There are many ways to create a corporate video. You could produce it yourself, set up an in-house video team, or call in the big guns- video production companies.
Video production agencies exist to make videos for businesses of all sizes. They consist of a team of professionals specializing in multiple services, from creative development to post-production efforts. In a nutshell, a corporate video production company has the expertise that cannot be learned overnight.
If this is your first time working with a video production company, you want to be in the know. It’s vital to have an idea of how the production process works and what the agency can (and should) do for you.
What to Expect from a Video Production Company?
Let’s look at what happens when you collaborate with a commercial video services provider.
1. Research and Creative Thinking
One of the best things about working with a production agency is that you have a team of creatives bringing your story to life. Even before production begins, the video company will work hard behind the scenes to gain deeper insight into your business and its target audience. They’ll come up with a concept, timeline, and budget for your video based on its context and goal.
Although the research stage is easy to overlook, it’s where most of the brainstorming takes place. Additionally, this phase helps set the right foundation for the remainder of the production process. You and the video production company must be on the same page for your video to turn out as expected.
A word of caution here. Although a good video production company will want to act on your visions, they’ll tell you what isn’t feasible- and what changes are required to make things work. This provides the perfect opportunity to shake things up, fill knowledge gaps, and pivot your strategy for better execution.
At Crew Pictures, for example, we check all the boxes of the rhetorical triangle, using pathos (emotional appeal), ethos (ethical/trust appeal), and logos (logical appeal) to make persuasive campaigns for audiences. We look to align our stylistic inclinations with our client’s requests and create something both spectacular and comprehendible.
2. Pre-Production
Pre-production is the second (and often final) stage of planning and logistics. Here’s where the goals defined in the strategy phase are made actionable. You’ll start seeing scripts, storyboards, and schedules establishing which scenes to shoot and when.
That’s not all. Pre-production also involves:
- Breaking down the script into times of day, locations, characters, extras, special effects, props, vehicles, animals, sound effects, music cues, and costumes.
- Scouting for locations and securing permits.
- Auditioning for talent across all the roles according to the script and the director’s notes.
- Rehearsing with the final cast.
The pre-production phase allows you to organize everything you need before the cameras start rolling. With effective pre-production efforts, you save time and money- two of the most limited resources in commercial video production.
3. Production
duction phase, the video production company will capture all the footage required to bring your story to life.
Depending on the nature of your project, you (or a representative from your organization) may be asked to stay on set for the filming. Since shoot days can be extremely long and involve multiple locations, lighting, and camera set-up changes, be sure to adjust your workday if you choose to attend.
Generally, the production phase includes:
- Setting up the sound/lighting/video equipment
- Having talent perform the script
- Recording voiceovers, if needed
- Capturing B-Roll (extra footage used to support your story)
A big part of commercial video production is preparing for emergencies, and that’s where hiring an experienced video production agency can benefit you. Not only will they come equipped with additional power sources and extension cords, but they’ll also have the bandwidth to include shots that may not have been in the original plan.
4. Post-Production
After the filming wraps, the footage will be passed onto the editor’s table. This is where the real magic happens. As the client, you’ll not have to be in the editing room, but you will need to be available to review the different versions of the video and provide feedback.
Here are the five usual steps of post-production.
a. Cutting
The raw footage is edited and pieced together to tell the overall story. Essentially, the post-production editor reads the script, reviews the footage, and cuts it together to develop the final product.
This doesn’t happen in one shot. The editor first creates a rough cut and proceeds to make additional edits until you land on the final version. Generally speaking, this can take anywhere between a few days to weeks, based on the length and complexity of the video.
b. Sound Editing
Next, the sound editors will add and enhance the sound of the final footage. Besides inserting background music, this also involves editing out ambient noise and re-recording dialogues that weren’t captured on set.
c. Visual Effects
Artists and engineers may also design computer-generated visual effects to improve the viewing experience. Again, this varies from project to project- not all commercial videos will require graphics and VFX.
d. Sound Mixing
First things first- sound mixing isn’t the same as sound editing. It’s the art of adjusting audio levels to ensure they aren’t too loud or jarring compared to other sounds in the video.
e. Color Grading
Finally, a color editor (or colorist) goes through each frame of the film to match the color gradient to the shot’s overall vibe. This is done to create consistency across shots and establish the mood of the scene/video.
Wrapping Up
There you have it- four things you can expect when working with a video production agency. Remember, this is just a generalized version of things- different companies have different working models, but while the specifics might vary, a few aspects are common across the board. Any real-deal video services agency will have a solid process that integrates built-in steps, with each milestone requiring the client’s approval.
Ready to work with a reputable video production company in Utah? Look no further than Crew Pictures! We have a diverse group of experts available to fulfill all your video production needs- whether it’s to complement your in-house team or handle the production process from the ground up. For more information, feel free to contact us today!