I had the pleasure of auditing a portion of the Videomaker “Basics of Video Production” workshop a couple weeks ago. There are many basic rules when it comes to video, and there is a wealth of basic knowledge that continues to be the foundation for great production. Though I had been exposed to all of this before, it had been years since I had seen the fundamentals of good video production laid out so methodically. It caused me to really think about the basics again.

As my experience has grown, I have developed a tendency to wing-it much more often than I would have when I was just starting out. The video portion of my scripts began to dwindle, and the fine details of the script were often left to be finalized on set. I was still proud of the final product, but as I sat in the workshop, I was reminded that proper planning, and a concise vision of what you want out of a given video project can really be the difference between good and great video production.

While there is no substitute for experience, remembering to follow those simple rules makes your chance of success so much higher, so write that script and edit it until it’s perfect. Make that storyboard a true reflection of what you want to see in your video. Keep shooting takes until the shot is right. White balance properly for every shot. If you think there might be some distracting backround noise, do your best to minimize it on the set. Move the lights that extra inch to get it just right, and help your talent give the performance you know they’re capable of, even if it feels exhausting at the time.

Take your time, because what only takes a few seconds in the field, can take hours to fix in post-production. Doing all these things will make the the video production experience much more enjoyable for you and your crew, and it will show in the results.

Greg has 15 years of experience working with video professionally, and has recently joined the Videomaker team.

This week, we have another exciting video tidbit from the Videomaker community. Videomaker’s Facebook friend Tim Heiderich is the brains behind the brand new Internet serial Assignment: Unexplained, an irreverent  satire of paranormal reality television series like Ghost Hunters or Paranormal Cops.

Goth/frat boy Chase Nightblood (Nate Scholz) has assembled a not-so-crack team of investigators to help him unravel the Fortean mysteries of aliens, chupacabras, and yetis. There’s a somewhat shady pet psychic (Helene Udy) who always seems to be working her own scam, a gadget freak who sees sinister government conspiracies in everything (Owen Reynolds), and a random girl  (Ashley Clements) that Chase is hoping to impress with his Bigfoot-finding prowess. In the first season, the team interviews experts, gets lost in the woods, and does whatever it takes to prove to the world the truth about the mythical sasquatch.

“The formula for ghost hunting shows was always the same,” says Tim. “A group of amateur sleuths scaring themselves in the woods, at abandoned hospitals and dilapidated homes, and never, ever finding a shred of the paranormal.   It’s in the style of the successful Reno 911 TV show, and features a core group of improv actors, with a format designed to feature new and upcoming comedic talent. ”

Tim’s been creating comedy videos for the web for a while, including hilarious horror spoof Normal Activity, but this is his first serial — and his most ambitious project to date. We like the show for a number of reasons.  With short episodes, sharp comedy, and easily accessible subject matter, Assignment: Unexplained is a great example of how to make videos for the web. Serious video creators will take note of the series’ use of night shooting as the team wanders through the forest in search of monsters.  It also shows how good a video can turn out with proper planning; the whole project hinged on extensive and meticulous pre-production planning, including seeking permission from the US Forest Service to shoot in state parks.

“Pre-production is the crucible that will determine whether you ever want to make another film,” says Tim. ” Until you finally begin filming, pre-production is a house of cards you’re waiting to see come tumbling down.  For example: To get insurance, you must first know what equipment you’re renting.  But before you rent your equipment, you’ll need to know which days you’re filming.  But you won’t know which days you’re filming until you secure a permit.  But you can’t get a permit if you don’t already have insurance… and around it goes.  During pre-production you have to juggle several things at once and work hard to make it all come together.”

Although Tim’s been working with video for years, he still learned a lot about how to successfully helm a big project while on set.  He advised other video directors to keep in mind the importance of delegating tasks. It not only makes for less work for any one person, but will help you build a network of professionals who all share the same passion for the project that you do. He also encouraged directors to give real thought to their distribution model before they take the plunge into creating a video series.

“Before you shoot, have a distribution plan: where will your series air?” says Tim. ” How often will new episodes come out?  How will you spread the word and drive interest to your site?  Will you submit to festivals?  Who’s going to do that job?  Without a distribution plan, you’ll have just made a very expensive home movie.”

You can see more videos at Assignment: Unexplained. You can also find follow it on Twitter @AssUnexplained and Facebook at www.facebook.com/AssignmentUnexplained.

Anyone can point a video camera at something and press record. However, creating quality videos requires an understanding of basic video production concepts. This time, Videomaker takes video production back to the basics with the newest addition to our webinar training series: Basic Video Production.

Whether you’re interested in video production for your business or interested in improving your home movies and personal projects, our comprehensive Basic Video Production webinar will teach you the techniques needed to get a jump start on making better video. You will learn basic techniques such as shot composition, camera moves and controls, microphone and audio techniques, as well as lighting setups and techniques.

Following the webinar, all registrants will receive a copy of our special report “Handheld Shooting”. In addition to valuable information and a free special report, the Basic Video Production Webinar will also include a live Q&A segment; our team answering your questions. The Basic Video Production Webinar starts at 11:00 AM (PST) on Wednesday, Jan. 11, so be sure to sign up soon!

Not interested in Basic Video Production? Videomaker’s Webinar Training Series provides a wide variety of webinars that cover topics including Advanced Editing, Documentary Production, Lighting for Video, Advanced Shooting, Audio for Video, and much more.

There’s no question that production planning can save you loads of time. As videographers, we often plan ahead for location shooting, camera movement and angles, but tend to overlook plans for lighting even though light planning is just as important to the overall success of the production. Without light planning you could bring the wrong lights, too many lights, not enough lights, overextend your budget or waste valuable time on set deciding from which angle you should light your subject. One way to avoid all of these potential problems is by creating a lighting layout.

A lighting layout allows you to visualize the set prior to starting the production phase. The first step to creating a lighting layout is to make a sketch of the set. Be sure to add the planned location of your camera and talent, and make note of any windows, doorways or furniture. Once that is done, you can start plotting the location of your lights.

By plotting your lights ahead of time, you will have an easy-to-follow blueprint of where each light should be placed, making every set-up a snap. A light plot will also help you keep track of how many lights are needed, how much wattage you will be using in each setup (which can help prevent overloading the circuits), and can assist in catching potential problems before they happen. Addressing these factors during pre-production will allow you to focus on the task at hand when it comes time to switch on those lights.

Videomaker’s Complete Book of Forms will help you ask the right questions as you plan your next video. Our Complete Book of Forms contains 91 useful forms including Lighting Plots & Layouts, Location Scouting, and many more forms that will assist you in pre-planning, record keeping and organization. The Videomaker Complete Book of Forms is a great resource for any videographer wanting to take their video productions to a professional level.

Interested in more tips on Lighting? Sign up for Videomaker’s free Video Lighting Course. This free tip series is designed to help you improve your video production skills, fast. Learn More.

The office is bustling, here at Videomaker, as we prepare for our upcoming workshops. The weekend of October 9^th is coming up fast and we couldn’t be more excited. For the first time ever, we’re offering an Intensive Lighting Workshop, as well as our Basics of Video Production Workshop.

Our Basics of Video Production Workshop is a start-to-finish course on movie making. This is a great way for beginners to become familiar with the equipment and the processes involved when telling a story with video.

For those of you who already have a grasp on the basics of video production, the Intensive Lighting Workshop will allow you to build upon your production skills and knowledge by focusing on light theory, equipment and techniques.

If you’ve been to one of our workshops you know that it’s a great way to get hands-on experience with professional equipment, learn new techniques and work with people who are as enthusiastic about movie making as you.

It’s not too late to sign up, so if you have never attended one of our workshops, or just want to build upon your previous experience, now is as good of a time as any to join in on the fun.

Click here for more information on attending a Videomaker Workshop