How do you plan for video production effectively?
Putting together a plan for video production, seems simple enough. However, as with anything, there are things that experts – like ourselves – would include that a business aiming to do the majority of the work themselves, might not. There are several ways to address this, one through a video marketer, two by working with a good video agency, and finally by running through this simple checklist:
1. Set your goals and objectives
We realise it might sound obvious but this is often an easy one to overlook. As part of our four-phase methodology, we run a video strategy session where we look at the 5Ws and 1H alongside storytelling techniques. Doing this allows us to find out what a client – and their customer – really wants. Your questions might be:
- What is the purpose of this video? Is it to increase brand awareness, generate leads, or even educate?
- Who do I want to watch it?
- Why should they pay attention to it?
- Where will they watch? On social media? A website? Or some place else?
- When in their customer journey do I want them to see the video?
- How do I want them to react?
Honing in on these questions helps to set a clear goal and objective to guide the rest of your video production. Not only that but it will help you plan wider marketing content around the video. You might see how you can capture still images on the day, or use the video as part of a wider social media campaign. Thinking about a wider strategy before you start will help you create a comprehensive video content bank for your customer journey.
2. Think about your audience
At Humanoid, we think about the audience during the video strategy session but also delve more deeply. We know that understanding your target audience and how they like to watch videos and the stories that resonate will create the best video content. Thinking too much ‘in the business’ as opposed to ‘outside the business’ can result in a message that causes your audience to switch off. Instead, look back at any audience research you’ve done or brainstorm their needs, interests and pain points. This will help you to create a video production plan that engages your customers effectively.
3. Focus on the shoot day
A point-and-shoot approach might feel all you need for the day itself. However, that can lead to time being wasted with the right people not being ready for interviews, not dressed on brand, or an unclear idea of the shots you need. Putting together a running order, a shot list, or a simple timing schedule can help things run smoothly. Not only that but prior planning can enable you to check any health and safety needed for the shoot itself and to be present in the final video too. We know that filming on motorways requires different PPE to a construction site, not only do we need to wear the necessary protective equipment, but we need to make sure it appears in the final video too! Planning the day will help avoid wasted time, expense and a low-quality video. The devil is always in the details, and careful planning is essential to ensure a smooth video shoot.
4. Thinking about the time needed and adding extra!
We spoke about different video content from a more DIY approach to high-quality in a previous post. If you’re aiming for quality this takes time and meticulous planning. The day’s filming is only one-third of the overall process. To plan video production effectively, we’d recommend investing time in every stage. From creating a shot list in pre-production, to setting the scene during production, to using the optimum video editing software. All will help you create a quality video.
5. Reviewing where people will watch your video
We’re watching more and more video online. That’s for work as well as in our personal lives. Thinking about where your audience will be watching your video is important. You can plan your video production around a longer-form video that can be edited into snippets for social media. But you might also want to look at different versions completely. These can still be filmed on one day but if you review this in a shot list you can make sure your video is optimised for your intended channels.
And finally: good luck!
We understand that a video agency like ourselves might not be right for your budget depending on the stage of your business. This is where you might want to invest your own time into creating video. Our checklist above will help but we also wish you good luck! And if you need a sounding board on video strategy then why not talk to us about our free session? We’re holding them until the end of the year with this offer and if you’re interested email ant@humanoid.uk and we can set something up.
