HOW TO REMOTELY PRODUCE A VIDEO

Creating a video in the age of coronavirus is not an easy task. Organizing your vision with your creative team is hard enough over video conferencing. But, organizing crew, talent, props, locations and everything else involved in a video production is much harder than it was before the pandemic. Despite the new obstacles in front of companies producing a video, when there is a will there is a way.

Overseeing your production via zoom or other video conferencing software will be challenging. Every element of the production will have to be locked in well in advance. You’ll need to be checking with all departments involved to make sure nothing slips through the cracks. There will be less of an opportunity to try shots on the fly or run with an idea on set. But remote producing can and will be done, and ASL is here to show you the way.

Produce A Video Via Your Screen

Technology will see us through. Our production, that is. By setting up your computer, tablet or even phone facing a monitor(s) in video village, you can have many people watching in as the production rolls. There are several different platforms that allow remote viewing.

Zoom is the video conference platform of the day and can work well on a computer or tablet. GoTo Meeting is another popular platform. Microsoft Teams is highly rated, if your company subscribes to the Microsoft suite of programs. There are plenty of other such as Join.me, Webex, Skype or even Google Hangouts would do the trick.

Any of these video conference software will work so pick the one you like. Just make sure that you are there!

“The most important factor to produce a video remotely, or in person, is to create content your audience will watch.”

Tighten Up That Pre-Production

Chances are if your company has spent time and money preparing to produce a video, your ducks are in a row. You’ve got your creative concepts finalized and signed off on by the higher ups. But what about the more technical aspects of the shoot?

Usually on a corporate video shoot, an on-site client representative is present to approve a framing of scenes, lighting, wardrobe hair & make-up, etc. Obviously, with social distancing effecting how many people can be within a small vicinity of each other, in-person oversight will be limited.

All of this information can, and should, be addressed in your pre-production documents. Your storyboard should not only provide shot-by-shot creative direction you want to achieve but notes now have to be made about all other elements of the scene. Whether it be framing, lighting or any of the other elements needed to execute your video, there should be a strict plan in place for the look and style your video is trying to achieve.

Trust Your Production Crew

Along with the specific instructions in your pre-production documents, you must have a crew in place to oversee your vision. That means working with a production company that you can trust. A team that you have confidence in to execute the specific plan you have put in place.

Most likely, this will be a team you have worked with before and who you trust. But what happens if everyone arrives on set and the looks and specification from your pre-pro document can’t be replicated? The stage isn’t large enough for this set up or the lights are providing a different look than originally thought.

This is why having a skilled and trusted production team is the best back up plan. A full service production company should have solutions for any unanticipated issue that comes up. The stage isn’t big enough? Let’s move the frame slightly to maintain the look you want but be able to use all necessary sets. The lights aren’t giving talent the look you want? Lets use supplemental lighting to provide the look described in the pre-production documents.

Trust in your team and crew is essential to produce a video remotely. Your production company must have back-up plans upon back-up plans and the good ones, like ASL, always do.

Have a Clear Post-Production Plan

Producing post production remotely is a bit simpler than producing a shoot while you’re off site. Many of our collaborators allow us to build cuts in our office and send back notes for the next version. Although, some of our clients prefer to be in the edit suite with our editors overseeing the process and making sure every shot, graphic and voice over line is in place.

If interviews are a part of your production, identifying sound bites that help drive the story are a valuable way to assist your edit team in gathering shots and b-roll that assist in driving your story.

Versions for tv, web, social and social stories are common place in post production plans. But that doesn’t mean that these plans can be left up in the air. Before you film, factors such as the export versions, time of videos and a full post calendar should be fleshed out and agreed upon by all parties.

Produce A Video Your Audience Will Watch

The most important factor to produce a video remotely, or in person, is to create content your audience will watch. If your creative concept does not engage with your audience, no plans you make to produce remotely will mean anything.

After all, you know your audience and what they will respond to. Whether it be a product video, marketing sizzle or employee address producing a video your audience will like, is the key to the entire production process.