An inside look at how we plan and produce marketing videos for our clients.
Have you ever been interested in using a professionally-produced video to introduce your brand or sell products on social media, but held back because you weren’t sure what the process would entail? Well, we don’t think this process should be a mystery. In fact, we want every one of our customers to understand our video production process every step of the way, so that they know what to expect should they ever choose to do a video with us.
So, with that in mind, let’s dive into it.
1. Discovery
For us, every project begins with a discovery stage, be it a new website or a content marketing campaign. Think of it like getting measured for a bespoke garment: we’re not here to sell you an off-the-rack solution, we’re creating custom content that has to be suitable for your purposes.
If this is the first project we’re doing with your company, the discovery phase will involve a kickoff meeting where our teams meet each other and we learn more about your brand and your business. For our long-term customers, our discovery session will dive straight into a strategy discussion about the kind of video content we will be producing for you, and how we plan to deploy it once the final cut is approved.
2. Scripting and Storyboarding
With the initial discussion out of the way, we move on to scripting and storyboarding. These processes often happen in conjunction with each other. Depending on the project, we may base the script off the storyboard, or vice versa. No matter which comes first, our team members will discuss how these two elements of the video planning process fit together, and will refine as needed until we have a creative piece that can be presented to your team.
The script and storyboard together are the first opportunity for you to review the vision we have for the final video. It is the equivalent of a rough draft: some of the details may change based on the footage we capture, but the general ideas are in place.
3. Principal Photography
Depending on the length of the video, we will schedule either a half- or full-day video shoot at your location. During this shoot, we will capture principle establishing shots of the location, conduct interviews with lead team members, volunteers, or customers as required, and film drone footage so long as the weather permits. We will also record any voice over audio, if needed.
4. B-roll and Secondary Footage
During our principle video shoot we work with two cameras and conduct multiple takes so that we can select the best shot for the final video. We also collect b-roll footage for any filler shots, and to give us extra material to work with during the editing process. In some cases, we may collect secondary audio as well.
Because we work with a script and storyboard, we are able to plan all our shots in advance, and this reduces the need for a second day of filming. However, we may schedule a secondary shoot if we discover a spot during the editing process that can’t be filled by what we collected on day one. A secondary shoot may also be necessary if scheduling difficulties prevented some of your team being in the office on our first day, or if weather prevented us from gathering outdoor footage.
5. Editing: Rough Cut
Contrary to what you might think, editing is the most labor-intense part of our video production process. The time our videographer spends in the editing room is usually several times what he spends behind the camera as he reviews footage, selects the best shots, chooses the right soundtrack and balances it against the audio.
This is also the point at which we may identify a need for a secondary shoot. So, while our clients are usually most excited to see a rough cut directly after a day of filming, it will usually take a couple weeks before a rough cut is ready to review. Once the rough cut is delivered, we may have a meeting to discuss any changes that need to take place before the final cut.
6. Editing: Final Cut
Unlike the rough cut, which may take weeks, the final cut is simply a matter of smoothing down the rough edges and putting on the final polish. The turnaround process on this will depend on how much revision our client requested, but this is where the early work we put into discovery, storyboarding, and scripting pays off. Mastering the audio also takes place at this time, after which the video is ready to be delivered, along will all the raw footage collected during the shoot.
7. Supplemental Cuts.
In some cases, our clients want multiple cuts of the footage to use for different purposes. These may include a video banner, shorter cuts for social media, or isolated interviews to use in special circumstances, such as at a client presentation. We discuss any supplemental cuts during the discovery process, and deliver them either with the final cut, or shortly thereafter if the client is especially eager to put the main video into use as soon as possible.
Let us put our video production knowledge to work for you.
We’re firm believers in the power of video to introduce customers to a brand. It’s not just that we like video ourselves—we’ve seen it work. And at a time when brands across industries are competing for attention online, we believe it’s never been more important to set yourself out from the crowd.
So, if you’re ready to work with our team to create a powerful brand statement, a persuasive marketing ad, or an instructive product video, get in touch and we’ll start the discovery process right away.