production experience.
Producing videos can prove quite challenging. Unlike other types of content,
many avenues exist to consider when monitoring the success of a video.
Throughout this eBook, we’ll review each step of the video production process
to help you understand what to expect when embarking on a video project.
After reading through this guide, you’ll understand about the vast array of challenges that lay before you, what’s expected of you and your video vendor, and
what to expect at each stage along the way.
4
Who is 522?
In 2004, Tristan Pelligrino and I decided we were done with the traditional 9 to 5 lifestyle.
We took a risk and established a small studio in Old Town, Alexandria. Since then, the
risk has paid off, and 522 Productions has grown to be one of the leading production
companies in the Washington, DC metropolitan area.
Unlike many video production companies, 522 Productions does more than just postproduction. We relish the process of developing a concept and bringing it to fruition. Since
our concept development, filming, and editing are done in-house, we have the opportunity
to maintain incredible control over the quality of videos that we produce.
Our team is dedicated to storytelling through video. We firmly believe that every business
and organization has a story worth telling and that video is the best medium to showcase
that story.
As we’ve grown in our industry, we’ve been shocked to learn that most don’t know how to
calculate the ROI of a video. Even professional video production companies are uncertain
of how to measure video success. At 522 Productions, we’re so passionate about helping
tell your story to the world that we want to ensure you know how to measure its impact. We
realize that your story and your resources are important, so we want to help you calculate
Chad Vossen
Co-founder & Sr. Creative Director
Featured Clients:
5
Purpose
After reading this eBook, first
time video producers will
understand:
How to approach launching a video
The production process
The crucial steps to take prior to
contacting a video production
company
How to select the video production
company
The essential steps to develop a
project schedule
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Getting Started
Every video project is unique and every video project needs a
strategy. Even in the initial stages of recognizing the need for
a video, there are a few key things to keep in mind:
Establish Your Goals
This should be the very first thing any professional should consider when producing a
video. The single most important aspect of a successful video production is that there be
a clear message. Write out the goals for your project in one or two brief sentences.
For example: “Our recruitment video will attract the brightest minds to our company by
showcasing the high level of creativity and challenging work we offer.” This topic sentence helps keep all team members on the same page and establishes a common frame
of reference. Another example: “Our customer testimonials should convey the quality of
our products and demonstrate their superiority over the competition.”
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Determine Content Direction
Video productions have three central content goals: To persuade, to entertain and to inform. Sometimes one of these is more prominent over the other. Effective productions
have elements of all three, which motivates the viewer to take a desired action. Determining the production “voice” streamlines content and focuses on the video’s goals.
Identify Your Target Audience
Who is this video for? If you’re attracting bright minds, who are they? Are they recent graduates, or senior level strategists? Be specific. The more generic your audience, the less
people you speak to. Describe your ideal applicant. Speak directly to them. How old are
they? What’s their educational background? What interests them? What are they looking
for out of their career? Knowing your Target Audience establishes the tone, pacing, and
feel of your video.
Determine Budget
What does a video cost? This is probably the single most asked question from clients.
And the trickiest to answer. In order to determine a budget, examine all aspects of the
video project from script to screen. A clear outline of goals helps production companies
determine the cost and timeframe.
Every video project is unique, therefore every budget is unique. Don’t forget to not only
include the cost of production, but distribution as well. If you are professional with a set
budget, great. If you have a set budget, consider sharing this with potential production
companies so that they can prepare Estimates accordingly. Video production is very flexible and can be adjusted to meet essentially any content requirement and budget.
8
Timeframe & Deadlines
Typically a standard marketing video about 3-5 minutes long will take 4 to 6 weeks from
award of contract to final deliverables to complete. Need the video faster? No problem.
Just make sure to convey exact expectations and deadlines to the production company
so they can plan accordingly. It’s also essential to remember distribution when determining launch dates. Are there any events that might be good to debut your video? Perhaps a
website launch date?
Shelf Life
Determine how long you want the video to stay relevant. Decide whether or not it matters
if employees that no longer work for your organization appear in the video. Consider if
there are any changes in your company’s branding material that might change - like a
logo, or a tagline. If there are any screenshots of a website or web platform, think about
when the interface might change.
Distribution
A video is only effective if people see it. Sure, you can put it on Youtube. But it doesn’t
matter if your target audience has no clue that it’s been uploaded. Develop a strategic
plan for getting it out there. Coordinate a Social Media campaign. Broadcast it on your
website - prominently. Create a landing page. Write corresponding Press Releases. Find
content partners. Look for events that correlate with your message. Write a complementary blog. Post that blog on relevant websites. Tweet a link. Encourage re- tweets.
Encourage guest bloggers to reference your video. Anything you can do to help make
people aware of your video, do it.
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Selecting The Right
Production Company
Once you have your internal team and goals established, it’s
time to reach out to potential video production companies
for references and cost estimates. The below scenarios can
help in the evaluation process.
Do Your Research
You’ll know pretty quickly looking at a production company’s website if they are professional and qualified. Review the whole website and watch project samples. Reviewing
past work is essential. Sample videos will show you the level of quality, storytelling abilities and diversity the organization has within a variety of industries. Look for sample
videos similar to your organization goals. If you can’t find something exactly like your
project, that’s not necessarily a bad thing either - they simply may not have worked within
your industry before.
10
Check Your References
Does the organization have references or testimonials available on their website? Written
testimonials are acceptable, but video testimonials are a much deeper commitment on
behalf of their client. How did their video perform? Did the videos achieve their client’s
expectations?
Monitor Current Industry Activity
Pay attention to potential video partner’s website activity. How current are the demo reels
and client sample video? How long ago did they write their last blog? How often do they
Tweet? Update their Facebook page? How recent is their “Recent News?” These elements
don’t tie directly into whether or not they can make a video, but it’s a clear indication of
where they stand in terms of understanding your video’s digital presence.
Reach Out
Once you’ve determined which companies feel right for your project, reach out to the production companies for further discussions and a cost estimate. While in review keep these
questions in mind: How quickly do they respond to your request? Do they answer your
questions? Do they ask you the right questions? Do you like the tone of their response?
Was the proposal straight forward? How detailed are their responses?
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Ask Questions
Here are a few helpful questions
that help paint a picture of potential production partners:
Do you have experience working on this
type of project?
Does my project fit into your schedule?
Describe a difficult situation you’ve been
in, and how you overcame it.
How often do you go over budget?
Describe your production process for a
project like this.
Who would be working on my project?
What should I expect at each phase of
video production?
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Request An Estimate
Ask the top companies that you research for an Estimate. Ask for an Estimate from
someone you would not consider and treat it as a frame of reference. Pay attention to
the production company’s response regarding the turnaround time for the Estimate. Depending on the level of complexity of your project, make sure you allow enough time for
an adequate response. But don’t give them too much time. A couple of days is standard.
Anything over a week (for most projects) is pushing it.
Evaluate The Estimate
We often use the analogy that producing a video is similar to buying a car. If you called a
dealer and said, “I want a car.” they should respond with a round of follow-up questions.
What type of car do you want? What is the car for? Do you want New or Used? Is gas
milage your primary concern? Knowing the answers to these questions gives the dealer a
good idea as to where to point you.
We use this analogy because video is much the same way. Certain resources or pieces of
equipment add to the value of a production, but they are not always necessary. You may
not need a rear-view camera, but it serves a purpose. This is where production companies need to ask the right follow-up questions.
Don’t assume that all estimates will be “apple to apples” due to the drastic flexibility as to
what goes into a video. Variables can make it difficult to do a direct comparison based on
cost. To help mitigate this, share information with all vendors equally. If the last company’s questions uncover something the others may not be aware of - such as your shoot
requires actors and not volunteers - share that information with the other companies
putting together proposals.
Then, when reviewing an Estimate, consider the following: Did the organization supply a
well-thought out proposal? Does the proposal clearly outline all requirements and expectations for the project?
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Evaluate The Estimate (Cont.)
A professionally developed proposal shows the production company not only invested
time to understand your organization’s needs, but they clearly thought through the project and budgeted accordingly. If they invest time in developing the Estimate, there’s a
good chance they’ll invest the time in your project.
Proposals should be evaluated based three criteria: professionalism, qualification, and
budget. In most cases, budget plays the determining factor in selecting a production
company. But with this investment, keep in mind that the most qualified production
company may not be the lowest bidder. Deciding on price alone - i.e. selecting the lowest
bidder - may ultimately wind up costing the most. They may mis-calculate the level of
effort or produce a video below your standards that requires using another production
company to do the job right. This why we suggest that if your organization has a budget
in mind, relay that to the selected vendor. A well-rounded, professional production company should be able to adjust accordingly for your organizational expectations.
Set Up An In-Person Meeting
If time permits, get get together with the video production companies you are considering. A small investment of your time up front can save a ton of headaches down the road.
Trust is essential when producing a video, an an in-person meeting goes a long way. If
they show up late for the meeting, you’ll know what to expect moving forward.
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The Process
You’ve jumped through all the hoops and selected your favorite vendor. Hooray! But if you’re like a lot of the clients we’ve worked with, you might be thinking to yourself “OK... Now what?”
We typically begin by explaining how video projects follow a consistent path.
First, comes Pre-Production, where you do all the planning. Next is Production, where the video is executed. Then comes Post-Production, or the editing
phase. Last, is Distribution. But please note that although Distribution is the
last phase, it needs to be planned out during Pre-production.
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Chapter 1:
Pre-Production
So... what is involved with Pre-production? This is when you sit down and discuss the overall approach towards executing the video. It provides the foundation for the entire process. Much like when building a house - if the foundation is weak, the process will have cracks.
The following elements should be established during pre-production:
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Clearly Define
Your Concept
TIP 1:
It takes two to develop
a concept. Get together
and make sure everyone
is on the same page.
Establish an understanding of what the concept is based on your
discussions with potential video companies, but get together and
make sure that everyone’s on the same page. Review the tone
of the video - is it light-hearted or serious? Share your branding
guidelines to incorporate into motion graphics. Send samples of
videos that you like to the production company.
Ask your production company to develop this document, as you
need to make sure they understand what you need more than
vice versa.
Who’s Responsible: Both Client and Video Production Company
TIP 2:
Keep your content focused.
Here are a few other key things to try when developing your concept with them:
Hold a Brainstorming Session.
Write down the topic sentence in the brainstorming session. This
keeps everyone on the same page, and ensures all of the content
serves a common purpose. Too many times videos say too much,
and as a result say nothing. Keep your content focused. For example, if you’re developing a recruitment video, choose 3 key points
to drive home. Don’t say so much that the viewer can’t remember
anything specific. If there are a lot of good ideas, perhaps you can
split them over a series of videos.
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Select the Best Approach.
Determine what format is best to convey your message. Is it best
to use an on-camera host, or screen captures of your software in
action? Maybe a documentary-style works best where you conduct interviews with key personnel or utilize voiceover narration.
Each approach provides distinct advantages towards telling your
story.
TIP 3:
Determine what format
is best to convery your
message.
Develop an Outline or Treatment.
Whatever form works best for you, develop a document that clearly defines the synopsis of the video and the approach it will take.
Share it with your entire team. This keeps everyone on the same
TIP 4:
Develop a Treatment
and/or Outline to share
with your team.
TIP 5:
Weigh the differences
between professional
Talent vs. Employees.
page. You don’t want surprise objections later.
Who’s Responsible: Video Production Company
Understand Who’s Involved.
Once the approach is defined, now is the time to start thinking
about the Talent required to execute it. Are you using internal
resources? Interviewing employees? Is someone serving as an
on-camera Host, or would professional Talent be a better fit? Is
any acting involved? Any dialogue exchanged between characters
might be best left to professional Talent... unless the defined tone
says otherwise. What about b-roll, or supplemental footage, used
in the video? Do you need to stage volunteers, or show up at a
working job site? Perhaps hiring Talent the best option?
Who’s Responsible: Client
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Determine Locations Involved.
TIP 6:
Think about where you’re
shooting your video.
It’s important to keep a grounded approach when incorporating locations into the concept. Simply put, the more locations involved
means more time spent coordinating, shooting, etc. If you’re using your company’s or client’s locations, think about travel times
between sites. Consider access to each location. Some facilities
have shooting restrictions, or may not even let you shoot there at
all. Some shoots require you to find locations - such as staging an
office environment, or creating a small business environment. The
more you can consolidate locations, the better.
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Scriptwriting
TIP 1:
A script is the backbone
of your video. Don’t rush
it.
TIP 2:
Ask as many questions
as possible. Get as much
information as you can...
but don’t rush.
Once the Concept is approved, it’s time to develop the script. Determine who might be the best fit for writing a script on your end.
Or, perhaps you’ve asked the video production company to provide this service. Either way, the Outline is instrumental here. If
your video is trying to explain a complex subject that you are intimate with, collect all relevant information and share that with the
scriptwriter.
Who’s Responsible: Client or Video Production Company
Every script has a unique approach. Here’s a few common scriptwriting approaches and a few key tips to keep in mind:
Interviews.
When interviewing employees or subject matter experts, develop
the questions ahead of time. Think about what types of responses
you want them to give. Review your outline, and base the questions off those key points. Ask follow-up questions. Ask segue
questions. Get personal. Don’t just ask someone how something
happens. Ask them what it means to them, or how it makes them
feel. Connect with your viewers. And think about the environment
you want the interviews to take place. Try to incorporate the location corresponds to the subject matter.
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Voiceover.
Voiceover scripts are typically informational in nature. The narrator reads the script off-camera, and supporting b-roll provides the
visuals. A tight script is extremely beneficial prior to shooting or
locating stock imagery. Read the script aloud to get a sense of
how long the video will be. Notice how long certain sections are if it takes 20 seconds to discuss a topic, you need 20 seconds of
corresponding material. 20 seconds can be a long time.
Teleprompter.
TIP 3:
Refine your script, make
sure everything you want
to say is being conveyed.
If you’re using an on-camera host, a teleprompter is a great tool.
Loading a script into a prompter ensures a consistent message,
and makes it easier for the on-camera host. They’re great for technical scripts - especially if the host is unfamiliar with the subject
matter. But just because you can read the script doesn’t mean you
can sell the performance. Make sure you use the right Talent that
makes the information come across naturally.
TIP 4:
Keep your dialogue short,
simple, and to the point.
Dialogue.
Writing dialogue can be the trickiest element of script writing. You
want the dialogue to feel natural and not forced. Keep lines short.
You don’t want anyone launching into a soliloquy - especially if
they aren’t professional actors. Dialogue is often developed for
Training videos where it is essential to covey a lot of technical
information at a jobsite. Just be careful with how it’s written and
who’s performing the lines. Hold a review session at the end of
the writing process where the script is performed and read aloud.
If anyone says “I wouldn’t say it this way.” that’s a pretty good indication that the dialogue feels forced. And change the script to
how that person would say it.
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Scheduling
Scheduling is essential to the video process. You always want
to keep things moving, but you don’t want to get too aggressive.
A Project Schedule keeps everyone marching towards the same
due-date.
Working backwards from an end-date is always a great approach.
Follow these steps to determine your Project Schedule.
TIP 1:
Figure out when you
need your project to be
completed.
1. Determine the Due Date.
Figure out the realistic date you would like to have this project
complete. These typically revolve around a website initiative, conference dates, recruiting kick-offs, or related milestone/holiday
dates.
2. Calculate Final Deliverable Date.
Allow time to either ship a DVD or download files. If your conference is across the country on a Monday, have that DVD in your
hand when you get on the plane. Or at least ensure that you have
a reliable Internet connection to download a high resolution file
the night before. And it’s always best to plan for something to go
wrong in the download at least once.
Typical Timeframes - 1 to 3 days
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3. Schedule a Review Period.
TIP 2:
Be sure to consider all
appropriate parties when
reviewing the project.
Once you determine when you need to have the file in hand, calculate a comfortable review period on your end. Typically we like
to have our review schedule include a Rough Cut, Fine Cut and
Final Cut due date. Depending on the scope of the project and
the amount of information within the video, determine appropriate
review time. Give yourself at least a week for this process (if possible) - and that’s for smaller projects.
When you determine your review period schedule, be sure to consider ALL appropriate parties - upper-management, the legal team,
the marketing team, etc. And find out if any key stakeholders are
going to be on vacation or traveling. You may need to include electronic proofing on their end. Get everyone involved early. One “simple” change late in the game could have a major impact, such as
the need to schedule a re-shoot or adding additional interviews.
Typical Timeframe - 1 to 2 weeks
TIP 3:
Understand what needs
to be completed in
post-production and plan
accordingly.
4. Estimate Time for Post-Production.
Assess the amount of material gathered, and the complexity of
the approach. If there’s hours of interview footage, heavy motion-graphics, or color correction, you need to allow for more time
in post-production. If there are tight turnarounds, this is where
strong pre-production saves time on the backend. Tight scripts/
outlines; developing a Storyboard; and pre-determining the look
and feel streamlines post-production and prevents back-and-forth
file writing.
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5. Evaluate Production Requirements.
TIP 4:
Determine the level of
effort for your shoot.
This is where the actual filming takes place. Usually the most difficult element here is coordinating everything to take place - scheduling interviewees, talent, locations, crew availability, etc. For
scheduling purposes, it generally helps to target preferred weeks.
Keep key people’s availability in mind. If you’re going to interview
the CEO, make sure he’s around that week, or find out what days
work best and go from there. Keep in mind that canceling a shoot
last minute may have cost implications. Changing locations may
also throw off a Production Schedule.
TIP 5:
Determine the right
6. Assess Pre-Production Needs.
amount of time for developing concepts, writing
scripts, finding locations,
etc.
This includes everything from concept development, to location
scouting, to coordinating schedules. Project scope and your project’s stage of development are the biggest determining factors
when developing a schedule. Typically, the more you rely on the
production company for these elements, the longer and and more
costly the project. For example, if you already drafted a script and
know the location(s), the more quickly shooting can begin.
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Pre-Production
Elements
Productions can be chaotic - but the key to a successful shoot
is organizing the chaos. If Pre-Production is the foundation of a
successful project, these elements are the bricks.
TIP 1:
Know your project schedule and keep track of
milestones and important deadlines.
TIP 2:
Auditions are key to casting the talent for your
video. The right people
can make your video that
much better.
Project Schedule.
A Project Schedule maps out the entire process of the video production from script to screen. Keep tabs on all elements of each
phase of your project, track milestones, and most importantly decide which resource is responsible for deliverables. Follow your
schedule as closely as possible. A simple slip in missing a Rough
Cut Feedback delivery can impact your final deliverable.
Talent Auditions.
If your video is heavily dependent on using Talent, it’s a great idea
to audition them to make sure they look and feel the part. Your
video production company should have access to talent pools,
either through contacts or agencies. Collect headshots (with attached resumes) and call in the most appropriate talent. An audition shouldn’t cost anything, and lets you meet the individuals in
person - a big help because a headshot may not provide the best
representation of someone. Get started on this process early. And
make sure to get buy-in from all team members prior to shooting.
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Location Scout.
A location scout allows the crew to see the shooting environment
ahead of time. This helps the crew determine where to shoot the
interview, understand what lighting equipment to bring, where to
load the equipment in, and puts them in contact with the facility
management. Other things to keep in mind is the amount of sunlight in the room, and when the crew can get into the location.
Typically, ideal locations offer color, height, depth, minimal noise,
and the ability to control of traffic.
TIP 3:
Scouting the shoot will
help the production company plan accordingly.
TIP 4:
Wait to develop the
production schedule until
after the location scout.
Production Schedule.
This document provides a road map for the day’s events, and forces the crew to calculate times for all activities on the shoot day.
It’s best to wait until after the Location Scout to develop your Production Schedule, because the Scout answers a ton of location
questions, like room availability, and parking details. A detailed
Production Schedule is more than knowing when to interview people, or shoot a scene. A production schedule should also provide:
All addresses, parking, and load-in information
Preparation times for all activities
(include times for each set up)
Contact information
Call Times for all Talent
- It’s always best to stagger these throughout the day to
prevent people from sitting around on set.
Don’t forget to include lunch
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Storyboards.
TIP 5:
Storyboards showcase
the composition and look
of the shots.
Storyboards are like comic strips of your video. They provide an
excellent way to convey your thoughts about a shot to everyone
to make sure they see what you envision. They also force you to
think about what’s being seen over what’s being said in the script.
If you have 20 seconds of dialogue, you need to make sure you
have enough visuals to cover what’s being said.
TIP 6:
A shot list keeps your
team focused by breaking down all the necessary shots for the day.
Shot List.
A shot list is a great way to break down and organize all necessary
shots for the day. It helps determine the production schedule, and
forces the team to think about all necessary requirements for the
shoot - such as locations, props, and talent required for each shot.
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Chapter 2:
Production
If I had a dollar every time I heard a client say “I never realized there would be
this much stuff involved!”... I’d have a lot of dollars. Clients always marvel at
the amount of equipment that arrives on set. They gawk at the carts, wonder
how they will arrive on set so early, and stare at the sandbags that collectively
weigh more than they do.
Here are a few things to expect on the day of the shoot... other than someone
using the quote above:
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Equipment
TIP 1:
Every shoot is unique
and requires a different
crew structure and specific equipment.
Video production is... well... a production. It takes time and equipment to capture the images correctly. More involved shoots require a variety of equipment to make a shot work - a jib to add
camera movement; a hot light with a soft-box attached to soften
the light source; or a 50 millimeter prime lens to make a low-light
environment pop.
But you don’t always need to throw the kitchen sink at every shoot.
An 8-man crew isn’t always necessary to get great footage. Larger
crews certainly have their advantages, but that certainly does not
mean that small crews are ineffective. The quality of today’s camera and lighting equipment enables many production companies
to capture beautiful images with limited amounts of equipment providing the operators know what they are doing.
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Interruptions
& Impositions
TIP 2:
Be sure to inform your
coworkers ahead of the
shoot day, so they can
prepare as well.
A video crew typically generates interest. Everyone wants to see
what’s going on. That’s fine. Let them. But just make sure they
don’t get in the way of shots, or yell over the person you’re interviewing.
But also keep in mind that although you’re working on a video, your
coworkers also have work to do. Sometimes lights or sound restrictions lock down a conference room, or disrupt a cubicle area.
To avoid mid-shoot distractions, inform anyone that’s in the area
of the shoot that you will be there that day. Clear a conference
room with the Office Manager ahead of schedule - this allows your
co-workers to schedule meetings away from your shoot. Let them
know what time you’ll be in the area, so they can schedule meetings out of your way. And if someone still gets annoyed at your
presence, apologize and send them a token of appreciation - such
as a coffee gift card - the next day.
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Curveballs
& Delays
TIP 3:
Use your production
schedule as a frame of
reference rather than an
exact time frame. Things
are bound to change.
I would never tell you that all shoots wrap on schedule. With so
many moving parts, ending on time can prove tricky. All it takes
is for there to be an issue with the loading dock, a rough morning
commute, an unexpected construction noise, or a person arriving
late to their interview to throw the day’s schedule off.
Use your production schedule as a frame of reference for the day.
If someone is going to be late, see if there’s a later interview that
can get bumped up. Find out ahead of schedule who’s schedule
is flexible. If you know you need to get a shot at 1:00 because the
only person that knows how to use a piece of equipment you need
for b-roll leaves, than you need to make sure you give your crew
enough time to prepare for the shot.
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Future Proof
TIP 4:
If you’re able to, ask
questions that you didn’t
plan to ask. You never
know what could spark
from improvising.
When interviewing a person with a busy schedule, maximize your
time with them. Ask them questions not only for the video your
working on, but if time allows, ask questions for potential future
videos. The same goes for all interviewees. If you wrap with them
a few minutes ahead of schedule, be prepared to ask them a question or two for potential future use. For example, if you’re shooting
a corporate overview video, think about asking a question or two
that would benefit future recruitment efforts.
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Chapter 3:
Post-Production
Post Production is where everything comes together. All footage is analyzed.
Graphics created. Stock footage researched. Music selected. Files written.
You get the idea.
Determine what level of involvement you would like to have in the post production process. Some people want to get heavily involved. Others prefer
to let “the professionals” handle everything. Talk with your video production
company about what works best for you and your schedule. Decide when you
feel the best time is to get involved. Do you want to review all interview footage, review transcripts, or wait for the rough cut?
Post production workflows vary in terms of complexity. Here are some of the
steps that take place in the post production process:
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Back-Up
Media
As soon as the shoot is over, the media is backed-up in two places.
Or, at least it should be. It’s a good idea to ask production companies what they plan to do with the material after it’s been backedup. It might be a good idea to send them your own hard drive to
back up all the material, so you have it for your records. This protects you in case a company goes under in the future.
TIP 1:
The media is the most
important element of
your project. Be sure to
back it up for yourself.
Log & Transfer
Footage
Once the footage is backed up, the Assistant Editor Logs and
Transfers the raw footage. This is where the footage is converted to a format for the editing software. Detailed notes during this
process organizes the footage within the editing program. Well
organized footage streamlines the post-production process and
allows Editors to quickly locate a specific quote or take.
34
Transcriptions
TIP 2:
Transcriptions are an excellent, small file way to
familiarize yourself with
Depending on the amount of footage, and if your budget allows
it, transcribing interview footage is a great way to send small files
out to team members to review. Transcriptions also provide a
great archival resource - something small to store and easily refer
to in the future. They also provide a quick way to find a specific
quote. Just keep in mind that they aren’t perfect - they may not indicate any background noises, and don’t mention if an interviewee
is looking off camera, or stumbles through a line.
the footage.
TIP 3:
Stock Footage
Sometimes stock footage is the best way to
get the shot you need.
Stock footage can be a tricky subject. Start researching early it may take a while. It basically boils down to the type of footage you’re looking for. An elderly couple walking through a park
is relatively easy to find, and as such, relatively affordable. But if
you’re looking for something specific like a game winning home
run, that’s where pricing may become an issue. You also need to
consider your distribution - rights-managed video scales out depending upon the audience size.
35
Editing
This is the bulk of post-production for your video. Your Editor
crafts a story out of all available media. The Editing process
goes through a few key phases:
Rough Cut.
TIP 4:
Get feedback from key
stakeholders as early
as possible during the
Editing process.
A Rough Cut should provide a clear understanding as to the tone,
pacing, style, content, music, and graphical treatments in your video. But the primary purpose is to provide enough material for initial feedback on the direction of the story. Remain focused on the
big picture of the video. Don’t get caught up on small things, like a
dislike of music or untreated footage. This is a great time collect
all initial feedback from key stakeholders.
Fine Cut.
The Fine Cut should incorporate all feedback from the Rough Cut,
and serve as a much more polished verison of the video. Motion
Graphic treatments should be fully developed at this stage. Make
sure to share this version with any stakeholder who hasn’t seen
the video up to this point.
Picture Lock.
Once the Fine Cut is approved, you move onto Picture lock, where
the story and content are complete, but the color correction, and
audio sweetening occur.
Final Cut.
The Final Cut is for approval of all the elements of the video - story,
audio, graphics, color correction, spelling, etc. Once all of these elements are approved, it’s time to write your final file for distribution!
36
Voiceover
Recording
Voiceovers provide an excellent way to convey content quickly
and easily. Here are a few elements to keep in mind for your VO:
TIP 5:
The right voiceover can
really sell your video.
Think hard about the feel
that you want, and don’t
just choose anyone to
record your voiceover.
Scratch Narration
Scratch Narration is a reading of the narration prior to the final VO
artist recording the narration. It allows team members to get a
sense of how narration sounds in a video and develop a sense of
timing for the final read. The narration can be recorded by the Editor, or anyone that is not the final VO artist. This allows for quick
(and typically) free edits to the voiceover track during the editing
process.
Voiceover Narration
Ask your video production company to provide a few options
and samples of the final voiceover artist. Think about what type
of voice you want representing your company. Consider a deep,
gravely 60-year-old male voice to provide authority, or a peppy
30-year-old female voice show that you’re hip and with it.
37
Sound Design
TIP 6:
Sound Design is essential and can make or
break a video.
You probably don’t want people watching your video with the
sound off. At least not intentionally. Sound Design is an important element to any video, and goes a long way towards getting
your video to achieve your desired affect. Here’s a brief description of some of the elements to consider for your video’s audio:
Audio Mixing
Audio Mixing is the process of combining all the audio (voice, sound
effects, music, etc.) into one final, equalized track. It’s important to
balance all of these sources accordingly. You don’t want a music
track to have too much base that drowns out a great quote.
38
Music
Music is an essential element of your video. It can flow seamlessly into your video and add an extra layer of emotion, or stick out
and distract the viewer. There are a couple directions your production company can take when selecting music.
Stock Music
Stock, or needle drop music, is a pre-recorded track that you can
use in your video. There are a ton of options out there. Think about
the type of music you would want to hear. Provide examples for
your editor, or let them take a stab.
TIP 7:
There are millions of
songs you can use in
your video, but one is
going to be a perfect fit.
Original Composition
Original composition, or scoring, is when you use a track specifically written for your video. Aside from giving your video a distinct
and original feel, you have more control over the music and how
it’s distributed. The downside is that unless you have a good connection, this can be an expensive and time-consuming process.
Sound Effects
Often overlooked, sound effects add a nice, subtle dimension to
your video. They provide punch to motion graphics, or drive home
an action. They also enhance or replace poor audio recorded on
set.
39
Motion Graphics
Motion Graphics offer a great way to enhance the effectiveness
of your video. A three-dimensional logo bump at the beginning
of your video provides a professional touch to your video, while
integrated motion graphics help illustrate key points or enhance
stagnant footage.
Logo Bumps
TIP 8:
There are many different ways to incorporate
graphics into your video.
Motion Graphics are a
great way to really take
your video up a level.
A logo bump is a treatment of your company’s or project’s logo at
the beginning of your video. These can be something simple such
as your logo against a white backdrop, or more complex like an animated 3D rendering of your logo to pique your viewer’s interest.
Lower Thirds
Lower thirds, or a title, identify the speaker on camera. These too
can be as simple as a person’s name in white text over their quote,
or an animation that incorporates your company’s branding.
Title Slides
If you have video with a lot of information, title slides are a great
way to break up a video and keep the viewer on track. Often times
it’s easy for the viewer to feel overloaded with information, so title
slides give the viewer a chance to breathe and prepare for the next
segment of information.
Integrated Motion Graphics
Integrated motion graphics combine video footage with motion
graphics. Although they add a little more complexity to your project,
they provide a great way to focus the viewer’s attention on a particular part of the screen, or assist in retaining information.
40
Compositing
TIP 9:
Green Screen interviews
provide a great opportunity to brand your video
with your company or
project’s identity.
TIP 10:
A well-colored video
adds to the overall image
quality of your video, and
Green screens provide a variety of creative options for a your video.
They provide flexibility and consistency when shooting over multiple days and in multiple locations. The portability of green screen
allows crews to set up and break down a set in about an hour. And
since all that’s required is a large room (at least 12’ x 18’) it streamlines location considerations during pre-production.
Green Screen interviews provide a great opportunity to brand your
video with your company or project’s identity. Shooting interviews
against a green screen also makes it easier to revisit projects and
update any future changes to your company’s branding. You can
also shoot additional interviews in the future, and seamlessly incorporate that footage into your video.
Color Correction
provides a nice finishing
touch.
Color correction is the process of adjusting the color of your footage. This can either be to match cameras, or to evoke a feeling or
emotion out of the footage. A well-colored video adds to the overall image quality of your video, and provides a nice finishing touch.
This should take place once the final edits have been made to avoid
unnecessary work.
41
Closed
Captioning
TIP 11:
Be sure to check if you
need Closed Captioning
This is usually a requirement for all Government projects. If you
work in the private sector, check with management or legal to see
if your video needs Captioning. This occurs at the end of Post-Production, taking place after final approval of the video.
done for you video.
TIP 12:
It’s good to know what
file format, codec, bit
rate, and pixel dimen-
File Writing
sions you need for your
final video, which will
make the writing process
faster and easier.
Such a simple process... but one that is often fraught with failure.
Prevent excessive file writing and transfers and find out ahead of
time the specs and bit rates for your video from those who know
and send them to your production company. What is the pixel size
of the player? The aspect ratio? What types of speakers will the end
user most likely have? Longer videos take longer to compress and
upload/download. Make sure you build in plenty of time on your
schedules to adjust accordingly.
42
Distribution
The Final Cut is approved. Well done. Now just post it on your website and
Youtube and watch the viewer numbers soar.... right?
As we mentioned earlier, those numbers only soar if you have a plan of attack.
You need to develop a comprehensive strategy - initiated in Pre-production that focuses on making your target audience aware of your video.
There are a ton of avenues to explore, but here are a few elements to consider
up front:
43
On-Site
This involves how to maximize the placement of your video on
your own website.
Write Corresponding Blogs
Think about subjects that might be worth blogging about as you
produce your video. Not everything has to relate to your particular
industry. Even if you’re producing a video for a financial institution,
think about writing a blog about your video experience. Or about
your experience at the conference you filmed the interviews at.
Look for websites where you can serve as a guest blogger.
TIP 1:
Think wisely about where
you want your video to
live.
Reach Out to Influential Bloggers
Look for prominent bloggers in your industry. If you’re trying to get
the word out about your recruitment video in the financial industry,
look for influential bloggers that your desired target audience would
read. Be thoughtful about how you approach them. Take your time.
Compose individual emails to each one - they will smell out a copy
and paste approach. Propose a way that you might be able to help
them. The value of being mentioned by one key influencer could be
worth thousands of dollars.
Internal Promotion
Put the video on your website. No... feature it on your homepage.
Don’t bury it so deep on your site that half the viewers find it by mistake. Think about where you want the video to be placed. Feature it
prominently... if you’re proud of it. Check with your web team about
the player to post it with. And promote it.
44
Off-Site
Off-site marketing pertains to your online marketing efforts that
take place off of your website.
Facebook
The simple step is to upload the video to your Facebook page. But
be careful. You don’t want to come across as a spammer. When
posting a video to Facebook, there are a couple of key items to keep
in mind:
Encourage viewers to comment. And more importantly,
share. Entice them to “Like” your video.
TIP 2:
Consider what marketing
tools can you use to enhance the viewing status
of your video.
Think about the length of the video. If you have a 5-minute
recruitment video, edit it down to a 30-second trailer and grab
their attention.
Think about the Metadata - keep titles and tags relevant,
catchy, and short.
Choose your thumbnail wisely. The picture goes a long way
in determining whether or not someone clicks on it.
Tag participants - If you include customer testimonials, tag
the interviewee in your video. Your video will show up on their
Wall.
Public vs. Private - Offer people free videos, but entice them
to want more. Give them a reason to subscribe to your newsfeed.
45
Twitter
Twitter isn’t a hosting site, but an excellent method to spread the
word about your video. Make sure to embed your video in your
Tweet. You may also want to incorporate custom videos specifically for Tweeting. This is easy to do while you have everyone on set. If
you create one, make sure they are quick, small, and relevant. Vines
are great for this.
Video Seeding
TIP 3:
Social Networks are a
great place to acquire
buzz for your video.
Video seeding is a type of marketing made for the social atmosphere. Your videos are posted on blogs, social media websites and
forums. Paid media, or advertising, isn’t necessarily the main goal
here. Instead, the videos are designed to be compelling enough for
people to watch so they share them through social channels.
These types of videos tend to be subtly branded. The focus of the
content is about the consumer experience, or some other interesting aspect of a company. Unlike paid media, where people are
forced to watch the video, viewers don’t have to watch seeded videos if they don’t want to. Because of this, seeded videos must be
engaging and include fresh content. The best videos stretch the
envelope and posses a lot of personality.
46
Off-line
Your video better not only live for a single event, or get placed
on your company’s website alone. A number of options exist for
you to explore.
Sales Presentations
TIP 4:
Explore different options
of displaying your video
in other places than your
own website or event.
Videos offer a great medium for conveying a large amount of information in a short amount of time. Tailor your video to fit the
needs of the presentation. Often times, pictures are better than
words in these situations, so let your video work for you.
In-person Meetings
Videos provide an excellent sales tool for in-person meetings.
Some products are simply difficult to explain, but showing potential customers what your product can do reduces the amount of
time you need to spend explaining procedures, when you could be
talking about future sales.
Event Partnerships
Think about places where large numbers of your target audience
might attend. Perhaps it’s a conference or a job fair. Connect with
the influencers of that particular event. Get on their radar and see
how you can help each other out. Better yet, become the influencer of that event yourself. Get on the committee. Perhaps you can
get your video on the event’s website.
47
Conclusion
Getting from script to screen can feel like a daunting task at first. The bottom
line - if you are new to video, find a video production company you feel comfortable with. A team that you know will deliver on time, and on budget. And
trust them. Lean on their expertise. Ask the right questions up front. Go with
the team you feel provides the best answers. But most importantly, trust your
gut.
48
522
PRODUCTIONS
http://www.522productions.com
Phone: 703-286-7696
Fax: 866-612-9085
Email: info@522productions.com
711 King St.
Alexandria, VA 22314
49

PRODUCING A VIDEO FOR THE FIRST TIME

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