5 Steps to Great Video Production
Every successful shoot starts with a good plan
If you want to expand your creative horizons and add new and exciting production elements to your videos, start by developing a plan for your production. Selecting the appropriate format, style and production elements will set you up for success.
As Creative Director for an advertising agency, I am regularly part of a dog-and-pony show to pitch clients creative premises for their television programs. In order to make sure that the right creative elements are contained in each premise, we start with a think tank. This is a day long meeting with the client that allows us to gather as much information as possible about the product. There are no bad ideas at this point as any idea helps the creative flow. Your videos can benefit from a similar process.
1. Gather Information
Before you begin to think creatively, do a quick overview of the project. Determine what it is that you hope to accomplish. Identify the intended viewer. Explain how you want your video to affect that viewer. Do you want to motivate, inform or just cause him to relive a warm memory. Try to boil the project down to a single statement that encompasses everything you are trying to accomplish. In advertising, this is called a "Unique Selling Proposition." Actually write down a statement that defines what is unique about the project and what elements must be present in order to produce a successful project. Let's call this the "Essence" of your production.
Next, take a look at all the potential production elements and then allow your time-line, budget, available resources and the appropriateness for the project to dictate what goes into your outline. Once you've defined your project, summarize it in a paragraph. Keep that paragraph in front of you as a constant reminder of what is important in the project.
2. Choose a Format
Part of your planning will involve selecting a format (or combination of formats) to use for your project. There are several formats commonly used for television and video productions.
- Interview. A formal interview might take place on a set with the host seated behind a desk, like Leno or Letterman, with the person being interviewed seated opposite the host in a chair. An informal interview could be someone in a reporter role interviewing a coach on the sidelines of a football game, or a starlet on the red carpet before the Oscars. Additionally, the interviewer may be seen or unseen.
- Documentary. A formal documentary might use a voiceover to describe the events that lead to the Battle of the Alamo, featuring drawings from the period and using black and white footage from old films that depicted the battle, like a PBS documentary on the Civil War. An informal documentary could be comprised of interviewing the cast and crew of an upcoming musical as they prepare to open a new performing arts facility. Rather than having a formal narration to describe the events leading to the opening, ask questions of the actual participants that will lead to a body of material from which you may cut your entire documentary. In the real people's own words.
- Video Magazine. In this format the hosts are usually behind a desk or newsroom platform but two hosts banter between themselves, the tone is lighter and entertainment value is increased.
- Story Based. A story-based piece requires a complete script and actors to perform scripted lines. This is the most sophisticated and complicated format as it includes getting actors to say someone else's words and yet come across as real people conveying real emotions. It might also involve the actors doing written recreations of events. These scenes can be shot in a studio or on location.
- Talking Head. This is the simplest format. It is less complicated than an interview only because a standard interview usually involves more art direction and feeling of environment than a talking head segment. Talking heads can be shot with multiple cameras or film style. A film style single camera shoot involves shooting the person answering the questions first and then re-creating the questions with the interviewer later. Be sure to shoot reaction shots of the interviewer, "noddies," so you can edit to the reactions in order to compress the guests answers without a jump cut.
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