Making Corporate Video’s
For the inexperienced film-maker, the prospect of producing a corporate video can appear daunting. Fortunately, the basic process of creating an effective and successful corporate video can be broken down into 5 simple stages. This guide may not be entirely applicable to your project, but it does provide a rough backbone and helps clarify the process. If you are considering hiring a company to produce your corporate video for you, this guide will help shed some light on the steps involved, and will inform you of steps in the process that could be completed without the help of a professional company.
Creative Brief –
The first step in this guide will outline the importance of having a creative brief. Before filming has even started, it is important to identify what content and ideas you wish to involve in your video. If working with a professional company, it is essential to inform them of key factors that will impact the production of the video, such as budget restrictions and time available. This will enable the work to be carried out smoothly, without the risk of running out of time or going over budget. It’s always useful to hold an initial meeting with the production company, to ensure that the purpose and the style of the video will not stray too far away from the original plans, and to establish the target audience of the video. Taking the time to brainstorm effectively will create a clearer outline for you and the production company to follow, and will help strengthen your working relationship.
Pre production-
The production company will then give a realistic estimate of how far your budget will stretch, and whether they will require more funds to create the corporate video to the extent that you desire. They will also take into consideration the scale and required work of your planned project, and clarify whether it will be possible to complete within the agreed time schedule. Once both parties have agreed to the terms, a filming schedule will be produced. This is an essential part of the process, as it gives a clear plan for the production company to adhere to. Storyboard artwork may be drawn up as well, a practice that is becoming increasingly common amongst modern day directors, as it helps visualise the scenes that will take place.
The Shoot –
Although this may appear to be the most important and time consuming stage with a corporate video production, it is often found to be relatively stress free, provided everything has been planned sufficiently. Everyone on set will receive information regarding their roles during filming, in the form of a call sheet, to ensure that people are in the right place at the right time. Once this key information has been clarified with all of the staff, the filming can begin.
Edit –
This is where the fun really begins. Or, depending on how you deal with stress, the hard work. Video editing can be a tiresome chore, especially for those unfamiliar with the various tips and tricks to help get the job finished faster. Essentially, suitable footage will be selected to be included in a rough cut for the client to view. This rough cut will include any graphics, voiceovers, effects or music that will also be present in the final video. A review meeting will be held to discuss any drastic changes that should be made during the editing process. After the material has been approved, the final edit will take place.
Delivery –
This concerns the manner in which your video will reach your target audience, and the format it will be encoded in. If the video is to be presented on the company website, it will have to be adapted for this purpose, and may require a special technique of embedding. For many companies, the most effective method of distributing their corporate videos is through the release of a DVD; in that case, you may want to consider packaging and cover design specific to your company. Once again, time and budget constraints will have to be taken into consideration.
This guide will act as a rough outline for anyone considering producing a corporate video for their company, but for a truly professional and effective video, it would be worthwhile seeking the guidance of a professional company. Try Dragonfly for your production needs.
