While most video content creators would love to spend less time on planning a video project and jump straight into filming, this may not produce the best results. Video pre-production can seem quite tedious at first, but our short but thorough checklist will leave no doubt about the importance of spending time on this crucial stage.
Smoothing out wrinkles in video pre-production and planning sets the right tone for the rest of your project, and helps prevent obstacles or misunderstandings in the production and post-production phases.
Read through our checklist to learn how to get your video project started the right way.
The 4 Key Steps in Pre-Production
Talent
Are you going to have other people in your video? What specific role will they be playing?
If you are bringing someone onboard for your video project, you have to make sure they are fully aware of what is expected of them. It is vital to be on the same page to ensure cohesion and a positive working atmosphere that can also extend into production and post-production as well.
For example, if your video involves an interview, it would be helpful to run through the script together. This takes pressure off the shooting of the video itself, as everyone is aware of what questions will be asked and the responses they should anticipate.
If the guest is a friend, co-worker or perhaps a family member, the working atmosphere can be much lighter. However, if you intend to hire professional or amateur actors, you will probably need to sign an agreement and get permission to use them in your video.
Additionally, an actor will have their own expectations from you as a creator. It is important to see eye to eye and establish a mutual understanding in the pre-production phase, as it will form the foundation for a strong working partnership.
Script
A lot of effort needs to go into producing the script for your video, as it is the heart and soul of the entire project. The script can make or break your video quality, so make sure you spend enough time writing and revising it to put yourself in the best position for video production.
Run through the script numerous times, whether you are recording alone or together with a cast. Spending time on this is definitely worth it, as it will likely make the video production phase smoother and help reduce any nervousness among the cast.
Do not be afraid to work with the team to revise the script as you go along. Feel free to adjust the script as you see fit until you are happy with the results.
Another helpful tool you can use is a storyboard. The board does not have to be in immense detail; just enough to put you and your talent on the same page and allow you to show exactly how you want the video to come to life. You can use a storyboard to illustrate lighting, character placement and any other notes needed in the video production without any unpleasant surprises.
Location
Deciding on the location of your video shoot is also a significant step in pre-production. This is a challenging but important step, as you want to put yourself in the optimal environment to record a high-quality video.
You may not have a suitable space to record in your home. Luckily there are many locations you can hire out for your video. A good idea would be to check out the location and see if it meets your requirements, or if there are any obstacles such as background noise or poor lighting that could affect production quality.
Another case would be recording your video in public. You need to make sure the outdoor space where you plan to record has no restrictions on filming. For example, you may use a drone to record video footage. Not all public spaces permit the use of drones, and in some locations this would require specific permission from local authorities.
Equipment
Last but not least, consider all the gear you will need for video production before you shoot. Take cords, tripods, cables, batteries, microphone, camera and anything else you will need.
It would also be a good idea to test the equipment beforehand and make sure everything is working as intended. In the event that something goes wrong during production, for example a camera not having any charge, having spare equipment on set can save the day.
Despite this, equipment can be quite bulky and expensive too, which can impede the video production process. Fortunately, all-in-one video recording software such as Podcastle exists to eliminate potential problems related to the video production process. For example, background noise is a common issue when recording. Podcastle’s ‘Magic Dust’ feature removes all background noise from audio with just a single click.
How to Record High-Quality Video with Podcastle
Here’s how you can record your pro-quality video in 3 quick steps:
1) Head over to Podcastle to register your account.
2) Welcome to your dashboard! Click the ‘Create’ button. You will see two options - ‘Project’ and ‘Recording’. Select ‘Project’ from the drop-down menu to get started on your video project.
3) This is the main screen of the video project. Import video files to start editing as indicated by the red arrow. Once complete, click the ‘Export’ button in the top right corner to export your project for further work in other formats or on other devices. And just like that, you are now ready to start recording your video project with Podcastle!
Wrapping Up
Making your first video can seem challenging. Luckily, a simple pre-production checklist like ours can guide you to mastering your video project planning with just a few steps.
We all start somewhere. Your first video may not be perfect, and that is completely fine! Never be afraid to make mistakes, as it is the mistakes that you will always learn the most from as a content creator.
Once you get going and start producing video after video by sticking to a consistent pre-production checklist, you will begin to notice changes. The process takes time, effort and lots of hard work, but your videos will improve over time.
So what are you waiting for? Why invest in costly and bulky equipment to complicate the production process? Head over to Podcastle to get started on your interview or other video projects in just minutes.
