When choosing a tool to edit, produce, and distribute video footage, there are a lot of questions you need to ask yourself. Read on for our tips on what to consider.
What is the aim of your video?
You should determine exactly what you want to achieve in your video before choosing your production and editing tools. Think about what message you wish your film to convey and how you can deliver this in terms of lighting, effects, editing tricks, and any other means. This will help you to identify the best possible tools and services to use once you begin shooting.
What is your estimated timeline?
Creating a schedule of your production, editing, and distribution of your video will ensure you’re fully organised and will give you a deadline that you can work towards. It’s a good idea to create a shot list to detail every shot in your video organised by scenes and shot numbers. Another helpful tool to consider is a storyboard, which is basically a visual template of your project from start to finish. Using illustrations and notes, your storyboard will present all your scenes in sequence and is a very effective tool for helping you to visualise your finished project.
Who is your target audience?
To widen your video’s reach, you want to make sure that it’s inclusive and accessible to all. For instance, you might want to explore options for subtitles, audio descriptions, sign language translation, and live and pre-recorded captioning. If you want your video to include these features, then RedBee Media offers these tools. They also have a host of other services that you can take advantage of to streamline and perfect your video to the highest professional quality.
What is your budget?
A crucial, but often overlooked, aspect of your filming project is deciding on – and sticking to – a realistic budget. However much you decide to spend on making and distributing your video is entirely up to you, but it’s important that you have a strategy in place. There are numerous budgeting tools online, money planning apps, and public services that can help. You should consider using one of these to support you and take some pressure off you so that you can fully concentrate on making your video.
Where will you shoot?
It’s essential that you establish exactly where your video is set before you start shooting, so that you’re prepared in plenty of time. It’s vital that you’re well-prepared in terms of setting. For instance, you might need permission to film in certain places and that can take time. You might also want to rely on sets, in which instance, planning this well in advance will give you the time to have any scenery ready in time for shooting.
How do you plan to distribute your video?
Ideally, you want to make your video accessible to as wide an audience as you can. You’ll therefore need to consider how you’re going to make that happen. You can achieve this through several means. For instance, you might want to distribute your film via an online platform, or you might want to host an event and invite people to view your video. If you’re planning on the former, think of your target audience and what kind of media platforms they’re most likely to use. Also think about the type of video you’re creating. For instance, while sharing a video to Facebook or Twitter might get more exposure in terms of the number of people scrolling past it, this will only really work if your video is short. If you’re creating a longer film, then YouTube is a better option to stream your project.
Conclusion
When choosing editing, production, and distribution tools for making video content, it’s important to ask yourself these questions. This will ensure that you pick the correct tools for your project.
