How to Prepare for Video Shooting
The most painful and creatively demanding part of producing videos is before the shots, when you should think and plan the actual content, the story or the teaching of the video. An appropriate script will help you outline what is being done and will also make it easier to work with any other actors involved in the production (photographer, editor).
- If you are commissioning a photo shoot in the studio, it is a good idea to submit the manuscript to the photographer beforehand, so they will have time to review and prepare for the shoot.
- If you want to use a teleprompter, mention it when ordering and include the exact spellings in the script.
- If you are doing a self-description of, for example, one of the tuberomes, you should still do the manuscript as it will then serve as a plan and guide for you.
A simple script can be wrapped, for example, in a table format using Word or a similar writing tool. It has two columns, one with spoken spells and one that defines what is displayed (slides, cameras, angles, borders). Here is a link to the template.
Clothing
The performer’s clothing should also be considered appropriate for the environment. If you are wearing a green backing, do not wear green unless you want to be invisible. If you have a black tuberome behind a lightboard, avoid light and textured clothing. The white chalk is poorly distinguished in front of the light character and the text is reversed as the image is horizontally mirrored during recording. If you use Zoom’s virtual background in webinar spaces, the blue shirt will blend in with the blue background and you will become invisible to the clothing.
To summarize, here are the steps of a typical production process:
It’s always a good idea to make a simple video even a process. Whether it’s a couple of minutes or an hour long, it’s always a good idea to go through the following process:
- Ideas and script. At this point, think about what the video is meant to learn, what the target audience is and so on. There are many ways to implement an idea. Based on the method you choose, a script will be made, at least a light storyboard. In the case of screencasting, the (image) script would indicate, for example, the scenes where the recording is made.
- Description. Perform the filming according to the above plan.
- Editing. For example, erroneous snippets are removed, the opening and closing texts are added, and different scenes are combined if there were more.
- Publication and distribution. Load the material on an agreed platform and make sure the target audience finds it.