The Video Production Process Explained

Video production is more than just point, shoot, and finalize. While finished videos come in a variety of different styles and scopes, the process involved to produce a quality video is the result of several moving parts coming together in succession for a professionally finished project. We’re explaining the essential steps of the video production process and what it takes to successfully produce a quality video.

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What is the Video Production Process Like?

You may think that video production is the simple result of someone with a camera pointing and shooting to capture video. However, it’s more than just pressing the record button on the iPhone or camcorder. Producing quality footage requires essential planning of concepts in pre-production as well as the coordination of a film shoot in production and post-production editing.

Understanding The Production Process

Every step of the video production process must come together for a quality video to be produced. This means that the planning and budgeting, and tone, as well as the style of your video, will all be arranged as essential building blocks for a successful outcome.

Video producers call these stages:

• Pre-production – This is when the video strategy, budget, storyboarding, scriptwriting, character creation, talent casting, and equipment needs are devised.
• Production – this is when the entire video is shot. Scene by scene takes are captured, lighting and audio are essential, interviews are conducted and essential voiceover recordings take place. B-roll is captured too.
• Post-production – this is when the footage is edited. The interviews or scenes are logged, the editor produces the final cut, and music is selected. Graphics, animations, and special effects are added prior to final delivery.

Pre-Production Planning

The initial phase of the production process is a lot of planning. Pre-production involves producing the groundwork and strategy for your video project. This is when research is essential and all of your goals and objectives are organized for the overall success of your final video project.

During pre-production, you will outline a strategy, goals, and objectives for your video. A budget and scope as well as the estimated timeline for production will also come up at this time.

Additional activities in pre-production include:

• Selecting a story.
• Defining the overall scope of the story and the characters.
• Writing a script.
• Casting talent.
• Procuring a production team including camera crew.
• Defining equipment needs.
• Location scouting.

Every element is vital at this early stage of pre-production planning. It’s a lot easier to adjust your plans now than it will be when you have already cast talent and crew and scheduled many working parts together.

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Essential Pre-Production Planning

Work with your corporate stakeholders to define the purpose and goals or objectives of your video. SMART goals are essential. Your video production team will work with you to discuss the appropriate strategy and essential needs of your video based on your key audience members, the results you wish to achieve, and the branding or targeting that you define at this early stage.

Establishing a pre-production meeting with your production team will allow for much of the strategic planning to take place. This is when you’ll work out a timeline for production, key characters, and the location details that will be set for shoot day.

You may be asked to visit the shoot location. This is largely dependent upon how complex your video shoot is and the individual needs. If you wish to see your shoot location, work with your production crew to establish a timeframe that works for viewing the location.

Prior to the shoot day, the production crew will prepare the site for the shoot. This involves reviewing the essential script and storyboard items, making sure that you (the client) have approved each item, and conducting appropriate interviews to gather data and details. Your talent is cast and a shooting schedule will be finalized.

Confirming these details prior to the shoot will be an essential duty of your film production crew. This will ensure that production runs smoothly and there are no lacks in efficiency on the set.

Phase Two: Production

The next phase is production. This is when your video will be created and all of the shots are captured. Characters come together and bring your story to life. This is the fun part! Planning is out of the way and all of the hard work comes together.

During production, video footage is captured on the scene. This is where visual representation and ideas come to life. The final product is in its beginning stages at this time.

This process includes:

• Set up of the stage, sound, lighting, and essential equipment
• Interviews
• Recording of voiceover and narration
• Recording of each scene and shot
• B-roll capture

Your video production crew will work as the on-location contact while shooting your video. You will work closely with them and they can answer any questions or concerns that you have.

Phase Three: Post-Production

The final stage is post-production. This is the stage in which your finished footage comes together in editing. During post-production, the video team will work to organize your footage, edit and add graphics, special effects, and final music to the finished project.

Working carefully, your video production crew will transcribe any interviews that were conducted as part of your production. The storyline is assembled and the footage is pieced together with music files and other essential animations or graphics synced.

During post-production the following activities will take place:

• Interviews are logged and transcribed.
• The final storyline is produced.
• Music is selected.
• Video files are edited and synced.
• Final approval of footage takes place.
• The final delivery of your video occurs.

Your video production team acts as the lead to the entire production process, all the way through post-production editing of your footage. You may wonder what is taking place, but behind the scenes, magic is occurring. Your video is coming together, and you’ll soon see the finished project in front of you.

Editing will take some time. Be patient and prepare to work closely with your production team to provide feedback as edits or revisions come through. Your production team will discuss with you the expectations for revisions and how quickly you will be asked to initial approve or review revised footage.

Upon the initial revision of the edited video, you’ll work with the team to provide critical feedback. Think closely about your overall video goals and objectives as well as your target audience. The revision process will begin with this feedback which is essential to the production team.

The final delivery of your video will require your approval of the finished footage and pieced together version. Once you approve it, the production team will deliver a final format, likely mp4, for your use. You may then follow your distribution goals to deliver the video to your intended audience and begin tracking and measuring the success of your finished content. Enjoy!

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