Okay, so you have been thinking about this for a while and now, you are ready to create your original video content. You have also found a great team to work with or you may have decided to do this on your own. Whatever the case is, we are happy to give you these tips that will help you prepare for the big day.
1. Identify your audience.
It may sound cliché but you have to understand that clichés are clichés for a reason. It works. Before anything else, you have to know who is the target audience. Who will watch your video? Does it have to be age-appropriate? Will it be something that your target audience can relate to? Will your video speak their language?
2. Deliver a concise message.
Creating videos can get pretty overwhelming especially you have so much that you’d like to share. Delivering a concise message will not only make your video clearer but could also help emphasize your point better.
3. Know your budget limit.
No matter how big or small it is, every video production project will definitely incur a cost. Thank us at the post and be sure to take note of your budget limit for every production. Knowing how much you can spend on each project will help you maximize your resources and pin down your limits.
4. Write your script.
No great concept will be brought to life without a script. Your script will act as a backbone for your entire project. Everything from the talent to the team to the locations will be decided upon depending on your script. Of course, you also have the choice to seek the help of a professional scriptwriter to translate your concept into writing.
5. Make your first 10 seconds as striking as possible.
With everything already as fast-paced as it is, your target audience’s attention span will most likely be limited to the first 10 seconds of your video. With your concept and script in mind, make sure to reel your audience in right at the beginning to make them stay until the end.
6. Create your storyboard and shotlist.
A storyboard is a sequence of illustrations that shows your video’s storyline or scenes. It allows everyone on your production team to visualize a clearer picture of what your video is all about. It normally includes the scene number, an illustration of the scene, and its description.
On the other hand, a shot list is also somewhat similar to a storyboard except that this is a shot-by-shot sequence of the video. It includes more details that such as the scene number, shot number, location, shot description, framing, action/dialogue, actors, props, and extra notes.
Creating both may sound like a tedious job but preparing it beforehand will make your video shoot a lot easier. You can ensure that everything is well planned and that all the details needed are taken care of.
7. Create your timeline.
Now that you know what you need and everything that needs to be done, another thing that will help you prepare is a production timeline. This will include the schedules of all your tasks, before, during, and after your video shoot. It helps you keep track of your progress and manage your time.
8. Secure a contact list of people on your team.
Once you have decided on your team, always make sure to have their contact details readily available. Contact information like full name, email, phone number, etc. will prove to be very useful especially with coordination and information dissemination.
9. Have an ocular of your prospect locations.
Most often than not, your prospect locations will look a lot different than what you expect them to be. In order to avoid on-the-day mishaps, it is essential that you visit your location prior to your shooting date. This can help give you ample time to adjust when necessary. Some things to consider would be the location of sockets, lightings, accessibility, or even the maximum headcount the location can accommodate.
10. Pre-production meetings are a MUST.
Never ever forget to set a meeting with everyone on your team before a shoot. Usually, pre-production meetings happen more than once before the specified shooting date. Doing so will help everyone be on the same page and address concerns raised by other people from the team.
Just like with any other project, a video production’s success depends greatly on its planning. When everything is taken care of in pre-production, then the production and postproduction stages are bound to go smoothly.