The Who, What, and Why of Video Production
Between streaming services, social media, and the barrage of feature films released every year, we’re consuming more video content than ever before. In fact, Netflix members around the world spend more than 140 million hours per day watching the streaming service.
What’s more, according to YouTube’s Official Blog, people consume over a billion hours of video every day. To put that in perspective, that would take a single person over 100,000 years to watch. Moreover, there were nearly 1,000 feature films released in 2018.
All this is to say, the amount of video content produced and consumed is only going to increase. It’s how businesses stand out, stories get told, and consumers digest information. But who exactly is producing all of this content? What is video production, exactly? And why do organizations want it so badly? To pull all of those questions into focus, we stepped away from the lens to jot it down for you.
What Is Video Production?
Video production is the process of creating and producing a video. From Netflix originals and television broadcasts to YouTube series and customer testimonials, there is a wide variety of video content. Businesses and other organizations often seek production services if they’re aiming to amplify brand awareness, increase conversion rates, and improve their online visibility.
Whether you’re shooting a feature film or a website banner video, the process remains largely the same. The three stages of video production include:
Pre-production
Production
Post-Production
Pre-Production
Pre-production is the first step in the video creation process. During this phase, video production companies and freelance filmmakers lay the groundwork for shooting by planning, researching, and organizing all of the elements of the project. Depending on the scale of the video, pre-production could include:
Graphic Design
Location & Tech Scouting
Production Design
Scriptwriting/Screenwriting
Video Strategy
Branding
Budgeting
Casting
Creating a Shot List
Equipment Rentals and Purchases
Production
The production phase is what most people think when they hear “video production.” It’s where the lights, camera(s), and action all come into place and the subject is captured on camera.
Depending on the type, scope, and budget of a project, the size of the crew will change significantly. For instance, a broadcast commercial will likely involve one to three “shooters,” whereas a full-length documentary may include a dozen or more positions including:
Audio Technician
Camera Operator
Digital Imaging Technician
Director
Director of Photography (DP)
First Assistant Camera (1st AC)
First Assistant Director (1st AD)
Gaffer
Key Grip
Lighting Director (LD)
Producer
Production Assistant
Post-Production
While most people think production is “where the magic happens,” post-production is really where all the visual wizardry takes place. During this phase, editors select and combine video clips in using video editing software (e.g., Adobe Premiere, Final Cut Pro, Avid, Corel VideoStudio, iMovie).
During post-production, transitions, motion graphics, special effects, and animations are often added. In addition, editors will often color correct and grade content to ensure consistency and apply a stronger tone to the film. Combined, all of the individual clips make the story come to life on the screen. Depending on the studio or agency, post-production may also include distribution and marketing.
Who Is Producing All Of This Video Content?
That’s an excellent question, seeing as more than 500 hours of video content are uploaded to YouTube every minute! Today, people from all walks of life are creating content using nothing more than their cell phones. However, high-quality video content is often produced by video production agencies.
While cell-phone footage is appropriate for social media posts, professionally-produced content is recommended for corporate videos, broadcast commercials, documentaries, and feature films. By using a seasoned agency, you can ensure not only that the video is high-quality, but that all of the audio and visual effects are exceptional.
Why Is Video Content So Vital To Businesses?
When it comes to building a brand and trust with your audience, video content is essential. And no, we’re not just talking about television commercials. Yes, traditional ads are still effective, but brands looking to form a genuine connection with their audience are investing in corporate videos to illuminate their company’s culture, mission, and values. Not only does this marketing approach help generate leads, but it also attracts talent.
However, at the end of the day, the all-mighty dollar is what most businesses are looking for. So with that mind, consider this:
Researchers at Aberdeen Group and Vidyard found that marketers who used video grew revenue 49% faster than non-video users.
According to Cisco, 80% of all consumer internet traffic comes from watching video content.
A survey by Animoto suggests that 64% of consumers have been influenced to make a purchase because of a Facebook video.
The Right Studio For Your Brand
At this point, we hope you have a thorough understanding of what video production is and why it’s such a critical element of your digital marketing strategy and/or capturing your story effectively. Once you decide creating video is the next step, you need to find an agency that can make your brand, story, and vision come to life on a digital medium.
Our recommendation: find a seasoned video production agency with a knack for storytelling, high standards for quality, and a flexible style. Funnily enough, it just so happens that you’re reading a blog from an agency that checks all of those boxes. If you’re interested in learning more about our video production services, drop by our contact page and let us know how we can help.