Q: My company wants to produce a videotape and I am not very knowledgeable about the production process.  What can I do to best facilitate the planning and decision making steps?

A: Start by clicking on 8 Things You Must Know Before You Hire A Video Production Company here. The truth is, the clearer you are in communicating the purpose and objective of your video to the production company at the very beginning, the smoother things will go once the project is under way. Don’t be intimidated by the fact that you’re not a video expert. You are, in fact, an expert on your products and services and their value to your customers and employees! The video company’s job is to translate these things into clear production values that are consistent with your goals that can be produced within your budget.

So, take the time in the beginning to consider exactly what the final program elements will be and what you want the program to look like. Then thoroughly brief the producer on the project. No one wants a lot of costly mistakes at the end of the project under the heading of "I assumed you knew ...".

For starters, a script is a must. It is the road map that will be followed throughout the video project. It gives clear information on where the program starts, where it goes and how it ends. You should at least provide the production company with a clear outline that chronologically lists everything you want in the video. From this, a long-form script can be written for voice-over purposes. Remember, you are the expert in your business. The more information you can give the producer at your first meeting, the better the final video will be.  Also, if possible, scout desired production locations to look for any potential problems (e.g. lots of factory noise where you want to record someone’s voice, safety concerns, etc.).

Start making a list as soon as you begin to consider making a video. Consult with the video production company over the phone until you are comfortable enough to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation meeting with the company’s producer.

Participate during the actual shoot as the "control person". The control person is the company representative who makes the final decisions on how certain scenes are photographed and oversees the verbiage used by on-camera participants.

Q: How much is the video or CD going to cost?

A: I am usually asked this question within the first 30 seconds of the very first pre-production meeting.  Without having a finished script from which all of the production details can be determined, the best "ballpark" answer is "approximately $2,000.00 per finished minute".  Is this figure always accurate?  No, and I always resist giving that answer whenever possible.  There are many variables that determine the bottom line cost of the production.  The best thing you can do is to prepare the answers to the following questions for your pre-production meeting:

1)  Is there a finished, approved script?

2)  Where will the video be shot?

3)  How many different locations will be used to capture the footage? 

4)  Will there be any out of town travel involved?

5)  Are we hiring actors to deliver on-camera dialog?

6)  Will the product require our SoundDesign™ music treatment during post-production?

7)  How many video, CD or DVD copies will you need?

8)  Do you have camera-ready artwork for the video, CD or DVD covers, or do you want us to prepare everything from scratch?

9)  What is your deadline?

Certainly there are other questions the producer will need to address to help determine the estimated cost of your project.  However, answers to these questions in-hand during the initial pre-production meeting will help the producer provide you with a production estimate more quickly.

You can also click here on our Video Evaluation Form now to help us evaluate your specific production needs.  

Q: Our company usually holds live, one-on-one or one-to-many training sessions for new hires.  Would there be any advantages in producing training videotapes of these sessions?

A: Live training sessions can be a great way to bring new hires up to speed. When the presenter is feeling energetic, they can be exciting and effective. If the presenter is having a "bad day", it can have less than the desired effect. It’s important to remember that video never has a bad day!  It's a simple process to videotape a training session in a "controlled environment"?  What does that mean?

For example, re-shooting a few lines with the presenter until everyone is comfortable with the delivery and then editing that into the final program is a very easy matter. Videotaping a training session one time provides a valuable resource for any number of future new hires, without having to schedule additional training sessions dealing with the same topic.

Video is consistent! If you videotape just one training session in a controlled production environment, the program can be viewed many times, at any time. Videotape allows you to include on-screen text to further highlight specific points, thereby creating multiple impressions which enhances a person’s retention of information. Also, a video can include other visuals such as animated charts or photographs that might otherwise be unavailable on-site at a live training session.

Video is a dynamic way to increase employee understanding of your business, explain new business initiatives or customer programs, explain a specific job function, benefits programs or create messages to motivate your organization to higher achievements!

Q: What about producing a business-to-business videotape verses a live meeting?

A: In some instances, getting your message out to other businesses, investors or financial institutions can be crucial to your continuing success. A well-crafted video strengthens your corporate image and ensures that your goals and objectives are communicated clearly and consistently.

This type of program can also be especially valuable for busy senior managers, presidents and CEO’s who need to communicate important messages to employees and customers but in a way that accommodates their busy schedules.

Q: Should I consider producing a videotape, a CD-ROM or a DVD?

A: Multimedia is taking communications to a whole new level. While videotape remains a very cost-effective way to communicate a controlled message to a specific audience, interactive CD-ROM’s and DVD's have become powerful and affordable communication tools for any size company - large or small.

Consider the advantages of the end user interacting with the program. For example, a CD-ROM allows you to present training scenarios to an employee and then quiz that employee at the end of the program, or each section of the program, from which you can view and/or print out the results.

A CD-ROM or a DVD is also an excellent tool for computer-based training. APS can assist you with scripting, authoring, mastering, pressing your content onto Compact Disc (including mixed media and multi-platform) and replication.

Consider some examples of data that can be pressed to a CD-ROM or DVD. They include: audio files, video clips, still images, text files, charts, manuals and catalogs. And, the content can easily be made interactive with the use of animation and graphics.

From designing your CD-ROM or DVD cover label to adding interactive excitement to your existing data, APS can help you create a powerful multi-media CD-ROM for any promotional or training purpose!

Q: How can I ensure that I won’t blow my budget?

A: Again, ask lots of questions of both the project leaders within your company and of the production company. Most production companies can usually come up with clever ways to obtain the desired production values without going outside of your budget. Remember, they have the value of their previous experiences working in your favor! We recommend at least two pre-production meetings (at least one in person at the shooting site and one over the phone) with a client before any taping begins. That way, if any original concepts change after the first meeting (post-meeting brainstorms do happen!) they can be easily incorporated into the script. It’s a lot cheaper to talk about a project over the phone or over lunch with the producer than it is on the set with three or four technicians getting paid their day rates!

Also, try to determine as soon as possible if your video will require any travel days, professional actors and any special equipment that either you or the video company will need to provide. Discovering the need for these things after your budget has been approved can quickly undermine your production dollars!

Q: What if circumstances outside of my control become a factor to the project after production has begun and changes need to be incorporated into the original program concept?

A: We bend over backwards to accommodate our customers!  Many times, a short creative meeting with a client can help avert additional costs to a project. In some cases however, after a budget proposal has been approved, existing elements might need to undergo major modifications or new ones may get added (i.e. your company decides to change the corporate logo, on-camera uniform, something in the mission statement, etc.). This usually results in updates to the production which can increase costs beyond the original planned budget.