Video Production Explained:
Different Angles Paint a Better Picture

By Alvin Motilla

So, you want video production explained.

Isn't it wise if you're also aware WHY you want that explanation? :-)

As I see it, you want it because...

You're a curious person. And, more importantly…
You want to feel that you already have some sense of guidance, before you finally decide to make your own video presentations.

What is the summary of video production?

CONTENTS

Eye-opener

You and how you want video production explained

Video production explained from these angles

—

But…

HOW do you want video production explained?

Yes, there are ways of doing that. Because the kind of explanation also depends on the kind of person looking for explanation...

People choose what to eat. And they eat the kind of food that they like.

In the same way...

People choose what to hear. And they listen to the kind of explanation that they like.

And what they like to hear depends on their inclinations...

And in video production, different people have different inclinations. Or interests.

For example...

Are you like the "techno-centrics"?

They are people who are mostly drawn to the tools. The gear. The technology.

If we're talking about painting, these are the ones who are mainly interested in the kind of brush, paint, or canvas that a painter uses.

Are you like the "buck-chasers"?

It's not wrong to earn a living by making videos, of course.

But for "buck-chasers", money is the most important thing. They don't really care enough for what they do, and for what their clients really need.

Are you like the "swashbucklers"?

They think that they're good-looking and already accomplished... just because they have some expensive equipment.

And they tend to show it off. They behave like there's always a competition, where self-image is in danger.

"Techno-centrics", "buck-chasers", and "swashbucklers" have a disadvantage...

Since they have inclinations that already predominate their minds—the "tools", the "money", and the "self-image"—chances are they overlook what's most important in video production. But "communicators" see and value that.

So...

Are you like the "communicators"?

What they care about the most is "human connection"—what viewers feel while watching a well-made video presentation.

So it is "humans" that communicators value the most. And a video creator who is more of a communicator at heart knows that...

Video is just one of the many vehicles for conveying info.
Video is just another means of self-expression. And…
Video is just another way of connecting with people.

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Can you relate to this kind of person—the communicator? I hope so. :-)

Because the following perspectives, or ways in which video production is explained, are guided by this major principle that...

"Video production is communication".

So...

WHAT are different ways of looking at video production?

Different angles that will help us see it better?

Video Production Explained: The Process Template

Think of a "template".

What commonly comes to mind is a mold, or pattern, that dictates the shape, form, or flow of that thing that we create inside it. And a template can also dictate the sequence of elements within its boundaries.

So it makes our jobs easier and faster.

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But we also tend to blindly follow templates. Because we're on a hurry to get things done. We have more things to do, right?

And we also tend not to give careful thought anymore to...

what's really needed,
who needs what we're making, and most of all,
why we are doing it.

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But this is not the kind of template that I'm referring to.

The template of video production process that I'm talking about is...

The template of priorities.

What is it?

It is the template that reminds us to do, "first things first". It shows us what we need to consider and do, in order of importance...

... if... we want to increase the odds of making videos, that communicate and connect with our audience.

And this is the kind that, I think, will apply to almost all video presentations that we can make.

Why "almost all"?

Because I couldn't think of any kind of video that, this "template of priorities", will not apply to. Except those videos that I just want to make, without sense of purpose. ;-)

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So, if you're looking for a template of video production process, I think, this is the kind that you'll need. And I express these priorities in form of questions that I ask myself:

What are the steps in the video production process?

1. WHY am I making this video presentation?

In other words, what is this video supposed to do? What is this for?

Purpose. Right?

But, in my experience, in order for me to answer this "priority" question number 1, I noticed that, I have to answer... first... these 2 preliminary questions...

a. WHO is really going to watch this video?

Who needs it? Or...

Who wants it?

b. WHAT is this video really about?

What do I want to tackle in this video, and share with my "real" audience?

2. WHAT do I want to say to my audience?

I really think that...

When you're trying to honestly answer this 2nd "priority" question, you're on the path to giving your audience a meaningful video.
When you discover, "what you have to say" about, "what you want to tackle", it makes a huge difference in the kind of impact, your video can make on your viewers.

You may have seen videos that look impressive, sound cool (may have thumping sound effects), and yet, leave you so little to be inspired with, or to think about. These videos have superficial impact only.

On the other hand, there are videos that, not only look and sound great. But do carry messages that the audience can relate to. These videos have deeper impact. These are videos that connect.

And that thing that you want to say—or convey—to your audience, could be an opinion. A belief. A way of looking at life. Or a way of treating your subject.

I find that discovering... first... what I have to say in my video, is not very easy to do. Because many times, I feel the temptation to skip this part, and jump into the more exciting activity—which is shooting, or filming.

But I also find that, it's worth nailing down, the real message, for the real audience.

Why? Because...

It gives you a sense of conviction—or direction—that helps you carry on with your project. Especially when you're starting to feel lost, or "when the going gets tough". And eventually,...
It leads you to a certain feeling that's hard to describe... when you know, your video has touched your audience. That feeling is still different from—even better than—the one when your video impresses your audience, merely because of technical, or mechanical aspects.

3. WHAT do I want them to see and hear?

These are the things that will help express, or demonstrate, what I want to say to my audience.

Ideally, if we want to communicate well through video, everything in our presentation has to support our message to our intended viewers.

In other words, elements that our audience will see and hear in our video, have to come together, and help each other as a whole.

Why?

Because these elements need to embody our video's message.

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Answering "priority" question #3, is very much like, thinking about the needed steps, to realize a certain goal. To me, answering this question is the time to think about...

The big picture flow of my video presentation (one that I sense would be effective for my "real" audience).
The major actions or info that need to fill that "big picture". And...
Potential visual and sound elements, and style, that would give life to this presentation.

In short, it's really about doing some planning first, before shooting.

And depending on our project, we, as video creators, may express the results of our planning by making outlines, scripts, shot lists, or even storyboards.

4. HOW do I get or create the needed image and sound materials?

This is actually the fun part.

Because this is shooting and sound recording.:-) You know, being in the field, or in whatever set or location. Our subjects are there, waiting to be filmed by us...

... And we're excited to use our cameras and other audio and video gear. Others say it's like, going to a battlefield, or going to a war.

Since filming or shooting is fun, we tend to do it first. Right?

But, as you can see, this is priority question #4. Which means... We only do this after we've done priorities 1, 2 and 3, of this template of video production process.

I said earlier that others say, or at least imply, that shooting is like going to a battlefield. As if there's a need to conquer some people, or some territory. But, I'm not really inclined to compare shooting to, "going to a battle or war".

To me, shooting is simply "searching". Or "creating". We are out in the field to gather or create materials that we need, to build our video presentation. Footage. Sound.

5. HOW do I assemble these materials?

This is the time to put our raw materials together. The time to build a coherent whole. A whole video presentation.

I really like to call this 5th priority as, "Assembly", or "Building" time.

Why?

Because that's exactly what it is! Editing and polishing are just parts of it.

One big challenge here is, how do we combine all the pieces, in a way that's going to be effective for our "real" audience—our "intended" viewers of that particular video.

Another big challenge is to keep in mind that, we're NOT building a presentation for everyone. We're NOT trying to please everybody... except our "real audience".

So there you go… video production explained using a template.

What is the benefit of referring to this, "template of priorities", when making videos? What is the benefit of doing, "first things first"?

Well, because we're doing things in order of importance, it saves us time, energy, and even money.

Sure, we can do whatever we want! We can film without purpose.

But, if we want our videos to be meaningful... and memorable... to our audience, I find that...

Being guided by priorities is the way to go.

Video Production Explained: The Process Flow Chart

Remember I said earlier that, "Video production is communication"? And that this principle guides the video production perspectives that you see here?

In other words,...

To make a video is to communicate.

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Now, another way of looking at video production, is through a flow chart. So we have this flow chart of video production process...

What is the basic workflow of video production?

But, what kind of flow chart is this? We need to be specific, right?

It's a communication flow chart. It shows the elements in video production process, that are responsible for the communication that happens through video.

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A highlight of this flow chart is, "video content". It's what we communicate, when we make videos. Without video content, we have nothing to share with our audience.

But the other "elements" help create, shape, and communicate video content.

Here's the details of this interesting video production perspective.

Video Production Explained: The Process Outline

This time, we'll look at video production process from above.

Above?

Yes. What I mean is, we'll look at the "big picture" of WHAT you do, when you make a video.

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And in order to do that, we need to use an outline. So, here's a broad outline of video production process...

What is the structure of video production?

What does it mean?

Let me explain. :-)...

ALL the things that you do, when you make a video—and even after you've made it... Those are your production efforts.
Now, your production efforts have different categories. Each category is described according to, what it is trying to accomplish.
That outline shows the "big picture" view, of what you're trying to do. First, when you make a video. And then, when you want your future videos to become better.

A good thing about these "categories" is that they are guided by principles. And these principles help us execute well.

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Intrigued?

If you immerse yourself in making your own videos, and you aim for good results, you may notice that your efforts fall under the following…

Categories of video creation

strategic
creative
technical
evaluative, and
progressive

On Strategy

The first basic principle of making videos concerns strategy.

“What is the purpose of your video? If it’s not clear to you, do not start creating... Still want to create, without knowing your purpose? Okay, it’s up to you. But I told you…”

On Creativity

The second basic principle of making videos is about creativity.

“Relax. Be open… open mind… open heart… open eyes…. But be sure, that your creative energies, have worthwhile direction.”

On Technicality

The third basic principle of making videos has to do with technicality.

“You need enough know-how, to bring your cinematic vision to life. But don’t get caught up in too many techniques. Because sometimes, lesser is better. And I love simple and clear methods.”

On Evaluation

The fourth basic principle of making videos is about evaluation.

“Okay, be honest. How’s your video? Do you like it? Does she--or your audience--like it?”

On Progression

The fifth basic principle of making videos is about progression or improvement.

“There’s always room for improvement and learning. It’s better to be a fresh green mango, than a ripe yellow mango. Because the green mango still has a way to go. But the yellow mango will rot sooner or later.”

--

By taking these capsules of thoughts, we begin to…

see some clarity, and
feel a sense of conviction,

… to make our own videos, like this…

Sample short video: “Samantha XVIII”

This is about Samantha’s 18th birthday. It’s a sneak preview of a short film I made for her to celebrate the occasion. (This video is just a small part of the final cut, but it gives you a sense of how the story unfolds.)

The challenge I faced while filming was the lack of a formal program to document—no traditional elements like 18 roses, 18 treasures, or 18 dances. The evening centered on a simple dinner at a classy restaurant with Samantha’s family and closest friends.

I didn’t want the video to just show the dinner. Instead, I took a different approach: Samantha played an active role in the film. My goal was to create something her family and she would find meaningful and heartfelt.

Video Production Explained: The Process Flow

Another way of gaining insight into video production, is to see the "flow" of the process of making videos.

The specific "flow" I'm talking about, is your workflow, when you're making a video presentation for your audience...

This “workflow” is composed of stages that you go through, when you create a video, from start to finish.

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In my experience, whether a video is…

for fun, or for something serious, or…
for my personal use, or for somebody who pays for it,

I realized that I’m going through some crucial stages, when I’m in the process of making it…

Stage 1 - Being aware of what you’ll create

Before I get too excited to use any of my digital gear, I want… first… to be aware of what it is, that I will create. So, I ask myself questions like:

“Who is this video for?”
“What is it about?”
“What is that for?”

I know, others don’t bother to do this at all. They just pick up their cameras and start shooting. And it is very tempting to do the same, when almost everyone is doing it.

But I resist the urge, because, when I’m doing a video, I don’t want to hit a wall, and then say to myself,...

"What. Am. I. Doing?!”

And I can’t afford to waste so much time and energy making a video… and correcting things that could have been done properly from the start. So,…

I have to be aware, first, of the nature of that video project I’m taking on.

I think, of all the stages of digital video production that you’ll go through, “Being aware of what you’ll create” is the most important.

Why?

Because, without this awareness, you are lost!

No matter how creative--or artistic--you are in the succeeding stages of production, if you don’t have any idea of what’s important in the first place, you’ll find it hard to give your audience, a more meaningful and engaging experience with your presentations.

I’m not saying that everything in your video has to be pre-planned. No! I don’t believe that! But realize that every video presentation is unique. Every video is specific. So don’t wing it!

At least, be aware of it.

Stage 2 - Gathering materials

Now, all the raw materials that, I think and feel, would help me make that video, I will gather.

Visuals and sounds.

Right? ;-)

This is the right time I’ll start to get excited to use my gear! To shoot. To record. To film. To capture.

But… I want to make sure, that I am the master of my gear… that it serves me and the purpose of what I’ll create.

Because gear should not “possess” me… I am the one who should “possess” my gear… if you know what I mean… ;-)

Stage 3 - Putting them together

If I can see, that I have all the necessary materials, the next thing I do is… to put them together.

I am combining my raw materials, to create a whole video presentation.

And it’s like joining the pieces of a “jigsaw puzzle”… until you can see the final picture… That beautiful picture!

Stage 4 - Sharing it with your audience

The final thing I do, is to make sure that the “concerned” person, will receive and watch my video.

Who is that “concerned” person? My intended viewer! The one who will consume the content of my video presentation.

You see, if I won’t be able to share my work with my target audience, I’ve just wasted my time and energy! What is the use of my work?

And that is why… I also need to pay quality attention, to this final stage of production… especially, when it comes to…

producing my work in a file format, that my audience can use, and
placing the video where she can get it. (Is it online? Or, on a digital storage, that she can take home and watch?)

You know what, it would have been easier for me, if I just told you that, the stages of video production are… “pre-production”, “production”, and “post-production”.

And these are correct!

But the information I’ve given you about, “the 4 stages of production”, feels more intuitive to me.

And it feels more concrete! Because, you have a clearer idea, of “what you’re getting yourself into”, when you want to make a meaningful video. ;-)

Video Production Explained: The Process Timeline

Now, we're going to use a timeline to illustrate video production...

This is a popular and common way of explaining video production. We often hear about "pre-production", "production", and "post-production" phases. Right? :-)

As you can see, this timeline shows the different tasks under each production phase. It also suggests how these tasks, relate to each other, and need to be lined up.

So, under the pre-production phase, we have:

subject and audience research
goal and scope of work
concept and message
structure and storyline
treatment
script
storyboard
casting and crew
location scouting
shot list
scheduling
rehearsal

And the production phase includes:

shooting
sound recording
voice over
creating or acquiring sound effects
creating or acquiring music

Lastly, the post-production phase needs to accomplish the following:

video editing
color corrections and/or color grading
sound editing and enhancement
putting music and sound effects
client review
"final cut"
packaging and delivery

That’s video production explained using a timeline.

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Is this timeline absolute?

No. It only shows the usual activities under each production phase. The sequence of tasks may seem "fixed". But this timeline is really a guide.

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Do you need to do all the tasks in this timeline, for ALL your video projects?

No. Because different video projects have different circumstances. A particular project will have its own purpose, specific needs or requirements, state of budget, etc.

For example...

A documentary video may not need the "casting" of actors and actresses. Unless, you want to include some dramatizations of "real" events.

A narrative video may, or may not, use "voice over" narrations.

And a short film intended to be in black and white, may not require "color grading" at all. Unless, you still want to shoot it in color, and do your "corrections" later, to make it black and white. ;-)

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So... again... this video production process timeline, is NOT something that is "carved in stone".

It IS a guide.

Video Production Explained: Bottom Line

When you're trying to explain something to someone, sometimes giving her different perspectives of your subject matter, helps.

Why?

Because different perspectives, or angles, provide a better picture, and clearer understanding.

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And that is why, when you saw video production explained here, you've seen a template... a flow chart... an outline... a workflow... and a timeline.

All of them are different ways of seeing the video production process. All of them provide some sense of guidance. Therefore...