5-Step Video Production Workflow Guide for 2023

According to research studies and obtained statistics from various reputed organizations, it has been noticed video product is a very influential marketing tool and more than 90% of popular brands utilize it to drive traffic.

It has been discovered that videos attract 300% more natural traffic along with more than 150% organic traffic to any website. Undoubtedly, video marketing is a very powerful and effective medium as well as a digital marketing tool for maximum brands, agencies, and video producers.

What is Video Production Workflow

A video production workflow is usually a sequence of well-ordered and serial steps, which is performed depending upon a pre-set of rules and regulations in order to accomplish a procedure. Video production involves a lot of complications, tight deadlines, closed budgets, varying schedules with a proper working strategy. That is why in order to produce video content with good quality the brands or agencies are required to amend with necessary regulations and guidelines.

Here is the 5-Step Video Production Workflow Guide for 2023:

1. Video Pre-Production Workflow

The pre-production phase of any video production is the groundwork that is essential and brings the scope of a proper foundation of finding a reference point for all deliverables concerning the project.

1. Creative Brief – The very first step is developing a clear, concise, appropriate creative brief which will ensure and declare two primary things which are respectively;
2. Description of the Objective and Narrative – Here, we will be mentioning the primary goal and objective along with the specific goal which it is going to attain.
3. Outline of a Budget and Timeline – Here, you are required to provide a large picture of the project budget and timeline. It will also include the finalization of the project, the start date of the shoot, post-production, and the completion date.

Declaring the Roles and Responsibilities

In the pre-production stage, you are required to define all the roles and responsibilities of all the workers in the production and post-production process based on the production scale, which is inclusive of respectively; producers, creative writers, video editors, graphic designers, sound recordists, sound engineers, illustrators, actors, animators, creative directors, etc.

Key Stakeholders and Reviewers

Identification of the key stakeholders and reviewers is also necessary for meliorating the business side of the production such as client management, brand optimization, legal amendment, accounting benefits, C-suite, etc.

1. Video Script – Once you have decided the requirement of your video, the next step is usually creating a script. Now, based on your interior structure, the initial draft must be written by a writer which is necessitated to be approved by the decision-makers.

III. Storyboard & Shot List – This step is usually making an elaboration of the script. The approval from the key stakeholders is important and you are required to make some important documents as well which are respectively;

1. Storyboard – This step is usually producing a storyboard inclusive of the shots, outlining the story-flow.
2. Shot List – This step comprises of producing a shot list with two sections; A-Roll (Primary Footage) and B-Roll (Supplementary Footage)
3. Call Sheet, Budget, and Timeline – Once you possess a clear perception of the shots and imagination of the video, the next step is usually creating some detailed documents.
4. Call Sheet – It is a schedule plan depending upon the wanted shot list which is required to be shared with everyone.
5. Budget – A budget is identifying and adding all types of costs that are required for filming a video.
6. Timeline – In order to deliver a reasonable video in time, Timeline is a map that depicts the time and subject of any happening.
7. Equipment and Cast List – You are also required to make a list of essential equipment and necessary cast. The list must be detailed and comprehensive which should include every required element on the day of the shoot like; cameras, lenses, batteries, tripods, lightings, cables, hard drives, etc.

Afterward, you are required to contact an agent who will provide all this equipment.

1. Costumes, Catering, and Location Scouting – 
2. Costumes – All the costumes must properly meet the requirements of the shoot as well as the character and accordingly should fit the actors.
3. Catering – You must think of a fast, cost-efficient, and nutrient catering system.
4. Location Scouting – This sector demands a proper location and its essential arrangements like permits or weather checks etc.

2. Video Production Workflow

This is the stage where you will create the raw footage for the video. Everything should be in place. Here also you are required to have finished a good amount of paperwork.

1. Location Preparation – You are required to overview that everything is prepared and everyone is amended by the location preparation checklist to achieve the success which respectively includes;

• Contacting the location of the day.
• Conforming the weather and traffic of the day.
• Notifying the important areas.
• Crosschecking the costumes and props.
• Preparing the cameras.

1. Lighting and Sound Check – The camera and lights must pass through a check and there must be enough preparation for moving the lights. You can also capture some sample audios and test shots.

III. Planning and Coordinating Filming – It is inclusive of respectively;

• Welcoming and Comforting the actors.
• Allowing the wardrobe and make-up.
• Minimizing excess time.
• Capturing every required thing through several takes.
• Backing up the files instantly
• Reviewing the footage instantly for any issue/

1. Planning and Coordinating Audio – Somebody must monitor the audio to obtain a consistent quality. It is best to work with a sound engineer.

3. Video Post-Production Workflow

Post Production is all about gathering and sorting through all raw film footage and sound recordings to bring them together in an adhesive unit like all the best video production companies. Here the project comes to life and involves few collaborative rounds of editing.

1. Equipment Sorting and Material – Here the audio and video engineers require correct equipment, software, and raw materials. Some of the very important postproduction equipment are respectively;

• High-tech Computers
• Video and Audio Editing Software
• High-tech Editing Keyboards
• Powerful Monitors

1. Objective Decision – Here we develop a video editing plan and timeline.
2. Video Editing Plan – It is the outline of a video editing workflow with the description of the process flow.
3. Timeline – It is the outline of the procedure of fitting the process together.

III. Editing 

1. Organizing Files and Creating Back-Ups – This phase is comprised of three basic steps which are respectively;

• Organizing and Naming Files
• Creating Back-Ups.
• Importing the footage to the preferred video editing software.

1. Performing the Main Editing – Here the video engineers are required to perform a few key tasks to demonstrate a rough cut which is respectively;

• Identifying the A-Roll and B-Roll footages.
• Ordering, prioritizing, and deprioritizing the clips.
• Trimming the footage.
• Installing various transitions.

1. Refining the Footage – This step is usually polishing the video with certain tools and techniques which respectively includes;

• Applying special effects for timing and audio.
• Conducting colour grading.
• Applying Special Effects.
• Performing Visual edits.

1. Reviewing and Providing Feedback – After having a final cut, this step includes a review and approval procedure. The necessary steps in this phase are respectively;

• Sharing the final cut.
• Collecting and comparing the feedback.
• Enforcing the requests.
• Obtaining additional feedback through sharing an updated version.

In this stage, some other activities are also required to be performed which are respectively;

• Resolve the conflicts in feedbacks.
• Providing transparent feedback.
• Making the assignments of the video editors clear.
• Allowing stakeholders’ verdict.
• Minimizing complexions.
• Enhancing efficiency.

1. Signing Off and Approval – This step comprises collecting signing off and approval from the primary decision-makers. The steps included in this phase are respectively;

• Tracking the persons who approved and didn’t approve the video.
• Checking the progress.
• Enhancing the transparency

1. Delivery – This stage constitutes delivering the video to accurate stakeholders through various primary channels which are respectively;

• Cloud Storage Platforms (iCloud, Dropbox, etc.)
• File-Sharing Platforms (WeTransfer, OneDrive, etc.)
• Local Server Storage.
• Hard Copy (DVD)

VII. Archive and Storage – In this phase, the project files are required to be stored properly in the hard drive or internal servers safely and securely.

4. Video Distribution Workflow

A workflow is required for the distribution of the final project.

1. Establishing Key Metrics and a Solid Reporting Strategy – Here recognizing the proper metrics is required to ensure success, where you are necessitated to overview the primary goals and demonstrate a reporting system.
2. Developing a Content Distributing Plan – This procedure is outlining the distributional strategy to choose the promoting channel and utilizing an organic campaign or paid campaign.

5. Video Promotional Workflow

Format Contents – After deciding the promotional channel, the next step is formatting the video footage to fit with the platform standard. Choice of various versions, cuts, and formatting options are also immensely important.

It is important that the video files have the capacity of getting automatically transcoded and rendered in various formats.

Conclusion

Above mentioned can be reckoned as the best 5-step video production workflow for 2023.