The Story
A good story will get your attention and keep it to the end. This truth is as old as the ages.
Brands that harness the power of story tend to be remembered because they cut through the noise.
Your story can be an inspiration to your customer, and position you as their trusted guide.
That’s because they have their own story. They’re on a journey to overcome a problem and find a solution, just like you did.
We’ll help you find the best way to tell your story, and to position your brand inside your customer’s story.
Then we’ll script this into an informative and entertaining video.
The Script
Once we have the story, we need a script that shows exactly how we’re going to tell it in a video.
First we’ll outline what we want the video to achieve, who we’re talking to, what value the video will bring to them, and what we want them to do after watching the video.
Most scripts fit into one of these formats: film (action/dialogue); two-column video; voiceover; Q&A interview; shot-list; or a simple sequence guide as in some training videos.
Storyboards will help visualise the scenes in scripts where pictures are described.
Every shot in the script has to be planned.
Planning
One reality of professional video production is there’s lots of planning involved. Even simple videos captured on your phone involve some planning if you want them to be watchable.
This is the pre-production phase where every aspect of production and post-production has to be accounted-for, organised, booked, diarised, and followed-up thoroughly. The stone you leave unturned is the one that will trip you up.
Planning covers items like budget; crew and equipment; locations; cast; wardrobe and makeup; logistics and suppliers; permits and permissions; per diem; and more - most of this even in small productions.
The secret is being organised and proactive. The Producer is usually the busy-looking one rushing around with a clipboard and a mobile phone.
Filming
Filming fulfils the script. You also want to capture useful b-roll for cut-aways, and different angles as safety shots.
The actual shooting schedule is based on various factors, such as: talent and location availability; programme scheduling (especially for events and workshops); set logistics; sound and lighting requirements; and per diem breaks.
The Director and Producer run the show, in collaboration with the Director of Photography (or lead camera).
Commercial productions must always keep to brand guidelines. Even small brands must insist on some sort of checklist to be signed off before the Director calls a ‘wrap’.
The basic rule of thumb for filming is ‘shoot to edit’. Capture everything needed for the edit - no more, and certainly no less.
Editing and Post Production
The editing suite is where we put the story together.
An editor’s first task is to ingest all the footage into a new project and organise it. You can then easily scrub through to choose the clips you want to transfer over to the timeline.
Once the clips are roughly in place you’ll see the shape of your story.
The editor will then start trimming and cutting transitions to the beat of the music and the action; introducing other audio (dialogue, voiceovers etc); adding graphics, text, and effects (if any); colour grading; and fixing any lighting issues.
After a final rendering, you’ll have a finished video ready for distribution.