What is Video Production?

It's easy to say that video production is the production of videos, but what does it mean to produce videos? You can say that there is a process of video production and there is also an art form of video production. The process is simple, grab a video camera, point it at the subject, and hit record. Once you have the footage, post it to your favorite hosting service and let the world watch!

While it can be that simple, making an effective and riveting video takes planning and foresight. It helps to start with a great concept or story to build the visuals on. The next step in producing a video is to decide what shots are needed to tell the story most effectively. Making a shot list based on the script will also help in planning out what the shoot day looks like. It's a lot easier to have the shot plan worked out in advance, which will ensure that the camera crew will be able to move through different shots efficiently during the shoot day. Without a plan, the camera crew may end up wasting time while the director figures out which way to go next. The shot list can also be used to decide how many cameras to use, any kind of specialized equipment that is needed, and when to schedule the talent for shooting. It doesn't do any good to plan for a specific shot without having all of the talent needed for that scene.

The process continues after shooting with post-production. The common joke can be heard throughout the industry, "we'll fix it in post!" The problem with that idea though, is that fixing footage in post may lead to bigger problems, as there's only so much that can be done in post-production. Having an audio problem from noise near the camera, such as having a generator running while recording, will be nearly impossible to fix. Every effort should be made to have clean audio and video from shooting as possible. Sometimes a problem shows up during post-production that requires reshoots. There are numerous examples of issues that make it all the way through and show up in the final video though. Having a branded coffee cup sitting on a table in a fantasy video can really cause some problems!

Many issues that can come up during video production can be solved with good communication. If the director doesn't communicate his vision for the video, the camera crew won't know what to shoot and when. The right equipment needs to be available at the right time, along with the talent and crew. When everyone is on the same page, the production process will go smoothly and the final product will be entertaining, or at least meet the expectations of everyone involved.

This has been an overview of video production, next time we'll take a detailed look at different aspects of production. Have a good one!