The following advice is intended to guide you through the various stages of video production.

Initial Meeting
This is where we get the ball rolling. Typically we will discuss various aspects of the video, like purpose, content, length and who the video is targeted at. At this stage, certain key information is required in order to prepare an estimate. The cost of making a video is like making a cake, depending on the ingredients, the costs can vary enormously. Factors which substantially influence the cost of the production are;

1. Duration of the video
2. Numbers of locations
3. Overseas locations
4. Number of days recording
5. Use of computer graphics
6. Use of famous presenters

After an assessment of certain basic cost factors, it will be possible to estimate the cost of the production, this is often given as a bracketed figure because at this stage, prior to scriptwriting, it is impossible to calculate exact costs. An accurate quotation is calculated after script acceptance, usually exclusive of any reasonable hotel and subsistence costs that are incurred.

Pre-production
This will typically start with a meeting between your company and a researcher or scriptwriter. At this point it is important to collect as much information as possible that relates to the project. Remember that your companys product or service may be completely new to us and you do need to tell us everything, including the little things you take for granted. From this information our scriptwriter will prepare a first draft script or structure for the programme. This is designed to be a discussion point and we welcome your input. Experience shows us that an ongoing dialogue throughout the production process ensures that the final video fulfils all of your expectations.

It is vital that someone within your organisation is appointed to oversee the project, both from an efficiency and health and safety point of view. Whilst film crews have experienced working in a myriad of locations you could not even imagine, there will be certain situations in your business that that we need to be advised of, such as potential dangers, and secret or sensitive areas which should not be filmed. Even though we may be recording at various locations, it is helpful if there is only one point of contact, this makes for good efficient communications and simplifies the production process for everyone.

Pre production can also include; organising and recces of filming locations, booking studios, choosing presenters, actors, voice artists, set design and construction, locating props, crewing, autocue if required and arranging permission to record in certain places.

Production
This is the actual video recording. Typically, it will involve a crew of at least three, director, cameraman and sound recordist but more complex recording may require additional crew such as make-up, wardrobe, autocue etc. The recording is the most costly ingredient in the video cake and it is vital that everyone concerned is thoroughly briefed as to their part in it.

Post production
This is the bit when we combine all the pictures, sound and music with the latest in video editing technology to produce the finished programme. At this stage, all the elements are stored on computer and just about everything is still changeable. When everyone is happy with the programme, the digitally stored programme is outputted to a backup master video tape, before copying to CD, DVD or whatever the required format is.