Planning Your Business or

          Training Video

Step One - Determine the purpose of your video.

 Any effective communication is determined by its clarity of purpose. Your video should be created to convey one single message, promote one single service, or express one singular idea or goal. The key to a successful video is keeping it simple and limited to a solitary goal or intent. A cluttered, disorganized video will leave the audience confused. The video production process begins by choosing the purpose of your video. What do you want them to learn? Define our video's purpose and how you want your audience to react. Then, write it down in big block letters and tack it up all over your office, desk, calendar. Keep it in mind through every step of the production process --it is the most important part of creating a successful video. Remember, if you lose track of your video's purpose, so will your audience.

 Step Two - Define your target audience.

 Who's going to see your video? Students or Employees? Sales and Marketing Managers or Corporate Executives? Company Presidents or Office Assistants? Are they young? Old? Although videos made for each of these target audiences might convey the same idea, their style, message, content, mood.
 
Step Three - Begin planning distribution of your video.
 
This step may seem a little premature, simply because distribution of your video isn't possible until the final print has been approved. We've included this step in the planning phase because while determining your target audience, you'll want to also
consider how to reach them. Sadly, many clients create their own videos, hand them out to a dozen or so people or clients, and then forget about them
 as
 they get busy with other promotional tools. This is not only costly but negligent. Not only can video be very profitable it can be, and will be, your most powerful promotional and marketing tool.
But, to achieve its goal, it needs to be seen by its target audience. Achieving your video's goal requires both a solid distribution plan and room in the video budget to get it duplicated, packaged and sent out to your prospects.
Generally, your video is distributed one of two ways. Either in-house ( to students clients or for employees) or to outside organizations or individuals (to corporate clients and consumers, Internet, Access Cable TV ect).
Productions generated for an outside audience require many more considerations, such as advertising to promote the availability of your video, an efficient means of sending and tracking the videos, and of course,
 a larger inventory of video copies and packaging supplies.
We've included our VHS video duplication price list ( Profit Chart for your Video production) for your reference and budgetary considerations. These prices include the videotape cassettes duplication and full color inserts.
 Keep in mind that if you will be mailing the video to prospective clients, you'll need to also allow approximately $3 - $4 per piece to cover priority postage and a mailer.

Often, the video duplication, packaging, labels, and distribution may be handled by us your production company. This can all be incorporated into the production contract.

Case Study

Specialty Bindery, Inc. produced a plant tour video entitled "The Competitive Edge" to educate buyers on mechanical binding services. This way, buyers can compare "apples to apples," informs company President Ronald Ridgeway. "We had used brochures, but they simply weren't as interesting as video."
SBI offered the videos in a series of trade ads from which they
received over 2,300 requests for copies, which ultimately resulted in roughly $1 million in increased sales.
 

The Pre-Production Phase of Video Producing
 

 
Step One - Developing an Outline
 
Prior to this point, your dollar investment has been zero. Now, you'll begin to spend part of your video budget. Talk to a few students or clients find out what they would like to see in a video and what type of video they would be interested in buying. Use the video case supplied to show them an example of your upcoming video. If they seem interested pre- sale the video to as many people as possible. Get their names and addresses to send them copies later.
This will cut down or possibly eliminate cover all of you initial cost !
Next develop an outline . An outline should remain flexible. It is simply a good starting point for the ideas and message that the video will communicate. Ultimately, the outline should guide the video, rather than limit it.

You will be asked to practice your video presentation. This is the first video assembly of the production in continuous form. Revisions and suggestions are still fairly welcome at this point, because changes to the outline are still relatively easy to make.
Once the production has begun, however, revisions to the video will be time-consuming and costly. That is why is it crucial to have your full attention to carefully planing and practicing you video presentation, evaluating the video at each stage or the process. It is most important to evaluate the flow of the video, and how easily it gets your message across. Also, verify that the statements and ideas presented in the video are factual and best represent your company.
 You will most likely leave technical matters such as equipment and direction, background music up to the discretion of the video producer, with your approval, of course.
. Hopefully, you will be pleased with the results will move the production to its next step, which is setting budgets and the signing of contracts.
 
Step Two - Budgets and Contracts
 
Most of your budget will be spent on services. The only tangible item you are purchasing is a Video Master and the right to reproduce it as often as you'd like.
 With the approval of the budget, you will be asked to sign a Production Contract (see the contact included for a sample). Production Contracts vary but the general language is normally the same. Most contracts will specify payment terms. Video productions are typically paid for in halves -- one-half due upon the signing of the contract, one-half due upon completion of the principal videography, the finished video master.
 
Production Begins!
 Step One - Scheduling
 
The completion date of your video should be specified in your contract. However, this time frame is usually negotiable. It is to our company's advantage to deliver the video to you as soon as possible, but they should resist sacrificing quality or effort in order to deliver the video prematurely. If you have a specific deadline for the completion of your video, you should allow two to three weeks for the total production. In other words, plan ahead.

Step Two - Your Completed Video Production
 
. When this version of the video is completed and approved, the edits are written in an edit decision list, and will be used to edits in the on-line session. Titles, special effects, music, and narration will be added during the on-line session. This finished video is called the Edit Master. This is the tape that you will receive, thereby completing the contractual obligations of the production company. You can contact us to run duplicate copies, which can be made in any format or quantity. If you have any questions or comments regarding any of the points made or implied in this manual, please contact us. We'll be happy to clarify any points you wish to discuss, without charge or obligation.
 
Respectfully ,

G Nelson
Xcellent Video
443-762-4393