"In the event you forget to PLAN, your plan to FAIL" - Sadly, this well-worn quotation has become the epitaph for most a relevant video project that fell pitifully lacking the expectations raised before work commenced.
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The lack of proper planning a corporate video production is rather like setting off on the 100 mile journey to an unknown destination, in a car having a near-empty petrol tank, no Sat-Nav or map, 2 bald tyres without any roadside cover. You're literally ASKING to operate into problems!
... You get my point, right, though yes I know you could call for help on your cell phone?
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So, let's consider the following preparation essentials:
OBJECTIVES: : Purpose and Message
The initial question should be "What exactly should we want this video to accomplish? " Precisely what is its purpose, exactly what is the message we would like to communicate? ...
and even more importantly... Who may be our target audience?
A corporate video ought to be a powerful business tool that communicates clearly with your target audience, raises brand awareness, or really helps to increase sales revenue.
You must have a really clear objective. The impact of your video production is likely to be blunted if not. So, "Maybe it's about time we had a new video" is NOT an objective. Yes, that old video may well be dated or even embarrassing, but simply replacing old for new is unlikely to dazzle your customers or inspire your employees.
There are many tales of woe about videos who have left the viewer wondering what message will be conveyed, due to an ill-conceived and poorly structured storyline.
Start by making a list of the main points you want to get across. Then develop some detail for all the main points. Obtain some input from employees and stakeholders. Your video producer ought to be able to add valuable input, as long as you decide on a professional professional.
YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE : : Whom are you currently addressing?
Ensure you consider each of the cultures you will end up addressing inside your video. Is your message targeted at a specific age group? Is your audience global? Alternatively, local? Will you need subtitles? Alternatively, even different language versions? And even more importantly, what do you want your audience to escape your video?
The suggestions above considerations will help you to make a decision on the communication kind of your production, as well as the personalities that will appear in the video, for instance a presenter and other supporting cast.
Production Style: : TV-commercial? News report? Documentary?
There are many different approaches to tell a narrative. And that's precisely what your video production is - a narrative.
It ought to be sufficiently well structured to accept viewer via a sequence of information, in much exactly the same way that the book is written, or a feature film is produced. It should use a beginning or opening sequence that will get the viewer's attention and leads them deeper to the story (middle), and an ending sequence or conclusion. If your video calls for some kind of response from your audience, as in a product promotion, then you should have a clear 'call-to-action' sequence at the end.
So, structure is very important. But how about the specific style of your production? Unless your video is just the recording of an event for instance a conference, where structure and design is usually determined by the big event itself, you might like to think about the various alternatives for presenting, or packaging your message. What production style would best match your organization, your products or services you're your target audience?
Consumer audiences have become modern-day. People seldom respond to the type of blatant, in-your-face sales hype seen in TV commercials of 20 years ago, nevertheless you dress it.
Nowadays, a far more subtle approach is usually called for. People now want to be "edutained", as previously mentioned. They want to be informed and educated about something, in an entertaining way.
Now I'm not suggesting that we dig out the stripy blazers and straw boaters and do a song & dance act, or use a fake opera singer to annoy people into comparing various products. Although amazingly, many of these styles do actually get results!
Creative video producers today can offer a variety of and successful production styles. So, whilst a typical 3 to 4 minute programme might be introduced by a professional TV presenter and feature shots of your products, include staff interviews and customer testimonials, the video could actually be produced in a news-report or documentary style, which comes across as impartial, and not a thinly disguised sales pitch. Ideal in order to announce a remarkable cool product range, or highlight the benefits of your service, from the eyes of your own customers. Remember, people like to BUY. They seldom enjoy being SOLD to.
Your video producer should hold the necessary knowledge and skills to give you advice about the flow, pace and style of your production, included in the planning, or "pre-production" stage. You know your company, customers and product better than anyone, and it's YOUR video, so you must have the final say.
Content: : What has to be included?
Most productions will demand additional content to maintain the recording interesting and informative. A basic "talking head" is unlikely to maintain your viewer's attention for very long. So, if the programme includes "cut-away" shots of static images such as photos and diagrams, as well as other related footage, you will stand a much better chance of holding your audience till the end of the video and secure that all-important direct response.
Your video producer will appreciate receiving high-resolution digital images of the company products, logos and people to incorporate on the post-production stage. If you can have these ready in advance, it helps to ensure that your production is not delayed later on in the process.
You may also have previously recorded audio, video or even legacy film that you want to include, particularly if your programme contains historic content. Make certain you discuss this requirement together with your video producer at the pre-production planning meeting, to ensure that your media could be successfully converted.
Shooting Locations: : Your company premises or in a studio?
Whilst most corporate videos are shot in the company's premises, you will find times when external locations really are a necessary element of a production. Let's think about the four most typical locations:
1. Your own business premises is probably the most obvious collection of location. You have everything to hand - yourshowrooms and offices, or manufacturing facility are all accessible and usually provide the most ideal backdrop and environment in which to carry out most of the filming. You also have easy accessibility for your products along with your people - provided you will find some willing participants - but a little more about that later.
Make sure to find a suitably quiet room for shooting interviews or presentations. There's nothing more distracting than trying to film in the corner of a noisy office, or a room adjoining the factory!
Also, do keep in mind that your video producer may need usage of nearby electrical sockets for powering cameras, lights along with other equipment. A web site survey may be needed before filming.
2. If they have your products on display, or equipment supplied by your company in situ, your customers' premises can often be the best choice for testimonials - especially. Do discuss this with your clients earlier on, to make sure they are well prepared, really know what they're planning to say and have appropriate facilities arranged.
3. Public places often require permission from your Local Authority. Your video producer knows who to approach and must be able to reach a mutually agreeable arrangement with the Authority, without incurring special license fees. There can often be exceptions for this rule, such as in certain elements of central London, where tight control of filming is operated.
4. A studio - fully designed with sound and lighting recording, various backdrops, along with a chroma key setup may be recommended from your producer. This is the perfect situation for shooting corporate pieces to presentations, interviews and camera. A presenter can be filmed in front of an eco friendly screen, allowing alternative background imagery to get added. Most video production companies either have their own studios, or have access to studio facilities when the need arises.
Talent: : Your employees or perhaps a professional presenter?
Filming your staff going about their normal daily duties, operating some equipment or assisting a consumer is one thing. But the main topic of who to appoint being a presenter or spokesperson always induces a wry smile from me. I have witnessed numerous times when a keen employee, who might be quite used to doing the odd presentation, fluffs his lines for that twenty-seventh time, amid fits of laughter or deep frustration.
There is a vast difference between presenting your product and company to a team of seminar delegates, and addressing an invisible audience having a camera pointing to you. It's surprising how most, otherwise supremely confident people, develop a stutter, or memory-loss, when under the pressure to be filmed.
So, unless you have a confident and experienced member of staff who is used to presenting to camera, its best to leave it to a professional presenter - unless of course, the speaking parts are short & sweet, or in cases when the message needs to come from the CEO.
Appointing professional talent, whether it's a presenter, actor or voice-over artist is better discussed along with your video producer, who should have access to a great choice of freelance professionals.
PERMISSIONS: : Don't get caught out!
If you're planning to commission a specialist video production, you truly desire to actually obtain written permission coming from all concerned, to utilize the captured footage (and still images) of people and places, in addition to any intellectual property including logo's that your company does not own.
This important factor is frequently overlooked by individuals who are new to professional video production and correct procedure for safeguarding against potential issues down the road. Today, individuals have more civil rights than they employed to and the last thing you require is a disgruntled former-employee threatening legal action unless you remove his part in the video.
Such incidents can incur unwanted delays, as well as additional costs, if you have to re-shoot a scene, or if several hours of re-editing are required.
Your video producer will be able to furnish you with correctly worded "Release" forms for people and locations appearing within your video.
Making a Script: : Could it be really necessary?
You will get gathered right now, that creating a professional quality video is not achieved simply by pointing a camera and pressing the button. You may get any keen amateur to do that.
The message has been lost in the ether due to a weak script, though you may have seen TV commercials where they've spent hundreds of thousands of pounds on a visually spectacular production. This basically signifies that a great deal of money continues to be flushed on the pan because somebody didn't bother to script the programme - and instead got carried away from the euphoria of creating exciting visuals.
Alternatively, you will have seen low-budget adverts in the media with a powerful message fluently communicated, but the visuals are incredibly basic. Mission accomplished!
If there's such a thing as "the perfect script", it's one where your target audience is watching and listening at the beginning, because you've engaged their attention. Then this smooth flow in the message carries them along, still watching and listening, directly to the end.
Certain productions could also demand a storyboard. Storyboarding is really a separate procedure that puts the proposed visuals to the script. It ought to be a thing that all parties can understand and may include small details including where you will need graphics and captions, to some full pictorial listing of shots and footage required. It may be simple, or quite complex, based upon the type and length of your production.
Make no mistake. The script is the single most important element of any corporate video. You can begin by drafting a fundamental outline of the ideas then take a seat together with your video producer and creatively brainstorm just what the script needs to be. Your video producer should then have the ability to come back having a fully documented script that truly makes your programme be right for you - and then for your audience.
PRE-SHOOT MEETING: :
Once you've approved the script, you're prepared to proceed to the next stage. A final discussion involving all parties should take place just before shooting. You ought to walk around the proposed filming locations to make sure that all things are set up, including adequate 13-amp power that will be necessary for lighting as well as other equipment. Make arrangements for parking, access and safety, in addition to making certain all persons involved are informed about where so when they are needed.
Timescales: : Punctually, on schedule as well as on budget!
If you want a truly professional result, it's important to have realistic timescales. Allow lots of time for planning and making arrangements with all of parties concerned. Don't forget to allow for holidays along with the accessibility to people outside your business.
Review whether you can find any planned road works or construction function in the vicinity of your own proposed filming locations which could potentially hinder your deadline.
It's worth mentioning that people who are new to professional video production often underestimate the time needed for the post-production stage. For now, do bear in mind that a lot of work needs to be completed, even before a "rough-cut" is ready for your inspection, even though more on the editing process later.
The bottom line - The inconvenience and potential extra cost of re-shoots and additional editing can be avoided if you allow sufficient time for all the elements of your production to be completed with proper attention to detail. There's really no need to must suffer the consequences of the proverbial "rush job".
Budgeting: : Cost versus value
You have already reached the starting point, by identifying the need to produce a professional video. One of the first questions that many clients ask is "Exactly how much could it cost? " For your corporate video producer, it is a difficult question to respond to until some proper consultation has taken place.
Video is really a creative medium, and thus you will see different methods and method of producing a successful programme. Each video production company may have their very own ideas of methods this could be achieved, which often can lead to an alternative proposal and price.
The total cost to produce a video can differ considerably between one video producer and the other.
But so can the standard of the outcome!
You will get what you pay for, as with almost any purchasing decision.
As an INVESTMENT, even though a truly professional video production however, should not be viewed as a COST. Therefore, instead of simply requesting a value (particularly before a full consultation has brought place) it's safer to consider exactly what a well planned and professionally executed production could be WORTH to your business.
The return on your investment should far outweigh the amount of money paid to your video producer, in return for a job well done, if the end result generates more opportunities for your company in terms of new customers and sales.
