How do I make a video checklist? Well if you don’t know to make a checklist and produce your videos without planning. It probably would have cost you unnecessary money and time. Still, you will not have achieved the measurable objectives that are crucial for a successful video.
However, for a video project to be successful, it is essential to understand the basics of planning a production. If you don’t take the time to plan the proper video, you will probably fail.
That’s why we have created a checklist of video pre-production that will help you a lot in the planning of your next video.
What Are The 5 Stages Of Video Production?
The video production entire process is divided into 5 distinct stages:
- Initial Development:
In this step, you decide exactly what your video is about and who will be watching. Roughly structure the outline of the project signaling the main goals and target audience.
- Pre-Production:
After creating the basic framework, you move on to the next step of scouting, storyboarding, selection or casting, etc.
- Production:
In the production stage, you start the shooting of the video.
- Post-Production:
In the video post-production checklist, you edit the video. Cut and trim the unnecessary parts. Add visual effects and background music or voiceovers etc.
- Distribution:
At this stage, you distribute your video to the engagement channels.
17 Video Pre-Production Steps
The question that arises here is What is involved in the pre-production checklist? Here is the video pre-production checklist for filming.
1. Specify your Goals
Decide what you want to achieve and then commit to it. Set SMART Goals.
- Specific
- Measurable
- Attainable
- Relevant
- Time-bound
Write them down to make them feel tangible. For marketing, your goal is to sell a product or provide services. For influencers, the goal of a video is to simply amuse the audience.
2. Target Audience
First, know what your target audience is. What age are they? Millennials or Gen Z? Consider all these questions. This way, understanding your audience will make it easier to formulate a video that communicates to their
- Concerns.
- Values.
- Preferences.
3. Design Your Message
In this step, you need to consider the message of your video and how will you deliver the respective information. As you have thought about the sex, age, and demographics in the previous step, create a message that instantly, and directly speaks to them.
4. Estimated Expenses
Calculate the amount of cost that will be incurred to create a video. On all its production, and content creation, estimate what could be the budget. By saving in mind the delays caused by weather, casting issues, or other unforeseen circumstances, keep room in your budget.
5. Marketing Distribution Channels
Determine, through what platforms you will deliver your videos/services to the end host. If you want your video to distribute through multiple channels, take good time to make preparations for better streaming.
6. Specify The Class Of Video
Specify what kind of video you are producing. Whether it is a
- How to video
- Promotion video
- Brief explanation video
- Documentary
Acknowledging what kind of video you are creating, it is easy to figure out the time duration and production time of the video.
7. Hire Key Production
You are a producer yourself. Yet you can need key collaborators to get further assistance You need a production coordinator or director that can help you find a cinematographer and crew members for helping the casting team.
8. Make Storyboard
Sketch out the visual representation of your video. To visualize your video clearly, try making a storyboard by hand. Draw the arrangement of events with relative notes i.e.
9. Screen Writing
Hopefully, till now, you will have the logline of the video. (a summary of your content). Now start writing the script including
- Setting
- Dialogues
- Imagery
Format the whole script and edit it if changes are needed. The length of the script will tell you the length of the video. If the script is about 1-2 pages, the video will be about 5 minutes.
10. Location Scout
It is an important step for video pre-production. Find a suitable place for the production of your video. Spend some time in location scouting to find a well-suited place. It is essential if the video needs outdoor settings because of weather, seasonal changes, or temperature that could affect the result.
11. Equipment Selection
Select the pieces of equipment that are required proceeding the video production.
lighting instruments, booms, dollies, and software for fine-tuning the finished product.
- Camera.
- Tripod.
- External microphone
- Lighting
- Booms
- Dollies
- Editing/production software
- Transcription service
- Video editing hardware
- Dummy batteries
12. Cast Selection
By keenly observing the content of your video, select the main characters to fill in the roles of your video and extras for particular roles or parts of your script. If your video is fully animated, focus more on finding the right voices for dubbing.
13. Art Department
If your video requires a setup that is a necessary part of the content. You have to hire the art department to make all the arrangements for proper setup.
14. Schedule the shoot
Try to prepare the exact schedule as you can. Write the details of exactly how the production will proceed. Including lunch breaks, makeup, setting up equipment, and the actual filming of the video.
15. Video Shooting (Production)
Start shooting the video scene by scene. If you have precisely acted upon the checklist you have prepared initially, you will have to face fewer problems before and after shooting the video.
17. Video Editing (Post Production)
After the shooting is complete, watch the video scenes and cut out the unnecessary parts. And add the new elements that the video demands i.e. sound, titles, transitions, etc.
18. Marketing (Distribution)
Your video production is complete. Now it’s time for distribution. Bring the video to the market through the decided marketing platforms i.e. TV, Internet, or, both. To the other multiple platforms like Youtube, Tiktok, or Instagram.
Conclusion
While you are leading the video production and planning everything, it is a hard task. But you don’t have to worry about it. The hope is that the list we have provided will help you a lot in making your video.
Practice is what makes you perfect and in this line of work, practice is needed. We expect this article will help you in strategizing the whole video and bring it to the end successfully.
