Video planning

Background

• Would you like to have 1000 people a day watching your videos?
• Is your YouTube channel optismised properly?
• Do you even have a Youtube channel?
• Have you even thought of TV advertising?

YouTube videos can successfully be made in-house rather than paying the costs of a film crew. Videos can easily be shot in your factory or office and after a successful test video, MiE can show you the pitfalls and shortfalls of filming in a working situation. The quality can be improved if the environment is made cleaner and we can plan the project properly.

Roles and responsibilities

These need to be defined and agreed on day 1 to organise the dates and resources needed to make this all happen and to ensure that all the elements needed for the video as such as products, hardware, tools, software, people, lighting, sound, technical props, and other technical items are fully prepared for filming.

Why do we need a producer?

A producer will need to shadow the project and step in wherever needed to keep the project on track. They will help source any props, décor and ambience needed for the film set. Also they will organise video and sound recording equipment and ensure that the project documentation is updated, calling in additional resources if needed. You can video it yourself, MiE can shoot it or a professional crew can be hired for the filming days.

Location

We will make up a film set in a suitable area at your premises and bring in all the necessary elements to make filming a practical day’s work. On the designated filming day, it will take a few hours to set-up, shoot and then break down. So planning is the key. It will need to be a quiet day as this will cause a major disruption to some areas around the premises. We will need to warn people who are likely to visit us on the day that quiet is needed. Background noise from deliveries etc. will be a problem as it means distraction for the actors and video crew. The alternative is to hire a photographic studio off site and ship the items to that location for the day.

Who will be acting?

Some of your movie-star staff maybe? Depending on who is available at the time, we may only need one person. (Unless you want more?). They need to be available for the days required for the project with their kit and all the items they use for the film. Look at what kit is needed; these items need to be pre-cleaned. A voiceover team will be needed for any technical narration We would need male and female volunteers, so we can run sound tests and see who sounds good. More than one voice could work.

Timeline

We would need to decide on what is the best target date to book all that’s necessary. That includes availability of staff and use of premises. From this we can create a timing plan for the project. It may be better to film on a weekend or in the evening. A video project kick-off meeting to discuss this is crucial.

Props & equipment needed

A sturdy plinth: We may need to source a plinth for the smaller equipment to be mounted on. This will be a kind of raised metal or wood framed box, clad in wood or white plastic sheets. There will need to be a  sturdy sheet timber top with mounting points drilled for health & safety reasons.

Floors need to be spotless for filming.

Other props: We can use old exhibition stand panels as backdrops and if necessary cover them in opaque PVC. Or do new graphics and attach them with velcro or gaffer tape. Or if you have a good interior decor then that will be fine. A trolley for all the parts and tools that need to be taken out of shots or stored in a safe way while filming.

Film day preparation

All staring products to be in a photographic condition. Flood lights for better lighting of inside parts which can be determined from a test video. We may have the need for getting right over the subjects to film from above. This could mean we need to improvise with ladders, drones or a crane. We need to have the cleanest overalls, tools, shoes, boots and gloves as they will stand out if they are less than spotless. We have to be on-brand, which in the UK means a clean industrial environment.

Script and content

Use the script or cue cards for the screen play, story boards and narration for the over-dubbed soundtrack. Story boards to show scene by scene breakdown of the video to ensure all the correct details are captured. This will form the main briefing document. Apart from total disassembly and re-assembly, some special scenes maybe required which need to be pointed out in a brainstorm before we get the signed off final script.

Pre-filming inspection

As with all major events, we will need to check that we have everything on hand for filming and that it is in the required condition. It makes sense to do this inspection around a week before we intend to film.

The filming day

Being filmed over a period of many minutes is a fairly nerve racking experience for people so it may be best to minimize the people on set during filming to a skeleton crew. That will avoid loads of retakes due to unnecessary distractions.

Shooting

Shooting the whole video in one hit will be the most efficient method of working and the story sections can be edited together in post-production. This will require consistency on the film set, or it will look odd. Fast forwarding “Benny Hill style” for any repetitive action sections can be fun or we can slow the film down to match the soundtrack in post-production. Most of the sound will be created separately as a soundtrack overdubbed during post production.

Post production

Technical narration to be worded from the script and recorded in total silence in the meeting room via voice recorder. We will use our sound studio for this to make a credible sound track which could involve music. Library music can be purchased from “Getty” at a sensible price. Stills and freeze frames can be created via the normal process of web and print artwork and can be attached to the storyboard briefing and divide the story sections if needed.

Realistic expectations

Video is far more complex than still images, so be aware of how much effort is required to make a video that has a good long life and look at lead times in months rather than days. Remember that videos generate huge web traffic thanks to the Google/YouTube link.