Pre-production is the work done on a product and/or service, especially a corporate video or business film before full-scale production begins. Various elements of pre video production are involved, such as scripting, storyboarding, casting, location scouting, equipment and crew, and much more that has been planned for an actual shoot. Pre-production is the complete planning stage setup foundation, for producing the final business video or film.
There are five initial steps drawn to achieve what we refer to as a “high quality video production” during pre-production:
1. Exploration:- Bring ideas on the table.
2. Creative process:- Who does what during the production.
3. Research:- jot down point to point about assigned tasks.
4. Planning:- Gather together all information collected.
5. Checklist:- A must have document, to execute production process without any interruption.
The Script, Casting and Location Scouting
A script is the minimum required for pre-production, a document created by the producers, detailing the storyline, characters, storyboard and every scene in the video. A script is designed to use in pre production so that the creative team has a clear starting point when pre-production begins. To find a script that works for you, first look to see what the company wants to achieve and then work backwards, from there, using what is available, you can identify which scenes and story ideas work best for the film. The main elements of the team that make up pre-production are the cast and crew. The team that is filming a video are the film crew, who provide the cinematographer, the director, and the director of photography, along with other roles and support roles.
Equipment and Crew
Equipment and crew are the resources an in-house production team is responsible for acquiring, and allocating resources based on the needs of the project. However, the crew and equipment are not the main cost factors in video production; in fact, most costs of production for a corporate video go into making the video itself, the creative and strategic story-telling of the video. Technical Technicians are those who actually work with the digital film process on set or in the post-production, and with equipment. Technicians are vital for the smooth operation of video production but are usually sourced externally from specialized vendors who are dedicated to the industry.
Shot List
Once the script is done, the shot list is the list of camera angles and elements that will be used for the project. The shot list is developed when it's time to shoot the project. There are other possible shot lists that may be created depending on the intended project style. Different departments may have their own ideas, or a production coordinator may want to see what other departments have in mind. Location Scouting Once the location scouting process has been completed, location managers can meet to plan locations and follow through with a schedule of when each location is ready. Location scouting will help in determining how much money and time will be needed to shoot each location, and how long each shoot will last.
Conclusion
A successful pre production plan can save you time, money, and headaches during the production and post-production phases. The key is to have a well defined and executed pre production process that you can follow without wasting time and money. The pre-production process is a process that puts the product or service in its best possible position to create an engaging and highly effective sales and marketing video.