How to Film a Video From Scratch
1. The Message
What does it take to create an entirely new video from scratch? As it turns out, the process is quite simple!
In this six-part series, I am going to break down every step of the pre-production and production process for video. I'll even create a video of my own right alongside you, and together we will develop our story, scout a location, choose the right gear, and film a compelling video you can be proud of.
To kick things off, our first topic is the most fundamental component to our video, upon which everything else is built: The Message. I'll unpack 3 critical questions you must answer in step one, and share a surprisingly simple framework to effectively communicate your story.
Grab your '6 Steps to Creating Better Video' guide, and let's get started!
2. The Location
If your message is the foundation upon which all else is built, the location you choose to share that message is like the framing.
Step 2 in our journey to film a video from scratch is all about the filming environment. We've spent time defining our Viewer Profile and answered three critical questions to ensure that our story resonates with our audience. After all that hard work, it's time to choose the right location to share that story. But what are looking for exactly?
Let's address 3 key components to keep in mind when scouting a filming location. These elements will help you identify the best spot with confidence, and minimize distractions, ensuring that your well-crafted message hits home with your viewer.
Get your walking shoes ready. It's time to scout locations.
3. The Gear
Let's be honest. Video gear is expensive! So what do you actually need to film a professional talking head style video?
As we enter step 3 in our video series, we're going to unpack three must-have pieces of equipment, what to look for, and how to set them up properly to showcase our impactful message. Now that we have our isolated and relevant location, we can create a custom setup using our camera, microphone, and lighting kit.
From here, I'll address a few boring, but otherwise important pieces of gear to link it altogether, bringing us one step closer to filming day!
Get out your box-cutter. It's time to unpack some gear!
4. The Setup
At this point in our video journey, we've settled on the why, the where, and the what. The next logical question is how?
Step 4 is all about the setup as we unpack the gear from our last video and position everything in preparation for filming. We'll start with our camera to make sure the frame is free of distractions, then add lights, and of course, our microphone for capturing that crispy audio.
I'll share a few nuggets related to lighting variations, as well as how to prep your audio interface to record the best signal.
Today marks the last day of pre-production, which means our next step is to hit record! Top off your coffee, and let's get to work.
5. The Shoot
The moment you've been preparing for all this time has finally arrived... It's production day!
Correct me if I'm wrong, but the whole reason you took an interest in video was to, well... make videos. Until now, all of our work has been in preparation for the shoot, and today we're putting that prep work into action (literally).
As we arrive on set for our video shoot, I'll share the ultra basic camera settings that I'll be using for my video, and give you a preview of the footage captured in my Canon EOS R8 camera. I'll also give you a behind-the-scenes look as a direct comparison.
You've worked too hard to let off the gas now! Throw on your Director's Cap and head to your film set. Lights. Camera. ACTION!
6. The Wrap
Congrats on filming your pro video! But before we can go any further, there's still one more thing we need to do.
Welcome to the 6th and final step in our production journey. Today is all about the wrap, as we shut the camera off and pack up our gear. We're going to talk about what to do immediately following production, how to import your footage and audio data into your computer, and even how to organize your folders for a better work flow.
We'll then launch Adobe Premiere Pro where I'll give you a first look of our editing workspace and how to start and save your project.
Thanks for following along in this Production Guide, and be sure to get your copy of the '6 Steps to Creating Better Video' guide as my gift to you.
