videoproductionn

[videoproductionn]

Planning A Corporate Video Production

"If you fail to PLAN, your plan to FAIL" - Sadly, this well-worn quotation has become the epitaph for many a video project that fell pitifully short of the expectations raised before work commenced.

The absence of proper planning for a corporate video production is rather like setting off on a 100 mile journey to an unknown destination, in a car with a near-empty petrol tank, no Sat-Nav or road map, 2 bald tyres and no roadside cover. You're literally ASKING to run into problems!

... Yes I know you could call for help on your cell phone, but you get my point, right?

So, let's consider the following preparation essentials:

OBJECTIVES:: Purpose and Message

The first question should be "What exactly do we want this video to achieve?" What is its purpose, what is the message we want to communicate?...

and most importantly... WHO is our target audience?

A corporate video should be a powerful business tool that communicates clearly with your target audience, raises brand awareness, or helps to increase sales revenue.

You must have a crystal clear objective. If not, then the impact of your video production is likely to be blunted. So, "Maybe it's about time we had a new video" is NOT an objective. Yes, that old video may well be dated or even embarrassing, but simply replacing old for new is unlikely to dazzle your customers or inspire your employees.

There are many tales of woe about videos that have left the viewer wondering what message is being conveyed, due to an ill-conceived and poorly structured storyline.

Start by making a list of the main points you want to get across. Then develop some detail for each of the main points. Obtain some input from employees and stakeholders. Your video producer should also be able to add valuable input, so long as you choose a qualified professional.

YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE :: Whom are you addressing?

Make sure you consider all the cultures you will be addressing in your video. Is your message aimed at a specific age group? Is your audience global, or local? Will you need subtitles, or even different language versions? And most importantly, what do you want your audience to get out of your video?

All of the above considerations will help you to decide on the communication style of your production, as well as the personalities who will appear in the video, such as a presenter and other supporting cast.

Production Style:: TV-commercial? News report? Documentary?

There are many different ways to tell a story. And that's exactly what your video production is - a story.

It should be sufficiently well structured to take the viewer through a sequence of information, in much the same way that a book is written, or a feature film is produced. It should have a beginning or opening sequence that gets the viewer's attention and leads them deeper into the story (middle), and an ending sequence or conclusion. If your video calls for some kind of response from your audience, as in a product promotion, then you should have a clear 'call-to-action' sequence at the end.

So, structure is very important. But what about the actual style of your production? Unless your video is simply the recording of an event such as a conference, where the structure and style is often determined by the event itself, you may want to consider the various options for presenting, or packaging your message. What production style would best match your organization, your product you're your target audience?

Consumer audiences have become more sophisticated. People seldom respond to the kind of blatant, in-your-face sales pitch seen in TV commercials of 15+ years ago, however you dress it up.

Nowadays, a more subtle approach is often called for. As previously mentioned, people now want to be "edutained". They want to be informed and educated about something, in an entertaining way.

Now I'm not suggesting that we dig out the stripy blazers and straw boaters and do a song & dance act, or use a fake opera singer to annoy people into comparing various products. Although amazingly, some of these styles do actually get results!

Creative video producers today can offer many different and highly effective production styles. So, whilst a typical 3 to 4 minute programme might be introduced by a professional TV presenter and feature shots of your products, include staff interviews and customer testimonials, the video could actually be produced in a news-report or documentary style, which comes across as impartial, and not a thinly disguised sales pitch. Ideal if you want to announce a brilliant new product range, or highlight the benefits of your service, through the eyes of your customers. Remember, people like to BUY. They seldom like to be SOLD to.

Your video producer should possess the necessary skills and knowledge to advise you about the style, flow and pace of your production, as part of the planning, or "pre-production" stage. However, you know your company, product and customers better than anyone, and it's YOUR video, so you must have the final say.

Content:: What needs to be included?

Most productions will require additional content to keep the video interesting and informative. A basic "talking head" is unlikely to keep your viewer's attention for very long. So, if the programme includes "cut-away" shots of static images such as photos and diagrams, as well as other related footage, you will stand a much better chance of holding your audience till the end of the video and secure that all-important direct response.

Your video producer will appreciate receiving high-resolution digital images of your company logos, products and people to include at the post-production stage. If you can have these ready in advance, it helps to ensure that your production is not delayed later on in the process.

You may also have previously recorded audio, video or even legacy film that you want to include, particularly if your programme contains historic content. Make sure that you discuss this requirement with your video producer at the pre-production planning meeting, to ensure that your media can be successfully converted.

Shooting Locations:: Your business premises or in a studio?

Whilst most corporate videos are shot at the company's premises, there are occasions when external locations are a necessary part of a production. Let's consider the four most common locations:

1. Your own business premises is by far the most obvious choice of location. You have everything to hand - your offices, showrooms, or manufacturing facility are all accessible and usually provide the most ideal backdrop and environment in which to carry out most of the filming. You also have easy access to your products and your people - provided you can find some willing participants - but more about that later.

Be sure to find a suitably quiet room for shooting interviews or presentations. There's nothing more distracting than trying to film in the corner of a noisy office, or a room adjoining the factory!

Also, do remember that your video producer may require access to nearby electrical sockets for powering cameras, lights and other equipment. A site survey may be required prior to filming.

2. Your customers' premises can often be the best choice for testimonials - especially if they have your products on display, or equipment supplied by your company in situ. Do discuss this with your clients well in advance, so that they are well prepared, know what they're going to say and have appropriate facilities arranged.

3. Public places often require permission from the Local Authority. Your video producer will know who to approach and should be able to reach a mutually agreeable arrangement with the Authority, without incurring special license fees. There can sometimes be exceptions to this rule, such as in some parts of central London, where tight control over filming is operated.

4. A studio - fully equipped with lighting and sound recording, various backdrops, and a chroma key setup may be recommended by your producer. This is the perfect situation for shooting corporate pieces to camera, interviews and presentations. A presenter can be filmed in front of a green screen, allowing alternative background imagery to be added. Most video production companies either have their own studios, or have access to studio facilities when the need arises.

Talent:: Your staff or a professional presenter?

Filming your staff going about their normal daily duties, operating some equipment or assisting a customer is one thing. But the subject of who to appoint as a presenter or spokesperson always induces a wry smile from me. I have witnessed numerous occasions when a keen employee, who may be quite used to doing the odd presentation, fluffs his lines for the twenty-seventh time, amid fits of laughter or deep frustration.

There is a vast difference between presenting your company and product to a group of seminar delegates, and addressing an invisible audience with a camera pointing at you. It's surprising how most, otherwise supremely confident people, develop a stutter, or memory-loss, when under the pressure of being filmed.

So, unless you have a confident and experienced member of staff who is used to presenting to camera, its best to leave it to a professional presenter - unless of course, the speaking parts are short & sweet, or in cases when the message needs to come from the CEO.

Appointing professional talent, whether it's a presenter, actor or voice over artist is best discussed with your video producer, who should have access to a good choice of freelance professionals.

PERMISSIONS:: Don't get caught out!

If you're going to commission a professional video production, you really want to ensure that you obtain written permission from all concerned, to use the captured footage (and still images) of people and places, as well as any intellectual property such as logo's that your company does not own.

This important factor is often overlooked by people who are unfamiliar with professional video production and correct procedure for safeguarding against potential problems in the future. These days, people have more civil rights than they used to and the last thing you need is a disgruntled former-employee threatening legal action unless you remove his part in the video.

Such incidents can incur unwanted delays, as well as additional costs, if you have to re-shoot a scene, or if several hours of re-editing are required.

Your video producer should be able to furnish you with correctly worded "Release" forms for locations and people appearing in your video.

Creating a Script:: Is it really necessary?

You will have gathered by now, that making a professional quality video is not achieved simply by pointing a camera and pressing the button. You can get any keen amateur to do that.

You may have seen TV commercials where they've spent hundreds of thousands of pounds on a visually spectacular production, but the message has been lost in the ether due to a weak script. This basically means that a whole lot of money has been flushed down the pan because somebody didn't bother to script the programme - and instead got carried away by the euphoria of creating exciting visuals.

On the other hand, you will have seen low-budget adverts on TV with a powerful message fluently communicated, and yet the visuals are extremely basic. Mission accomplished!

If there's such a thing as "the perfect script", it's one where your target audience is watching and listening at the beginning, because you've engaged their attention. Then the smooth flow of the message carries them along, still watching and listening, right to the end.

Certain productions may also require a storyboard. Storyboarding is a separate process that puts the proposed visuals into the script. It should be something that all parties can understand and can include small details such as where you might need captions and graphics, to a full pictorial list of shots and footage required. It can be simple, or quite complex, depending upon the type and length of your production.

Make no mistake. The script is the single most important part of any corporate video. You can begin by drafting a basic outline of your ideas and then sit down with your video producer and creatively brainstorm what the script needs to be. Your video producer should then be able to come back with a fully documented script that really makes your programme work for you - and for your audience.

PRE-SHOOT MEETING::

Once you've approved the script, you're ready to proceed to the next stage. A final discussion involving all parties should take place prior to shooting. You should walk around the proposed filming locations to make sure that everything is in place, including adequate 13-amp power that will be needed for lighting and other equipment. Make arrangements for access, parking and safety, as well as ensuring that all persons involved are well informed about where and when they will be needed.

Timescales:: On time, on schedule and on budget!

It's important to have realistic timescales if you want a truly professional result. Allow plenty of time for planning and making arrangements with all parties concerned. Don't forget to allow for holidays as well as the availability of people outside of your organization.

Check on whether there are any planned road works or construction work in the vicinity of your proposed filming locations that could potentially interfere with your deadline.

It's worth mentioning that people who are unfamiliar with professional video production often underestimate the amount of time required for the post-production stage. More on the editing process later, but for now, do bear in mind that a lot of work needs to be completed, even before a "rough-cut" is ready for your inspection.

The bottom line - The inconvenience and potential extra cost of re-shoots and additional editing can be avoided if you allow sufficient time for all the elements of your production to be completed with proper attention to detail. There's really no need to have to suffer the consequences of the proverbial "rush job".

Budgeting:: Cost versus value

By identifying the need to produce a professional video, you have already reached the starting point. One of the first questions that most clients ask is "How much will it cost?" For the corporate video producer, this is a difficult question to answer until some proper consultation has taken place.

Video is a creative medium, and therefore there will be various ways and means of producing a successful programme. Each video production company will have their own ideas of how this can be achieved, which in turn will result in a different proposal and price.

The total cost to produce a video can vary considerably between one video producer and another.

But so can the quality of the end result!

As with almost any purchasing decision, you will get what you pay for.

A truly professional video production however, should not be viewed as a COST, but as an INVESTMENT. Therefore, rather than simply asking for a price (particularly before a full consultation has taken place) it's better to consider what a carefully planned and professionally executed production could be WORTH to your business.

If the end result generates more opportunities for your company in terms of new customers and sales, then the return on your investment should far outweigh the amount of money paid to your video producer, in return for a job well done.

[videoproductionn]

7 Good Reasons Why Video Production Is the Best Method Of Advertising

At present around 37 percent of the web includes video production. Since the invention of film, this has been an efficient method of reaching and influencing an audience in the form of advertising and the most widespread of these has been television commercials. Overtime film has obviously progressed and adapted to function in the present digital age.

Currently, sales of home Digital Video Recorders or DVRs have surged and are increasingly causing television commercials to become obsolete. With the DVR, the viewer has the decision to merely fast-forward through commercials. Television advertising budgets have turned into an unnecessary expense because of these devices. This is a reason that many companies have switched their focus to the Internet and online advertising.

Important Benefits of Video

One key reason why video production is important to use in advertising is because it sells. That is it. There is no other grounds. According to a University of Pennsylvania study by the Wharton school of Business, customers are 72 percent more opt to buy a service or product when video is used and their decision to purchase is made quicker. Once they see a video, most prospective consumers have a better understanding of the product or service.

1. Shared Video and DVD Business Cards

Eighty-nine percent of consumers review a video production when receiving it and 94 percent will share it with family and friends. The industry suggests the reaction rates for video promotions are at least six times bigger than mailing advertisements in print. Brochures on video or business card DVD's possess an elevated perceived worth so they hardly ever get tossed out like junk mail. Many people tend to hold on to them and give them to their friends. The majority of people can watch an entire marketing video just out of curiosity.

2. Affordable with a Consistent Message

Reaching markets with video helps by getting in touch with markets that many sales people are unable to reach. Video helps deliver messages to minor market segments that are too far away, or ones that could never afford live training services.

Video helps by presenting a consistent message each time for all viewers. It puts forth a reliable training, marketing, sales or orientation with on-demand viewing and allows for broader audiences. It is affordable and is not just for bigger corporations. A vigilantly scripted video of 2 or 3 minutes of viewing time can be extra useful and express more information than a big stack of printed material.

3. Videos Used Many Times Provide Rapid Online Growth

Video on the Internet is growing rapidly and viewing online video has in fact, surpassed customary television viewing. It has become the most prevailing communications tool of the past 100 years. Many videos are great sales campaigns in themselves. As an example, the exercise machine commercial, Bowflex sells a 2000 dollar system. The free video they send to potential customers only costs them 6.50 each, but almost half of the customers that watch the video order a system.

4. A Powerful Sales Device

Using video can animate the product or service, which is something brochures cannot accomplish. Customers can be filmed using the product to show the genuine benefit of using the product. Many uses can be found for the same video. It can be used in trade shows or single sales calls, presented to groups or viewed online by means of a website. It can attract investors. Designing the video to accept easy updates will allow including new services, products and people without it being necessary to redo the whole video.

5. Companies Appear Larger

A relatively small company can appear to be a much bigger firm. Some of the suppliers, customers and businesses can be filmed. Products or services can be shown that are being used and manufactured. Complex processes or technical products can be explained and the inner workings can be shown with video. This clearly explains how a product or procedure operates.

6. Provide Visual Tours and Train Employees

Video production is an inexpensive method to train people or make sales on products that need a demonstration. This is especially great for products that are costly to move or to demonstrate.

Virtual tours of the organization are possible by using good lighting and close-ups. A business can put their best foot forward, and the audience does not have to see something that the business does not want them to see. It is possible to highlight aspects of the organization that are most significant to customers such as the quality and pride of workmanship.

7. Motion Creates Emotion

A reason video is such an influential medium is because it engages the emotions of the viewer. The capability of reaching an audience with sound and images can be extremely convincing. Blending of sounds, plus sight can appeal to viewers who learn visually. Auditory learners enjoy video also because they react to an auditory learning style. With video production it is possible to use before and after shots to demonstrate the benefits of a service or product. This can show how the product or service can dramatically improve on something.

Video production comprises a large part of the Internet. This is the most efficient method of reaching audiences. With video, potential customers get a much better perspective of the product. It is a great way to advertise products and services. Many businesses have switched their focus to online advertising, using video instead of television. Commercials may soon become obsolete. This is due to the Digital Video Recorders present in most homes, which allow viewers to skip commercials.

Santa Monica Productions Spain is a full service video production company in Spain specialising in both photo and film. Santa Monica Productions Spain is a company located in Southern Spain along the Costa del Sol in Marbella. Santa Monica offers complete location and production resources for stills / photos, film and video production.