THE IMPORTANCE OF PRE-PRODUCTION (OR, MEASURE TWICE CUT ONCE)
As video production professionals, we have to be mindful of all aspects of production…and especially those fine details. It may sound like a no-brainer that “having a plan” is important, but it is often overlooked. Or at least overlooked in the amount of work that’s required. Oh yeah; “We’ll shoot and then figure it out in the edit” is NOT a plan!
Your pre-production work also ensures that the client’s vision is brought to life in the manner in which they expect it. A detailed plan means that the client knows what to expect, and the production team knows how to deliver on that expectation. Otherwise, we’re all just throwing darts in the dark. No good.
Some aspects of pre-production include:
Consultation / Strategy
Obviously the first step is to define the client’s goals. What do they want to achieve from this project? What is their expectation vs their budget? Can you as a video producer deliver what the client desires given the budget available? If so; great! Moving on…..
Scripting
This is your roadmap to the content of the video. The script will include any lines of dialogue, voice over, description of the action taking place on screen, text to appear on screen, logos required (which the client will need to provide in a high resolution file), music suggestions, locations and B-Roll to be captured. This document will be worked and re-worked until it is considered “Locked”. Once the script has been locked, there will be no further changes. It will act as the blueprint for the rest of our preparation and pre-production.
Location scouting
It is always best to visit the shooting location before your shoot day. There are many issues that you will want to plan for ahead of time. Some of it is related to shooting (where are you going to place your talent, what kind of natural light is there, what time of day are you shooting, is there competing noise or foot traffic); and some of it is related to logistics (where is there access to reliable power, is there a safe place to store equipment, where do you load in / load out, is there easy access to food / water, etc.)
Shooting plan
A key is to ensure that you’re not wasting time while you’re on location. You want to get the most bang for your buck while you’re there. It’s important to have a detailed shooting plan…not just for you, but for your client as well. It should show things like the day, location, time window, what’s being shot, who is required to be present, etc. It answers our Who, What, Where, Why and How on an hour to hour basis.
Storyboarding
While not necessary for every project, storyboards are a nice accompaniment to the shot list. Storyboards are a shot by shot visual depiction of the action in the script.
Shot list
Once we have the overall shooting plan, that shows what we’re doing day by day and hour by hour; now we need to drill down further to shot by shot. Here we lay out the order of the shots, and what the shots contain. What is the location, who is in the frame, is it with a handheld / on a tripod / using a gimbal, is it live dialogue or voice over, etc. The script will once again act as our blueprint to create the shot list. In my experience, the shot list is a confidence tool. I can be confident in knowing that because I’ve done the meticulous pre-work, as long as I follow the shot list I will have all of the footage I need in post-production. There is nothing worse than sitting down to complete the edit and realize that you do not have the footage that you need in order to tell the story or convey the message. This is your nightmare scenario, but it’s completely avoidable when you engage in proper pre-production. The Shot List is your best friend.
Pro Tip: Even if you’re not shooting out of order, but have multiple shots in the same location; don’t be afraid to use a slate. And it doesn’t have to be a fancy clapboard. It can simply be a dry-erase board. Something you can easily hold up in a frame that clearly states the scene and shot number. You will thank yourself later when combing through mountains of footage that all look roughly the same. It will make your basic assembly MUCH easier. Paint by numbers!
Call sheet
This is the daily shooting plan. It’s a one-pager that outlines the location, the times talents are required, scenes to be shot, contact information, parking information, security access codes, etc.
Yes, it seems like a lot of work (it is!). If you follow these pre-production steps, your future self will thank you. You can leave the shoot confident in knowing that you have captured all of your shots. Eliminate the second guessing. You can begin your edit confident in knowing that all elements are there and available for you to craft your story. Measure twice and cut once. A little pre-production goes a LONG WAY.
