Video Project
Planning Process

Narrative, Documentary, Ad/PSA and Corporate/instructional

Video production

Notes for the use of this document. The notes below are directly from the class PowerPoint and do not include details discussed in class.

Program types

• Narrative - story, drama, comedy…, creation of the artist’s, director’s, writer’s mind

• Independent, studio produced

• Documentary - ‘real’ story, not ‘created’ by writer, tells a true story with ‘real’ footage

• NOT journalism, not necessarily balanced

• Many approaches

• Ad/PSA

• Short persuasive message

• Ad - for “for-profit” company to sell a product or service. Air time purchased.

• PSA - Public Service Announcement, not intended to “sell” things but to persuade pro-social behavior

• “Sponsor” must be identified. Air time purchased or donated

• Corporate, Institutional, Educational

• Great variety in projects ranging from internal communication to external programming.

• Educational - message gets to ‘remote’ students, and is consistent and efficient

• Corporate - same benefits, consistent message; all Gap shirts folded the same way, Mickey D’s fries…all the same

• Many non-broadcast uses of video… name some…

Production Process

Narrative (story/feature)

• Inspiration – original or adapted story, nugget of an idea, your life

• Writing, initial research, character creation

• Treatment – short description of story w/character sketches.

• Identification of potential funding sources, “pitch” film to producers

)

• Master Scene script – expands story into scenes w/dialog, little technical info

• Shooting Script – story broken into individual shots w/detail

• Shop script to broker, raise $ to produce film yourself

• Contracts with talent, assemble crew, film…

Production Process Continued

Documentary

• Inspiration

• research

• awareness of social issues, trends

• desire for change

• unique story

• client initiated

• Research

• Background, details of topic, past docs, ethnography, spend time with subjects

• Serendipity – have camera in the right place at the right time

• Determine budget and seek funding sources

• Production

• Determine form, “voice” of the doc – Who is telling the story and how? From what point of view?

• Gather footage – range of approaches: fully researched and planned (expose’ for Frontline on PBS) to verite’ where program’s captured as unplanned story unfolds.

• Production

• Interactive/dynamic process

• View and Log tapes to start assembling story line.

• Choose/create music score.

• Legalities - talent release forms, music permissions

• Edit

• Seek distribution medium

Advertisement / Public Service Announcement

• Client initiates process w/need for persuasive message for a large audience.

• Meet w/client to determine: goals, target/market audience, approach.

• Research topic in conjunction w/client. Identify: key points, persuasive elements, budget, telecast outlets

• Develop multiple approaches to the message.

• Draft copy of scripts and storyboards.

• Get client feedback.

• Create final scripts and storyboards.

• Sometimes selection process is competitive, even at this stage.

• Production

• Contract first, then shoot. What will be delivered, when, in what format?

• Get the details in writing: length, approval authority, etc…

• Editing

• Testing - pre-broadcast, post-broadcast

Production Process

Corporate/Instructional

• Client initiates process w/need for informative program – proprietary or mass audience.

• Meet w/client to determine: goals, audience, approach, length. Inform client about cost, time commitment, production values. Communication w/client is KEY!

• Contract w/details.

• Research topic & approach: main points to be communicated, length of project, screening environment.

• Develop outline.

• Educate client on production process, time frame, costs. Get client feedback

• Develop script and storyboard.

• Get client feedback.

• Production – get contract first, then shoot. What will be delivered, when, in what format?

Video Project Planning Process

Narrative, Documentary, Ad/PSA and Corporate/instructional

Video production

Program types

• Narrative - story, drama, comedy…, creation of the artist’s, director’s, writer’s mind

• Independent, studio produced

• Documentary - ‘real’ story, not ‘created’ by writer, tells a true story with ‘real’ footage

• NOT journalism, not necessarily balanced

• Many approaches

• Ad/PSA

• Short persuasive message

• Ad - for “for-profit” company to sell a product or service. Air time purchased.

• PSA - Public Service Announcement, not intended to “sell” things but to persuade pro-social behavior

• “Sponsor” must be identified. Air time purchased or donated

• Corporate, Institutional, Educational

• Great variety in projects ranging from internal communication to external programming.

• Educational - message gets to ‘remote’ students, and is consistent and efficient

• Corporate - same benefits, consistent message; all Gap shirts folded the same way, Mickey D’s fries…all the same

• Many non-broadcast uses of video… name some…

Production Process

Narrative (story/feature)

• Inspiration – original or adapted story, nugget of an idea, your life

• Writing, initial research, character creation

• Treatment – short description of story w/character sketches.

• Identification of potential funding sources, “pitch” film to producers

)

• Master Scene script – expands story into scenes w/dialog, little technical info

• Shooting Script – story broken into individual shots w/detail

• Shop script to broker, raise $ to produce film yourself

• Contracts with talent, assemble crew, film…

Production Process Continued

Documentary

• Inspiration

• research

• awareness of social issues, trends

• desire for change

• unique story

• client initiated

• Research

• Background, details of topic, past docs, ethnography, spend time with subjects

• Serendipity – have camera in the right place at the right time

• Determine budget and seek funding sources

• Production

• Determine form, “voice” of the doc – Who is telling the story and how? From what point of view?

• Gather footage – range of approaches: fully researched and planned (expose’ for Frontline on PBS) to verite’ where program’s captured as unplanned story unfolds.

• Production

• Interactive/dynamic process

• View and Log tapes to start assembling story line.

• Choose/create music score.

• Legalities - talent release forms, music permissions

• Edit

• Seek distribution medium

Advertisement / Public Service Announcement

• Client initiates process w/need for persuasive message for a large audience.

• Meet w/client to determine: goals, target/market audience, approach.

• Research topic in conjunction w/client. Identify: key points, persuasive elements, budget, telecast outlets

• Develop multiple approaches to the message.

• Draft copy of scripts and storyboards.

• Get client feedback.

• Create final scripts and storyboards.

• Sometimes selection process is competitive, even at this stage.

• Production

• Contract first, then shoot. What will be delivered, when, in what format?

• Get the details in writing: length, approval authority, etc…

• Editing

• Testing - pre-broadcast, post-broadcast

Production Process

Corporate/Instructional

• Client initiates process w/need for informative program – proprietary or mass audience.

• Meet w/client to determine: goals, audience, approach, length. Inform client about cost, time commitment, production values. Communication w/client is KEY!

• Contract w/details.

• Research topic & approach: main points to be communicated, length of project, screening environment.

• Develop outline.

• Educate client on production process, time frame, costs. Get client feedback

• Develop script and storyboard.

• Get client feedback.

• Production – get contract first, then shoot. What will be delivered, when, in what format?

• Editing - have client involved as much as possible

• Post-production screening and follow-up

• Summative Evaluation

Video Project
Planning Process