The Planning Process- Pre-Production

To create a seamless and effortless looking video you have to put a strong effort into pre-production.  The actual producing part of film is fun and exciting if everyone understands their role and what they have to do on or off of the set.  This makes the director's life ALOT easier..and everyone wants a happy director :)  Again, there is plenty more elements involved during pre-production for motion pictures, commercials, television shows, documentaries, short films..oh, you get the picture.  We are focusing on creating a short 2-3 minute video while maintaining and respecting the art of film production.  So, with that said...lets understand these essential terms needed for the planning process for your video piece but first...let's answer the question, "How do I get started?"

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First develop the PROJECT IDEA

Choose a subject of interest to you and your team, but also consider what your video is aimed to teach. Brainstorm project ideas that meet guidelines or are within a specific area of research. Then, review the ideas to determine what can be reasonably be developed with the available resources you have. (props, costumes,time, etc.)

“What can your video teach people?”
“Is the topic likely to be of interest to people who may watch the video?”
“Are the resources available to capture the idea on film?”
“What research time may be required?”

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SCHEDULE

Once you have settled on an idea then your team will need to establish timeliness for the entire project. Some digital video project tasks happen at the same time, so it is important that every team member knows their role and understands exactly when their tasks need to be complete. If deadlines are missed, then this will increase the number of hours on a project, which will create a delay for the final completion. It is a good idea for every team member to use a blank calendar and establish agreed-upon due dates. At this time, the Director and/or Producer should establish regular team meeting dates to review progress,to review the video clips, and allocate time for changes based on team feedback.When setting the initial schedule, be realistic - if possible provide time between critical dates to allow for some "comfort zone."


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RESEARCH


 Now it is time to seriously research to ensure that your video will include credible information. As part of your video, always include Credits or Works Cited to document where facts were obtained. Showing where facts were gathered allows people to further research the topic if they choose. 


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WRITE/REVISE SCRIPT


Depending on the style of video you choose, you may or may not need to complete all scripting prior to filming.



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STORYBOARDS


Storyboards are graphic organizers such as a series of illustrations or images displayed in sequence for the purpose of pre-visualizing a video.Storyboards need to be constructed as part of good planning to show what you and/or your team has agreed on what will take place in each shot. Storyboards number each shot, also referred to as a "take," and also document camera angles, lighting,timing, and other details Another important thing to note on a storyboard would be with every image block; write a description of that image and the estimated time you want to spend on that block.This will help you set up your shots and shooting schedule.The video story will be told shot by shot on paper as sketches to aid in communication of ideas before filming begins. The storyboard document is used as the picture script for productions. 

View, download and print the storyboard template below to start framing your video sequence!

Download StoryBoard

 

Here's an example of a completed storyboard for a scene:

Pretty cool right? 
Well follow the link to view some professional storyboards for commercial and film productions.


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