Maybe you, your boss or a committee has already committed to producing a video. In fact, maybe you've already allocated funds for the production. However, before you start ramping up production, take a minute to determine if video is really the right tool for your project.

ADVANTAGES
Here are some of the distinct advantages of using video as a communication tool:

Standardized presentation – Video allows you to lock down a presentation. When your audiences watch a video they are all exposed to the exact same presentation each and every time. The same facts, the same images, the same emotions portrayed on tape can be repeated ad infinitum. This is a great way to make sure that all of your audience is exposed to the pertinent facts.

Emotional Impact – Video can reflect and even create emotional impact. Whether you see and hear the excitement of a scientist explaining his new discovery or follow a child as he struggles to find a home, video can connect with an audience like not other media. Most importantly, video can motivate people to act.

Show it! Don't Tell It – Video has the capability of going anywhere and showing anything. If you can imagine it, video can display it. Demonstrate a new manufacturing process, teach a new sales technique, or interview satisfied customers. Slow it down. View it in real time or even speed it up. Watch it backwards. Video shows how it works. Through animation and graphics, video can also take you places that never existed and demonstrate principles that no one has ever seen.

The Language of Video – Video is a language that is universal. Juxtaposing images, using editing techniques and adding sound can often cross translation obstacles. Age, geographic, cultural and even language barriers can be overcome using video. Our cultural has learned to understand the language of video. However, learning to "speak" the language is much more difficult. You need to leave this to a professional.

Standardized Portability – Go anywhere in the world and you can take video with you. VCRs are standard equipment in all meetings room. You will even find VHS players in countries where PAL is the standard. No complicated hook-ups, no control hassles. Just pop in a videocassette and start.

Cost Effective – Video can be a cost-effective way to reach your targeted audience. This not only applies to large distribution situations where you might mail or broadcast video. Consider the cost of flying in trainees, management or experts every time you need to make a certain presentation. Also, sometimes Mohammed cannot come to the mountain. Video is one the few ways to bring the mountain to Mohammed. With video you can carry a whole world in a briefcase.

THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ISSUE?
Here are some situations where video might not be as effective:

Just the Facts, Ma'am – Do you have a lot of raw facts or complicated procedures to communicate. Video is very good at disseminating concepts or involved procedures, however video works best in educational settings when it is supported by live classroom interaction and printed material. Tables of raw data are best distributed as documents or in pamphlet forms.

Keep it Short –Video is a dynamic media, which means it works best when it is short and to the point. Commercial television has defined the pace and form of today's video. Viewers expect that programs move quickly, make clear points and then move on. Always work to keep the content moving and focused or you will lose the viewer's attention. If you have a long presentation you might wish to break it up into pieces or intersperse traditional lecturing.

Personal Interaction – Any good educator will tell you that video is a tool that can be used well or poorly. The ability to personally interact with a presentation is mandatory to any well run education or training program. Recorded video has its place in the classroom, but should not be solely responsible for training without the proper support.

SO HOW DO PEOPLE USE VIDEO?
Some common types of business video are

Marketing Video – Simply put, a marketing video sells something. It might sell a specific product, a conceptual product or even just an image. It might be a hard or soft sell. It might have a targeted audience of one or of millions. Next to entertainment, this is one of the most widely uses of video.

Technical training – How do you assemble a DLX 5000 Series Widget? What's the most efficient way to clean your manufacturing line? How do you solve a customer's problem? Training videos are an inexpensive tool to train your sales force, manufacturing division or any other personnel. Tapes can be viewed anytime, day or night. They can be repeated indefinitely, and transported anywhere easily.

Sales Force Training – Training a sales force is often quite different than training a technical staff. There is often more than mere technical information. These types of videos often teach company culture and attitude. Sales Force videos are also hard driving, upbeat, and motivational. This is where a good video can really drive your sales.

HR/Company Profile – Can you describe your company in five minutes? Product line, corporate culture, locations, materials, resources, and customer base all in a few minutes? Maybe you need to educate potential employees or maybe potential investors. This is where a video can shine far above any other simple presentations.

Business Presentation – It's your turn to stand up in front of everybody and explain your ideas. You have charts and graphs, maybe even pictures that demonstrate your points. Here's opportunity to show rather than tell. Push play and transport you audience to the new plant or show them how the new line is working. Use graphics and animation to demonstrate your thoughts. Make your presentation active and entertaining, by using video.

People Show – Want to pull your team together in a hurry? People Show videos take your team and makes them the star of the video. The results are unfathomable. Whether a producing a poignant piece of workers' camaraderie or an upbeat display of teamwork. People Shows always have music, sometimes created by the team itself.

EVALUATE YOUR NEEDS

OK, now you know what video does best and you’re pretty sure it’ll work for you. So how do you get started? First, you need to evaluate your own needs. Here are a few questions you need to answer.

Audience – Who is your audience? Their age? Their education? Their mindset? How many are there? Is a 40 year old man interested is the same products that a twenty year old women is? You have to understand with whom you are communicating before you start. Once you understand the mindset of your targeted audience you can structure your video to make it more appealing to them. Wild and Exciting? Casual Dress? X-gen? Baby Boomer? Corporate blues and button downs?

Action – What do you want your audience to do once they’ve seen the video? Sell more product? Sell in a different way? Buy product? Make informed decisions? Operate machinery correctly? As discussed earlier, one of videos primary attributes is that it can motivate people. Even if your video is merely supposed to demonstrate a simple procedure, you can instill a sense of pride, or safety into that demonstration. Think carefully and completely about what your audience should retain after they watch the video.

Image – How do you want to portray your company or your product? What sort of image are your trying to project? Successful business? Discount House? Reliability? Longevity? Customer oriented? These issues often drive the quality of the video production. This is why you need professional help!

Length – What’s the best length for a video? The "graduate school" answer is, "As long as it needs to be. No longer, no shorter." We’ve all seen two minute videos that seem like an eternity, as well as hour long presentations that just fly by. Generally, video projects should aim towards being shorter than longer, but it all depends on the final use. Some general guidelines:

Marketing and sales: 3-8 minutes (Long enough to capture the excitement of a company or product without delving into the details.

Training and instructional videos: 5-30 minutes (If you need longer, think about breaking your subject into several shorter videos.

People Show: 3-6 Minutes (People videos should be dependent on the length of the selected song. It is possible to lengthen a song through editing. However, lengthening songs is not recommended for it can dilute the emotional impact of the piece.)

LOOKING FOR A VIDEO PRODUCER

Once you’ve established your needs, it’s time to contact a video producer. Your producer is going to drive the quality of your production. Certainly, he or she will bear some responsibility for the budget, but more importantly your producer will make content and aesthetic decisions that are integral to communication. It is important that you find a producer that is pro-active in determining your needs and has the ability to translate that into video.

Here are some thoughts concerning looking for a producer:

1. Many times the sales personnel with a production company function as client advocates. This can actually be a great benefit to a production. However, sales staff can often add a layer to the communication channels. In your search, make sure that you talk directly with the producer who would be working with you.
2. Though large production companies often have high-quality producers on staff, you’re not always guaranteed that one of them will be assigned specifically to your video. Many times, the top producers of a company will delegate facets of their productions to assistants or other producers. Though this works in a few situations, it must be monitored carefully.
3. Many producers also function as director and/or writer. Though you rarely find this in high-end film production, this is a common occurrence in business-oriented production.
4. Awards and recognition in the video industry are quite common. When evaluating a producer, pay more attention to their demo reel (usually an edited compilation of the best of the producer’s work). Ask questions about how much influence the producer had over the production. Sometimes video industry people take credit for an entire video when they only contributed a certain aspect to it.
5. Ask for samples of original scripts and storyboards that you can compare to the final video. Use these as a gauge in determining how well the producer plans and executes a project. It’s true, that many a fine production has been created with a script and storyboards. It’s also true that many of these fine productions have wound up with excessive budgets.
6. A good producer will be honest with you. They will explain their production process and will give you accurate assessments of time and budget.  Ask them to describe their production process and budgeting procedures.
7. If a producer is anything at all, he or she is a problem solver. Experience allows a producer to quickly provide creative solutions to logistical, aesthetic and budget problems. Have the potential producer give you some examples of problem solving.
8. Finally but not most importantly, you want a producer that connects with you, someone who seems to innately understand you and your company. Nevertheless, if they don’t have the experience and they don’t have the creative energy, then this matters little.

There are several ways to produce a video. Most videos are combinations of several of the following types of productions.

Overcoming the "Camcorder Mentality" – The advent of inexpensive consumer-grade video equipment has changed a lot of perceptions about how videos are made. Now for under $1000, anyone can purchase a camcorder and a spare VHS deck and perform simple AB editing. Camcorders fool-proof operation allows for a point and shoot simplicity that was unheard of twenty years ago. Shooting is fast and easy.

Suddenly, anyone who can pick up a camcorder can be a video producer. This is great to record family and friends. Also, weddings and some special events are shot using inexpensive camcorders. Be forewarned, there is a significant difference in quality when you compare camcorder quality to broadcast quality production. However, if you only have $1000 or so to produce a video, look up the phone number of a wedding photographer. They should be able to refer you to an expensive camcorder operator.

I Want My MTV – Nevertheless, there are times when rocky, camcorder video can add dimension or perspective to a high end video. Older production personnel refer to this style as "MTV" camerawork. Though this style can be fun and effective, it also can be overused. Unjustified camera movement and degraded video can be frustrating to watch (at least to some people) over long periods of time. If you are involved in this type of shooting, always make sure that what needs to be seen gets in the camera frame.

"Broadcast Quality" Production – The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) publishes technical standards that ensure video is broadcast over the airwaves at certain quality levels. These standards include format and consistency of signals. To guarantee these levels, cameras, video tape decks and editing equipment are meticulously engineered and maintained. Most consumer level camcorders do not come close to meeting those standards.

However, "broadcast quality" usually means much more than meeting technical requirements. "Broadcast quality" reflects production values that most television networks or producers would allow on the air. This includes attention to lighting, camera angles, talent, writing, editing, sound quality, music and a multitude of other dynamics.

Studio Production – This refers to productions that are created in a studio rather than "on-location." A production studio allows a great deal of control over technical aspects of the video production. Studios are sound proof, have lighting grids, allow for easy camera access, accommodate multiple camera shoots and live switching. This control allows for a high quality result. On the downside, studio production has a high cost especially when you have to construct specialized sets. Additionally, even when close attention is paid to detail, a studio production does not always project a realistic world. Settings will seem unrealistic, artificial. Using film instead of video can overcome this artificiality.

Videos usually shot in studios include, infomercials, talk shows, news programs, cooking shows, and sitcoms.

On Location – Sometimes if you call up a director you’ll be told that he or she is on location. This is simply a catchall phrase that means the director has the production unit shooting somewhere out in the "real" world. They could be shooting in a park, on a beach, in an office complex or in factory.

There is considerably less control in location shooting. Any outside locations are dependent upon weather (particularly lighting), noise, and a multitude of unforeseen problems. Even though indoor shooting is generally easier, there are a number of potential problems including, power supplies (quantity and quality), low angle lighting (watch for lights glaring in glasses), noise (you’d be surprise what a microphone can pick up in a "normal" room), and heat (quartz lights heat up quickly).

However, the advantage of on location shooting is a realistic environment. Beyond the obvious benefits of shooting actual locations, setting interviews and narration in "real" locations overcomes the artificiality of a studio shoot. The actors or narrators are more believable because they are in a believable setting.

At the marketing and industrial video level, location shooting is generally less expensive than studio shooting.

Multiple Camera Shooting – Using several cameras at the same time usual means that the event is live (like a sports events or newscasts) or that a one-time only event needs to be captured from different angles (a stunt for instance). During live broadcasts the cameras are electronically switched which means director selects which camera he wants the viewers to see.

One Camera Shooting – Basically, this means that one camera shoots everything, even situations where people appear to be interacting.

The best example of this occurs in major motion pictures. The camera shoots the same scene several times from different angles. So first, the camera shoots a close-up of one actor saying his lines. Then the camera shifts to shoot a close-up of another actor saying her lines. Then the editor intercuts the scenes together so that it appears the actors are talking to each other real time.

Each positioning of the camera is called a set-up. For every set-up, the background must be established, lights need to be repositioned, audio must be checked, continuity must be checked, make-up is freshened and the entire production grinds to a halt.  For people not accustomed to video production, this can be a frustrating interval. However, this is the time to be patient and let the production personnel work out the shot.

 ENG (Electronic NewsGathering) – Just turn on any local news program and you can get a good idea of what ENG is all about. Feature reporters are usually accompanied by only one news videographer (a.k.a. photog or cameraman). Traditional video shooting calls for a crew of at least three: the director, the videographer and a grip/audio person. Quite often more crew members are added as determined by speed and complexity. However, the ENG videographer is responsible for all technical and many aesthetic aspects of the shoot including audio, video, lighting (if relevant), and continuity. Speed is always of the essence and many times the videographer has to compromise image quality for speed. That’s all part of doing their job.

The result has become a style all its own. Lighting is reduced to a single harsh light mounted on the camera. Instead of steady tripod or dolly shots, the videographer hand holds the camera. Though many of these videographers become extremely smooth in their movements, the camerawork can be jerk y with quick pans and unbalanced shots. ENG style focuses what the camera is shooting rather how it looks.

Creating a video is very similar to building a house. You can spend a few thousand constructing a very utilitarian lean-to or you can spend hundreds of thousands designing a beautiful mansion. You can contract with experts or you can contract with the handyman down the street. The materials and the components you use can vary in quality.

Technology is constantly upgrading in the world of video. New and better equipment is introduced on a monthly basis. Improvements in the equipment include ease of use, portability, image quality, and special effects. In order to survive, production companies must find a balance between purchasing the cutting edge technology and maintaining obsolete technology. This might not seem like a big factor until one learns just how expensive broadcast quality equipment is.

Most everyone is aware that a consumer camcorder ranges in price from $300 to $1200. But what about a broadcast quality equipment? Here are some typical prices –

Broadcast video camera . . . . . . $15,000 – $120,000
Medium range . . . . . . $30,000 – $50,000

Beta Record Deck . . . . . . . . . . . $10,000 – $70,000
(Video tape recorder)

Non-Linear Editing System . . . . .$25,000 – $120,000

Compositing and Effects. . . . . . . $3,000 – $10,000
Software packages (several packages)

Minimal 3D Animation . . . . . . . . . .$5,000
Software and Hardware

Video Equipment Maintenance . . $120+ per hour

These costs neither reflect other necessary production equipment (lights, generators, communications, etc.) nor day-today business expenses (insurance, vehicles, office expenses, etc.) Most all equipment must be upgraded at least every three years. The point is that production companies must commit a chunk of capital to maintain their broadcast quality equipment base. This is one of the reasons why there might be a sticker shock for many who are contracting a video for the first time.

Far more important than paying for the advanced technology, realize that you are buying expertise. Learning how to shoot and edit video requires both technical expertise and aesthetic judgement. It means not being thrown into a panic by deadlines. Just in any aspect of business, hiring quality workers requires competitive pay. In the world of video production, you really get what you pay for.

Video production is a custom business. The variables involved are so dynamic that few video budgets are alike. Nevertheless, you have to start somewhere. First time contractors always want a figure just to see if everyone is on the same page.

Here are a few approaches to initial budgeting that producers use.

Price per minute – This concept is similar to pricing any commodity. Budgets are figured by the final length of the piece. In the 1980s and early 1990s, a standard price for a completed minute of video was $1000 for a standard business video. You have a 10 minute video, it’s $10,000. A twenty minute video, should be $20,000. Currently, producers quote rates between $1,500 and $3,000 per minute.

Though this way of quoting does allow the client to apply a formula to the pricing, it isn’t always accurate and is open to abuse. Video production has too many dynamics to be condensed into such a simple formula.

Quote by Type – Need a 30 second video commercial? $5,000. A typical marketing video? $20,000. People Show? $6,000. Period. Again, maybe too simple of a formula.

Quote by Sticker Shock (The Bartering Method)– Need a video? $25,000. But before you pass out I’ll give you a special deal, $21,999. And today we’re having a special, $18, 499 if you sign the contract in the next 30 seconds.

Having a Budget and Sticking to it – Though these methods are usually driven by the potential client’s need for information they are not very accurate. The best way to start the budgeting process is to provide the producer with enough information to construct an working budget. The producer’s submitted budget should have an accurate description of what services and materials are included.

Some clients will ask the producer for a complete break out of a budget. In order to remain competitive, most producers will not provide this sort of detail. However, these producers should be able to break down costs into general areas of pre-production (scripting, planning, preparing), production (actually shooting the video) and post production (editing).

If you are comparing different producers’ budgets for the same video, make sure you are comparing apples to apples. If you think that one producer’s price is exceptionally high or low, ask the producer why. There might be a misunderstanding. Also, make sure you give weight to the reputation and track record of the various producers. Price shopping for a video is sort of like price shopping for a surgeon—do you really want the cheapest surgeon around operating on you?

You can leverage future video projects to negotiate a better deal. However, be prepared to sign a contract guaranteeing a certain amount of work. I don’t know one video producer that hasn’t been burned by such promises.

Other considerations – There are several open ended elements to budgeting of which you need to be aware.

Changes – If you add elements to the video don’t be surprised if the budget changes. Don’t expect the producer to throw in an extra day of shooting or additional editing session for free. If it costs a producer money, he/she is going to charge you.

Acts of God or other entities – Traffic jams, snow storms, hurricanes, and poor scheduling on the client’s end are all reasons that might cause a production to go over budget. Talk to the producer as events are happening. Most producers are forgiving for true acts of God, but don’t expect all expenses to be forgiven.

On the other side, a producer is responsible for broken equipment, crew punctuality, crew behavior, and anything else within his/her control. Don’t expect to pay for a shooting day if a camera arrives broken.

Cancellation fees – Though you should check with your production company, most will allow you to cancel up to 24 hours in advance without penalty. However, if you do cancel the shoot the night before, expect to pay a cancellation fee of anywhere between 10% to 40% of a full day rate. Why so high? Put yourself in the production company’s shoes. It’s more likely than not that they turned down work in order to accommodate your schedule. Now they have people and resources "on the clock," yet no work to be done.

Talent Residuals – Contracts with talent (voice over announcers, music selections, and on camera talent) are run the gamut of arrangements. Many union contracts will contain a limited use clause or a residual clause.

A limited use clause means that the video can be used only for a certain period of time or only under certain conditions. If you wish to use it beyond its duration, then you have to pay the talent again. Or if you wish to use in another video, you must pay the actor.

Residual clauses allow for the talent to be paid every time the video is shown. These types of clauses are almost exclusively found in commercial distribution.

Union talent by design have these types of pay scales in addition to some more traditional schemes. Also, Union talent is generally higher than non-union. However, before you go off and insist on non-union talent there’s a reason that union talent gets paid better.

Generally speaking, union talent is better. They are more experienced, more professional, and probably more talented than non-union talent. These attributes not only add to the quality of presentation but often they add to the efficiency on the productions. Experienced talent can anticipate the director’s needs. They know how to walk and talk in front of the camera. This translates to production time, which is extremely valuable. Just imagine spending 4 hours watching one person try to say one simple line.

Copyright Restrictions – Many high-end photographers, designers and directors retain copyright on material they have created. Though this is not the norm in most business video, it does occur. This means that although you are paying for the entire production process, you do not own either the raw or the final footage. Obviously, this can cause additional expense if you need to use the footage later on. Make sure you understand who retains copyright before you start production.

OK. You’ve decided what you want the video to do, you’ve decided on it’s quality, you’ve picked a producer and have approved the working budget. What’s next.

 If you wish to save money, if you wish to finish the video on time, if you wish to produce the video as efficiently as possible with less headache and heartache, pay particular attention to pre-production. This phase of production is devoted to meticulously planning the video as much as possible.

Scheduling –The best way to schedule a video production is to start at the due date and work backward. Of course, this is a collaborative effort with the producer. Be prepared to be surprised as to just how long it takes to accomplished a shoot. For instance, to set up lights, audio and camera for a bare-bones interview will at least take 30-45 minutes. It is not uncommon to have 1 to 1 ½ hour set-up times. Listen to your producer/director, they know how long it takes to set-up, shoot, and edit video.

Schedule in meals and breaks, at very least 15 minutes for food. Unfortunately ,most video crews are used to skipping meals and will readily agree to skipping lunch and/or dinner. However take it from experience, when crews miss a meal, shooting can quickly become rushed. Crew members fight low grade headaches, bad attitude and low energy. "All in a day’s work," you say. Imagine everyday being like that. A crew will work better and harder when given a break.

Scheduling also means making sure your side of the bargain is kept. Imagine waiting 2 hours for an executive to return from a lunch for an interview. Imagine a video crew sitting around at $500 per hour waiting for that executive. Imagine having to pay overtime to that crew to make up the lost time.

Scripting vs. Budgeting– The budget and the script are the most important  elements of pre-production. They are also intrinsically linked. Quick example? "Long High-Angle Shot of narrator in front of building. Camera cranes down to MS with Building in background. Building blows up." How much is that shot going to cost?

But special effects and expensive alone, don’t raise the cost of a video. Good video writers are aware of what makes a video cost more. Multiple locations, special effects, coordinated action, the use of non-talent, and a smart use of graphics are just a few of the dynamics that can make or break your budget.

Good Scripting – Scripting for video and film sometimes has little to do with good writing. This is not to excuse poor grammar or improper word usage. However, words meant to be read on a page or even spoken in front of a group of people don’t always come across well in a video. Normal speech patterns might sound stilted. Written sentence structure might come across confusing or corny.

The reason for this is that video is a visual medium. Images are dominant over sounds. Thus, words, sounds, and music should always support the image; not try to dominate the presentation. Good video writers know this and know how to translate the written word to visual concepts. Writers know how to utilize different images in sequence to convey information many times without any words spoken. They use graphics, special effects and specific camera direction to communicate .

Good video writers also know how to walk the line between formal grammar and speech patterns so that narration or dialogue sounds natural, entertaining and basically correct.

Finally, anyone who picks up a read a good script can visualize precisely what the writer has in mind. This is particularly useful for the director. Everyone who reads the script, understands what the end product will look like.

Scripting, The Process – Scripting is a process. It involves, a great amount of communication. The best scripts grow from a close collaboration between the client, the director and the writer. The worst scripts I’ve written have been when a third party has thrown me a training manual and told me to write.