Video Handbook new2013

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Video 
Production 
 Handbook
Content
Introduction......................................................................................................................................................
Chapter 1: The Role of Video in Corporate Communication...........................................................
Chapter 2: Budget Considerations...........................................................................................................
Chapter 3: Choosing a Video Production Company..........................................................................
Checklist for selecting a Video Production Company.......................................................................
Evaluate your Answers.................................................................................................................................
Chapter 4 : Your responsibility as Client.................................................................................................
Chapter 5: Making a Video..........................................................................................................................
Stage 1 – Pre-production............................................................................................................................
Stage 2 – Production and Development................................................................................................
Stage 3 – Post-production...........................................................................................................................
Chapter 6: How long does it take to produce a video.......................................................................
Chapter 7: The Future of Video..................................................................................................................
Conclusion........................................................................................................................................................
About Sound Idea Productions.................................................................................................................
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Introduction
Over the last two years, video has emerged as one of the primary marketing tools in 
the world of corporate communication.
Nowadays, almost every boardroom comes standard with a DVD player; computers 
have DVD readers; and multimedia presentations incorporating video are becoming 
increasingly popular.
Even on the Internet the presence of video has increased to such an extent that 
GoogleTM (Universal Search) provides higher search rankings to websites that include 
relevant media clips.
At Sound Idea Productions, we are inundated with calls 
from companies who want to film corporate videos, but 
simply do not know where to start.
We found that people are often unsure of exactly what processes and procedures are 
involved, and that they have no clear idea of what is expected of them as clients. 
Further to this, we thought it best to write an e-Book intended for prospective ‘corporate 
video makers’. 
In this e-Book, we will touch upon issues such as:
- Your role as client
- Identifying suppliers
- Keeping within budget 
- Overview of the video production process.
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Chapter 01:
The Role of Video in Corporate Communication
Video is an invaluable marketing tool, leaving your prospects with a clear picture of your 
operation in less than ten minutes. During this time you can substantiate claims, overcome 
objections, and include testimonials of well-known experts in your industry.
Further to this, video also proves very effective as a ‘packaged sales tool’. It is proven that 
personal recommendations or referrals in your sales presentation, helps establish credibility. 
Sales people who start their sales presentation with a 10-minute video can talk from a position 
of strength because they have already established credibility by means of video.
Video can be used with great success for one-on-one sales meetings; exhibitions
or product launches; boardroom and conferences; broadcast television; and CD-ROM 
Presentations.
Copies of training videos can be made available to staff members, or you can even
make these available as downloadable video clips on your company intranet.
 
Chapter 02:
Budget Consideration 
The company budget set aside for producing the video will ultimately determine whether this 
will be a low-end or high-end video production. It is essential to consider factors such as the 
intended audience; the message of the video; and what the video will be used for.
A high-end project will require more crew, equipment, and time to produce than a low-end 
production. The planning phase is also much more intensive, as all filming locations are visited 
before the actual shoot. Additional costs incurred during the pre-production stage of high-end 
productions include sourcing filming locations through specialised agencies and hiring on-cam-
era presenters, actors, and ‘extras’.
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Artists are usually sourced by means of casting agents who, 
in addition to their own agency fees, will calculate rates 
according to the artist’s experience and individual ‘appearance 
fee’. Although auditions are considered a vital part of the 
casting process, it takes up a lot of time and subsequently 
adds to the cost.
Camera transport equipment such as ‘steady-cam’ (harness worn by the camera man); ‘tracks’ 
(a camera set up on tracks); and a ‘crane’ (used to lift, drop, and tilt the camera) will result in a 
high-quality, professional end product.
However, camera transport equipment is expensive to hire, and may take a considerable time to 
set up. Also, a number of crew members will need to be on standby to assemble and dissemble 
the different parts. Fortunately, there are ways to bring costs down dramatically, without sac-
rificing quality. You can identify staff members to act as extras in the video, or you can assume 
responsibility to source suitable filming locations. As travelling expenses incurred by the video 
production team will also be charged for, you can keep costs low by restricting filming locations 
to minimise travelling expenses.
During the post-production stage of the production, keep in mind that one animation of one 
or two seconds can take several days to create. Also, stock footage, ambient sound, and custom-
developed sound tracks (scripted according to individual shots and voice-over pieces), may 
result in your company having to pay more than was originally planned for.
Standard payment terms is usually 50% deposit which is payable on acceptance of the quote 
with the balance due on completion.
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Chapter 03: 
Choosing a Video Production Company
Once you have experienced the rewarding results of working with a proactive supplier 
you will be surprised to see how much more value you are getting for your money. 
In adopting a proactive approach, the video production company will prove themselves 
experts in their field by taking charge of and assuming responsibility or all processes and 
tasks throughout the video production process, without expecting the client to baby-sit them.
This type of video production company is able to pre-empt future pitfalls and risks, and will 
eliminate these before they arise. 
Keep the following in mind when choosing a video production company:
If you always go for the lowest quote, brace yourself for some difficult times. Remember, 
you’ll get what you pay for.
Big doesn’t necessarily mean professional. Do not look at the size of a company as an 
indication of its professionalism as you may get personalised attention and betterservice 
from a smaller supplier.
A good supplier will appreciate the work you give them, regardless of the size of the project.
Find a video production company with whom you can build a long-term relationship.
Make sure that this company has an established track record as corporate video producer and 
is considered professionals amongst its peers (i.e. do not employ a video production company 
that specialises in producing professional wedding videos).
Please also refer to the checklist on the next page when selecting a video production company.
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Checklist
For Selecting a Video Company
A. Meeting with the Video Production Company
1 Did the representative arrive on time for the meeting
2 Was the representative knowledgeable about his field of expertise
3 Did the representative explain the video production process as well 
 as explaining possible cost implications
4 Did the representative take the time to determine to your company needs 
 and requirements for this production (i.e. good listening skills)
5 Will they have sufficient time to spend on your production (if they are 
 taking on too many projects at one time, your project may not receive 
 the neccessary attention) 
6 Will the video production company take ownership of all the creative decisions.
7 Was the representative able to provide you with a video production portfolio.
8 Do they have sufficient experience in working with large or medium-sized corporates
9 Did they provide you with contactable references of these companies
B. Script Writing 
Does the video production company show insight into the following:
1 The specific needs of my company.
2 My company’s main core of business
3 My company’s strong and weak points
4 The needs and concerns of my target market..
5 My competitor’s strong and weak points..
6 Does the video production company have sufficient experience in script writing.
7 Did you view examples of scripts written by this company.
8 Were these scripts written professionally with no grammatical or spelling errors.
C. Filming Skills
1 Have you seen examples of their video productions
2 Did they incorporate various filming techniques, or have all shots been filmed using 
 only one technique
3 Would you feel comfortable if your video is produced in a similar fashion.
Y N
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D. Editing Skills
1 Were you able to watch the video without noticing transitions or visual effects.
E. General
1 Did you receive positive feedback from their references
2 Does their company website support their image as knowledgeable 
 experts in this field.
3 Did the company provide you with a quote within a reasonable time (i.e. 2 days)
4 Would you enjoy working with this company
Evaluating: 
Your Answers
If you ticked more than three ‘No’ answers on the checklist, we would definitely recommend 
you request additional quotes from other video companies.
Section A: Meeting with the video production company
Your first meeting with a prospective video production company will provide you with a clear idea 
of their level of expertise and amount of experience in producing similar video productions for 
large or medium-sized corporates.
You will also get a good idea of the breakdown of the production, cost implications, and any 
additional skills they have to offer.
A representative arriving late for a meeting or not taking the time to ask you about the exact needs 
of your company, are early indications that this company is not taking your project seriously.
The meeting will also help you determine whether this company are used to taking initiative and 
assuming responsibility. There is nothing worse than having to ‘baby-sit’ a video production com-
pany through every stage in the production process.
Y N
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Section B: Script Writing
The script writing process is probably one of the most important stages in the video production 
process. It is crucial that the person responsible for writing the script has in-depth knowledge 
of the needs of your company and target market, and what you wish to achieve by showing 
this video.
Make sure that the video production company allocate sufficient time to script writing as this will 
ultimately determine the quality and success of your end product.
Section C: Filming
Make sure to view samples of previous video productions by this company. Evaluate these produc-
tions against your company’s standards and expectations. Would you be happy if your video is 
produced and filmed in similar fashion?
Section D: Editing Skills
Editing is an unobtrusive art form. The viewer should be engaged with the story or the message 
without being continually aware of the camera or editing techniques. If you notice transitions or 
any visual effects whilst watching the video, you can be certain that the editing is not done by a 
professional.
Section E: General
Obtain references from other companies, before approving any quotes. Also, make sure to visit the 
video production company’s website. Outdated content, broken links, or a lack of sufficient infor-
mation, are all indications that this company is not one of the top-players in the video production 
industry.
Finally, always request detailed quotes. This will provide you with an idea of the amount of time-
and effort the video production company is prepared to spend on each aspect within your video. 
You should never have to wait more than two working days to receive a quote from a prospective 
video production company. If you need to chase them for any information at this very early stageof 
the process, you will most definitely need to chase them for every little detail during every stage of 
the video production process.
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Chapter 04: 
Your Responsibility as a Client
In order to improve your relationship with your supplier, demand the highest standards but don’t 
forget to deliver on your side of the deal:
Draw up guidelines from the start on the desired end result and decide who will be in charge 
of what.
 
Avoid placing the video production company under impossible deadlines and pressure.
The video production company provides you with a cost estimate based on the provided 
scope and any changes to this will have direct cost implications. (i.e. never underplay the 
scope of work on briefing in order to get a lower quote)
Do not wait until the project is complete to show the final product to all authorising parties 
in your company. This may lead to ‘author’s corrections’ (i.e. making changes to previously 
signed-off phases) which requires additional time for corrections and involving significant 
cost implications.
Lastly, do not delay payment for no apparent reason.
Stage 01: 
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Chapter 05: 
Making a Video
The three stages of video production are:
Stage 1 - Pre-production
Stage 2 - Production & development
Stage 3 - Post production
Stage 01: 
Pre-production
Pre-production covers all activities required in preparing for the shoot.
Planning
Set communication goals by listing the occasion the video is being created for; what message 
you wish to convey; your intended audience and what they already know about your company.
Make sure to also take the audience’s level of expertise into account.
Drawing up an outline (skeleton)
Decide what topics needs to be covered in the video and list ideas and main points that you 
wishto get across in the introduction, body, and conclusion.
The video production company will use this list to visualise and plan for all possible items that 
will need to be filmed.
Keep in mind that including music tracks on your video may have copyright implications. As 
such, it is important to liaise with your video production company on your choice of background 
music and to obtain copyright permissionbefore filming starts.
The video production company will plan behind the scenes arrangements regarding crew, actors, 
travelling, accommodation, food and refreshments, location, and permission arrangements.
As the client, make sure to approve talent before the shoot is booked. When selecting talent 
(models, actors, voice-over artists, etc.) make sure that they fit the desired overall look and feel 
for your video. Always arrange with the video production company to meet and approve talent 
before they are hired.
Writing the script
The script writing process is probably the most important phase in the video production process.
In order to produce a professionally written script addressing the needs of your target market, 
it is vital that the video production company has a clear understanding of your company’s main 
core of business, competitors, as well as knowing the needs of your target market.
The script should be written in a conversational manner and needs to come across as if theinfor-
mation is being told, not read.
It is highly recommended to invest in a professional writer. Ask the video production company 
whether they include script writing as part of their service, and if so, make sure to ask for samples 
of scripts written by them.
Preparing shot lists and visual preparation
Once the script has been finalised, the video production company will plan a detailed shot list. 
Traditionally a shot list is formatted in a two-column structure with the narration on the left and 
the detailed shot description next to the corresponding information on the right.
The planned shot list should include as much detail as possible and be ‘timed’ so that the director 
has some idea of how much time he has on individual shots.
The shot list is then re-formatted into a filming order, where individual shots are now grouped 
into categories of like shots.
Elements such as time of day during which shots need to take place, lighting, sound equipment, 
crew and camera handling equipment such as cranes and tracks, are taken into consideration.
The next step is to source stock photography, music, and obtain copyright clearance, if applica-
ble.
The video production company will confirm models, actors, on-camera presenters and make sure 
of their contractual requirements.
In addition to this, they will confirm all equipment, filming locations, travelling arrangements, 
accommodation, food and refreshments. The production company will brief all parties involved 
and send out time schedules.
Finally, a remote survey is performed and all remaining details are finalised. The proactive video 
production company will make allowance for a “Plan B”, as plans may need to change on account 
of weather or any other major determining and unforeseeable factors.
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Planning the shooting diary
During this phase, a detailed shooting diary is drafted and final elements are scheduled. A pre-
cise timeline is drawn up, allocating time per shot. When planning shooting days and time, trav-
elling between locations needs to be calculated, as well as the time it takes to put up and break 
down equipment, sets and props.
It is essential that every minute is planned for and that the crew never needs to wait for anything, 
in order to get the job done.
These are all the factors that the video production company will take into consideration during 
the pre-production phase of development.
Stage 02: 
Production & Development
As the client you need to be as prepared for your role in the video-production process as the 
crew and the director. It is necessary for the client to be aware of every facet of the filming day, 
and to be ready to walk through every step with the crew.
After all, you need to ensure that every detail that is captured on film will portray the company in 
the best possible light.
There are many intricate details involved in the production of a video – many that you, as the 
client, may never need to be aware of or concerned with. The crew and producer will take care of 
these without needing to discuss these first.
However, there are certain precautions and steps that you, as the client, can take to help deliver 
the optimum result.
Dress each scene correctly
Ensure that each person is wearing the correct gear and that the necessary safety measures and 
precautions are followed throughout the filming. The immediate
environment should also be tidy and aesthetically pleasing. 
Lastly, make sure that all people and objects that you would like to feature on camera are placed 
in the scene. 
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Stick to the plan
The clock doesn’t start when filming begins, but rather when the crew arrives. The standard call 
time (arrival to wrap up) is ten hours. Most video producers plan every hour very carefully so that 
overtime is not required.
For optimal results a detailed call sheet is supplied to each person involved in the production 
(see example below).
Name Scenes Time Location Contact Number
Joe Smith 7
13
15
10:45
13:00
15:20
Hanger 10
Canteen
Helipad
072 111 3123
Wanda de Klerk 3
5
13
08:30
09:45
13:00
Landing strip 3
Inside Plane
Canteen
082 111 3178
Henry Jones 9 11:30 Runway 13 072 111 9874
 
Spur-of-the-moment ideas may lead to spontaneous developments in the program, but deviat-
ing from the preprepared plan may run the production into overtime. Every additional hour of 
filming has implications including extra costs that you may be held accountable for.
Crew’s Safety
It may seem like an excellent shot will be achieved from scaffolding that reaches three floors up, 
but unless your company has efficient safety gear and precautions, this kind of scenario should 
be entirely avoided. Also, take the immediate environment and location of the shot into account 
(e.g. a video crew filming in downtown Johannesburg may be robbed).
Invest in rain insurance
In the event of bad weather at an outdoor venue, an entire day of shooting may be wasted, that 
you may be charged for. Most video producers charge a small fee to cover the insurance of a 
wasted day on site.
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Power Supply
Make sure that there are sufficient power supplies available for all equipment.
Ambient Noise
Keep in mind that the camera records ambient sound. The camera man would need to record 
only the location’s natural ambient noise and not the voices of the audience who have gathered 
to watch the filming. In other words, do not allow hangers-on to gather around the set.
Role Players during the production stage
Although one person can fulfil a number of roles during the production stage(e.g. that of director 
and producer), a production team typically consists of the following role players:
Director
This person will be responsible for staging the production. He or she will coordinate the produc-
tion team and is also responsible for the selecting talent. The director guides and cues the perfor-
mance and supervises post-production editing.
Camera operators
Camera operators are responsible for all filming operations.
Lighting Director
The lighting director arranges and supervises all lighting and lighting equipment.
Audio Engineer
The audio engineer is responsible for sound balance and supervises personnel operating micro-
phones and sound equipment.
Make-Up Artist
The make-up artist applies make-up to all actors throughout the video shoot.
Floor crew
The crew is responsible for moving equipment and assisting with the setting-up of locations or 
dressing of settings.
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Stage 03: 
Post-production
During the editing phase, the client’s role is to ensure that the ‘story’ be told correctly, and 
not too carry the burden of making creative decisions.
By the time the video reaches post-production, it is too late to change ideas about how you 
want certain elements withinthe video portrayed. Changes to the script or existing footage 
may lead to extra filming or recording requirements, all of which delay production and inflate 
the video production cost.
Further to this, it is important that the client have rough edits signed off at each step within 
the post-production phase.
For the recording of the voice over, the client should be present to check all technicalities in 
the script. Leaving these kinds of elements up to the director or engineer’s discretion may lead 
to mistakes and inflated costs.
The editor will make a rough-cut of visuals and voice-overs in sync, but will be devoid of all 
effects and techniques, colour matching and graphics. The music that a director intends on 
using may also be included.
The choice of music is based on certain criteria: relevant to the type of production, providing 
value to the video and not overshadowing the voice artist.
A good editor draws the viewer into the story of the video while the viewer is oblivious to 
the editing component. It is this kind of skill in the craft that takes editing to the level of an 
unobtrusive art form.
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Chapter 06: 
How long does it take to produce a video?
The below table provides an indication of the amount of time needed to produce a video with 
an estimated duration of 8-10 minutes.
Please note that these times are merely an estimate and that the exact time needed to produce a 
video depends on a number of factors such as the duration of video, type of video, filming loca-
tions, and amount of travelling required.
Stage High-End Video Production Standard Video Production
Planning 4 Days 2 Days
Script Writing 8 Days 4 Days
Filming 4 Days 2 Days
Editing & Post-Production 20 Days 10 Days
Total Number of Days 36 Days 18 Days
Chapter 07: 
The Future of Video
With broadband becoming more accessible and more affordable, even more South Africans are 
able to access the internet from their own homes. As a direct result of this, the Internet as me-
dium for the uploading and distribution of video will play an everincreasing role in every day 
communication.
Following the popularity of video on the Internet, companies are starting to include video as 
corporate communication medium on their company intranet. The reason for this is obvious: not 
only are videos easy to download and duplicate, it can also be updated to include the latest up-
to-date information.
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Conclusion 
We trust that, as prospective video maker, you found this e-Book useful and that most of your 
questions regarding the various steps and processes involved in the ‘making of a video’ were 
answered.
At Sound Idea Productions, we will gladly answer any additional queries you may have. We are 
also looking forward to providing you with the necessary assistance and working with you as
proactive supplier in the making of your own corporate video.
About:
Sound Idea
At Sound Idea Productions, we help our clients to get their message across with impact, by 
creating dynamic new-media and print-based communication material.
Our areas of expertise include video production, web design and development, as well as 
graphic design and multimedia productions.
For more details visit our website on www.soundidea.co.za. Alternatively, please contact our 
offices directly on 012 664 4227 or via email on info@soundidea.co.za
	Introduction.......................................................................................
	Introduction