What is Video production?
Video production is the process of creating video by capturing moving images (videography), and creating combinations and reductions of parts of this video in live production and post-production (video editing). In most cases the captured video will be recorded on the most current electronic media such as SD cards. In the past footage was captured on video tape, hard disk, or solid state storage. Video tape capture is now obsolete and solid state storage is reserved for just that, storage. It is now distributed digitally in formats such as the Moving Picture Experts Group format (.mpeg, .mpg, .mp4), QuickTime (.mov), Audio Video Interleave (.avi), Windows Media Video (.wmv), and DivX (.avi, .divx). It is the equivalent of filmmaking, but with images recorded digitally instead of on film stock.
OverView
Practically, video production is the art and service of creating content and delivering a finished video product. This can include production of television programs, television commercials, corporate videos, event videos, wedding videos and special-interest home videos. A video production can range in size. Examples include:
- a family making home movies with a prosumer camcorder,
- a solo camera operator with a professional video camera in a single-camera setup (aka a “one-man band”),
- a videographer with a sound person,
- a multiple-camera setup shoot in a television studio
- a production truck requiring a television crew for an electronic field production (EFP) with a production company using set construction on the backlot of a movie studio.
Shooting styles and techniques include:
- using a tripod for a locked-down, stable shot;
- hand-held for a larger frame of motion to attain more jittery camera angles or looser shots to depict natural movement
- incorporating various camera angles such as the Dutch angle (see Mission Impossible), Whip pan (see the opening of Hot Fuzz) and Whip zoom (see the Kiddo/Driver fight in Kill Bill Vol. 2);
- on a jib or crane that smoothly soars to varying heights as seen in the finale of the movie Grease;
- with a Steadicam for smooth movement as the camera operator incorporates moving cinematic techniques such as moving through rooms, as seen in The Shining.
Types of Video Production
Corporate Video
Corporate video production refers to audio-visual corporate communications material (such as 4K, DVD, High-definition video, streaming video or other media) commissioned primarily for a use by a company, corporation or organisation. A corporate video is often intended for a specific purpose in a corporate or Business to Business environment and viewed only by a limited or targeted audience. This may include product, service or company promotional videos, training videos and information videos. Corporate video production is frequently the responsibility of a company marketing or corporate communications manager. Examples of corporate video include staff training and safety videos, promotional/brand films, and financial results videos.
With the growth of digital technology, there is now often convergence between corporate video and other forms of media communications, such as broadcast television and TV advertising. Also, a corporate video may be produced using the same production techniques and style as a broadcast television programme (such as using outside broadcasting facilities)—as a way of engaging audiences who are used to viewing popular media, a corporate video might even be themed on a well-known television series.
A corporate video production company may typically take the client brief, develop a script or treatment (and sometimes a storyboard), liaise with the client, and agree on a production schedule and delivery date. The time and scale of a corporate video production can vary greatly. Some videos may use only minimal crew and basic equipment, whilst some large scale corporate videos may have similar (or often higher) budgets and level of production than a broadcast television programme or TV commercial.
Add video to your website and dramatically improve the volume and quality of traffic from search engines such as Google, Yahoo and YouTube. Research has shown that an online video is fifty times more likely to hit the front page of Google than single text web page whilst time on site, bounce and click through rates are all improved.
The corporate video production process will frequently involve the following stages:
- Pre-production, planning includes script writing and storyboarding. The budget will also be agreed at this stage between the production company and client.
- Video production, including location filming with a camera crew and director. This may also include other elements, such as actors and presenters.
- Post-production and video editing – the filmed (live action) footage is edited together. This may also include recording an audio voice-over, adding graphics, composing a music score or soundtrack, and including 2D/3D animation sequences with the finished video.
TV Commercial
An infomercial is a form of television commercial, which generally includes a toll-free telephone number or website. Most often used as a form of direct response television (DRTV), long-form infomercials are typically 28:30 or 58:30 minutes in length. Infomercials are also known as paid programming (or teleshopping in Europe). This phenomenon started in the United States, where infomercials were typically shown overnight (usually 2:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m.), outside peak prime time hours for commercial broadcasters. Some television stations chose to air infomercials as an alternative to the former practice of signing off. By 2009, most infomercial spending in the U.S. occurred during the early morning, daytime and evening hours. Stations in most countries around the world have instituted similar media structures. The infomercial industry is worth over $200 billion.
While the term “infomercial” was originally applied only to television advertising, it is now sometimes used to refer to any presentation (often on video) which presents a significant amount of information in an actual, or perceived, attempt to promote a point of view. When used this way, the term may be meant to carry an implication that the party making the communication is exaggerating truths or hiding important facts. Often, it is unclear whether the actual presentation fits this definition because the term is used in an attempt to discredit the presentation. Hence, political speeches or conventions may be derogatorily referred to as “infomercials” for a specific point of view.
Product Marketing Video | Infomercial
An infomercial is a form of television commercial, which generally includes a toll-free telephone number or website. Most often used as a form of direct response television (DRTV), long-form infomercials are typically 28:30 or 58:30 minutes in length. Infomercials are also known as paid programming (or teleshopping in Europe). This phenomenon started in the United States, where infomercials were typically shown overnight (usually 2:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m.), outside peak prime time hours for commercial broadcasters. Some television stations chose to air infomercials as an alternative to the former practice of signing off. By 2009, most infomercial spending in the U.S. occurred during the early morning, daytime and evening hours. Stations in most countries around the world have instituted similar media structures. The infomercial industry is worth over $200 billion.
While the term “infomercial” was originally applied only to television advertising, it is now sometimes used to refer to any presentation (often on video) which presents a significant amount of information in an actual, or perceived, attempt to promote a point of view. When used this way, the term may be meant to carry an implication that the party making the communication is exaggerating truths or hiding important facts. Often, it is unclear whether the actual presentation fits this definition because the term is used in an attempt to discredit the presentation. Hence, political speeches or conventions may be derogatorily referred to as “infomercials” for a specific point of view.
The word “infomercial” is a portmanteau of the words “information” and “commercial“. As in any other form of advertisement, the content is a commercial message designed to represent the viewpoints and to serve the interest of the sponsor. Infomercials are often made to closely resemble standard television programs. Some imitate talk shows and try to downplay the fact that the program is actually a commercial message. A few are developed around storylines and have been called “storymercials”. However, most do not have specific television formats but craft different elements to tell what their creators hope is a compelling story about the product offered.
Infomercials are designed to solicit a direct response that is specific and at once quantifiable and are, therefore, a form of direct response marketing (not to be confused with direct marketing). For this reason, infomercials generally feature between two and four internal commercials of 30 to 120 seconds, which invite the consumer to call or take other direct action. Despite the overt request for direct action, many consumers respond to the messages in an infomercial with purchases at retail outlets. For many infomercials, the largest portion of positive response is for consumers to take action by purchasing at a retail store. For others, the advertiser will instead promote the item as “not sold in stores.” Some advertisers who make this choice dislike sharing profit with retailers, while many simply lack the immense resources necessary to get their products into the retail industry channels prior to achieving on-air success. In the latter case, many hope to use profit from direct sales to build their business/company in order to achieve later retail distribution. Standalone shorter commercials, 30 to 120 seconds in length with a call to action, are erroneously called infomercials; when used as an independently produced commercial, they are generally known as DRTV Spots or Short-Form DRTV. Many products and services that advertise using infomercials often also use these shorter spots to advertise during regular programming.
Many traditional infomercial producers make use of flashy catchphrases, repeat basic ideas or employ scientist-like characters or celebrities as guests or hosts in their ad. The book As Seen on TV (Quirk Books) by Lou Harry and Sam Stall highlights the history of products such as the Flowbee, the Chia Pet and Ginsu knives. Sometimes, traditional infomercials use limited-time offers or claim one can only purchase the wares from television to add pressure for viewers to buy their products.
Products using infomercial marketing
The products frequently marketed through infomercials at the national level include cleaning products, appliances, food-preparation devices, dietary supplements, alternative health aids, memory-improvement courses, books, compilation albums, videos of numerous genres, real estate investment strategies, beauty supplies, baldness remedies, sexual-enhancement supplements, weight-loss programs and products, personal fitness devices, home exercise machines and adult chat lines. Automobile dealerships, attorneys and jewelers are among the types of businesses that air infomercials on a local level.
Major brands (such as Apple, Microsoft and Thermos-Grill2Go) have used infomercials for their ability to communicate more complicated and in-depth product stories. This practice started in the early 1990s and has increased since. Such advertisers generally eschew the less reputable trappings of the traditional infomercial business in order to create communication they believe creates a better image of their products, brands and consumers. Apple’s use of the infomercial medium was immediately discontinued with Steve Jobs’ 1997 return to the helm of the company.
Post Production | Video Editor
A video editor is a technically inclined individual that is involved with making creative video editing decisions in the post-production of film making and video production. The video editor’s responsibilities involve decisions about the selection and combining of shots into sequences, and the addition of accompanying sound effects and music to ultimately create a finished movie, television program, commercial, promo, or snipe.
A video editor can also refer to a computer device controller that controls video machines to mechanically put pieces of a film together using a 9-Pin Protocol. This is also referred to as machine to machine or linear editing.
Video editors usually use non-linear editing software today to accomplish the task of editing.
Video Production Pricing
So you want to know how much to spend on your video production project.
Video production can cost anywhere from $100 for a simple edit to $100,000 or more for a large project.
We’ve found that the best way to determine a price is to describe your project, and then creative professionals will bid on it. It is recommended that you get three bids and have video production company give you samples of work. Also it is good to know if they have won any big awards for their work like BusyBoy Productions, a Six-time Telly Award winner. You get what you pay for when it comes to video production companies. It is important to hire an experienced professional if you want a quality production.
Typical prices for each different type of video, for example:
Full Video Production
- Wedding $1,000-$8,000
- Kickstarter $1,500-$25,000
- Explainer $1,500-$35,000
- Commercial $10,000-$125,000
- Game trailer $500-$50,000
Video Editor Only
- Vacation (edit only) $200-$600
- Course (edit only) $150-$600
- Wedding (edit only) $400-$1,000
- Testimonial (edit only) $150-$500
The other way is to think about the scope of your project. How much shooting, how much editing, how much motion graphic work, etc. Here’s what we typically see, but bear in mind that prices can vary three times depending on location, equipment and experience.
- Storyboarding $500
- Half day shoot (1 cinematographer, 1 or 2 cameras) $700
- Full day shoot (1 cinematographer, 1 or 2 cameras) $1400
- Full day shoot (1 master cinematographer + crew) $2500
- Editing, for 1 to 10mins of video $250-$1000
- 2D Animation, per minute of video $1500
- 3D Animation, per minute of video $4000
- Custom illustrations for animation $1000
- Voice over, per minute $100-$250
- Color grading $100-$300 per hour
- Stock footage (per clip) $50-$500
Reasons You Need to Use Video Marketing
We are in a full-on video revolution for marketers. According to statistics, 63% of businesses have started using video content marketing. Out of those 82% of businesses feel video marketing is an important part of their strategy. Video is progressing rapidly and will reach new heights sooner than we think. This trend is fueled by 83% of businesses believing that video marketing gives them a good ROI.
Undoubtedly, video marketing is one of the newest additions to your promotional toolbox. You might still have your doubts but don’t miss the boat because your competition is already using video marketing. Is it really worth to consider using videos for promoting your business? Do you have enough resources to create and use video content in your marketing?
The answer is simple: Yes, it’s worth it. Not only because everyone’s doing it but because video is one of the most versatile and profitable digital marketing tools out there. Here are eight reasons why you should use video marketing right now.
Video Boosts Conversions and Sales
First things first. Videos can make you some serious money. Adding a product video on your landing page can increase conversions by 80%. And Video works well regardless of the category in which you deploy it.
Video can also lead directly to sales. Studies show that 74% of users who watched an explainer-video about a product subsequently bought it. So better start crafting your exciting product videos now!
If you think about it, the effectiveness of video is not even that surprising. After all, vision is our most dominant sense. Most information transmitted to our brain is visual. So if already pictures can boost engagement massively, imagine what moving pictures can do to your business.
Video Shows Great ROI
To get you even more excited, 83% of businesses say that video provides good return on investment. Even though video production is not yet the easiest nor cheapest task, it pays off big time. Besides, online video editing tools are constantly improving and becoming more affordable. And even your smartphone can make pretty decent videos already.
Another good news is that your videos don’t have to be perfect. It’s the content that matters! Latest research shows that users are mostly put off by videos that don’t explain the product or service clearly enough. Low quality and poor design didn’t matter nearly as much.
Google Loves Videos
Videos allow you to increase the time spent by visitors on your site. Thus, longer exposure builds trust and signals search engines that your site has good content. You’re 50 times more likely show up first on Google if you have a video embedded on your website. Since Google now owns YouTube, there has been a significant increase in how much videos affect your search engine rank.
Make sure to optimize your videos on Youtube for SEO. Write interesting titles and descriptions. Add a link back to your website, products, and services. Give potential customers the way to take the next step. And explore the world of interactive videos, to encourage actions even more.
Video Appeals to Mobile Users
Video and mobile go hand in hand. 90% of consumers watch videos on their mobile. From Q3 of 2013, mobile video views have grown more than 233 percent. YouTube reports mobile video consumption rises 100% every year. Since people like to watch videos on the go, and the number of smartphone users is growing, your video audience keeps getting bigger and bigger.
Also, Google tells us that smartphone users are twice as likely than TV viewers and 1.4 times more likely as desktop viewers to feel a sense of personal connection to brands that show video content or ads on their devices.
That being said, brands need to be sensitive to the personal experience people have on their smartphones. For example, give them a better choice in the video content they consume.
Video Marketing Can Explain Everything
Are you launching a new product or a service? Create a video to show how it works. 98% of users say they’ve watched an explainer video to learn more about a product or service. That is why 45% of businesses who use video marketing said that they have an explainer video on their home page. Of those businesses, 83% said that their homepage explainer video was effective.
Trying to explain a difficult concept? Create animated videos. Animation can bring concepts to life that no text or live video can. Besides, boring talking heads are not enough anymore to break through the clutter. Animated videos are a perfect combination of entertainment, nostalgia, and simplicity. And they work.
Video Encourages Social Shares
Social Media Marketing Industry Report stated that 60% of the social marketers used video content in 2015 and 73% of the total respondents planned to use it in 2016. And they sure did.
Social networks also encourage video content with their new features. Facebook has launched 3600 Video, Live Video, and Lifestage (A Video-Centric App for Teenagers). Instagram put in place 60-Second Videos & Instagram Stories, Twitter has Periscope. And YouTube is the second most popular social network in the world.
However, in a social media context, video marketers must remember that people share emotions, not facts. 76% of users say they would share a branded video with their friends if it was entertaining. So create fun entertaining videos to encourage social shares. Emotions are not exactly ROI but social shares can increase traffic to your site, and you can take it from there.
Video Advertising Work Wonders
Hear this: the average click-through-rate of video ads is 1.84%. That’s the highest CTR of all digital ad formats! And for a 15-second non-skippable YouTube video ad the completion rate is 92%. For skippable video ads, the rate is 9%.
Video ads are also highly effective on social media platforms. Facebook, clubbed with Nielsen, projected the value of video ads on its platform. They learned that 74% of the total Ad Recall can be achieved already within the first 10 seconds of the video. So, fight against banner blindness by making video ads instead.
Video Is Fantastic for Email Campaigns
When you’re creating videos already, make sure you to incorporate them into your email marketing campaigns. An introductory email that includes a video receives an increase click-through rate by 96%! That’s a great way to stand out from competition and get your message across.
Conclusion
Video advertising is becoming more and more affordable and widespread. Video adoption grows partly because advances in technology but also because it’s easy to spread across the globe. Making marketing videos for your business requires creativity and knowledge of human psychology. The cocktail of these components makes it possible to create real miracles of advertising at minimal cost.
Emotionally charged, creative video advertising can be spread on the Internet in a matter of days, getting millions of views. And this is the whole point of video marketing: only the creative survive!