For professional video production companies, it can take up to eight weeks to plan, produce, and post a video. While some brands and influencers do work with professional companies, many try to produce content in-house to minimize costs.
7 video tips for brands and influencers
While brands and influencers try to achieve a high-quality video, an eight-week timeline isn’t feasible. To help streamline the process, use these tips:
Put plans on paper
Rather than breaking out your smartphone and attempting to shoot a video on the fly, sit down and plan out each video. You can write a full script, or, if you’re pressed for time, write down the goal of the video and a bulleted list of points to touch on. Essentially, you outline the video before you record anything.
Consider planning several week’s worth of video content at a time. Brainstorm ideas and outline each so you’re ready to shoot.
Make a schedule
Marketers are likely using a content calendar to manage content creation, so be sure to add video creation to it. Consider the workflow, which includes pre-planning, shooting, and editing. Put each phase into your calendar or through your project management software.
Influencers should have a content creation schedule too. Whether you’re shooting organic content or sponsored video, schedule it so you have a steady flow of content.
Purchase gear that aids production
To streamline each shoot, there are a handful of brand and influencer tools you can invest in, like:
- Bluetooth Remote Shutter: Think of it as a “clicker” to take pictures or start recording when you can’t physically reach the camera.
- Ring light: Circular light that sits around your smartphone.
- Portable chargers: Keep smartphones or other gear charged and ready for long production days.
- Go Pro: Durable, affordable camera that can provide a secondary angle to add dimension to your videos.
Shoot more than one video at a time
Whether you’re a brand or creator, you can maximize your time if you produce several videos in the same day. Why? Prep time can add up. Talent needs time to get camera-ready and your team needs time to get set up. Even if you’re using a few selfie lights and a smartphone on a tripod, it takes some time to prep the gear and adjust the scene.
If you set up once and shoot 3-4 videos, you maximize your set-up time.
Find a versatile set
Even if you shoot a handful of videos in one sitting, you don’t want each one to look the same, right? Find a location that allows multiple setups. Let’s say you’re an influencer planning to shoot a series of product reviews of popular cosmetics. Think of an area that allows multiple angles.
If you shoot a video at your bathroom vanity, for example, shoot each video at a slightly different angle so the background looks different for each.
Talent should change clothes
To accomplish multiple videos that each look different, the person in front of the camera should change clothes. Have several outfit changes on hand, so you can switch your look with ease.
Layering is often effective. Plan to wear a solid shirt, but bring several blazers or sweaters to alter your look without the need to hit the dressing room. Accessories, like a necklace or watch, can easily change your look too.
Have a mirror handy
Creators and talent like to do a quick “look check” in between takes. Keep a mirror handy so talent can check hair and makeup before moving on to the next video. Talent should bring a small bag of cosmetics for quick touch ups too.
Batch edit with a solid editor
Just as you’ve produced several videos in a day, you can do the same for editing. During the post-production phase, rely on a high-powered editor to easily move through footage. Basic editing tools within platforms are okay for short, one-to-two-take videos, but they’re not effective if you plan to make several cuts, add text, or use filters.
Schedule content ahead of time
No brand or creator should manually post all of their content. With so many scheduling tools to choose from, you can find a platform that fits your needs and budget. Scheduling videos streamlines the process and cuts down on logging into individual platforms to share clips.
Consider outsourcing repetitive tasks
If you need more time to produce videos, consider outsourcing other tasks so you’ll have more time. For example, creators might tap an administrative assistant to manage emails, or a brand might outsource backend chores, like uploading content to platforms and crafting metadata.
Video creation is no longer an option, it’s necessary to stay competitive. Brands and influencers should leverage video to reach their audience but to maximize time, use these tips to streamline the process.
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