Aperture Studios – Backstage

1. Your production company should guarantee its services. At Aperture Studios we give you A Unique “Nerve Soothing” 100% Money Back Guarantee. If you don’t think we delivered on any promise we made to you, we’ll give you your money back. No questions asked.

2. Your production company should be able to specifically demonstrate to you that it can perform the work you need done effectively – on time and on budget. At Aperture Studios we’ll take the time to learn about you and your project; show samples of similar projects we have done for other people; tell you how much those projects cost; explain to you what the time lines were and if we met them; and give you the telephone numbers of the clients who produced those projects so that you can ask them questions about our performance. Who needs sleepless nights wondering if they’ll get the finished product when they need it and without any surprises on the bill? You don’t..

3. Your production company needs to have a mastery of state of the art video technology. Aperture Studios owns and uses broadcast quality cameras, computer based non-linear editing equipment and non-linear digital audio workstations…. perfect for your production needs. This boils down to having the skills to use the right tools and software for the job. You’re not paying for “on-the-job” training. 

4. Your production company needs to be able to prove to you that it has a wide range of experience to draw on when the inevitable problems that arise during any production come up on your project. Aperture Studios has been in business since 1989. We do a wide variety of corporate work, specializing in training, marketing, and public relations. We have an extensive list of happy clients and we will be more than happy to provide references for you if you would like to call some of our customers.

5. Your video production company should be available to you for FREE ADVICE before you begin your production. At Aperture Studios we encourage you to call us to discuss your project or any idea you may have for a future project. You’re welcome to tour our office at any time and we are always more than happy to send a producer to meet with you at your convenience.

6. Your video project should be handled by an experienced producer. Video production is not an assembly line type of process. One person needs to supervise the project from the very beginning to the very end. That person is your producer. If you are not going to produce the video yourself you need to be comfortable with the person from your production company who is going to do that for you. At Aperture Studios we take the time to get to know you and your process or product before shooting the video. There is no other way to get it done right. And, you’ll get the best value for your money without costly mistakes due to inexperience.

7. Your production company should have a diverse talent pool to draw on for your project. No one company can be everything to everybody. Every video project is different and requires unique talents. At Aperture Studios we pride ourselves on being able to find the right people for your project. But we go one step further… Our “nerve soothing” guarantee covers everyone we recommend for your project. To complement a full-time staff, Aperture Studios maintains a talent database that features a variety of freelance talent. These people specialize in different styles of production.

The fourth and final phase (generally) is distribution or how to get your message to your intended audience. The production company you choose should be able to deliver as many DVD’s or Blu-ray Discs you require AND provide you with a high quality, properly encoded file for use on your web site.  Ditto if you need it for a Power Point or other presentation. Maybe you even need to have your finished piece broadcast on television.

It used to be VHS tape (remember those?) was your only choice for distribution to a general audience but currently DVD is king. They’re relatively cheap to manufacture in quantity – even with full-color packaging.

Your project may not warrant special packaging for your DVD. A simple case with label may suffice. However, if you need a cover designed for your DVD, your production company should either be able to perform this service for you or refer you to someone who can. A quick note: If you are going to have a jacket designed, you may need still photographs taken during the shoot. Make sure your production company can handle this for you.

High definition Blu-Ray is here but doesn’t have the user base of DVD yet.  You may still want to have a Blu-Ray version for internal use but, for general distribution, you’ll probably want to wait awhile.

Web versions of your video are almost a “must” today. You can post them internally on your intranet as a way to communicate with employees or the internet to reach a broad audience.  Properly encoding the video for such use is the key to success and your video production company should be able to deliver this to you.

Last time we talked about how to choose a video production company and the importance of preparation and arming yourself with knowledge of the process. Here, we’ll continue with the next two phases: Production and Post-Production.  

Phase 2 – Production

Shooting: On the surface this is often viewed as the glamorous part of video production or filmmaking – what with cameras and “talent” and publicity and all. It is indeed fun but also usually the most intense phase. The production company you choose should assign a qualified crew to record all required materials outlined in the visual and audio portions of the script. Make sure the crew working on your project has a history of working together and finishing jobs on time. Wasted time means wasted money and you want your dollars up on the screen where it counts.

Phase 3 – Post-Production

Editing: With today’s non-linear editing systems (computer based editing) most production companies are able to combine what was once two separate processes: Off-line editing and On-line editing. Off-line editing involved creating a rough cut of your finished project. The purpose of this first cut was to make decisions on timing, scene sequence and shot selection. The rough cut might not contain music, audio sweetening, or fancy effects. In the past this was done using simpler pieces of equipment or less sophisticated technology.  Once the off-line edit was complete you’d move into the more expensive on-line edit suite with all its bells and whistles. The On-line edit, or the final video, would contain all of these things and any other visual specifications that were outlined in the script. In some cases these steps are still employed but for the most part, with today’s computer based editing, production companies can skip the off-line process and create something much closer to a final version (if not the final version) while retaining the flexibility of easily making changes. This saves time and loads of money.

Next….. Comes Phase 4 – Distribution. Just how do you want or need to get your finished production out there? Stay tuned.

Video Production is a very competitive business. Technology is moving at a dizzying pace. It allows video professionals to do a lot more than they used to be able to do in a lot less time… and for a lot less money. It allows video producers to own equipment that a few years ago they could only dream about working with.

The downside of this technology trend is that the barriers of entry into the video production business have been lowered. As a result, more and more people are buying equipment, printing business cards and calling themselves production companies. Unfortunately, many of these companies are not qualified to serve people like you. So how do you choose a video production company?

Preparation and knowledge are everything in video production.

There are three main phases of video production and several parts of each phase. You may not need all of the services I’ve outlined within a given phase or you may need some not listed here. But, if you are creating a video from scratch, these are the general steps you should be ready to take – starting with:

Phase 1 – Pre-Production

Consultations: In a series of meetings between a qualified Producer from the production company and key representatives of your organization a creative approach for your video should be defined and agreed upon. Then, costs should be quoted by the production company and deadlines set.

Scripting: The most important part of the pre-production process is the script. Script writing for TV is different than writing print copy and serves as a plan for the actual production work. Your writer should have experience writing the type of video you are making. Your writer should write and rewrite drafts of the script, complete with detailed audio and video notes, until you are satisfied with the script’s content and understand how your video will look and sound when it is completed.

Locations: Your production company should offer several location options for shooting. You may want to consider a studio space designed specifically for video production. If you have already picked a location, your production company should have a solid understanding of how to evaluate a location. There are several things that need to be considered. These are just a few: Accessibility, power supply, noise, acoustics, existing lighting, windows, light-ability, ventilation, etc. Many companies do not take the time to find a good location for taping. This can lead to uncomfortable working conditions for both you, your talent, and the crew; poor audio or video quality; extended work days due to spatial inefficiency; increased time in post production or any one of several other location related problems.

Casting: If you are using on-camera talent for your video or if you are going to use a narrator, your production company should have access to a wide variety of actors and voice specialists for you to choose from. If you need to see or hear demo tapes, they should be provided to you by the production company.

Rehearsals: Your actors and voice people should have copies of your script well ahead of their performance dates. Talent should be well rehearsed before they are asked to perform. Rehearsals can cut production time by as much as 50%. This can mean huge cost savings for you.

Next….. Comes Phase II – Production, where all your preparation starts to pay off. Stay tuned.

We’ll be sharing ideas and success stories about folks like you who wish to leverage the power of video and other motion media to their advantage in the business world.