The Video Production Process Explained

Creating high-quality video content for your brand is not always as simple as pointing a camera and pressing record. As true with most things: good planning is essential. That’s why video production companies stick to three main stages when producing a video, helping make the process simple and efficient.

The three stages of production include:

• Pre-Production: All of the necessary planning before filming. (30% of the production process)
• Production: Filming takes place here, capturing all the desired content. (20%)
• Post-Production: Footage goes to the editing team, they edit the video together and add any finishing touches. (50%)

In order to understand what each three stages entail, let’s take a look at our video production process.

OUR PRE-PRODUCTION PROCESS:

As mentioned before, pre-production is where everything is planned. This is the process in which as a business owner/marketer you’ll be most involved in. This is necessary to make sure we understand exactly what you want from the video(s). This will increase the value of your video for your business and reduce any amendments.

Once we know exactly what you’re looking for, we’ll put together a brief. This is a document that includes an overview of the video content you want created and what it needs to achieve.

Included in the brief is:

• Mood board: Understand the style and inspiration for the video.
• Deliverables: What content you want to be created.
• Objective: The end goal you want the content to achieve.
• Script: For any narration, actors, or graphics.
• Shot List: A list of different angles and type of shots we want to achieve for each section of the script (making sure we don’t miss anything).
• Call Sheet: A plan so we know where and when to film and if we’ll need anyone available on set.

We’ll have a Zoom call or face to face meeting to discuss the project in more detail and if possible, explore the environment before filming will take place.

We also recommend checking with your marketing/sales staff to run through the pre-production plan, making sure they’re happy with everything covered in the video. (Be careful to not have ‘too many cooks in the kitchen’ though.)

Once you’re happy with everything, we can move forward with production!

For more information about the pre-production process, read our recent blog!

OUR PRODUCTION PROCESS:

All of the planning is complete, we have a great understanding of exactly what the video aims to achieve, and we know exactly what we need to capture. Now we start filming!

We’ll arrive on location ready to film on the dates and times as agreed in pre-production.

We come with all the equipment needed for the shoot. Ensuring we have everything required to capture the shots discussed previously.

While we do stick to a schedule, we ensure we have time for flexibility as many things can change such as bad weather, people no longer available for filming etc.

There may also be things we see on-site that weren’t discussed in pre-production that we think would be beneficial to film.

Once we’re happy with everything captured and achieved, we wrap filming. We’ll contact you afterwards to run through everything captured and discuss the next steps.

OUR POST-PRODUCTION PROCESS:

Now everything has been captured, it’s up to the editors to start piecing the footage together and bring your video(s) to life!

The on-location production team will go through the footage with editors: going through the brief, scripts, and any relevant documents. The editing team are then ready to do their magic.

Brief overview of the first editing process:

• Sequence Building: Putting clips and audio together to create a narrative.
• Audio Mix: Mixing voiceovers and adding music.
• Text: Adding any basic text or graphics such as logos.

We’ll send through a link so you can review the first draft and make any comments. We will carry out any required adjustments and work at making the video look and sound great. Ensuring it’s ready to achieve its end objective.

Final Process of editing:

• Adjustments: Make any required adjustments to the first draft.
• Colour-Grade: Adjusting the look and feel of the video.
• Soundscape: Adding sound effects and atmospheric sounds.
• Animation: Adding any animation such as motion graphics if desired.

We’ll send through the second draft, if you have any adjustments we’ll work to get those done. Otherwise, your video is ready to go!

We’ll then send you a link to download your video, ready to share online!

There you have it:

Now you have a detailed knowledge of the video production at each stage. Hopefully highlighting that while it can be a hefty process, it’s a smooth and simple one too. The next stage is distribution, if you’re interested in how best to share video content on social media, then read more of our blogs here.

If you’re want brand-defining video content created for your marketing strategies, get in touch!

For more content from Shooting Reels: Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook!