‘Fail to prepare, prepare to fail’ is a phrase that is thrown around a lot, but it couldn’t be more accurate when it comes to video.
Pre-production is a critical stage in content creation and includes concept development, scripting, storyboarding, casting, location scouting, equipment selection, scheduling and budgeting.
For videographers like Effective’s Ciaran, planning and pre-production is vital for understanding the project and ensuring that the best version of the video can be achieved.
Quality
A well planned video is more likely to be of a higher quality than one that is not thought out. This is because as soon as you step through the door on the day of filming, the plan is set: you know the camera angles that are going to be used, have an idea of the lighting in the location and how to set up the equipment to remedy any issues, and the context of what the speaker will talk about.
Efficiency
The better prepared, the more efficient you can be with the time you have. The set up will be faster as you know exactly what equipment you require and the camera blocking for your actor or speaker is already planned for the shots you need. The more efficient the shoot, the smoother the day goes.
Clarity
Good preparation ensures that everyone involved in the production of the video is clear about their roles and responsibilities, helping to avoid confusion and contributing to the smooth running of the filming.
Creativity
When you have a clear idea of what the video will look like, this gives you a better opportunity to get creative with shot planning which can result in a more engaging video. A shot list is a perfect pre-production document to organise these ideas.
Professionalism
Of course, proper preparation demonstrates a level of professionalism and attention to detail that can help to build trust with your audience and clients.
But how can a business prepare for a video?
Working on videos can be a symbiotic relationship between both videographers and businesses, trying to achieve the best results to portray a brand, organisation or product in a positive way.
Rehearse
Speaking on camera can be a daunting prospect for many so finding the right staff member to be in front of the camera is important. Scripting what you are going to say makes sure that the right messages will be heard and once the content of the script is agreed upon, it’s time to practise! If everyone is too camera shy, pre-production is the perfect time to cast an actor to represent your business.
Location
You may want to choose the location of your video yourself to showcase your meeting rooms, offices or other spaces. As long as it’s what you want, then that’s where the video will take place. Once you have decided on the location, invite your videographer for a recce during the pre-production stages so they can get a feel for lighting, sound, shots and any props you may want to include.
Brand
As well as preparing branding to appear in shots of the video, businesses can be helpful by providing high quality assets such as brand guidelines, different versions of logos, colour profiles and music ideas during the planning stages to make the editing process more efficient.
If you would like to find out more about how we shoot our videos at Effective or how video can boost your business, get in touch with our team today.