Managing a video shoot is a tough job on its own. There is a lot to deal with in terms of finances, resources, equipment, logistics. Now imagine doing all of that, only in a remote video shoot.
MotionCue recently executed a live video shoot remotely and we were amazed to find out how many layers of things need to be taken care of to get the product you need.
This was a 19-second video advertisement of over-the-counter flu medication. The actor feels sick, takes medicine, feels better.
Sounds simple enough right?
No. There were layers over layers of preparation and roadblocks.
Let’s walk through the steps involved in a typical ad with a remote video shoot and see what we can learn from MotionCue’s experience.
Pre-production and planning in a remote video shoot
There are two ways a company typically determines how they want the concept building process to work out.
The company we were working with took creative charge and defined the storyline of the advertisement with a little bit of brainstorming with us.
Mainly because they wanted us to recreate an ad they had already made for a similar product with little changes.
Scheduling
We divided the days available to us to complete the shoot on tasks required to arrange for things. Since we were developing this video for a client, there was a substantial window of time required for approvals every step along the way.
We allocated an appropriate amount of time to each one of these tasks before going forward to establish a workflow and timeline.
Let’s talk about these steps in detail.
Storyboarding
This part mainly included making sketches of the story in successive frames for three separate ads for three target groups the product was aimed at.
These sketches were incredibly precise down to every last detail including camera angle, framing, lighting, character profiles, props, and settings.
It was hardly possible to get everything right the first time. We made at least ten versions of the storyboard with feedback from the client incorporated in the sketches every time.
Some of these feedback requests included very minute details like the placement of the props and the size of the furniture in the frames.
After nailing down the details of the shots in sketches we moved on to the logistics and resources part of the pre-planning phase.
Casting
In a remote video shoot, you are not present in real-time and space. You cannot hold auditions like in a regular video shoot.
Backstage.com is a very handy resource in that regard. We posted a job description for three major roles in the video ad on this website.
Backstage allows you to specify the age-range, physicality, and role details on the casting call. It filters your search results in addition to allowing the actors on this website to apply for your job.
When an actor applies you can sort them by preference. After that, you can reach out to them via messages confirming their availability on the tentative dates of the shoot.
Some actors have their sample reels already on their profile. If not, you can ask them for sample video reels to evaluate their acting skills.
This is what MotionCue did after narrowing down our options from the potential models. We sorted the available actors, fit the role description, and had impressive video reels.
We narrowed down five options for each role and made a PowerPoint detailing these actors for our clients to choose from.
Wardrobe
Like everything else in this advertisement, the outfits of the models were also specific as to not clash with the brand color scheme and the concept.
Being able to choose an incredibly specific wardrobe and getting it to the actors can prove to be a challenge only if you don’t have an Amazon Prime account.
We selected various options for options based on the guidelines the client gave. Some of the specifications were a little harder to find than the others.
We prepared several versions of PowerPoint for outfit choices with images from Amazon for all three models and sent them to the client.
After the clients settled on specific outfits for the video, we purchased them on Amazon and shipped them to our client for approval.
Set and props
This was another thing our client was very particular about. We went about the same route for this as we did for the wardrobe.
We set up meetings with the client to determine what sort of look or feel they wanted to aim for.
There were four settings. Two each for each target group for the daytime and nighttime medication.
For professional workers, the daytime setting was a home office. At night it was an adult’s bedroom.
For the parent target group, it was a living room for the daytime and a child’s bedroom at night.
The client wanted us to incorporate the brand’s colors into those settings. Apart from this main instruction, they also asked us to keep the setting as homely as possible.
We sent out clients various options of production-specific houses on Peerspace.
The good thing about this website is that the houses come with essential shooting requirements like lighting, soundproofing, and shutters.
After we had locked down one location for the advertisement to be shot, we went on to decide on the props as we did for the outfits.
We sent our clients to prop options for the day and night settings starting from bedding to objects that add the brand theme and character to the scene.
Location recce
After we were done with the purchases, we had our camera crew lead go to the location and snap photos of the complete settings with the chosen props creating the whole scene just without the subject.
These photos were pivotal in deciding which one of the settings will be used in the final video down to every last detail of the camera angles and the placement of the props.
All of this had the input of our client incorporated.
Budgeting
We made a detailed and precise balance sheet to keep track of all of the expenses. It is important to do that to not go overboard with the budget.
This included the following expenses.
- Actors’ fees
- Location rent
- Props prices
- Outfit costs
- Camera crew wages
- Makeup artist cost
These are the things that we included in our expense sheet. Depending upon the nature of your shoot, you may need to add or subtract some categories.
Production Insurance
This was one of the roadblocks that we addressed.
Our shoot was to take place in Hollywood, Los Angeles, the hub of production, there was a substantial insurance fee that needed to be paid to obtain the permit for the shoot.
In addition to the permit, the insurance is supposed to cover any unforeseen accidents and damages that might take place during the shoot.
The authority from which to acquire the permit is LA Film in this particular shoot. It was a simple and straightforward procedure.
With the pre-planning phase of the production out of the way, we then moved on to the day of the shoot.
Production in a remote video shoot
This was the moment of truth for the three months of pre-planning that went into the shoot.
We had the crew arrive at the set two hours before the start of the shoot to set up their equipment and to set up the scenes.
He then sent us the photos of the settings for the client to give real-time feedback. We made the necessary changes asked for.
By that time, the cast was on set and the filming started. It was done in the same fashion of real-time feedback from the client.
Apart from the scheduling of the tasks we talked about earlier, there was also a schedule for the day that we had to stick to for the shoot to complete during the allocated day. It was down to the hour for the starting and end of every scene.
Some remote video shoot tips
One must always bear in mind some things to perform optimally in a remote video recording project.
Not every shoot can be a remote video shoot
Consider the given scale, timeline, and process. Take a good long moment to reflect if you can pull it off remotely or would you want to give it time till you can have your entire team together.
Plan down to the dot
Never overlook the importance of planning. There is no such thing as over-planning in a video project being executed in a remote video shoot.
Pay close attention to things like staging and give importance to lighting early on during the shoot. Add some objects that give your shots a nice bokeh.
Never leave anything to “We will cross that bridge when we get there”. There will be enough unexpected bridges. So, try to get the expected ones out of the way.
Communicate
Don’t underestimate the importance of a video call. They are imperative in picking up the non-verbal cues and things that you are probably missing about your team and client’s concerns.
Take client feedback into careful consideration before and during the shoot to avoid a reshoot.
Don’t shy away from requesting test-shots. It could help with making the very crucial adjustments that you needed. Like removing anything that looks like clutter or adjusting the camera angles.
Time management
Remote video shoot projects often take a lot longer than a normal one would. You may need to ask for more time than you might have estimated. This can save your product from looking rushed.
Don’t overcrowd the camera team with tasks. Spread them out on generous stretches of time because the feedback and approval process tends to slow down the shoot. If you have scheduled for more to get done, you may risk falling behind.
Get your memory cards in order
Always make sure you have free disc space before you launch into the shoot.
Another tip is to record more footage. You don’t know what you might need it for later to cover up the flaws that you cannot reshoot. You can repurpose it for social media ads as well.
Organize your footage! You don’t want your resources to be all over the place. You can really end up losing something important because of being disorganized.
Lastly, always have a clear agreement of what will be covered by the client and what you have to take care of yourself in terms of expenses.
That’s a wrap
Remote video recording is quite possibly the future of video production. There are a lot of benefits to it.
You can save a lot on travel costs and time while shooting remotely. You can repurpose that budget for something like marketing and branding.
Considering how COVID-19 limited mobility to a considerable extent, this is a very effective contingency plan if you tread very carefully.
If you plan to shoot a video remotely and need some skilled and experienced people to help you out, MotionCue is happy to help.
Schedule a free consultation call with our video strategist