PREPARING FOR A VIDEO PROJECT

Like many things in business good preparation leads to solid execution which ultimately yields desired results. Below are some helpful tips on preparing for a video production. During this unique time in history our team is actively producing video, we are taking a lot of extra precaution due to COVID (temp checks, masks, gloves, hand sanitizer, etc) to ensure the safety our clients and our team. You can learn more about us and see some our work at ruckusco.com. I hope that the info below will help you and your team as you look to create content.

1. Visual references- find videos that inspire you and bookmark them, make notes of what you liked about the video and why. Also, bookmark videos that you don't like and reference why. It is always helpful for us to know your tastes and preferences. As a part of our process we have a "Discovery" phase where we focus on a variety of creative and business objectives that uncover the spirit and purpose of the video. We involve key stakeholders so there is a collective voice that helps guide the video.

2. Outline- one of the first things that we tackle in Pre-Production after our Discovery phase is script development. The script dictates the entire direction of the video. In order for us to begin drafting a script we always ask for an outline from the client that details important elements they want in the video. What information do you want to relay, why and with what visuals? The outline serves as a reference for our team as we go through the discovery process and ultimately begin crafting the final script.

3. Audience- this is something we focus heavily on at Ruckus. We build out audience personas routinely for clients as a part of brand strategy development. If you have not gone through some type of in depth process to pinpoint and develop audience personas I highly recommend it. Our video team uses that data and info when we cast talent, create storyboards and shot lists.

4. Platforms- video speaks very differently on each platform out there. Knowing what platforms you want your video to live on is more important now than ever. A video created for TV will play differently on social, you can extend a story or even shorten it, remove audio and add graphics. Facebook plays differently than LinkedIn. There may be other uses like an e-mail campaign, live event, sales presentation, etc. So knowing beforehand how you want to utilize the video and on what platforms will help guide the production.

5. Budget- know your budget. Regardless of whether you immediately share your budget with us or not, it is important that you know it. I would make sure you categorize creative and deployment (ad spend, campaign development, etc). A video isn't worth the creative investment if you aren't committed to allocating additional resources for deployment. Sharing your budget with us essentially cuts the amount of guess work on our end. If you don't share your budget that is fine but you should come to the table with exactly what you want so we have somewhat of a target.

6. Purpose- I know I put this last in order but it is the MOST important item. Knowing exactly what you want to accomplish or what success looks like is the best place to start. Do you want to increase sales, inform, educate, recruit, impact, train, tell a story, promote the brand, legacy, etc? Sometimes these items can be effectively combined, other times you have to pick a category and be committed to it. Refining the purpose will provide clarity to our entire team as we go through the creative process.

If you aren't sure of what you want/need but know that video production is a part of your efforts then I would recommend our Discovery Workshops. In these interactive sessions we cover all of the above and more.

ABOUT RUCKUS- Ruckus is a growth partner. We’re a nimble, hungry, results-driven firm. We execute with purpose and focus on measurable, actionable results. For fifteen years, Ruckus has been delivering work that powers game-changing companies and global influencers. Our core strategic engagements in branding, platform design, campaigns, and content creation consistently drive desired outcomes and awareness. Learn more at ruckusco.com.