A while ago a client came to me very confused. He didn’t know what we expected of him, yet we had just explained the critical path to him at the last meeting and left him with a list of “to-do’s”. He then confessed that despite being in marketing for a number of years, he had never done video before and didn’t know the process. He was concerned about the next steps beyond his list and the small details in the critical path laid out at the start of the project.
That was the first time I had someone confess like that and I had a few emotions. One, I was incredibly happy that we had the type of relationship that he felt he didn’t need to hold back about his concerns and two, I was kicking myself as I had never really laid out a process for making videos. I have talked clients through the process and made critical paths, but never a process document. The first thing I did when I got back to the office as spend the next three days laying out “our” process. I think it will be helpful to all if we share it with you.
PLANNING
Client contacts PHI with interest in having project produced.
Clint supplies PHI with the following information in order for PHI to understand the project and scope:
Message to be expressed within video
Target Audience details(age, gender, education, knowledge of message)
Locations which footage needs to be acquired
Any collateral material
Format of delivery
Specific people that need to be shot (if known)
PHI supplies Client with a Project Work Order which includes a rough estimate for creative, production and payment terms of video.
Client requests changes to Work Order or signs off and supplies PHI with Purchase Order (if required for invoice payment).
PHI sends deposit invoice to Client.
Client sends PHI payment on invoice. This payment initiates the start of the Project.
RESEARCH AND CREATIVE
PHI meets with Client to discuss messaging and target.
PHI creates 1 to 3 creative ideas(treatments) to solved the messaging. We do this by researching, interviewing, and discussing the messaging and the target. This process is one of science and magic.
PHI and Client meet to discuss the creative solutions and Client picks one they like the most.
PHI then develops the creative into a script or outline depending on the solution and approach to the video. Scripts are good for educational and some marketing videos. Outlines are great for marketing videos that require interviewing real people to get statements and testimonials.
PHI presents the script or outline to client for signoff.
PHI adjusts budget to reflect final creative and gets signoff if total amounts have changed.
PREPRODUCTION
Depending on the script or outline PHI may do the following:
Storyboards (pictures illustrating the story)
Animation wire frames
Design elements
Research stock footage
Research and find key on screen interviews
Schedule and book travel.
Survey key locations
Cast for on-screen and off-screen talent
PRODUCTION
PHI hires talent and crew (if necessary)
PHI books equipment
In collaboration with Client moves to Footage Acquisition (shooting, stock)
POST PRODUCTION
PHI loads footage into edit system
PHI logs footage
PHI sends selects to Client or Interviewees for approval (if required)
PHI does a ROUGH CUT:
This is where the story is put together. Most times it will lack colour correction (colour is off, images are too bright or too dark), mixed audio (meaning it might be louder or softer in places), music, graphics, animation. It may also have time code (numbers at bottom of the video that indicates the frame you are watching and used for people to give us a reference time in the video).
The Client will normally have multiple times to view and make changes to the rough cut.
PHI will also start sending music files to client for review in needed.
PHI does a FINAL CUT:
All the elements come together (final cut of video, music, mixing of audio, graphics, animation, and the colour correction).
Client signs off on the final cut.
COPYRIGHT
Client makes final payment to PHI in order to receive usage rights.
DUPLICATION/USAGE
PHI delivers final deliverable (DVD’s, Blu Rays, Data Disks and/or web uploads).
EVALUATION OF MESSAGING(if budgeted)
PHI researches the effectiveness of the project messaging.
Scott Westerlaken
Scott Westerlaken
With over 25 years of award winning experience in marketing, television commercials, film, video, communications, web, radio, print, and events, Scott has the ability to maintain focus on the big picture and offer a wide range of solutions appropriate to the clients message and budget. He has been recognized with dozens of awards in business, communications, and filmmaking from around the world. For the client, this means a truly unique balance of hands on technical knowledge and high level strategic experience that always leads to unique and creative solutions.
Over the last 50 years we have all experienced incredible changes in the technology involved in presenting messages to the consumer. We have moved from an analog world to a digital world. We have moved from a film based silver halide technology through a magnoferris technology to silicon /transistor based technology. All very complicated, all very amazing and all mere waystations on the endless technology highway. For my sins I have worked in the advertising film production business for most of this self same time. I started when the first few colour TV commercials were being produced and all commercials where delivered to the TV stations as 16mm film prints by mail. So you ask or maybe more accurately “so what?” Well the “so what” is that over this time frame and through and beyond all this technology I have formulated three basic things that are required to make great visual communication. They are:
image capture formats… disc, hard drive, HD, XD, Red, and even film. This all matters nada! What to my mind is the most important element is in fact the “element(s) of the piece of glass between the idea and the image capturing media. The lens!!! Good lenses make great images. The best lenses will allow the idea to be clearly recorded. All modification to that image can be done … post can make something crisp and clean, soft and fuzzy, BUT NOT the reverse.
With over 42 years experience in Canadian film and television, James Hardie has dedicated his career both to supporting the established individuals and companies who have succeeded in our industry while always fostering and encouraging emerging talent. For his ongoing efforts and dedication in the advertising industry James was honoured with The Bob Mann Award from the Television Bureau of Canada at the 2006 Bessies. The award was created to ‘recognize an individual who has demonstrated a long term contribution to their craft’. The description epitomizes James Hardie. He has worked as an editor, a grip, a production manager, in almost every discipline of post production and currently is Manager Commercial Dailies, Independent and Student Films for Creative Post Inc. Working with filmmakers has been the paramount driving force for James to dedicate his career to our industry, our filmmakers and their stories. A tireless and vocal supporter of the depth and diversity of filmmaking talent across the country, James has volunteered his time and expertise throughout the years with the Academy as a juror consultant and sponsor.