If you have never made a video before or even if you have but were not satisfied with the result it may be because there was not enough time devoted to the planning phase. Have a look at this video to get a bit more of an understanding of the ins and outs of pre-production.

Video Transcript
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In the overview video you saw the big picture of the three stages to getting started with creating videos to boost your business. And here you'll discover more detail about the importance of creating a comprehensive plan, pre-production for your video. Stay tuned and watch this video.

The first thing to consider is what business result do you want from your video? Do you want to build your following by getting likes, views and subscriptions or do you want your viewers to take action like contact you, click a link or buy from you? Maybe want to inform or educate your audience. Once you've decided on your business goal, next you choose how to structure your message.
 
Now some people are excellent communicators and can be very effective at speaking off the cuff but for most people, the message will be clearer and more effective when it's scripted. Online viewers tend to switch off if presenter rambles, doesn't get to the point or repeat themselves. A script helps you stay on track. Even if you choose to go unscripted, creating a short list of key points might be something you'd consider.
 
Now that you have your script or plan, the next step is to decide what to show: who, where, what and possibly how; for example to demonstrate your product or process. After this you decide what to shoot by analyzing the script because you want to enough appropriate shots that shows the script. After all it is show and tell. If you go for presenter style like I am here what other shots called b-roll support the message.
 
If it's an interview what percentage of time is going to focus on the interviewee, interviewer or do you want more of a story. To help visualize how the video will look a storyboard can be really useful because it visualizes and abbreviates the shot-list.
 
The storyboard doesn't need to be elaborate, stick figures are fine and the purpose is to show, camera moves, framing of shots, shot sizes for example close-up, medium or long shot. It's kind of like a comic strip of the project. So the script is like the blueprint for your business goal. Then there's also the sound element.
 
How do you want your video to sound? Audio is a really important factor in whether viewers will watch your video no matter how interesting the subject. This is why using a mic is so important but more on that next time.
 
You've probably noticed music in movies often signals what's coming, spooky music gets you going to feeling a bit scared or playful music will make you smile. What kind of music will create the type of emotion you want to elicit from your audience?
 
I don't know if you've noticed some supermarkets use music, slow music causes you to spend more time browsing because you move more slowly and of course then you're probably spend more that way too. Similarly sound effects play a huge part in selling your visuals, just think about a radio play and the impact sound effects have there.
 
So these are the key elements in creating the plan of your video. Set your business goal for your video, script it, create a shot list, make a storyboard and decide on your style of music or FX. When you use these steps you'll create an effective video plan.
 
Thanks for watching. Next time we'll be looking at shooting the video.
 
I'm Julie Silfverberg with SuccessVideos show and tell for grown-up business. 

Video Transcript

So you've been wanting to make a video for your business website but you've been putting it on the long finger, if you ask yourself why, you may find it because you just don't know where to start.
 
In this short video overview I give you a brief outline of the steps to getting started with creating videos to boost your business. This will help you with the process to either create your own videos or have a better understanding of what's involved before you talk to a professional. Stay tuned and watch this video.

​Hi I'm Julie Silfverberg with SuccessVideos. Okay, so here we go, there are three key stages in video production: Before, during and after or pre-production, production and post-production.
 
This is the first in a series of four videos with more detail in the following videos, where I break down the three stages into more detailed steps. The before - pre production - is the bit many people don't realize takes lots of time. In fact the more time you put into pre-production the less time everything else takes. So as Stephen Covey says "Begin with the end in mind". To do this ask yourself; "What business goal do you want to achieve as a result of creating your video?"
 
Once you have your goal pinned down you can start to write your script. My suggestion is you have only one key message per video. Now you have your script the next step is to decide what you want to show; who, where and what. Now you've done all that work up front you're on to production - shooting the video.
 
This for some people might be a bit scary, for for others it's the exciting and fun part. Putting that aside what you need for the shoot? A webcam or camera with a tripod and a smart phone works great too. Ideally a mic and some light source. Then because you put your time in up front with the pre-production, you shoot based on the shot list you create. More about that in the third video.
 
Finally on to post-production the edit. Editing like planning can take a lot of time depending on many variables, again here the planning phase helps with efficient editing. Sometimes editing can be a simple topping and tailing but for more professional finish, graphics, animated logos, music and so on are required. More on this in video four of the series.
 
Thanks for watching.
See you in video two of the series where you'll find out more about planning your video. I'm Julie Silfverberg with SuccessVideos. Show and tell for business.