For any business, the best way to promote their product or service is through video production. It can be an effective marketing tool that reaches people in ways other mediums cannot.
However, planning a video production can be intimidating. The process is full of decisions, and the stakes are high. If you fail to plan, or if your plan is not well thought out, then there’s a good chance that you will end up with an expensive disaster on your hands. When you have the right plan and preparation, though, it can be a rewarding experience.
Before you get started on any video production project, whether it’s for your business or personal use, whether you are managing the project alone or bringing in a video production company or a videographer, specific steps need to be taken to ensure success. Here’s what you need to do:
Determine your goal for the video
What is the purpose of your video? Is it to promote a product, service, or company image? Or, does it help tell a story and provide information in an entertaining way about something you are passionate about. It’s important that you know what your goal for video production is to develop content accordingly.
Having a goal that you’re trying to accomplish for the video means that you have a clear understanding of what it is and who its audience will be. You can then make sure that your content matches that goal in order to get the best results possible when marketing or sharing it.
When starting out, try focusing on one aspect at a time until you find something worth pursuing. Your goal will help guide your content and the direction that you want to take it in.
Decide on a budget
Before you can start shopping for video production companies, it’s important to develop a rough budget. Many factors affect how much production will cost, so the more information you have about your project and what you want from it, the easier time finding an affordable option that provides high-quality work.
Your budget will dictate what type of equipment you’re able to get and where you’ll be filming. What is your goal for the video? If it’s an event, then are there any special sections that need to be captured or lighting needs changing from one environment to another? Is this a new product launch with specific marketing goals in mind, such as getting new customers or meeting a sales quota? Once you know the answers to these questions, it’ll be easier to figure out what budget is needed.
If your corporate video production only needs one person and their smartphone camera, you can probably get away with spending less than $200. However, if you want to have professional lighting and sound equipment for interviews, you’ll need to budget for a larger production.
Research the company you want to hire
You need to research the company you want to hire. You need to research their past work and how much it cost them for that production—you can do so by looking at video samples on their website or contacting them directly with your questions about pricing, what they include in a package, etc.
This will help you gain an understanding of what it costs to produce certain videos and where costs appear in the video production process.
Was a large team involved? Did it require permits and aerial footage? Actors and hair and make-up artists? Unique camera equipment or visual effects? Who wrote the script? Would costs change if we provided the location? etc
Once you know this information, it will be easier to figure out how much you want to budget for your project. When a company gives you a quote, you should compare it with competitors to determine who’s giving you a better package.
Research the competition in the industry to understand their marketing techniques
When you’re making a corporate video, you may want to research the competition in your industry. This will help you find out what type of content the company produces, how often they post new videos and other useful information that can be used when creating a marketing plan.
One way is to subscribe to their social media feeds or wait for them to share something on social media about an event or promotion. For example, if you want to find out when your competitor is hosting a webinar or new product launch party, just make sure you’re following them on social media.
Develop a storyboard of what you want to say in the video and how you want it to look
Developing a storyboard for your video is important to ensure that you have all of the information and materials in place ahead of time. It’s also going to help keep things on track if you know exactly what you want to produce, how long it will be, and when you need to finish. The following are some of the items that you’ll want to include in your storyboard:
-What are you going to say?
-How does it look and sound?
-Who is involved, what’s their role or function on set, and who else will be there to help produce this video?
-How much time do you need to create this video?
-Who are the actors or presenters of your video, and what will their responsibilities be on set?
-What software does the presenter use for recording videos in demonstrations or interviews – is it going to be a PowerPoint presentation with voiceovers, an interviewee talking into a webcam, or a PowerPoint presentation with voiceovers and interviewee talking into webcams?
-What time of day will it be shot?
Find out if there are any legal requirements that need to be met before filming
Sometimes, legal requirements like permits or insurance need to be met before the production team can film.
Legal requirements are different depending on where it is being filmed, so check with your lawyer or local municipal authorities for more details if you’re unsure whether or not this applies to you. If there’s a legal requirement that needs to happen first, make sure it gets done before filming begins.
Write down all equipment needed for production and where it can be purchased
You’ll need to make sure you have all the equipment necessary for your production before starting. Even if it’s a social media video, you’ll need proper equipment. This equipment includes things like cameras, lenses, microphones, and cables.
You may need to rent specific equipment before starting production or purchase it outright if you don’t already own those items (or borrow them from someone else). The prices for this equipment vary depending on the type of camera you want to use and what other features come with it.
Before you purchase or hire any equipment, make sure to read the reviews and talk with experts in the field. This will help ensure that you get exactly what is needed for your production at a good price without worrying about compatibility issues.
Figure out the set locations
The first step to planning a video production is figuring out the set locations. This will depend on what type of shoot you are creating, but generally speaking, there are three main types:
-Your own location
-One other person’s private property with permission
-A public area or space (parking lot, street, etc.)
Once you have determined the type of location, figure out how to get permission for that space. Figure out if it will cost anything upfront or if there is a licensing fee involved, and then find out what resources are available at this site (e.g., bathrooms, parking lot).
The production company should consider any other location-related variables, such as whether or not there are enough entrances and exits for cars, what type of lighting is available if it’s a sunny day without overhanging trees, etc.
If you production is a company video, how do you want to portray yourself and your company in the video?
It is important to think about how you want the corporate video production company to portray you and your company in the video. This should be a collaborative process between all parties involved; after all, it will be their work that represents who you are as an organization!
The first step would be coming up with some adjectives that describe what type of person you are. This person should also ensure that they have the correct branding on any equipment or building signage and their clothes (if not wearing an outfit provided by a production company). This can help make sure that the video represents your brand as accurately as possible to potential customers via social media posts about it later.
Create a timeline for production (including pre-production, production, and post-production)
So, after you have gathered all of the necessary equipment and information about your location, it’s time to create a timeline. A typical pre-production process for video production is:
find talent (actors), scout locations, book props/liens; then storyboard frame by frame what will happen in the finished video. After that, it’s time for production: shoot the video, which is followed by post-production.
Make a list of who needs to be involved in the production process (actors, crew members, etc.)
Knowing who needs to be involved in the corporate video production process is essential before you start. It’s important to have a good idea of what roles your actors will play and know which crew members are needed for lighting and camera work. A good video production team will have a director, producer, cinematographer, sound technician, and sometimes, additional positions.
Once you know who you need, you should schedule crew members and talent on set during production. Again, it’s important to emphasize that everyone needs to be on time so production isn’t delayed. Consider employing a video marketing company that provides video marketing services to promote the video after it’s done too.
Gather props and costumes
The next step is to get the necessary props and costumes for your video. Some productions may only need a few specific items, while others will require many more.
The type of production you’re making will dictate how much time and money to acquire these objects. You’ll want to take care when selecting what pieces are needed so that they match the style of the video you’re making.
Do an initial run-through of the whole video before shooting
To make sure everything is set up correctly and nothing is missing from the script, it’s a good idea to do an initial run-through of the whole video before you shoot.
If there are any changes or edits needed, then this would be when they can be made. This will save time in the editing process and make sure your video is as close to perfect as it can be.
Final Thoughts
Video production including corporate video production can be a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be. The more prepared you are and the better your equipment is going into the process; the easier things will go for you in post-production as well.
By following these steps outlined here, there’s no reason why your video shouldn’t turn out the way you want it to. And if this is all overwhelming for you, we’re happy to help by providing a consultation with our team of experts in the field. We have years of experience helping businesses plan successful corporate videos so they can reach their goals faster than ever before. Let’s talk today!
Christopher Lichti
Christopher Lichti is the founder and lead content strategist at Video Outcomes, a video marketing, corporate video production and corporate videography company based in Melbourne, Australia founded in 2017.
Christopher's background in developing video content for ppc campaigns on platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn started in 2014. On the days he is not making videos he is making music and playing with his kids.
