How long a video takes to produce from beginning to end will vary depending on a number of factors, including length of the video, subject(s), type of media used, where and how long the shoot takes, etc.
Let’s break it down with a hypothetical scenario: 20 second promotional video for a bar, promoting their Happy Hour drink and food specials. Here are the four phases of production.
Discovery
In order to get a better understanding of their vision, we would first meet with the client and do a location scout of the bar where the shooting will take place. We would discuss their goals for the video, products and people they want featured in the video, address any questions or concerns either of us may have, get an idea of the environment, and put together a production plan.
Pre-Production
After meeting with the client, we would put together a production plan. This would include a story outline, script, specific shots, equipment used, shoot itinerary, etc.
Production
The shoot day. Our video team would go on location to shoot the video. This would include staging and styling, lighting, audio, and of course… capturing footage.
Post-Production
Now this is where the most time is spent. Starting with organizing, reviewing, and backing up footage files. Then, the editing begins. Piecing chosen footage together, adding transitions, colour grading, on-screen graphics, audio editing, sourcing music, compressing, and exporting. This can take upwards of 20 hours altogether, for a 30 second promotional video.
Here is an example, which our video team produced, similar to the hypothetical scenario mentioned above:
Video production can be pretty complicated, but it doesn’t always have to be. There are a number of other ways to produce stimulating video content that is more time-saving and cost-effective. We will get into that in the next Video in Marketing blog series, Part 4.