Video content has fast become the visual medium businesses prefer to use to reach their target audience. Businesses are looking to video more than ever to increase brand awareness and stay top-of-mind with their customers.

Video also presents businesses with an affordable and accessible way of reaching their target audience, with almost three-quarters (72%) of consumers watching videos on websites, mobile apps, or streaming services daily. Having the right tools and a solid video production process are key to creating professional videos. From shooting to editing, there are a number of steps to take to produce a video that your audience will love.

Read on for an overview of the video production process, so you can streamline creation to produce video content quickly, efficiently, and cost-effectively. Whether you’re just starting or want to refine your current workflow, this article covers everything you need to know about the production process for business owners who want to create professional videos.

What is Video Production?

What is video production? The video production process is the series of steps and tasks required to create a video for business. The production process differs depending on the kind of video you are creating. For example, the production process for a brand awareness video, a product video, or an explainer video is slightly different. Production for a brand awareness video might start with creating a creative brief, finding a location, and booking talent.

When crafting a compelling product video, meticulous attention to detail is crucial. This encompasses everything from acquiring props to selecting the right camera operator and curating captivating stock photos or videos that seamlessly blend into the narrative. Similarly, in the realm of explainer videos, the process is intricate. It starts with carefully chosen stock photos/videos and extends to the meticulous creation of a well-thought-out script or storyboard. To breathe life into the narrative, hiring a skilled voiceover artist becomes imperative. Plus, having a talented designer on board is essential to craft visuals that perfectly complement the audio, ensuring a seamless and engaging viewing experience. In both scenarios, the artistry of commercial video production by Visual Domain shines, transforming ideas into compelling visual stories.

Storyboarding

Storyboarding is one of the first steps in the video production process. It’s a sketch of your video’s content and scenes, which allows the team to visualize the flow and structure of the video. A storyboard can be created using a whiteboard and sticky notes, sketching on paper, or using digital tools such as a storyboard software. As the name suggests, a storyboard is like an outline for a video. It includes a visual representation of each scene and any dialogue, narration, and on-screen text that will appear in the final video.

A storyboard for a video is typically about 1–2 pages long and contains sketches of the scenes. It also includes details about the type of shots you plan to use and any graphics that need to be included in the video. While creating a storyboard, you may also want to think about the video’s key message. The storyboard should support that message and be visually engaging and easy to follow.

Voiceover and Script Writing

Once the storyboard is complete, it’s time to write out the script and record the voiceover. A script is a written representation of the voiceover. The goal of a script is to describe the content of the video, while a storyboard is written to visualize the flow and structure of the video. The script can include each shot in the video, along with any text that will appear on-screen. It should also include the name of any off-screen voices (e.g., interviewees).

The script should be thorough and easy to understand so that the voiceover artist can read it aloud naturally and engagingly. For example, if the script reads, “In this shot, two people are standing on a boat,” then the video editor will include that shot in the video. If the script reads, “In this shot, we see two people standing on a boat, followed by a graphic of the boat’s name,” then the video editor will include both the shot and the graphic.

Shooting

Next, it’s time to shoot the video. Shooting typically happens in one or two days, depending on the video’s length and the shoot’s complexity. There are three main components to a shoot:

• The location: Where will the video be shot?
• The props: What items do you need for the shoot?
• The cast: Who will be featured in the video?

If you’re planning to shoot on location, you must choose a location that reflects your brand and story. You should also consider your target audience when choosing a location. Depending on the shooting format, you might also need to hire a location permit.

Consumer-grade cameras are generally easier and cheaper to use than professional cameras. For example, a DSLR camera is an investment that requires both time and money to learn how to use it properly. While DSLR cameras are ideal for creating high-quality footage, they may not be best for every situation. Using a consumer-grade camera, such as a GoPro or smartphone, might be more practical for a given shoot.

Post-Production

In the post-production phase, the video editor assembles the footage and creates the final video. The editor will also add the graphics and any on-screen text specified in the script. During this phase, the editor may add audio effects, transitions, and music to the video. Some editors will include video effects as part of the post-production process, while others may do this as part of the video pre-production process. Editing is one of the most important steps in the video production process. It’s where you can control the video’s pace and visual appeal. It’s also where you have the opportunity to highlight your brand.

Video Optimization

The last step in the video production process is video optimization. Video optimization combines various techniques that allow your video to rank highly on the search engine results page (SERPs). The goal is to make your video accessible to many people. Video optimization includes selecting the right title, description, and tags and creating closed captions. The title, description, and tags are essential to your video ranking on YouTube (more on that in a moment). They’re also visible to search engine users browsing the SERPs. Closed captions allow the deaf and hard of hearing to access your video content. They’re also a ranking factor for Google and can help improve your click-through rate (CTR) from search results.

Conclusion

Video is a powerful content marketing tool that you can use to educate and inspire your audience. You can also use it to provide context for your work, break down complex topics, and get your message across more engagingly. Keep in mind that creating a video is a time-consuming process. Depending on the type of video you’re creating, it could take several weeks. However, the time and effort are worth it if your video reaches a large audience and helps build your brand.