With entrepreneurs and small businesses rushing to join the Online Video Revolution and get video on their websites, they often forget one key fact: You can’t add video to your website, until you have the video!



If you want to turn your website in a TV channel, here are some video production basics to get you on your way. Fortunately, with today’s easy access to video production tools, creating a great video is well within your reach.

The three stages of video production are:

•Pre-production – Planning, writing, scheduling, location scouting and all of the preparation and details before a frame of video is ever shot.

•Production – The actual video shoot. Depending on your needs and budget, this could be anything from a home camcorder shoot to a multi-camera Hollywood extravaganza. For this reason, it’s hard to generalize about how much a video spot will cost.

•Post-production – While on the shoot, you may hear the common refrain, “We’ll fix it in post." Post is where everything comes together to produce the video – editing, graphics, music, titles, voice over, special effects and, eventually, a “final cut."

As you plan your video production, keep the following 5 steps in mind:

1.Set clear goals

Know and communicate your marketing objective. Determine your budget and develop a plan. What do you hope to achieve with your video? Where, when and how frequently will it run? For a handy (and free) Video Planning Questionnaire, visit www.MuddyDogMedia.com.

2.Determine your target audience

Who are you trying to reach, and will your message resonate with your intended audience? Is the video specifically for the web, or for broadcast television? With video for the web, you’ve got a lot more flexibility when it comes to cost and quality.

3.Consider your content

Craft your message and determine your content. Be sure to refine your script and storyboard – a visual representation of each shot in your ad - until you’re convinced the video is ready to shoot. If you’re not a copywriter, consider hiring an ad agency or a freelance copywriter to craft your script. To locate an ad agency or a copywriter, visit adagencydirectory.com or guru.com.

4.Plan your shoot

You’ll need to decide on the “creative" for your video production. Considerations include tone, pacing, mood, style, music, etc. Should it be humorous? Dramatic? Animated? The clearer your vision before the shoot, the better television you’ll ultimately produce. The television marketing and promotion pros at Promax.org are some of the best “promo producers" in the world. See what ad producers from NBC, Discovery, MTV, Fox and others are doing and tap into their collective knowledge.

5.Fix it in post

Post production is “where the magic happens." Edit the footage from your shoot, adding music, graphics, effects and finishing touches. Hire a pro editor, or do it yourself with a program as simple as Apple’s iMovie, or Adobe Premiere for the PC. Many states offer directories of local production specialists; do a Google search on “video production" or “commercial production" with your state or city.

Follow these five steps, and you’ll be on your way to producing a compelling video that can enhance your image, build your brand and boost your business!

Sidebar:

Some final video production tidbits…

•If you do decide to go it alone, creative is still key. A good idea with lower production values is still better than a slick ad that doesn’t drive home your message.

•New software called “Visual Communicator" from Serious Magic allows you to create pro videos with just a webcam and some pre-packaged graphics and effects.

•Some local TV stations will provide commercial production services for an additional fee when you buy an ad schedule.

•Think about other “venues" for your finished TV ad, such as streaming video on your website.