Why Investing In Pre-Production Helps You Save Money
By Stanley Meytin
Save Money with Pre-Production Investment
All of the magic happens—and all of the money is spent—before the camera starts rolling. Investing time and energy into the pre-production phase of video marketing is the best way to save money and meet your film budget.
Video is the top marketing platform for 2018, and it’s only continuing to grow more popular. In 2017, 63% of businesses used video as a marketing tool. In 2018, over 81% of businesses use video to increase traffic, make conversions, and engage with their consumers. The number of businesses using video as a staple for their marketing is only increasing.
With this high demand, video production costs can be high. Some experts estimate that there’s an average cost of $1,000 per minute of video used for marketing purposes. This unfortunately excludes some small to medium sized businesses who can’t afford it, but see the value in using video as an integral part of their marketing strategy.
We think exorbitant costs don’t always have to be the norm for video production.
How can you avoid these high costs using the pre-production phase? How can you make your video production go further without compromising on quality?
What is the Value of Pre-Production?
Focusing on pre-production is the most effective way to save money on the overall film project. Pre-production is the planning and logistics phase that happens before the cameras start rolling. This is the beginning of the creative process where you organize what will happen once production begins.
If you utilize this process correctly, you could save hundreds—if not thousands—of dollars. Failure to use the pre-production phase can cost you your entire budget and then some.
The most expensive parts of video production are 1) equipment usage and 2) time spent shooting and editing. Planning these areas out during the initial phases tells the production team exactly what needs to get done, so you can minimize the time and effort that goes into the process.
You don’t waste time lugging expensive equipment or shooting scenes you won’t end up using. You make the video process as lean and clean as possible.
Below are the 7 ways you can optimize on the pre-production process to most effectively use the time you’re paying for equipment, people, location, and production services.
1. Brainstorm.
Start with an idea. Even before you go to the video production company, think of a few concepts that you might want to try out for your marketing campaign. Gather your team together for more inspiration. Even one good idea could spark an entire video.
Sometimes, though, you know you want to create a video but you don’t know what kind of video. In that case, it’s okay to go directly to a video production agency and ask them for advice on video marketing strategy. Then, brainstorm alongside them before nailing down a specific video idea.
The goal of brainstorming is to help you understand the purpose of your video and what it will look like. When you have an idea in mind that everyone is onboard with, the rest of the process can move smoothly and efficiently.
2. Start with a good brief.
Once you have an idea, you want to bring a “brief” or summary to your video agency. This tells them the general sense of what you’re looking for with this content. They might make some tweaks and changes if they have creative ideas as well, but they’ll use the brief to ensure that your ultimate vision is realized.
A brief tells the video team the outcomes you want to achieve, so they can help build a video in alignment with your marketing strategy. This helps the video get done right the first time without having to re-shoot, edit, or re-do scenes—which can end up costing you big bucks.
A brief also allows your video company give you the most realistic quote, so you understand what kind of video you can get for your budget (or what kind of budget you need for your video).
Your brief should include answers to the following questions:
- What are the objectives of this video?
- What kind of brand message do you want to get across?
- Who is the target market for this video? Does the video audience differ slightly from the general market for your products/brand? If so, why and how?
- Where will your audience primarily watch this video? How will it be distributed?
- What kind of content and style are you considering?
- What is your budget and timeframe?
- Do you have specifics with regards to people, locations, or scenes?
- Are you interested in using graphics or film technology?
Psst… Things will change from the brief, and that’s okay! A brief is the best starting point for the creative process and it helps get a better sense of budgeting and financial allocation.
3. Ask questions.
In the initial meeting with your video production company, don’t be afraid to ask questions. See where different costs are coming into play. Inquire about how the agency will do specific shoots or make your vision come to life.
The more questions you ask, the more you’ll know if a company is right for you. Once you commit to a company, you are typically locked in to some sort of cost. You want to make sure you and your production team are aligned before moving forward.
Asking questions can also help you ensure that your budget is being fully optimized during the production process.
4. Create a script and storyboard.
Building the script and storyboard ahead of time is one of the biggest money-savers during the production process. These lay out the specifics of what the shoot will look like, which saves time on filming and editing. It helps make sure you have the right props, equipment, people, and location for each shoot when and where they’re needed.
Storytelling is at the heart of video. Don’t leave it up to chance. A script and storyboard can ensure your marketing message comes across effectively before you start spending money during the rolling phase.
5. Build a timeline.
The goal is to optimize your time on-set as much as possible. This not only gets the video to market much faster, but it also saves you money spent on hourly equipment, filming, and editing.
Creating specific deadlines and timelines ensures that you have everything you need prepped and ready for the day of the shoot. You’re not showing up to a location without necessary lighting or the right people to interview, which could end up costing you several hours worth of filming—even if nothing gets accomplished.
Work with your production company to create a call sheet. This is the “who, what, when, where, and why” of video production. It helps you keep track of the location, scene, shot, equipment, and people needed for a specific date and time. The more organized you are, the less “fluff” money you’ll waste on wasted time.
6. Do a location check.
Location mishaps are often the most costly faults during the production process.
Before committing to a location and hauling everything there, you should check out the spot ahead of time.
This helps make sure the location is right for the scene, and it can also help you come up with a more specific call list. For example, you might need additional light sources or sound buffers, or you may need to get a permit. You might even need to talk to authorities beforehand to stop traffic for a short period of time.
7. Utilize sign-offs.
Create deadlines for each part of the process to make sure everything gets done in an orderly fashion. You’ll want to work with your video production company to build a “sign off” system. This ensures you check on each part of production along the way, so you can catch anything before it progresses further. For example, if a scene doesn’t have the right lighting, you can tell the company before more shooting and editing occurs.
The most common moments for feedback include:
- Script (several drafts)
- Production schedule
- Rough cut
- Recorded voiceover/animation
- First cut
- Second cut
Bottom line
Spending time organizing and planning the video ahead of time can ensure you don’t throw money out the window once the cameras start rolling. Don’t leave your video up to chance. Be creative and organized from the start, and you’ll end up with a stunning video within your budget.
Ultimately, you want to work with an authentic video company that will help you meet your video needs and budget every step of the way. Don’t pinch pennies on your video production. Work with a company who cares about you and uses pre-production as a source of creativeness for the most effective video for your needs.
Contact us now to partner up with a team that wants to create with you.
Reading Time: 6 minutes
By Stanley Meytin
Save Money with Pre-Production Investment
All of the magic happens—and all of the money is spent—before the camera starts rolling. Investing time and energy into the pre-production phase of video marketing is the best way to save money and meet your film budget.
Video is the top marketing platform for 2018, and it’s only continuing to grow more popular. In 2017, 63% of businesses used video as a marketing tool. In 2018, over 81% of businesses use video to increase traffic, make conversions, and engage with their consumers. The number of businesses using video as a staple for their marketing is only increasing.
With this high demand, video production costs can be high. Some experts estimate that there’s an average cost of $1,000 per minute of video used for marketing purposes. This unfortunately excludes some small to medium sized businesses who can’t afford it, but see the value in using video as an integral part of their marketing strategy.
We think exorbitant costs don’t always have to be the norm for video production.
How can you avoid these high costs using the pre-production phase? How can you make your video production go further without compromising on quality?
What is the Value of Pre-Production?
Focusing on pre-production is the most effective way to save money on the overall film project. Pre-production is the planning and logistics phase that happens before the cameras start rolling. This is the beginning of the creative process where you organize what will happen once production begins.
If you utilize this process correctly, you could save hundreds—if not thousands—of dollars. Failure to use the pre-production phase can cost you your entire budget and then some.
The most expensive parts of video production are 1) equipment usage and 2) time spent shooting and editing. Planning these areas out during the initial phases tells the production team exactly what needs to get done, so you can minimize the time and effort that goes into the process.
You don’t waste time lugging expensive equipment or shooting scenes you won’t end up using. You make the video process as lean and clean as possible.
Below are the 7 ways you can optimize on the pre-production process to most effectively use the time you’re paying for equipment, people, location, and production services.
1. Brainstorm.
Start with an idea. Even before you go to the video production company, think of a few concepts that you might want to try out for your marketing campaign. Gather your team together for more inspiration. Even one good idea could spark an entire video.
Sometimes, though, you know you want to create a video but you don’t know what kind of video. In that case, it’s okay to go directly to a video production agency and ask them for advice on video marketing strategy. Then, brainstorm alongside them before nailing down a specific video idea.
The goal of brainstorming is to help you understand the purpose of your video and what it will look like. When you have an idea in mind that everyone is onboard with, the rest of the process can move smoothly and efficiently.
2. Start with a good brief.
Once you have an idea, you want to bring a “brief” or summary to your video agency. This tells them the general sense of what you’re looking for with this content. They might make some tweaks and changes if they have creative ideas as well, but they’ll use the brief to ensure that your ultimate vision is realized.
A brief tells the video team the outcomes you want to achieve, so they can help build a video in alignment with your marketing strategy. This helps the video get done right the first time without having to re-shoot, edit, or re-do scenes—which can end up costing you big bucks.
A brief also allows your video company give you the most realistic quote, so you understand what kind of video you can get for your budget (or what kind of budget you need for your video).
Your brief should include answers to the following questions:
- What are the objectives of this video?
- What kind of brand message do you want to get across?
- Who is the target market for this video? Does the video audience differ slightly from the general market for your products/brand? If so, why and how?
- Where will your audience primarily watch this video? How will it be distributed?
- What kind of content and style are you considering?
- What is your budget and timeframe?
- Do you have specifics with regards to people, locations, or scenes?
- Are you interested in using graphics or film technology?
Psst… Things will change from the brief, and that’s okay! A brief is the best starting point for the creative process and it helps get a better sense of budgeting and financial allocation.
3. Ask questions.
In the initial meeting with your video production company, don’t be afraid to ask questions. See where different costs are coming into play. Inquire about how the agency will do specific shoots or make your vision come to life.
The more questions you ask, the more you’ll know if a company is right for you. Once you commit to a company, you are typically locked in to some sort of cost. You want to make sure you and your production team are aligned before moving forward.
Asking questions can also help you ensure that your budget is being fully optimized during the production process.
4. Create a script and storyboard.
Building the script and storyboard ahead of time is one of the biggest money-savers during the production process. These lay out the specifics of what the shoot will look like, which saves time on filming and editing. It helps make sure you have the right props, equipment, people, and location for each shoot when and where they’re needed.
Storytelling is at the heart of video. Don’t leave it up to chance. A script and storyboard can ensure your marketing message comes across effectively before you start spending money during the rolling phase.
5. Build a timeline.
The goal is to optimize your time on-set as much as possible. This not only gets the video to market much faster, but it also saves you money spent on hourly equipment, filming, and editing.
Creating specific deadlines and timelines ensures that you have everything you need prepped and ready for the day of the shoot. You’re not showing up to a location without necessary lighting or the right people to interview, which could end up costing you several hours worth of filming—even if nothing gets accomplished.
Work with your production company to create a call sheet. This is the “who, what, when, where, and why” of video production. It helps you keep track of the location, scene, shot, equipment, and people needed for a specific date and time. The more organized you are, the less “fluff” money you’ll waste on wasted time.
6. Do a location check.
Location mishaps are often the most costly faults during the production process.
Before committing to a location and hauling everything there, you should check out the spot ahead of time.
This helps make sure the location is right for the scene, and it can also help you come up with a more specific call list. For example, you might need additional light sources or sound buffers, or you may need to get a permit. You might even need to talk to authorities beforehand to stop traffic for a short period of time.
7. Utilize sign-offs.
Create deadlines for each part of the process to make sure everything gets done in an orderly fashion. You’ll want to work with your video production company to build a “sign off” system. This ensures you check on each part of production along the way, so you can catch anything before it progresses further. For example, if a scene doesn’t have the right lighting, you can tell the company before more shooting and editing occurs.
The most common moments for feedback include:
- Script (several drafts)
- Production schedule
- Rough cut
- Recorded voiceover/animation
- First cut
- Second cut
Bottom line
Spending time organizing and planning the video ahead of time can ensure you don’t throw money out the window once the cameras start rolling. Don’t leave your video up to chance. Be creative and organized from the start, and you’ll end up with a stunning video within your budget.
Ultimately, you want to work with an authentic video company that will help you meet your video needs and budget every step of the way. Don’t pinch pennies on your video production. Work with a company who cares about you and uses pre-production as a source of creativeness for the most effective video for your needs.
Contact us now to partner up with a team that wants to create with you.
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