Make Your Video Production Deadline a Priority
Video production has the potential to reap rewards on an exponential level, growing your business in Chicago and nationwide. Video production can also be an expensive project, and where time is money, a tight schedule is essential in order to stick to budget. At the foundation of the schedule is your deadlines – and the need to meet them.
Deadlines are there for a reason, and staying focused on your deadline will ensure smooth operations and fluid development. Make your deadline a priority and keep an updated list that you can come back to and check whenever needed. Time in reality is often very different to time that is predicted. With this in mind, the key to sticking to video production deadline is understanding the process and the amount of time that is needed at each stage.
The Vision and Content
Developing an outline for your video will help you have a clear understanding of where you want to go, and how you are going to get there. After clearly defining your goals, you will be able to work backwards and plan the best approach to get your message across.
Pre-shoot prep starts long before the actual day of shooting. A detailed outline of shots for the videographer, a time-table for your actors and a schedule for your make-up and wardrobe team are some of the essentials to stay on track for deadline. Being detailed during pre-production will save a lot of time in the process as a whole. Create checklists for each stage of production so that nothing is forgotten along the way.
Schedule
An informed schedule will dedicate your time spent where it is needed the most. Decide on deadlines for each stage, allowing enough time for potential hiccups or obstacles. In addition, any activity or appointment that arises should not only be assigned to a to-do list, but given a deadline of its own.
Budget and logistics
The budget and schedule go hand-in-hand. Your budget will fluctuate depending how long you spend on each stage of production, and the length of each stage will be limited by your budget. In order to make sure that money spent fits within the budget, you have to answer basic logistical questions to prepare you for the steps and processes.
Understanding the process will make sure that no unexpected steps are left out. Whilst it is important to leave room for development and inspiration along the way, it is vital that you stick to decisions and lock down ideas. This is crucial to prevent going backwards, which is expensive and time-consuming – making it tricky to stick to deadline.
Pro-activity and feedback
Rather than waiting around for things to happen, take initiative and progress will happen significantly faster. Avoid over-committing, learn from mistakes, and stay up late if necessary to meet each deadline.
Team and client feedback is essential for progression. Ensuring that everyone is on the same page and understands the concept will prevent any detours from meeting the deadline. Feedback is necessary for each step of the process – from the story board and script, to the final cut. Feedback should be consolidated on a single, organized list. Avoid email chains and multiple notes. This prevents things being overlooked.
Ultimately, hiring a professional team will make sure that the system is slick and the process is defined. Clients are always involved in the vision and feedback, thereby making the project yours, without having to do all of the heavy lifting.
