WHAT MAKES A SUCCESSFUL PRODUCTION?
I have always worked with small budgets and limited resources. That’s my specialty. For over 10 years, I have worked as an instructional designer and videographer, creating educational videos and curriculum for a number of clients including the University of New Mexico Hospitals, Heritage Online (Antioch University), the Department of Energy and Homeland Security.
Good quality is possible despite limited budgets.
I have won multiple awards for my educational videos (including two regional Emmy Awards) and had my projects featured on CNN, IFC and CBS. I can’t promise every project will be award winning, but I will do my best to provide curriculum that will be useful and educational.
You can see video samples of my past projects at:
https://freedramaplays.blogspot.com/2018/06/videos-from-instructional-designer-doug.html
I use a variety of methods to teach, but I have found videos to be a powerful way to educate. Whether you are informing the public about a special service, educating patients on a health care topic or training employees on specific skills, videos appeal to a variety of learners. But it is a long and challenging process to produce a quality video. In this introduction, I hope to help you understand what goes in to a successful production.
THREE MAJOR PHASES OF A PRODUCTION
A video production has three major phases: pre-production, production and post-production. Since I often assist with educational video projects, these parts are broken down into instructional phases as well: Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation and Evaluation.
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| Don't be a stooge. Do some planning! |
Pre-Production is the planning phase of the project and very important to the process. The script is written at this time and is the key to organizing a successful project. Without good planning, a project can become unfocused and time consuming. During preproduction, two instructional phases are completed: Analysis and Design.
Here are a few of the questions I ask to help guide you through this first phase of the production:
Why is this video needed?
Who is the audience?
What is the budget?
When does the project need to be completed?
Who will assist with the creation of the script?
When a script is complete and given your approval, then the Production phase begins. During this phase, filming occurs along with gathering all the material needed for the finishing the video such as music, graphics and voice overs.
Some of the questions I will ask will be:
What resources are needed for the filming?
Who will be involved on and off camera?
What medical equipment will be required?
Where will filming take place (location)?
Who will need to sign release forms?
Is there a quiet place to record interviews?
Are any logos, graphics or photos needed?
The third phase of a video project is Post-Production – This begins in development and ends in the Implementation phase. A few of the questions I ask during this phase are:
How will we implement the project (i.e. DVD or web)?
Where will the video be shown?
Who will participate in the beta test (test audience for video)?
Beyond the three steps of production, it is important to include some sort of evaluation as a way to test the effectiveness of the project.
How will we evaluate the project?
How will you measure that you met your goals?
How proficient do you want learners to be?
TIME VS MONEY
A television production can have dozens of crew members and multiple cameras. Sometimes I work as the only crew member with a single camera. This doesn’t mean that a quality production is not possible. Time and money are the major factors when it comes to quality. If there is a short amount of time, a larger budget is required. If there is a small budget, then a lot of time will be required. Plan at least three months for a low budget project.
BUDGETS
Here are some budget considerations:
Distribution costs (how will you share the video)
Voice Actor (for voice over)
Actors (if using staff and provide time and pay)
Coordinator from your team (time and pay)
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| Don't worry! I can make a great project on a tiny budget. |
I strive to create the best educational videos possible that cover all the key information learners need to know. You may want instruction that is simple and direct or you may want something entertaining. I always find a way to make the best product possible that meets the needs of my client.
For more information on low budget instructional design and videography services, contact:
Doug Larson
doug@freedrama.net