How to Expand Your Video Production Reach Without a Huge Budget

Imagine being able to fill your organization’s website or social media feed with quality video content filmed wherever a good story exists. Now imagine being able to do that without dedicating a ton of manpower or a huge budget to the effort. The right producer can handle 75% of the work for you, offering creative guidance, experienced crews anywhere they’re needed, and post production services. I call my approach “Video Production Anywhere,” and it’s allowed me to cover stories in locations as varied as Denver, Nashville, Portland (Maine and Oregon), California, Alabama and Paris, France.

Whether you’re trying to capture interviews with executives who will all be in one place for a conference, or you’re sharing stories from an organization with a large geographic footprint, this approach to video production is a cost-effective way to create high quality videos. It relies on three components:

·      A producer to plan and oversee the production

·      A trusted source for experienced crews wherever needed

·      An exceptional team of post production professionals

Production Expertise

A video producer is essentially a communications professional who has been trained to think visually and who understands the language and logistics of video production. Most of my clients are communicators, and they know a good story when they see (or hear) one, but they don’t often have the bandwidth to easily manage video projects.

My job is to work with my client to fully understand the story and the audience for whom it’s intended and then take on as much of the remaining video production workload as possible. During pre-production, that can include developing interview questions and shot lists, figuring out exactly what crew and gear is needed for filming, creating a schedule, and formulating detailed instructions for the crew.

This is my process on every project, whether I’m filming in the DC area or not. The value of the “Video Production Anywhere” approach is in the variety of ways I’m able to work with remote crews. 

Virtual Direction

Let’s say your project requires the crew to gather a few interviews in a controlled, indoor setting (like an office or a library). With the proper gear, I can conduct the interviews via Zoom, resulting in interviews that look just like those conducted in person. Additionally, the Zoom feed can be monitored by clients too, no matter where they’re located.

Prep for a Local Producer

If your project is a bit more complex or if interviews will be taking place somewhere without a reliable internet connection (like on a jobsite or in a forest), I can prep the crew and then hand over the reins to a local producer for the actual day of filming. They’ll do what I’d do on a shoot – conduct interviews, help the crew stay on schedule, and spot opportunities for great shots.

Produce On Location

When a project is particularly complex or I’ve developed expertise in the subject matter that can’t be easily transferred to someone else, it may make sense for me to travel and produce in person. I love having the opportunity to work with crews in other locations.

All three options allow my clients to produce content while minimizing travel expenses and the manpower they need to provide. Oftentimes, multiple pieces of content can be created from just one shoot, creating great economies of scale.

Experienced Crews

For crews outside the DC area, I turn to Jay Schlossberg at Media Central. Jay has over 31 years of experience providing top “local” domestic and international video production crews in over 114 countries to clients as diverse as HBO, Showtime, Netflix, Nvidia, Paramount, Getty Images Worldwide, Nat Geo TV and many more. I’ve worked with his crews in many, many locations and they’re always top notch. Using his crews, I always get well-lit 4K footage and great sound to work with. It’s also easy to add elements like an additional camera, a drone or a photographer to the production when needed. 

Post production

The last piece of the puzzle is post production. I have a strong network of editors, animators, audio specialists, colorists and more who can see any project to the finish line, even under tight deadlines. For some of my clients, my involvement ends after production. For many, I remain involved throughout post production, reviewing the footage, writing scripts and providing creative guidance.

Video is a powerful storytelling medium. The hard part about video isn’t coming up with great ideas for how to use it, it’s the time and manpower it takes to produce. “Video Production Anywhere” is a flexible, cost-effective approach that provides high-quality content without overtaxing your team.