OUR PROCESS
CREATIVE ENGAGING VIDEO FOR MARKETING TRAINING AND OUTREACH
Our goal is to make the video production process as easy, fun, and stress-free as possible for you. We’ll walk you through every step,take on as much responsibility as you need, and keep you updated along the way. The production process can be stated simply as having 3 phases:
PRE PRODUCTION — PRODUCTION — POST PRODUCTION
This can vary from project to project of course. For example, principal photography doesn’t apply to an animation project and there may be a fourth step, the distribution phase following as well, but this is a basic way of breaking down all projects.
CASE STUDY
EVERY PROJECT IS DIFFERENT, BUT HERE’S A QUICK OVERVIEW FOR A MODERATE SIZED 3-MONTH PROJECT.
5-7 WEEKS - 10-15% OF OVERALL BUDGET.
PRE-PRODUCTION
Our first step will be to develop a project schedule and budget and to agree on the scope of work. We then jump into the preproduction tasks needed for your project, such as:
Research, Script writing, Casting, Location scouting, Phone pre-interviews, Equipment planning, and Crew scheduling
Good planning is critical to a successful project. Relative to other phases of production, preproduction is relatively inexpensive. However, because of the complexity of dealing with people’s schedules, preproduction can take the longest amount of time…but it’s the best use of time and money!
The end goal of this pre-production is a script and shoot schedule. These are the blueprints for principal photography and post-production.
PRE-PRODUCTION CHECKLIST
Here’s where a lot of decisions are made. We need to agree on
- The overall tone, look and feel
- Graphic design style
- Script, down to the letter
- Musical style
- Cinematography style
- Talent selection for voice, camera and interview
3-5 DAYS - 30-60% OF OVERALL BUDGET
PRODUCTION
Here’s where you pull out the cameras and crew, rent the studio or location, hire the actors, and get creative! We often just call this “the shoot.” Even though this is the shortest phase, it can consume the greatest percentage of the budget per hour. You’re paying for a lot of people and material, so you want to do this as efficiently as possible. This is why it’s so important to have everything planned to perfection in the preproduction process.
YOUR PRODUCTION CHECKLIST
You are our partner in production. You have the best knowledge of your own product, message or process. Re-shoots resulting from production mishaps are costly and will increase your budget unexpectedly. It is vital a representative of your organization attends the shoots and provides feedback, including:
- EVERYTHING in the frame is as desired
- Performances, interviews are delivered correctly and completely
- Nothing undesirable exists in the frame
- The look and style is exactly right
Note: Some projects are based heavily on animation and motion graphics. In these types of projects, production may be less complex. This can take the form of creating artwork, gathering stock-media, still photography here in our studio and/or recording audio for voice-over narration.
4-6 WEEKS - 30-60% OF OVERALL BUDGET
POST-PRODUCTION
This is where we take all of the raw content collected over the Production phase – video, stills, music, sound effects, graphics – and blend it together into finished content.
YOUR POST-PRODUCTION CHECKLIST
You will guide the process and review rough cuts with an eye towards:
- Content is complete with nothing extra
- Sequence of edits
- Approval of music, color, transitions
- Overall length
- Pacing
- Titles
- Graphics final execution
POST-PRODUCTION INCLUDES
- Video editing
- Audio editing/SFX
- Animation/Motion Graphics
- Color Grading
- Captioning
- Formatting
- Output
You can think about production like constructing a building. During pre-production, you are surveying, designing, making materials decisions with the end goal of creating a blueprint (our script and shoot schedule). During the construction of the building you want to follow the blueprint. You wouldn’t want to decide to move a fireplace half way through constructing a house. You could but it would be very expensive and wasteful. Likewise, while shooting, you want to stick to the plan. The key decisions should be made in advance to keep the shoot efficient. Finally post-production is like taking the frame of the house and adding your own special touch; carpet, fixtures, paint and decorations.