Video consumption is at an all-time high. With businesses leveraging the power of video to separate themselves from the competition - it’s no surprise that video marketing is the key that drives engagement, traffic, leads, and audience understanding. Video content is a powerful tool for online storytelling and digital marketing, but if you just start creating content without planning, you may find it more challenging than anticipated. To help ease the burden, we’ve created this checklist to help your video pre-production process go smoothly.

1. Define the Budget

Cost should always be the first thing you think about when you are creating video content. If you are not careful, video marketing can quickly become expensive if you are not careful. If you don’t set a realistic budget, it can be easy to come up with some very dope ideas that will cost a fortune. Setting a budget early will save you money in the long run and help ground your ideas in reality. Knowing the budget ahead of time also lets you nail down what you can and cannot do for the project - it takes the guess-work out the production eliminating unnecessary risks.

2. Clarify the Message

There is no one-size-fits all when it comes to producing high-quality video content, so be sure to be specific on what you are trying to answer. What do you want your viewers to take away from the video? Are you trying to explain a new product or service, or is the video focused on generating brand awareness? What problem are you trying to solve for your customers, and how is your solution effective? We don’t advise fitting all the answers you want in one video. You will lose your audience quickly. Define a specific purpose for the video before you start creating it - if you don’t know what you' are communicating through your video, then don’t make one.

3. Define Your Audience

Your audience that interacts with your brand on a daily basis and the ones that watch your video content may not necessarily be one and the same. Look at your established purpose and message, and then think about who is most likely to engage with the video. Before beginning production, understand who you are trying to target by developing a buyer persona of your ideal audience:

A buyer persona should identify certain key characteristics, such as:

Demographics
Psychographics
Customer motivations
Customer hobbies and interests
Customers profession
Pain points

With a buyer persona you can create a more focused video that connects with your ideal customer.

4. Write a Script and Storyboard

Storyboards are the representation of the written script drawn in phases.

Though it might be tedious, having a successful script paves the way for a much smoother production.

When writing your script, take the time to get input from other members of your marketing team who interact frequently with the customers. Whether you work with professional scriptwriters or the video marketing agency, its worth the additional time investment to repeat the cycle of refine, revise and critique until all stakeholders fully believe in the final script.

Once the script is in place, use storyboards to visualize the shoot before it happens. Why? Because the storyboard takes the script and verifies its possibility by taking the images in your head and putting them on paper.

Storyboarding helps answers questions like:

Is there natural light or do we need lighting equipment?
Do we have a set location?
Is the location applicable for filming?
Do we have the proper tools to complete the shots we want?
Do we have the right talent for this script?

5. Make A Shot List

Shot lists are the combination of the script and the storyboard. Shot lists include specific details one shot at a time. They can include the location, the scene and shot number, who is in the scene, where the audio and lighting are coming from and a short description of what the shot to be. This is your step-by-step guide for the actual day of shooting.

6. Overestimate The Time You Need

Video shoots can be time-consuming. From crew arrival to tear down, it can be hard to know exactly home much time you need. Give yourself more time than you think you could ever need.

Underestimating production time is just as bad as overestimating resource capacity. Don’t rush through one section of your storyboard because you haven’t allocated enough time to film it— you might end up having to reshoot, which means renting equipment and getting the actors back again.

One thing you may hear while you are working on a video shoot is, “We can fix it in post.” Quite the contrary. While video editing is an amazing tool that can elevate your video, it is not magic. Too often people rely on video editing to clean up unfocused video, poor lighting and bad audio. However, taking the time in the moment to get the shot the best it can be will pay dividends in the long run.

7. Determine Equipment Needs

The type of equipment you need will vary depending on the size of your shoot. The basics of what to have on-hand during your shoot are:

Camera (either DSLR or good quality phone camera)
Tripod
Camera bag
3-point lighting set
Camera light
Microphones

When you are looking at equipment, check what inventory you have in-house first before purchasing or renting anything. Depending on your video marketing budget, you may want to consider renting equipment instead of purchasing it outright. Camera equipment can easily get expensive to purchase, but can be rented for much more reasonable prices.

8. Determine The Shoot Location

Your location plays a large role in your video creation process. When it comes to choosing a filming location, you have a number of options to choose from. Will you be on set in a studio or in a practical location such as an office, a home or somewhere outside?

Shooting on location Depending on what and where you are filming, you may need to get film permits from the local film office. Shooting on location will also require you to provide transportation for the crew, talent, and equipment—and if filming outdoors, you have to consider possible changes in weather.
Studios can offer elaborate, customized sets within a controlled environment. Plus, you won’t have to worry about weather or other unexpected events disrupting your shoot. They can also often provide gear and may guarantee you a quiet work environment. However, these options can quickly become expensive during a multiday shoot.
Audio. One of the most important things to think about when choosing your location is the sound. If you are filming an interview or dialogue, you want to find somewhere quiet without the worry of getting interrupted.

Renting a studio will cost additional money, but shooting on location can quickly evolve into a multi-day shoot, which will end up costing you more. Take a considerate amount of time to decide where you decide to shoot your video.

9. Scout the Shoot Location

Do a walk-through of the location and consider the following:

SPACE

Location shows the company in the best light.
It’s clean and organized
It has natural light or you plan to purchase appropriate lights.
It’s a space where you won’t get any unwanted interruptions, distractions and interference such as a ringing phone, an air vent, street traffic, echos or ambient noises.
It helps establish familiarity with your brand, product or service or showcases expertise.
It is interesting, but not distracting. Don’t set up a video interview in front of a plain wall, which shows no personality nor gives any insight to your company. Position yourself where you see plenty of space behind you you. Depth is good! Just make sure the space isn't too distracting.
The walls, wall hangings and background are not distracting.
The space does not contain anything the company wouldn’t want competitors to see.
It has enough room to move around and set up cameras properly. You want a space that has some depth so you can create contrast between the person on camera and the background.
AUDIO
Stand in your location with your eyes closed for 30 seconds to get a good sense of how the room sounds. Listen for ringing phones, street traffic, people upstairs or in the next room, noisy vents, etc.

Take into consideration any unexpected noise interruptions, such as someone opening a door, ambient computer noises, or an intercom system.
If someone is talking or being interviewed, use a lav mic hat can clip onto the person’s collar. This will help pick up the person’s voice and keep unwanted noise to a minimum.

LIGHTING
Avoid overhead fluorescents, which often cast a pale yellow light.
Avoid any lighting that sits directly above the subject, which may cast dark shadows on the person.
Purchase a ring light with a tripod. It’s an inexpensive light and great for rooms with limited light or lighting challenges.
learn the fundamentals of 3-point lighting to bring out a professional look to your interviews
Avoid shooting the subject with a very bright light or window directly behind them. They’ll appear like a sillhouette and will be difficult to fix during the edit.
Take into account each person’s skin tone and the shine on their face. Adjust the lighting so their faces do not seem too bright or too shiny.

If you have concerns about the space, test it out on camera first. Once you have decided on the best location, camera placement and where people on camera should be, use tape to mark the floor so you can easily set up on the day of the shoot. Doing so will save you a lot of time during the day of filming.

10. Plan Your Wardrobe

Does it matter what you wear? Absolutely. The wrong attire can be distracting to viewers. Be deliberate in choosing outfits for the video shoot using these tips:

Avoid stripes or highly-detailed patterns that can be distracting to a viewer. Solid colors tend to work best. Of course, this is subject to the overall tone you want to achieve.
Avoid high-contrast clothing like a bright white shirt and bright pants.
Avoid an all-black ensemble. This can cause some detail of the garment being lost or the create a “floating head” effect.
Avoid clothing that has writing, images or logs on it unless they are company shirts specifically planned for the video shoot. Otherwise, you risk more time in editing to remove them.
Keep jewelry and accessories simple. Adjusting a scarf or noisy necklaces and bracelets will be distracting.
Wear clothing that fits appropriately.
Wear clothing that is comfortable and natural-looking.

By following these guidelines, you’ll avoid having to “fix it in post” or spend extra time and money in the post-production process to get the results you need. There are certainly more steps in between, but this list should get you in a position to plan and create high-quality videos that can help boost your company’s performance in the marketplace.

Conclusion

Remember, Video Marketing is Worth It!

Video marketing is overwhelming. There are a ton of factors that go into making a successful video, but if you are feeling stressed about the process, remember it is worth it,

According to Wyzowl,

87% of marketers say video has helped them increase traffic.
94% of marketers say video has helped them increase understanding of product or service.
86% of marketers say video has helped them generate leads.
81% of marketers say video has helped them directly increase sales.
93% of marketers say video has helped them increased brand awareness.

Creating video content is complicated, but can be highly effective for your brand. Making sure you have your bases covered will save you time and money, and make the overall process much more enjoyable.

Our Advice…
Hire a Professional Video Production Company

Producing a high-quality video tailored to your audience is a great way to build brand awareness, acquire leads, and generate conversions. But creating an effective video is easier said than done.

Working with a professional video production company can help you navigate the pre-production process and effectively plan a video shoot that falls within your budget and meets your needs. If you need some extra input or an extra pair of hands in the production process, give HADJI Studios a shout. We specialize in distinct brand films that help get what you desire. To get started, schedule a free 20min ideation call. LFG.

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Planning a Video Project: 10 Essential Pre-Production Tips