Planning for a video production - thoughts and considerations

Tomorrow I'm helping out at a session at the University of Warwick introducing students to communicating through video. During the three hour session they will be tasked with filming and editing their own short video. I'm being drafted in to help advise them on planning a video production. I thought it might be worth sharing here the various stages that I'll be talking them through:

What are you trying to communicate and why?
What are your objectives?
What are your key messages?

Who are you trying to communicate with?
Define your audience
Understand what your audience likes (a particular style of video?)
Why will your target audience be interested in this?

Where is your audience? How will you reach them?
Where will your video be broadcast?
On a website?
At an event (big screen, small screen?)
How long do you have to grab your audiences’ attention?

Is video really the best means of communication?
Does video appeal to your audience?
Can it communicate everything you need to communicate?
Is your subject visual enough?

How will you structure your video?
Prepare a storyboard
Think about key messages and statements
Be prepared for your structure to change
How will you ‘join up’ sections of your video?
Do you require a voiceover? What kind of voice should this be?

What shots/interviews etc do you require?
Do you need cutaway shots to illustrate a point?
Do you need cutaway shots to make editing look seamless?
What access requirements/permissions might you need for filming?

Who will you interview?
Do you need a release form?
Are you working with children?
Who is going to ‘work’ well on camera?
Does your interviewee(s) have media experience?
Why are you interviewing them?

Where will you interview them?
Is there a location relevant to the interview?
Think about light
Think about noise and other distractions
Do you need special permissions to film there?

What will they wear?
Avoid bright colours (and too much white)
Avoid too much make-up
Avoid fussy patterns
Be comfortable

What will they say?
Preparing interview questions
Planting key messages
Asking provoking questions
Will you require additional cutaway shots after the interview?