What actually goes into making a video?

We all know what it’s like watching the finished product. Seeing those lush shots that show off a product just perfectly, or being awestruck by the colours in a panoramic landscape, or even just understanding a concept or a message that’s delivered clearly, engagingly, and visually through video. But how? Well, it’s not just a case of pointing and shooting - our expert video team share the whole process. 

Jargon alert: it’s hard to write about filmmaking and completely avoid the jargon that goes hand in hand with it (we’re looking at you, best boy grips and Mombo Combos). We’ve avoided it where possible here but used it (sparingly) when they’re real words that we use during production.

1. Kick off

All good projects start with a good brief. That’s basically the bit that encapsulates all the important details in a project - the audience, the budget, the purpose, etc.

Once we’ve got the basics down with you, we’ll get started with the creative process. We’ll normally begin a project with a kick off meeting to discuss the creative approach with you - we’ll think about how the video will look and feel, how the content will be presented, and what’s going to make this video stand out from your competitors. You know your brand better than anyone, so it’s important to get everyone around the table at the start of the process. It’s at this point we can all channel our inner Spielberg.‍

2. Pre-production

After everyone’s happy with the direction of a project, we move into pre-production. This is where the wheels really get turning and we start getting ready for the shoot. 

It’s this part of the project where we finalise scripts and storyboards, cast actors or presenters, book locations or studios, and organise the equipment and crew we’ll be using. We might also want to go look around (recce) a location. It’s at this point we’ll also do any health and safety essentials, such as risk assessments and method statements.

3. Production

This is the “Lights! Camera! Action!” bit. Our crew will descend on a shoot location, set up, and do their thing. It’s the bit most people are familiar with but also the bit that varies the most from project to project. Ahead of the shoot you’ll receive a call sheet and schedule with the plan for the production, as well as assigned a point of contact at Doodledo to make sure you know what to expect.

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4. Post-production

After the shoot, we’ll move into post-production. It’s a multi-stage process that varies a little depending on the project, but the most important thing to know about post-production is that it’s at its best when it’s a one-way process - we try to avoid moving backwards through any of these steps.

It normally begins with editing the footage from the shoot to create a content edit. Once this is signed off, we’ll normally finesse the edit to create the final edit, which then goes for colour grading (more on that here), audio mixing and motion graphics or VFX. We share updates throughout this process with you to make sure you’re happy with how everything is looking. We also have a really comfy grading suite where clients can come and sit in on an edit or a grade if they prefer.

Once the post-production on the film is finished, we’ll create final versions of the files for delivery and add subtitles if required - then send the films on their way!

It’s our job to make the process in any project as clear as possible to our clients, especially as workflow on different types of project can deviate from this general overview. Ultimately, we feel like the best client relationships are built on partnership and collaboration, so the more we can involve you in the creative process, the better!

‍For a bit more insight into how a real-world project came together, from conception to delivery, you can watch this behind-the-scenes edit of a recent TV ad we shot for LeasingOptions.co.uk, one of our clients.