10 things that you didn’t know about video production
There are three stages of video production: pre-production, production, and post-production. Pre-production is a planning stage for the whole video where you create a script, select cast, scout locations, get a crew and figure out equipment needed. During production, you go to the selected locations and capture all of the necessary footage. It also involves a stage of planning for the post-production and getting all of the materials ready for the editing team. Post-production is the final stage where most of the work is done. It includes editing, color correction, sound editing, and adding final touches to a finished video.
I have reached out to Daniyar Irgaliev working at Handplayed company that works closely with video production. I have also conducted online research to select the most interesting findings of video production for you. There are 10 aspects of video production that happen behind the scenes.
10 things that you didn’t know about video production:
1.The script is the most important part of the video
It is vital in video production to have not only a clear and concise script but also to allow input on the script from the perspective of the audience. You have to make sure that the idea brought up in the video is straightforward and easy to comprehend for the viewers.
2.The production schedule and call sheet
The production schedule and call sheet are as important as getting your equipment and crew ready. The production schedule makes it easier to organize information about location, scenes, equipment, cast, dates and time in one document. A production call sheet is created daily as an addition to the production schedule and plays the role of gathering contacts of cast and crew members.
3.Securing a location
Location scouting is a very important step in pre-production. Location dictates the need for transportation, necessary equipment, and directly affects a production schedule. A lot of times even before filming a company has to pay the rent of the place or get special permission from authorities for recording.
4.Talent Release Agreement
The talent release form is a must of every video production. You cannot include people who haven’t signed contracts to be filmed. The talent release agreement is what protects your production company from facing legal risks and gives direct permission to sell and share a video with actors.
5.Director is a must on every film set
There are two important figures on every set: video producer and video director. A video producer is a person that leads the entire video production from the start till the finish line coordinating and supervising the process. A video director is the one that focuses on the creative side of video production to capture the vision of the script. You can easily spot the difference between video directed or shot without a director.
6.Time is everything
Time is money. The production schedule would help to be organized but you also need to keep in mind the time it takes to set up equipment and prepare location set. If you are planning to record a sunrise at 7 am the whole team has to be on set at 4 am.
7.Sun dictates the shot
Sun is the most important factor for filming outside. It is important to keep in mind the position of the sun at the location preapproved on the pre-production stage. Most of the times the whole production schedule is based on the location of the sun at certain times of the day.
8. Sunset and Sunrise look the same
For a cinematographic camera, there is no drastic difference between sunset and sunrise. You can always used sunset instead of sunrise and the opposite. Therefore, a professional team needs to learn every aspect of the camera or equipment they use to be able to cut down drastically the production schedule.
9.Audio is as important as video
You have to invest in good audio equipment for any video production. There is one thing that all beginners learn that not everything can be fixed during the post-production stage. It is important to keep in mind that the software is still on the stage of development. Therefore, audio is hard to manipulate and to restore with simple editing.
10.Show do not tell
People prefer watching something happen over reading about it. The video needs to keep the audience’s attention through the entire piece. A simple rule to follow is to use as little text and voice-over as possible. You need to direct your viewers through dialog and action.
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Daria Biryukova is a student at American University in Bulgaria with a major in Journalism and Mass Communications and a minor in Mathematics. She was a part of More Honors Academy at AUBG working on video production for 3 years.
