So – are you ready to make a film? Whether creating a professional video or starting a creative project, you’ll need to know about the video production process. Specifically, what’s involved in it. It’s not as straightforward as you might think, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t doable. With the right planning, skills, and budget, you can bring your film idea to life, and here are all the elements involved that will pave the way for just that.
An Idea
You might ask yourself how does video production work? While there are many technicalities involved – from the perfect cast to the right equipment – it can’t go anywhere until there is an idea. It is arguably the most important part of the video production process! Naturally, ideas themselves vary significantly, so you need to decide what your goals are with your project. Are you creating an indie thriller? Or, are you filming a short video to market your business? Knowing your end goals is paramount to kickstarting the ideas process.
The Creative Process
Now comes the fun part – it’s time to get creative! The creative process can last as long as you need, or it can be kept short and snappy. It might involve workshops and discussions with a team, allowing you to turn the bare bones of your idea into a fully-fledged project. You should also keep the budget in mind during the creative process, which leads to the next element involved.
Budgeting
This part is arguably the most frustrating, but it’s also crucial. It’s no secret that making a film comes with a cost! It’s best to account for everything early on, from hiring talent to purchasing the equipment. You should have more of a budget than you intend to spend, too, as you never know when something may go wrong, and you need a financial safety net.
Finding Talent
Finding talent is an essential part of pre-production. This stage isn’t just about finding actors – although that might be a big part of it – but also about finding the right behind-the-scenes talent. The people who work on the film can make or break it!
Scheduling Shoots
Now, it’s time to schedule the shoots. Are you shooting the film in a studio, or on location? Are there places you need to book in advance? What about timings – can you schedule all actors in simultaneously? These are the questions you should be asking yourself concerning scheduling shoots, and it can become more complicated than you might think, depending on the size of your film project. This part might involve a lot of research, too. For example, you might know that you want to film in a desert-like location but don’t know where to begin. In this case, you’ll need to look into greenscreen vs on location, and, if deciding on location, researching the best and most easily accessible places to film.
Getting Equipment
Film production equipment is typically expensive, and you will need access to it before shooting the film. Some of what you’ll need include:
- Lighting
- Lenses
- Tripods
- Headphones
- Laptops
- Editing Software
- Sound Equipment
- Cameras
Of course, the quality of equipment you get depends on your budget. Excellent films can be made on a smaller budget; you just need to know what to prioritise. Remember, you can often rent this type of equipment, too, so you may not need to splurge on all of it.
Shooting the Film
It is the part that most people think about regarding film production – the actual shooting of the film. That can look very different depending on the film itself. It might involve a small room and a green screen, or it may be shot at various locations.
Post Production
The film isn’t complete after shooting – there are a couple more steps to go through. In particular, there are two main processes in post-production: editing and distribution. Editing may seem like a more straightforward process when compared to shooting the actual film, but in reality, it includes spending hours upon hours sifting through footage and putting it together in a way that creates the best overall finish. It takes some proper skills! Then, there’s the act of distribution, which involves getting your film out into the public eye. It’s a form of marketing and can either make or break the success of your picture.
Film production is no simple process. It takes a lot of time, effort, creativity, and money. For those with a creative eye and enough determination, though, that single idea can turn into something incredible.
