Audiovisual pre-production – Part 1

Introduction: Pre-production

Table of Contents::

1. Defining objectives
2. Developing the script

A. Defining objectives at the pre-production stage

First of all, it is essential for the videographers of our production team to understand the objectives of your promotional film. Our videographers will be the architects: they need to know your intentions and budget to determine which materials to use to “build” your video project.

Two possibilities:

1. You have a very clear vision of what you want? A specific budget and guidelines for our team of videographers ? MakEnsure that your budget aligns with your video project.
2. Nee2. You need a promotional film but don’t know where to start? MosMost of our clients call us without precisely knowing what they want. That’s why we guide them based on their objectives and budget. Our video agency’s work is based on personalized advice and support.rt.

For example, we created a series of promotional films for the brand Couteaux du Chef. Their objective was to highlight the variety of knives offered for online sale. The tone of the video would have been completely different if the objective had been to show their manufacturing process ! The same subject can be approached in various ways. It is therefore imperative to think in advance about the angle you want to highlight.

Discover our video series for Couteaux du Chef :

What questions should you ask yourself when planning a video project?

To help you, we have drafted these questions to guide us in your video project:

1. Why do you want to make this video? Promote a new product? Show your company’s production chain ? Modernize your communication?
2. What is the central message?
3. What’s the target audience ? (aligned with your marketing target)
4. What image do you want to reflect? Modern, qualitative, ethical…
5. What will be the distribution channels? Website, social networks, television, cinema, trade shows, internal communication…
6. What is the deadline?
7. What’s the tone? A humorous tone will have a different impact than a typically corporate one.
8. What type of video? An advertising film? Videos for social networks ? A more “corporate” compagny film? Interview videos with your collaborators ? The list is long, so let’s think together about what seems most relevant!

B. Scripting for a successful shoot

Event video

Not all video types require a script. For example, an event video is not suitable for scriptwriting because there is no story to create in advance with protagonists acting. Our role in these cases is to capture what is present at the moment and transcribe an ambiance.

See an example with our event video for TEDx Cannes:

Corporate video

For institutional videos or so-called “corporate” company films, we don’t talk about a script but an “outline” because there is no story. It is often in the context of presenting the company or a product when there is a need to introduce key information. In this case, it is important from the beginning of scouting and/or preparation to clearly list the different points you want to highlight. These are generally difficult to transcribe in image, which is why this type of video is suitable for infographics and a voice-over, supervised in post-production by our video agency.

Here are examples of information that can be found in the outline of a company film :

• Start of video
• The company’s history.
• Presentation of the premises and staff.
• Presentation of the production chain : highlighting technological performance.
• Marketing presentation of finished products.
• Statistics, key figures.
• Environmental values: labels, certifications…
• The social aspect.
• End of video

See an example of an institutional film with our video “ETSI”:

Aesthetic video

For videos with an aesthetic concept, our videographers can work upstream on a video moodboard, which will give an initial idea of our artistic intentions. This moodboard consists of excerpts from inspiring videos, color palettes, video editing styles, key visual elements, and sound effects. The moodboard serves as a visual roadmap: it unifies the ideas and inspirations of our production team. It allows us to effectively visualize the aesthetics, tone, and ambiance we would like to give your project even before the cameras start rolling.

See an example of a video moodboard we created for the “Eco-tourism” project:

Vidéo à scénario

The script comes into play as soon as there’s a story to create. These are often the most creative videos, because they convey information through a narrative. A scenario is based on 3 acts: exposure, confrontation and resolution. It’s a story with a beginning, a middle and an end. Each part of this video cannot be broadcast separately. These are often the videos that arouse the most curiosity. Like a movie, we want to know the end of the story!

Our teams, composed of videographers from the cinema and communication sectors, can design a script perfectly aligned with your communication objectives. We work to create an engaging narration, discussing dialogues, actions, and ensuring that each element contributes to conveying your message. We can also work from a script you’ve written. The message must be clear, concise and easy to remember.

For example, here is the script made for Xiaomi:

Bonus: The storyboard, a tool for visualization

To validate a story, or a promotional film concept, we use storyboard. This is a series of illustrations that represent the different shots of a story. Each image is accompanied by descriptions describing the actions, dialogues, camera movements… It allows our videographers to validate the different shots before they are filmed. The storyboard has a significant cost, so it is used for more complex marketing projects, notably high-budget advertising films.

Example of a storyboard created by us for Thales:

Conclusion : Pre-production

By integrating rigorous pre-production practices, clearly defining your objectives, and developing a precise script, you’ll optimize your chances of producing an impactful, effective promotional film. Whether it’s a company film, an institutional video, or an event video, our video agency offers its expertise in video creation and communication strategy. By collaborating with our production team, you benefit from personalized support and innovative film production techniques. Make your video project a success by betting on solid and well-thought-out preproduction.