Going Behind the Scenes: Understanding the 3 Stages of Video Production

The 3 Stages of Video Production

Video is an excellent platform to reach a large audience, but a lot more goes on behind the scenes than you think. Learn about the stages of video production here.

YouTube is now the world's second-largest search engine after Google! Attracting over 3 billion searches each month, YouTube exceeds the search volume for AOL, Yahoo, Bing, and Ask.com all together.

If you want to reach this huge target audience, you first need to plan, create, and produce eye-catching videos. By understanding the three stages of video production, you can make a video marketing plan that will put you on the map!

Video marketing can help you reveal your company culture or generate a buzz over new products. Thought leaders can show off their industry-relevant knowledge or ask live questions to improve engagement.

Regardless of your goals, you need a plan behind the scenes first! Keep reading to learn more about the video production process.

Pre-Production

The pre-production stage of the video production process is all about planning. This is your chance to develop a concept, set your goals, and build out a script.

Research

First, take the time to research your target audience. Who are they? What problems do they face daily?

Each video you create should appeal to your target audience. If you don't have the customer's interests in mind, they probably won't sit through your video content. By planning your content around your customers, you can make sure your videos accomplish your goals.

Then, you can determine the message you want to convey.

Each video you create should cover a specific topic. Otherwise, you'll risk losing the viewer's focus. Thorough research into your customers and the keywords they're searching can give you a list of topics to choose from.

Review the list of problems your customers are facing daily. What solutions can your product or service offer? You can create a list of topics to cover based on this list.

Take the time to research your competitors, too. What content are they creating that attracts viewers? Pay attention to the titles and descriptions for these videos as well.

You'll later use these pre-production notes in your post-production stages of video production.

Formatting

Videos will account for 82% of all web traffic by 2022. However, not all of these videos are formatted the same way. During the research stages of video production, take the time to consider how you want to format your video.

Which format will best resonate and engage your target audience? Here are a few options to consider:

• Interviews
• Testimonials
• Screen shares
• Talking head
• Whiteboard animations
• Product reviews
• Vlogs
• Explainers
• How to/Tutorials

The format you choose will alter your script.

The Script

Before you start writing out a script, have a goal for each video you plan to create. For example, you might want to:

• Persuade
• Entertain
• Inform
• Promote

Have these goals match your overall marketing goals. For example, let's say you want to increase sales for a specific product. You can create a persuasive product video that shows consumers the benefits of choosing your products.

Your goal will alter the script you create. Creating a script for each video will help you maintain focus. Otherwise, you could end up droning on, which will cause you to lose viewers.

Time yourself reading the script aloud before you begin producing a video. When you read the script aloud, you might find you're going over your time limit.

Equipment

Make sure to gather your equipment during the planning stage, too. For example, you'll want to make sure the foreground, background, subject are well lit. Don't forget to test your microphones to make sure the audio is clear as well.

Production

Now that you've taken the time to plan your content, it's time to start rolling!

If you're on location, make sure all of your personal equipment is secure. You should also use equipment sign-in/sign-out lists to keep track of everything. You'll also want to plan time to set up on the day of your production.

You'll likely need:

• Cameras
• Batteries
• Tripods
• Studio lighting
• Lenses

Don't forget to play it safe. Tape or cover all wires and weigh down the lights to avoid accidents.

One production day, make sure everyone is aware of their responsibilities. Have one person directing, one person on the camera, and another as a point of contact for the entire team.

This stage of the video production process allows you to put all of your planning into action. You might need to rehearse your script a few times beforehand. Then, call action and start rolling the cameras.

Get a few takes before you wrap up. You might want to try different camera angles and lighting options as well. The more efficient the production stage, the less problematic your post-production stage will feel.

Post-Production

Once you've finished filming, download all of your raw footage onto a central storage location. Make sure to copy the footage onto a local machine, too. Backing up your footage will ensure you're covered in case something corrupts the data.

Next, have your software ready. For example, you might consider using Final Cut Pro or Cinema 4D to edit your footage.

If you're new to video editing, keep it simple.

Delete any segments of dead air or quotes that could cause the view to lose focus. Try to choose the best shots. Then, add transitions between these clips to help the video flow.

A high-quality video will help you impress your target audience. A low-quality video, on the other hand, can hurt your brand's credibility.

Don't forget to add your brand to your videos. Brand imagery will make it easier for people to recognize your company at a glance. For example, you might consider adding your logo at the beginning and end of each video.

You could also place your logo in the bottom right corner of your videos.

Once these three stages of video production are complete, start promoting your content and bringing in new customers!

Wrap It Up: The 3 Stages of Video Production You Need to Succeed

That's a wrap! These three stages of video production can help you boost your brand and attract more sales. By planning your videos and making the most of your post-production stage, you can produce wow-worthy videos that make a mark.

Ready to start rolling? Contact us today to get started!