Happy New Year!
As we bid farewell to an incredible 2023, I'm excited to share the news that Point of View Media is stepping into its 23rd year of crafting compelling narratives and bringing stories to life through the lens.
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Over the past year, I've had the pleasure of collaborating with some fantastic clients, including the University of Alberta, Belvedere Golf and Country Club, Clark Builders, and Alberta Municipalities. Together, we've created corporate videos, promotional content, and social media clips, creating visual experiences that leave a lasting impact.

Here are just a couple of the projects I produced in 2023:

As we dive into 2024, I'm thrilled to introduce a offering for my corporate video clients – Explainer Videos!
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What's an Explainer Video, you ask?
Well, imagine a mini storyteller, armed with visuals and a sprinkle of creativity, breaking down complex ideas or products into bite-sized, engaging narratives. It's like the magic wand of clarity for your content!

Here's an example of an explainer video. This one is about Explainer Videos!

I'm very much looking forward to another year of collaboration, innovation, and bringing your ideas to life. Thank you for being a part of my incredible journey, and here's to many more years of storytelling magic.

Wishing you a year filled with success, joy, and captivating stories!

Regards,
MR

This is the third part of a 3 part blog series on the corporate video production process. Click here to read the previous blog posts titled "What is Pre-Production?", and "What is Production?". 

So, you have written your script, scouted locations, captured all your footage, and gathered all other assets needed (graphics, music, voice over recordings, etc.) for your final video. It's now time to enter the final phase of the corporate video process: Post Production!

Post production is also known as the editing phase. This is where all  assets are put together into a final edited corporate video, training video, social media video, or other video presentation. This phase can be very quick, or can take quite awhile (months even!). It really depends on the complexity of the project and how much planning was done in the pre-production phase. The more planning done ahead of time, the smoother your project will flow, as a whole!

​As a general rule, at Point of View Media we have 3 stages of the editing process: The Assembly Edit, The Rough Edit (or "Rough Cut", as it's sometimes called), and The Final Edit. Let me break them all down for you.​

​​The Assembly Edit
The assembly edit is where all the raw footage gets reviewed, and shots for the final video are chosen based on the script and storyboard that were developed during pre-production. This is also where a voice over track is added (if needed), and a general outline of the video starts to take shape. The client is sometimes involved in this process - but more often than not, this stage is just performed by the video editor.

The Rough Edit
​The rough edit, also know as the rough cut, is where most of the heavy editing gets done. This is the stage where the video really starts to come together. Final shots are put in place, a rough audio mix gets performed, and a copy of this rough edit gets sent to the client. The client will then either approve the edit, or give feedback for revisions/changes.Sometimes, more than one rough edit is required to really nail down the final version.

This is the second part of a 3 part blog series on the corporate video production process. Click here to read the previous blog post titled "What is Pre-Production?". Stay tuned in the coming weeks for the final installment, "What is Post Production?".

Now that you have completed the pre-production phase of your corporate video project, it's time to move on to the most complex (and usually the most fun!) phase - production.

Production is the stage of the project where we actually make the video!

If we do everything right in the pre-production process, the production process should go smoothly. This is because we have already planned what we want to shoot, when we want to shoot it, and where it will be shot. We have also figured out who we need in terms of interviewees, actors, and other people that might be needed for the project. Lastly, a shot list will have already been prepared so that we know exactly what shots we want.

For some corporate video projects, production only takes an hour or two. For larger projects, however, it can take a few days. The process may involve filming interviews, product demonstrations or training scenarios, b-roll, and other elements that are needed for the video.

Let's break down some of these things now.

Interviews
A corporate video project might require some interviews to be shot. These might be interviews with employees or management. Or, perhaps testimonials from customers. We might also want to film a message from a company president or founder. These are all classified as interviews. The filming of interviews is usually done on location somewhere. This can be at a place of business, out in public, or even in a studio.

SIDE NOTE: Point of View does offer a small studio for these types of shoots!

The setup for an interview shoot usually involves at least one, but usually two or more cameras. There are also lights and sound equipment involved(boom microphones, lapel micrphones, sound recorders, etc.). Also, in the pre-production stage, a list of questions or a script would have been prepared.

Below are a couple of photos of typical interview setups.

Product Demos / Training Scenarios
For some corporate videos, we may need to film a product demonstration. For a training video, we will certainly need to film some training scenarios. These are sometimes set up very similar to interviews, usually requiring multiple cameras, lighting, and sound equipment. During the pre-production phase, we will have already planned exactly what is needed for these shoots and we will have arranged for the appropriate people to be involved.

Below are some photos of a product demo and a training scenario.

B-Roll
"B-roll" shots are essentially filler shots used to create interest in your corporate video. These can be action shots of something happening at a place of business, shots of employees interacting with customers, shots of people using a product, aerial shots of a business, etc. Essentially, any shot that isn't an interview or a demonstration is considered b-roll. Some videos (like the one below) are even made up completely of b-roll footage!

​B-roll is often the most important component of any corporate video. It can be shot with the help and direction of the client​, or we can often shoot b-roll ourselves. It really depends on the project.

​Other Elements
There are some other elements that may be required for a corporate or training video. For example, audio interviews may need to be recorded, or aerial (drone) footage might need to be captured. Perhaps still photos are needed (by the way, we offer excellent commercial photography services through our sister company, Crystal Puim Photography).

Planning for these other elements would be done in the pre-production phase of the project.

So, that's really about it!
As you can see, the production phase is the most important part of the corporate video project. It's where we capture all the magic! We then take all that magic into the edit suite and start on the final phase of the video project - "post production".

More on that phase in an upcoming blog post. See you back here soon!

This is the first part of a 3 part blog series on the video production process. Be sure to check out the other two parts, "What is Production?" and "What is Post Production?".

So, you have decided that you are ready to make a corporate, promotional, or training video. But where do you start? Well, simply put, you start with something known as pre-production.

Pre-production is the process of planning, scripting, budgeting, and scheduling your video project.

If you work with Point of View Media for your corporate, commercial, training or promotional video, you will find that we have streamlined the pre-production process into 4 simple steps. They are as follows:

1. Establish your goals or objectives.
2. Determine your budget
3. Develop a script or outline for your video
4. Planning (storyboarding / locations / schedule / delivery date)

So let's get into these in a bit more detail, shall we?

1. Establish Your Goals or Objectives
You have a reason for making this video, correct? Perhaps, in the case of a commercial video, you are trying to sell something or build brand awareness. Or, if you are making a corporate video, you are maybe trying to teach the audience a bit more about your company or brand. Maybe you are making a training video? In which case the goal is to train new hires or educate the audience in some way.

No matter what type of video you are making, it is very important that you have your main goal "set in stone" to get started. Try to focus your vision down to one concise sentence. This will make the rest of the process go much smoother.

2. Determine Your Budget
This is always a bit of a tough one. Mostly because you, as the client, may not be sure what the costs are to produce these videos. But chances are that you have a number in mind that you are willing to spend. And chances also are, if that number is reasonable, any good video production company should be able to work within your budgetary limits. Not all corporate videos have to cost tens of thousands of dollars. A lot can be done with a moderate budget if you're working with the right team (like us!).

Do keep in mind, however, that the cost has little to do with how long you want your video to be and more to with what is involved. In other words, a 10 minute corporate video can be relatively cheap if it's just, say, a "talking head" video (someone just talking to the camera). But a 1 minute promotional video can cost thousands or even tens of thousands if there are multiple locations or travel required. Or if the video needs a lot of animation or something more time-consuming like that.

So, just be willing to be reasonable with your needs when you determine your budget. And remember that smart planning can go a long way when it comes to keeping costs low!

3. Develop a Script or Outline
Now you are at the stage of outlining your project in a bit more detail.

Will your corporate or promotional video require speaking parts? This could be actors, company spokespeople, or a voice over. If it does require speaking parts, you will need a script. Perhaps you don't have a script completely written or developed. That's ok! If your project requires it and you don't know where to start with that, your production company should be able to help. At Point of View Media, we have a stable of fantastic scriptwriters on hand that can help bring your vision to life.

Oftentimes though, a corporate video does not need an actual script. The video might be driven by visuals alone. Or it can contain clips of non-scripted interviews with customers, employees, or other subjects. In this case, all your project needs is a good outline. This can be a detailed outline that contains visual cues, or just a general outline stating what you want the video to look like. Don't fret if this sounds daunting! Your production company will help with this.

4. Planning
Now that you've established your goals, budget and script, it's time to get down to the nitty gritty, the planning. At this stage, your production company will start to create storyboards, and work with you to figure out production locations and create a schedule for your production.

Storyboards
Storyboards are visual representations of your final product. They are literally drawings of what the final video will look like. Actual storyboards are not always needed for every project. Some projects may be visually driven solely by what is known as "b-roll" footage. This is just footage that gets shot on location on the production days. Since you don't always know what footage will be captured, you can't really storyboard it ahead of time! At most, for a project like that, you or your production company could create an outline with descriptive video cues stating what type of footage to show.

For more in-depth projects that have detailed scripts already prepared, storyboard drawings should be created for every shot. This gives you a very good idea of what shots are needed during production. From these storyboards, your production company can create what's known as a shot list that lists all of the required shots for the production.
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​Locations
At this point, you also need to figure out your production locations for your corporate, promotional, commercial or training video. This location could be as simple as an office space, or alternatively, you may need to travel to multiple locations to capture what's needed. These locations will need to be notified that production will be taking place there.

Schedule and Delivery Date
Now that you have your shot list and locations out, you will work out a production schedule. This essentially means planning the dates that to shoot the footage, interviews, B-roll, etc.. You will make sure that all required locations are available on the planned dates, and that all location preparation will be done accordingly.

You will also need to figure out your delivery date. This is essentially the completion date for your video. Having this date will help to create the production and post production schedules.

And that's pretty much it for the pre-production process!

Though it may seem overwhelming, it really doesn't have to be. A good corporate video production company (such as Point of View Media, for example!) will help you with every step.

Proper planning at the pre-production stage will ensure that the rest of your video project will run smoothly and that your end product will be a video that both you and your production company will be very happy with!

In upcoming blog posts, we will discuss the production and post-production stages of a corporate video project.

​UPDATE: READ MORE ABOUT "PRODUCTION" HERE!
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So, you have a small to medium sized business and are growing by the day?

That's great! But, now you have a problem.

Getting those new hires trained properly can be costly and time-consuming. Whether you need to train them in corporate policies or company procedures, or perhaps you need to do safety training for dangerous jobs, it's always expensive and time-consuming. 

If only there were a way to train many employees at once. A way to make sure they all get the exact same information. A way that is accessible for everyone any time.

Oh wait, there is! Training videos.

Using video is absolutely one of the most effective ways to train new employees. It's also extremely cost effective and can actually help you retain those employees long-term.

Here are 5 reasons why you should choose videos for your training programs. 

1. Video Is Engaging
It is quite well known that video is better than both the spoken and written word in terms of engaging the audience. People just enjoy watching videos! They watch on their computers, they watch on their phones, they share the videos with their friends. From a training perspective, employees are going to be much more inclined to watch a series of videos than read a big ol' boring book or other printed or digital materials. Pairing video material with learning materials can help people retain and remember the information much better. About 65-70% better!

2. Everyone Receives The Exact Same Training
If you are training new employees all the time, or perhaps re-training current employees, videos are great because, no mater what, everyone receives the exact same training materials presented in the exact same way. If you're doing classroom or instructor led training, the courses can be different from day to day and from instructor to instructor. This means that not everyone will receive the training material in the way that it was intended.

3. Video Is Accessible
Whether your new employees are all located in the same location, or spread out across the globe, an online video is accessible to everyone, everywhere. This means you don't have to send training teams and materials out about to who knows where! This saves both money and time.

Having this level of accessibility also means that someone can go back and reference this training at any time. So, perhaps in an emergency or time-sensitive situation, a video can pulled up for reference almost instantly. It' also great for current employees who maybe need a "refesher" course.   

4. Higher Employee Retention
It has been proven that companies that have a well thought out, well executed training and hiring process have employees with higher job satisfaction. People who are happy in their jobs, tend to stay in their jobs! This leads to an average employee retention rate of 86%!

5. Training Videos Are Cost Effective
I have mentioned cost and time savings a few times throughout this article. That's because it's true. Video can drastically reduce your long term training costs.  According to Shift eLearning, 85% of every dollar spent on traditional training methods (classroom, instructor led, etc.) is spent on the actual delivery of the training. This refers to the costs of the classrooms, instructors, and other materials. This leaves very little of your budget left! So, if you need to update any of your training, or improve it or supplement it in any way down the road, there is very little money to do so! Video all but eliminates these training delivery costs. This frees up your budget and gives you extra funds for future needs.

So there you have it! Why would you not use videos as a training tool? It saves money and time, is easily accessed, and is just a better way to train (and keep) new employees for your business.

So now you just need someone to help you get those videos made! That's where Point of View Media comes in. We have 20 years of video production experience. We have produced countless hours of training, onboarding, and procedure videos. We can produce live action, animated, or whiteboard videos to deliver all of your training needs. Contact us for more info today!

​Mark.