Introduction to video production

Hi and welcome to Lumin. Video is a powerful way to tell stories and deliver messages. Ninety per cent of the information sent to the brain is visual and studies show people process visual information sixty thousand times faster than they process words. It is estimated that one minute of video alone can be the equivalent of one point eight million words.

I’m Andy Lima, Director of Creative and Interactive at Think HQ. I have worked in the creative industry for over 15 years and I have explored a range of mediums, including film and video. In this course, we’ll cover the basic stages of video production and a number of considerations to make when you’re producing video content – be it for your website, social media channels – or any other way in which you want to explore this very powerful medium.

But first, you need to think about why you are producing a video. What is your content? Who is the audience? How will they access the content you’re producing? And what message do you want them to take away after viewing? Video uses moving images and audio to tell a story, so work out what story you are willing to tell – and how it will be told.

Film and video have their own language, and while several elements come into play, the best way to learn, is by doing it. When creating visual information in film video format, you will need to think about the visual style, the look and feel you want to imprint in your production. What sort of production values do you want, and what equipment do you need to achieve those values? Do you have the equipment you need, or will you need to purchase or hire it? What is the set up? Will you need lighting? What about audio recording?

With the advance of technology, today we have access to a range of devices that we can use to produce quality video content, from smartphones to professional digital cameras. Whilst they offer different features and outcomes, they all can be used to great extent if your story is well defined and your production values are clear.

Whatever equipment you’re opting for, do you, or others within your organisation, have the expertise to use it effectively? Or will you require the services of experts such as camera operators and sound recordist? Maybe a full production crew? What about editing the footage and finalising the final production?

And the most important question of all – what is your budget? It will determine the style of your video and at what level you operate in all stages of video production.

So there’s a lot to think about! Next lesson, we'll explore the idea of storytelling.