This lesson will cover the basics of video production. With this new knowledge you will be better equipped to produce good quality video, all by yourself (and with a little help from us, of course!).
The Film Industry
Video production began with the film industry, which has been producing moving pictures for well over 100 years. Although the technology has changed and we can now produce video using handheld devices such as smartphones, the underlying principles remain the same. Lighting, sound, composition, the story, talent, and the edit remain essential ingredients in video production.
Video production is a smaller-scale version of the film industry model, and likewise is broken down into three key stages.
The three stages of video production
Stage 1: Pre-production
This is the planning stage. It involves ideation, writing a script, storyboarding, and project planning (budget, talent, crew, equipment, and location). Spending time in this stage is a worthwhile investment. The more you understand your audience, the value of video and how to best communicate with your audience, the more successful your video — and therefore communication reach — will be.
As part of Pre-Production, you will learn how to: identify your target audience, write a script that is tailored for them, and create a storyboard.
Stage 2: Production
This is the shooting or animating stage. It involves shooting a video or creating animated sequences. This course will cover the following aspects of production: hair and makeup, set dressing, lighting, framing, shooting, recording audio, how to use your voice for greatest effect, and how to present to camera with clarity and confidence.
Stage 3: Post-production
This is the editing and finalisation stage: where the video is edited and elements like voice over, music, sound effects, titles, graphics, stock images, and lower thirds are added. It is during this stage that the video is exported and distributed. You will learn how to perform basic editing and also learn the pitfalls to avoid. You will also gain insights into how to cover up mistakes made in your shoot, how to publish your finished videos to your website and other places, and strategies you can use so that your videos are seen by more people.
Post-Production is the stage that typically takes the longest amount of time. The better your video is planned and the more professionally it is shot, the less time you will generally need in this stage.
The choice is yours as to how much preparation and forethought you wish to spend on each stage, but in general terms the greater your investment in the first two stages, the better the outcome at the end. Continue your learning in the next lesson.