In today’s fast paced digital world, video production plays a critical role in communication, marketing and storytelling. From corporate videos to social media content. Understanding how a video is created can make all the difference in delivering a message effectively. But what exactly is video production and how does it work?
Astor is here to help! We have put together this blog to take you through the entire video production process, so you understand each stage better, from the initial planning to the final edits. So whether you’re a business looking to create engaging content, or someone curious about the craft, understanding the key steps in video production will help you not only better execute this yourself, but you’ll appreciate more the work that goes in behind the scenes.
The Video Production Process
When it comes to the video production process, there are a variety of steps involved that ensure that the finished result turns out the way you envisioned. The video production process consists of three essential stages, pre production, production and post production. Each of the phases is crucial in shaping the final outcome, and ensuring that the video not only meets creative goals but communicates the intended message effectively also. Here are the stages of the video production process:
What Is Pre Production?
So, what is pre production? Known as the planning stage, pre production is arguably the most important phase in the video production process. It involves coming up with ideas and putting a plan in place for the day of the shoot. This will make sure that everything runs smoothly on the big day and there are minimal to no hiccups once the cameras start rolling. If you make sure you’re fully prepared, everything will be smoother from here.
Some elements of pre production include:
Some elements of pre production include:
- Concept Development: This is where you start expanding on the initial idea. By defining the concept, key goals and objectives. This is important whether it’s a promotional video or a creative project you’re planning. By making sure your concept is developed, everything will be much more clearer.
- Scriptwriting: Once you’ve developed your concept, it’s time to start writing the script. This is where you will outline the dialogue, action, and narrative flow of the video, serving as the blueprint for the entire project.
- Storyboarding: Developing a storyboard will make it easier when you get to shooting the scenes, as they visually represent the scenes of the video. This will help you and your team to visualise the key shots you want to include, the camera angles and transitions, making sure you are all on the same page on what is involved in the film.
- Casting and Location Scouting: Pre production also involves selecting the right talent for the project and scouting suitable locations for filming. This ensures that the people and places chosen align with the creative vision.
- Budgeting and Scheduling: Careful planning around the budget and timeline is essential in order to know what is achievable and what might be too ambitious for your budget. Having a clear timeline in place will also mean that your project will stay on track and not go over schedule.
What Is Video Production?
In the video production stage this is where all of the planning you did in the initial stage comes to life. This is the stage where the camera starts rolling and you are able to see your vision in action. Now that you have planned everything, you can start capturing and bring your creative vision to the screen. This phase is crucial as it will directly impact the quality and feel of the final result.
Some of the factors included in the video production process are:
- Filming: Filming is the centre of video production. Whether it’s a small production or a large scale shoot, this is where the script and storyboard planning come to life. You may have a director that oversees the shoot ensuring that the vision goes to plan, whereas a crew will handle technical aspects like lighting and sound.
- Camera Work: The type of shots, angles, and camera movements chosen during production are essential to telling the story. The cinematographer or camera operator ensures that the visuals align with the creative vision, capturing everything needed for post production.
- Lighting and Sound: Proper lighting sets the tone and mood of the video, while good sound ensures that dialogue and background noise are clear and engaging. These two elements work together to enhance the overall quality of the video.
- Direction: The director plays a central role during production, managing the crew and guiding the talent to deliver their best performances. Their job is to make sure that every shot is aligned with the vision established during the pre production stage.
What Is Post Production?
With pre production and production established, what is post production? This is the final stage of the video production process, where the footage captured during the last phase is transformed into the final product. This is important and should not be overlooked, as during post production all of the elements from visuals to sound and effects are brought together to create a professional video that you can be proud of.
Here is what’s involved in post production:
- Editing: This part could be also seen as one of the most important aspects of video production, as without good editing, none of the footage will make sense. This could take hours but is worth it when you see the final cut, it’s where everything starts to come together and you start to see what you envisioned in the planning stage.
- Sound design: An extension of editing, sound design is a crucial aspect of post production. Just like the footage, sound can make or break the final result. During the sound design process, editors will mix audio levels and ensure that the music dialogue audio and background sounds are all balanced and go well with the visuals on screen.
- Colour correction: Colour grading is also an important part in editing to make sure that the video gives off the specific tone or mood intended. This also makes sure that everything looks good. Colour correcting could look like, adjusting the brightness, contrast and colour balance, ensuring that the scenes look appealing to the eye.
- Final cut: once you have all elements in place and the video is reviewed, refined and approved, you will now see your vision from the start be brought to life. The final cut is where you see the finished product, and all your hard work has now paid off.
Choose Astor For Video Production
At Astor, we’re experts when it comes to high quality video production. Our expert team ensures that every project is handled with precision and creativity. From pre production to post production, we make sure that the process is as smooth as possible, leaving you with a finished product that you will be proud of. Whether you’re wanting a commercial that gets across your business message, or you’re looking for engaging social media videos, with our technology and expertise, you can be sure to receive a video you will love.
We pride ourselves in being able to tailor our services to meet each of our clients unique needs. We appreciate every business is different, so whether you’re looking to create a promotional video or need help with a marketing campaign, we have the tools and skills to bring your vision to life. Looking for high quality video production that sets you apart from the crowd? Contact Astor Film Productions today and let us help you tell your story!