Producing a Video
Producing a Video is all about communication. Call Duane 231-937-5420.
Producing a video is a lot like ordering a sub sandwich. You begin with the bread or wrap, then a selection cheeses, meat, cold or warmed, then an assortment of veggies and toppings. There are many ways of building your sandwich. Similar, but different each time you build this tasty meal.
The secret to a great sandwich (video) is communication. Once the sandwich is complete, taking off the the tomato may be an easy fix, however taking off the mayonnaise is more difficult. The better the communication the better the end result.
Please note: Since the goal is to make the sandwich your way, even removing the mayonnaise can be done.
Now that we have had our meal, lets move on to tips on producing a better video.
The process begins with the concept. We look at your target audience, what is the best way to reach them, what are their needs, comments and concerns. From this point we come up with a plan. It is okay to change the plan, but be aware – time is money. The more changes, which is not always a bad thing, the more it may cost.
The basic steps in producing a video include: 1) Concept / Script. More an more of our videos are told by the client, staff and customers through testimonials. In that case the script is a list of questions that are targeted to the person telling the story. This is the blueprint to the video and is a guide in getting the most out of each interview.
2) In the case where we have a script, the next phase is recording the narrator. Many choices here. A staff person could do the read, At DW Video we have a list of local narrators. And through the power of the web, there are businesses we can choose from that have a number of narrators to choose from. Options, yes there are options.
3) On-Location Digital Videotaping (I know we do not use tape anymore – but heck, you knew what I mean). This includes recording the interviews and acquiring the b-roll video needed to tell your story. Proper planning at this stage keeps us on track and on-budget. For example you are a retail store and need shots of people browsing and purchasing. Do not assume customers off the street want to be in your video. It is best to have a group of people brought in for the shoot.
4) Once the video is acquired it is back to the studio to edit. Up to this point of the production if special graphics and/or animations were needed these would be in production already. Based on a script we then edit the b-roll into each segment and we are ready to show you the first version. When interviews are used we take the time to pick the best segment and then edit in the b-roll.
5) Review and upon final approval a DVD is authored, files are encoded for the web and the final product is ready to share.
Ready to get started? Give Duane a call 231-937-5420. Go to our contact us page and send a note outlining your needs.