October 22, 2024 by videocrewsstlouis

Avoid Common Location Scouting Mistakes

Location scouting is a critical step in the production process that can make or break your project. Whether you’re creating a corporate video, a marketing campaign, or any other visual content, choosing the right location is essential. Yet, many production teams encounter pitfalls that can lead to delays, budget overruns, and disappointing results. In this post, we’ll explore common mistakes in location scouting and provide guidance on how to avoid them, ensuring a smoother production process.

Always have a backup plan in place, which includes alternative locations and shooting schedules.

1. Not Defining Your Vision

Before you begin scouting locations, it’s crucial to have a clear vision of what you want to achieve. Failing to define your project’s goals can lead to wasted time and effort. Take the time to develop a detailed brief that outlines the project’s objectives, themes, and stylistic elements. This will serve as your roadmap during the scouting process and help you identify locations that align with your vision.

2. Skipping the Recce

One of the most significant mistakes is relying solely on online images and descriptions. While technology allows us to view locations remotely, nothing compares to visiting a site in person. A site visit provides insights into lighting conditions, space dimensions, and the overall atmosphere. It also allows you to assess practical considerations, such as accessibility and parking.

3. Ignoring Legal Considerations

Every location comes with its own set of legal requirements, including permits and insurance. Failing to address these legalities can result in delays and additional costs. Before securing a location, research any permits or licenses required for filming. Collaborating with local authorities or property owners can help you navigate these legalities more smoothly.

4. Overlooking Logistics

Logistics can be a production’s silent enemy. When scouting locations, consider the logistics of moving your crew, equipment, and talent to and from the site. Evaluate factors such as:

Access: Is the location easily accessible for your crew and equipment?
Amenities: Are there nearby facilities for your team, such as restrooms or catering?
Parking: Is there sufficient parking for your crew and production vehicles?
Safety: Are there any safety concerns that could impact your shoot?

By addressing these logistical considerations upfront, you can minimize disruptions during production.

5. Failing to Communicate with Your Team

Effective communication with your production team is paramount. Once you’ve scouted a location, gather feedback from your crew to ensure everyone is aligned with the site’s suitability. This is especially important for technical teams who may have specific requirements for filming and sound quality. Regularly sharing updates and insights can help create a collaborative environment that enhances the overall production process.

6. Not Having a Backup Plan

Sometimes, despite careful planning, things don’t go as expected. Weather changes, unforeseen circumstances, or last-minute cancellations can disrupt your production schedule. Always have a backup plan in place, which includes alternative locations and shooting schedules. This flexibility can save time and resources, ensuring your production stays on track.

7. Ignoring Local Expertise

Partnering with local professionals can provide invaluable insights into the area you’re scouting. Local experts often have knowledge about hidden gems, logistical challenges, and local regulations that you may not be aware of. Engaging with experienced location scouts can lead to discoveries that elevate your production’s quality.

Conclusion

Avoiding these common location scouting mistakes can significantly improve the quality and efficiency of your video production. At St. Louis Video Production Crews, we understand the importance of meticulous planning and execution in location scouting. As a full-service professional commercial photography and video production company since 1982, we have the experience, right equipment, and creative crew service expertise necessary for successful image acquisition.

We offer comprehensive services, including studio and location video and photography, editing, post-production, and licensed drone pilots. Our team can customize your productions to meet diverse media requirements, ensuring your content stands out. We specialize in repurposing photography and video branding to help you gain more traction in your marketing efforts.

Our private studio, equipped with professional lighting and visual setups, is ideal for small productions and interview scenes. It provides ample space for props to enhance your set, and we can assist with every aspect of your production—from custom interview studio setups to providing sound and camera operators. With the capability to fly specialized drones indoors, we have everything you need to make your next video production perfect.

For any corporate photography or video needs in the St. Louis area, trust St. Louis Video Production Crews to deliver exceptional results tailored to your vision.

videocrewsstlouis@gmail.com

314-913-5626

September 15, 2022 by videocrewsstlouis

How to Write a Script for Your Video Production

You’ve got an idea for a video production, but how do you turn that into a script? Whether you’re intending to produce an informative video or something more lighthearted and comedic, the process for writing a script is the same. A script is essentially a detailed plan of what will happen in your video and when – it’s not as scary as it sounds! Once you understand the basics, creating a script for your video is easy.

Determine the length of your script

The very first thing you need to do when creating a script is decide how long you want your video to be. If you’re creating a video for your business, you may have certain goals or outcomes you want from the video in mind, in which case you’ll need to create a video of a certain length. If you’re creating a video for fun, you may want to create a video that’s of a certain length to fit with a popular video challenge like the ASMR challenge. It’s important to know the length of your script before you begin writing so you don’t get halfway through and realize you’re trying to fit too much into too little time!

Write a Script Outline

Once you know how long your script should be, you can begin to draft an outline of your script. There are lots of different ways to write a script outline, but the basics of all of them are the same. – Start with your introduction – What will you say to introduce your video? Your introduction should include any necessary backstory and set the scene for the video. – What is the main point of your video? What do you want your audience to walk away with? Put this at the center of your script outline. – What are your goals for the video? What do you want your audience to do or understand after watching your video? – What are the sub-points you want to include in your video? These should relate back to the main point of your video. – Is there anything else you want to cover in the video? You may have a few extra points you want to emphasize or you may want to add some humor.

Decide on Your Video’s Purpose

Once you’ve written an outline of your script, you can start to think about the purpose of your video. What do you want your viewers to take away from your video? Some videos are meant to inform, while others are meant to entertain. If you’re creating an informative video, you may want to create a how-to video, create a list, or create a product review. If you’re creating an entertaining video, you have lots of options, including creating comedy, creating a parlor trick, making a music video, or creating an ASMR video. The choice is yours and it’s important to choose a purpose before you write your script as it will affect what you write and how you write it.

Add any narration or voice-over

Once you’ve got your script written and you know where you want to film, you can start to think about any narration or voice-over you want in your script. If your video is intended to be informative, you may want to include some narration in your script to help break up the content. If your video is intended to be entertaining, you may want to include a voice-over. The voice-over is essentially the same as narration but is usually done in a more comedic or lighthearted way. If you’re creating a comedy skit, you may want to include some voice-over in your script.

314-913-5626
Mike Haller, St Louis Video Crew Chief
videocrewsstlouis@gmail.com

May 25, 2022 by videocrewsstlouis

ENG / EFP Camera Crews in St. Louis

Our full-service video production company can handle all aspects of your business or organization’s video production needs. We work with Fortune 500 companies, small businesses and non-profit organizations to create high-quality corporate videos and branded content.

We specialize in script writing, camera operations, location scouting, voice over composition, talent searching, filming, and post-production.