Dos and Don'ts of Video Production

​You’re ready to take the leap and get into the wonderful, and sometimes ambiguous, world of video production. And, though you might have “all of your bases covered“ it never hurts to have some tips as to some dos and don’ts for your first, or most recent, production. Let’s go!

First and foremost, as always, please have a plan for what you’re shooting. No where you’re going to put the finished video before you shoot. This is super important because if you are going to use one piece of video across, YouTube, Instagram, and LinkedIn, you’ll want to make sure that it is shot with that optimization in mind.

Create a shot-list before the day gets started and make sure that someone is in charge (Producer) of making sure that everything gets shot. Additionally, do not skip out on using a Production Assistant. They are so affordable, and they are in charge of so many small, but very impactful aspects of the production the day of the shoot.

Make sure you know who is in charge. Many times, if you’re shooting on a budget it is common for businesses to hire one videographer and when they get to location and are ready to shoot, they are waiting for direction. This is especially important. If you have multiple cameras and lighting, make up, talent, sound, etc… If you have the budget, make sure you have a producer, or Director, if you don’t have the budget, make sure that there is a point person who is overseeing everything who has planned out the shot-list and order (Run of Show or ROS) ahead of time.

Just keep shooting. In cases, such as event, photo and video capture, it is very common, that your photographers and videographers will have time in between pivotal moments. That being said, it is a good rule of thumb to ask them to continue shooting and dump cards before the pivotal moment. So frequently, is it the case that a client will come back and say, "Did we get any more of that one room or that one thing?" Furthermore, if you are overseeing a team of people that are shooting, and they are just standing because they “already shot everything” kindly direct them to go and continue shooting. Having more content than less is much more preferable.

If you’re just getting started, you might only want to hire someone for a half-day. I can tell you that the half-day rate for most individuals is not half, but over 2/3 of their full day rate. That being said, for the additional cost, you are better served to have someone shoot the entire day and plan for future production needs then you are to have someone come out and shoot only a half-day. If you absolutely cannot think of anything, have them shoot general b-roll of whatever location you’re at and, if it’s an event, have them shoot crowd, reactions, and general excitement. These are things you will always need more of.

In summary, do make a plan, know what you’re shooting ahead of time, have someone in charge of making sure that everything gets shot, ask your crew to overshoot when they have downtime, and plan future shooting when possible.

Don’t just wing it, leave it up to the videographer, hire for half day when you can avoid it, let people sit around and not shoot for too long, and execute production without a plan. 

Do these things, and you will be in the clear! Have questions? Comment or shoot us a message!