When everyone’s got an HD camera in their pocket, everyone can have a go at making videos; one scroll through social media, and it’s abundantly clear that that’s exactly what’s happening. Engaging the visual generation, or Gen V, has been identified as one of the biggest areas of focus for marketers in 2021 and beyond.
But when it comes to video production, like every other part of content marketing, it’s not merely about doing it; it’s about getting it right.
In a market saturated with visual content, it’s never been more important to ensure that what you’re putting out there cuts through the noise, and delivers the results you want. From smash cuts to soundtracks and effects to edits, there’s a whole lot to think about – but these seven tips from our Video Production team are a good place to start…
SEARCH FOR INSPIRATION
We’re surrounded by video content these days—which means there’s a whole lot of potential springboards for your own ideas to take flight. Seek out an array of videos, across a range of platforms and formats, and take note of what you like and what you don’t; cutting patterns, lighting choices, narrative structure, etc. As well as sparking your own creativity, these can provide valuable reference points as the process goes along.
GET YOUR STORY STRAIGHT
Will the focus fall on your brand, your products, your customer, or something else entirely? Are you looking to use humour, drama, emotion or relatability? Video is the perfect medium for impactful, powerful storytelling, and the possibilities are nigh-on endless, so it’s vital to set out clear objectives in terms of what you want to achieve, and how you might go about it.
TEAMWORK MAKES THE DREAM WORK
While collaboration is an important part of many projects, it’s especially prominent when it comes to something like video production; from specialist skillsets to the ins and outs of technical specs, there are lots of moving parts involved. That’s something to use to your advantage, though; picking the brains of an experienced videographer could yield some wonderful ideas, while understanding the process will help make sure your timeframes and budgets are in ship shape.
PLAN, PLAN, PLAN
Storyboards, scripts, shot lists, and everything else besides; those who’ve been there will tell you that most of the hard work comes long before the camera starts rolling. The questions you might think are silly, and the hour-long conversations about most minute details; this is the time to get it all out there. Pre-production really is the critical portion of the job; nail it, and everything afterwards should run smoothly—in theory, at least!
STEP BACK TO STEP FORWARD
So, remember one sentence ago when we were so confident about everything going to plan? There’s some bad news… Whether it’s a camera angle that’s not exactly what you envisioned, a location that doesn’t sparkle as it should, or a line of your script that’s giving you second thoughts, it’s rare that a wrinkle or two won’t arise—and that’s okay.
Instead of panicking, take the time to have an open and honest conversation with some key personnel. There’s every chance they’ve had plans change before, and you may well be surprised at how quickly adjustments can be made. Communication is the key, so speak up; there’s no point in holding your tongue until you realise it’s too late to do something different…
COME TOGETHER
Post-production is when video edits, sound edits, motion graphics, and colour grading begins—a little like a jigsaw puzzle being pieced together. This is where all that earlier planning pays dividends; the clearer the picture, the easier it should be to bring your vision to life. When it comes to helping the process, nothing is more valuable than good feedback; concise, actionable comments will move things along and avoid protracted hemming and hawing as the finishing touches are applied.
SHARE YOUR WORK
Your masterpiece is complete; now people need to see it. Once, popping it on YouTube might have been enough, but today the sheer amount of content competing for eyeballs means your approach might need to be a little more sophisticated. A single-pronged effort probably won’t suffice either; you’ll want to redistribute and repurpose, produce shorter cuts for social, tailor formats to suit different channels—but then you planned all of this earlier in pre-production…right?!
Need help nailing your video content? Email hello@zahramediagroup.com or connect through our Contact page to discover how we can make your screen dreams a reality…
