What's Involved in the Video Production Process?
The video production process relies on the videographer's creativity, interpersonal skills, and video editing skills. It's more than filming a few scenes and putting them together.
Conversations. Brainstorming. Equipment. Video editing tools. Feedback. All of these elements and more are involved in bringing a video concept to life.
The RB Studio team follows a 9-step video production process. In this article, you'll learn about each step of the process and how we use it to produce quality videos. You can use this process as a guide when you hire a videographer in Jamaica.
The 9-Step Video Production Process
The nine steps of the video production process are grouped into three video production stages — pre-production, production, and post-production. It's crucial to have collaboration between the videographer and client at each stage. Collaboration ensures that the final output is what you expect as the client.
This section explains each stage of the video production process and the steps involved.
Stage 1: Pre-Production
Pre-production refers to anything that happens before video production begins. There will be a lot of dialogue between you and the videographer at this stage. The aim is to learn as much as possible about what the finished product should look like.
This stage involves five steps.
1. INITIAL CLIENT MEETING
Our first meeting with you will either be done virtually or in person depending on your location. We'll have a conversation about your vision and video production budget.
You'll get a video production contract within two business days after our initial meeting. This contract will outline the scope of work, agreed budget, copyright claims, and other legal requirements for a successful professional relationship.
With the paperwork out of the way, we can move into video concept creation.
2.CONCEPT CREATION
This is where we work with you to plan the video shots frame-by-frame. It helps if you have a storyboard that outlines the flow of the scenes and the story you want to tell.
Don't have a storyboard? No problem! We'll create the video concept for you based on the video idea discussed in our initial meeting with you.
It's important to get the video concept right because that concept is the map that guides the rest of the video production process. The video concept helps you and your videographer know the people needed for the shoot, the best location for filming, the best video equipment to use, and the video editing techniques that will help bring the concept to life.
3.FINDING THE RIGHT TALENT
Who are the people you'll need for this video? The video concept answers this question. Often, you can use talent within your company at no additional cost.
But there are instances where it would be better to hire professional talent. Here are some questions you can use to determine the best option for you.
- Does anyone in your organization have subject-matter expertise?
- Is the best person within your organization willing to be filmed?
- Do you need a group of people? If yes, can you find all these people within your organization?
- Would it be better to hire a social media influencer to be part of this video so that the video can get better reach?
- Will hiring external talent fit within my budget?
Now that you know who you'll be filming, the next step is to determine where your video will be filmed.
4.LOCATION SCOUTING
There are three key considerations when identifying the best location for a video shoot — noise level, acoustics, and the number of locations needed. Good video equipment can help address some of the challenges mentioned below, but it's always best to minimize the impact of external factors as much as possible.
Noise Level: The noise level in the area will impact the audio quality of your video if you're not filming in a soundproof room. Choose the quietest day of the week and a room that's as far away as possible from external noise.
Acoustics: If you're doing an indoor shoot, the room's acoustics will impact audio quality. You want to use a room that doesn't have a lot of echo and absorbs sound well.
Number of locations: Will you be filming in one location or use multiple locations based on your video concept? Do you need both indoor and outdoor shots? Are your filming locations within the same parish or across multiple parishes? We will discuss these questions with you in the initial client meeting. Your answers will help us find the best locations for the shoot if you don't already have locations in mind.
It helps if our team is able to visit the location(s) prior to the shoot so that we can get a sense of the video equipment and setup that will be needed.
5.PREPARING EQUIPMENT
We only bring equipment to the shoot that's relevant to your video concept, the number of people who will be filmed, and the filming location(s). For instance, more equipment will be needed if we're filming both indoors and outdoors.
STAGE 2: PRODUCTION
The production stage is where we capture the shots that will make your video concept a reality. There's only one step in this stage of the video production process — conducting the shoot.
6.CONDUCTING THE SHOOT
A video shoot has three stages: setup, filming, and pull-down. During the setup phase, we arrange the lighting, video, audio, and supporting equipment to capture the best possible shots.
The time it takes to set up the equipment depends on the complexity of the video concept. Setup time can range from one hour to three hours, and there can be multiple setups within a single shoot depending on the shots that need to be captured.
Filming includes A-roll and B-roll shots. A-roll shots make up the main footage of your video; they're central to the story you're telling. B-Roll shots are supporting footage that usually includes candid shots that help make the final edit interesting.
The A-roll and B-roll shots are planned during the video concept creation stage. The filming process flows much more smoothly when these shots are pre-planned and organized into the filming schedule.
It's important for us to know who has creative control during production. Ideally, the videographer should have creative control so that he can get the shots necessary for post-production. But you can choose to give one of your team members creative control, just let us know who that person is and how the creative process should flow during the shoot.
The pull-down phase of the shoot is where the RB Studio team packs up all the equipment. We ensure that all our equipment is secured and the venue is rearranged into its original state.
Most people think that the production stage is where most of the videographer's work happens. Not quite. The real work begins in post-production.
STAGE 3: POST-PRODUCTION
Post-production is where the real magic happens. We take the raw footage and transform it into the vision you shared.
7.EDITING THE RAW FOOTAGE
Several factors impact video editing. Here are a few:
- Audio has to be cleaned to remove as much background noise and echo as possible.
- Video and audio clips have to be synced.
- A-Roll and B-Roll clips have to be put together to tell a compelling story.
- Color grading, the process of adjusting the color tones within a video, must be done so that the video's colors have the right vibrancy and the right mood is captured.
Video editing can take three to four weeks depending on the length and complexity of the video. After the first draft is complete, it's sent to you for feedback.
8.DOING CLIENT REVISIONS
Your feedback helps us make the tweaks necessary to give you the video you need. Your feedback should be clear and concise. For example, don't say, "I don't like the music." Be specific.
What don't you like about the music? Is it too fast? Is it not giving your video the right mood? The more specific you are, the more likely it is that we can give you what you're looking for.
9.DELIVERING THE FINAL PRODUCT
That's it! We're now at the final step. Changes made. Final product delivered.
Get the Videos Your Business Needs
High-quality video production isn't as simple as it seems. There are several steps involved that involve creativity and collaboration. It's about working together to make magic happen.
The RB Studio team is ready to create the videos you need to support business growth. From talking head videos to commercials and video podcasts, our team is here to give your business the right spotlight.
Book a consultation to learn more about how RB Studio can help you create something special.
