Inside Our Production Process
Hi there - let’s talk about our production process. We briefly mentioned the steps of our process in a recent blog post. It might seem like an extra amount of steps to make a video that’s a couple of minutes long. But if you’ve ever made a video, you know that each step is necessary to achieve the high-quality video you need. But don’t take my word for it. I was curious what some of the key players at Good Brother had to say about the production process, so I chatted with the Russell Brothers (directors, editors, and EPs), and producer, Kyle McGuiness.
Before I get into the nitty-gritty details below, I should mention that we have a few more steps than many production companies. While production processes vary slightly from company to company, because we are a video production agency, creative development and copywriting is a part of the process for us (unless your company consults with an agency beforehand). Ok now onto the breakdown of our production process!
STEP 1
RFP & Proposal
RFP (Request for Proposal) & Proposal stage is where we determine the video objectives, who the audience is, branding elements or values, and the main objective of the video. RFPs should clearly define the project requirements. The budget and timeframe are flushed out from the get-go so that everyone is on the same page and knows what to expect. The RFP process typically takes 2-3 weeks, but can sometimes last months if the creative hasn’t been fleshed out ahead of time.
STEP 2
Creative Development & Copywriting
Creative development is where we meet in person or on the phone to brainstorm ideas for the video. This process can be fast or slow depending if you have a general idea for you video already, or need some help coming up with one. Copywriting is the last step of the creative development process.
“Every important creative decision is made during pre-production, ensuring that everyone is on the same page going into the shoot day and allowing the team to focus solely on execution.”
-Kyle McGuiness, Producer
STEP 3
Pre-Production
During the pre-production phase, we create a detailed proposal that includes visual (and usually music/audio) references so we communicate that we understand exactly what the client is looking for before the shoot day. Location scouts, recruiting talent/actors, and getting the wardrobe ready all happen early on here so we can hold the spaces and people we want to work with.
STEP 4
Production
We finally get to make our ideas come to life during production. On shoot day(s), the entire crew travels to the set location(s). The video is directed by one of our amazing directors, and shot with state of the art equipment to ensure the highest production quality possible.
“The best part of the shoot is working with everyone on set. There is a speed, rhythm, and lockstep to a well-organized set and it’s a satisfying feeling at the end of a shoot to sit back and look at all that was accomplished and recognizehow important everyone single person in the creation process.”
- Jake Russell, Director
STEP 5
Post-Production
Post-production is where it all comes together. A rough edit of the video happens, and then is reviewed by the client. Next the fine edit happens, followed by some more reviews. The review process is done within Frame.io, an easy and efficient platform we use to make collaboration process a breeze.
“I might hate the process at times, but I actually love it. And at the end of the mess, what makes it all worth it is when I finally get to a rough cut or a fine cut, I’ve created meaning out of lots of disparate pieces of data. I’ve made something that will matter to somebody.”
- Ethan Russell, Director & Editor
STEP 6
Final Delivery
The final delivery is the moment you’ve been waiting for. Any finishing touches are added (color correcting/grading, voice over, etc.) followed by several quality checks. Finally, the client gets their final video and they are over the moon about how amazing it is!
“It’s always amazing to see months of hard work and raw footage get turned into a vibrant content with tight cuts, a clear message, and high production quality. Final assembly is like cutting a diamond: what was once grubby and misshapen is now something incredible.”
-Kyle McGuiness, Producer
This process might seem long and crazy, but with a thorough schedule, organized workflow, and seamless communication process, the process is actually pretty easy (for the client)! All these steps will be worth having an awesome, high-quality video to show off to your investors, customers, or friends and family!