Producing a 5 to 20 minute video generally takes one to two months (although a simple production can be completed in two weeks) and includes three main phases. At the initial meeting we determine how you intend to use the video program; we identify your purpose, your primary audience and what the scope of the project will be. We also give you a rough estimate as to what the approximate cost will be. After learning what you wish to communicate about your organization we develop a concept and a proposal for you to review and approve.
The first phase, pre-production involves writing a script (if we are including a narrator) or a “video script” if we will be using interview subjects to tell the story. Once you approve the script we schedule the people who will be interviewed and arrange for locations and the clients or participants where we will be filming. In most cases we pre-interview the staff or clients who are selected for interviews to ensure they will be articulate and are suitable for the script.
Occasionally a project requires that we arrange to use special locations, hire professional actors, a set designer or additional production crew and equipment. If the program calls for archival photos, films or other documents, some additional time is necessary for research and converting materials to a format that we can use.
During the production phase a two-person technical crew, a director and a production assistant typically spend two or three full days at an organization’s location conducting interviews and filming activities. Sometimes a script requires another day or two of shooting supplementary footage (called B-roll) and often still photographs are taken as well.
The final and longest phase, post-production, consists primarily of editing the video footage and adding titles, music and in some cases, a recorded “voice-over” or narration. When the program has been assembled into a rough cut, it is reviewed and any revisions are made. If narration is being used, it is professionally recorded and edited into the program, music is composed (or obtained with appropriate releases), necessary sound effects are added and additional graphics (such as still photos, logos, charts, maps, etc.) are transferred to a video format. After all these elements are in place, the final program is reviewed and approved for mastering and duplication.
Each project we take on is given our exclusive and full attention. Our technical crew members are all insured professionals, and work with consideration for both the people being filmed and their property. We take the time to get the details right and to listen carefully to the needs and goals of the organization or individual we are working with. Our programs don’t use “MTV-style” camera moves, flashy graphics or canned music. Instead, we tell the organization’s story in a straightforward and sincere manner which is consistent with the agency’s image. Every effort is made to portray staff, clients and other participants with respect and dignity.
Pricing
Every project we produce has unique requirements so we do not have fixed prices for our work. There are a number of factors that determine cost: the number of shooting days, the need for additional equipment, crew, professional actors, script writers or narrators, special fees for commercial music, studios or locations, etc. Please call Janet Boynton at 781-259-0928 for a quotation.
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