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So…Brass Tacks. In the simplest terms, a video producer is an organizer!
Video Production is a multi-step process sometimes involving many people, locations, contracts, and LOTS of other details. There needs to be one person who constantly has the “big picture” in mind.
If no one takes on this role you run the risk of missing deadlines, going over budget, and failing to meet all of the project goals.
You have written out your project goals, right?
If you want to be a producer, the rest of this article should give you a pretty good idea of what your responsibilities will be.
If you are a corporate marketer, business owner or entrepreneur looking to hire a video producer or a video production company, this article should give you a pretty good idea of what you will be paying for.
Video Producer Job Description
A great video producer will be able to successfully navigate a video production from start to finish. They’ll be able to keep track of every single detail of the entire project through Pre-Production, Production and Post-Production.
If the video production is on a smaller-scale, you may not need to do all of the following, BUT here is a list of tasks that a producer will typically perform.
- Business Organization
- Client Communication
- Script Development
- Shotlisting
- Production Scheduling
- Location, Crew and Talent Budgeting
- Location, Crew and Talent Hiring
- Location, Crew and Talent Coordination
- Catering
- Editing
- Distribution
In the corporate video environment, generally, there are really only nine essential positions. And most of the time there’s far less than nine people working on the project!
Video Producer Skills
It’s hard for anyone to be spectacular at every skill a video producer needs BUT if you want a successful project, make sure you or the producer you hire has the following abilities.
- Attention to Detail
- Patience
- Persistence
- Leadership
- Time Management
- Flexibility
- Creativity
- Logistics
- Communication
- Negotiation
- Storytelling
- Research
- Writing
- Editing
- Marketing
- Spreadsheet Proficiency and Deadline Oriented!!!
Video Production Job Titles
Let’s talk about your most fundamental asset – the crew. It takes people to make a video project happen. On a typical high-budget commercial set you might have 60 crew members (or more) working on various aspects of the production.
In the corporate video environment, generally, there are really only nine essential positions. And most of the time there’s far less than nine people working on the project!
You may not have eight other people to help you. So guess what? Unless you have a great budget – or you have a lot of talented and generous friends – you’ll end up doing many of these jobs yourself.
Keep these nine functions in mind to help organize and plan any video production.
- 1. Producer
- 2. Director
- 3. Writer
- 4. Videographer ( Camera Operator)
- 5. Sound Person
- 6. Lighting Director (Grip)
- 7. Make-up
- 8. Graphic Designer
- 9. Editor
Many video producers take on several roles in small-scale video productions. It’s not uncommon to see Producer/Directors, Producer/Videographers, Producer/Editors, or Writer/Producers. Of course if the budget is very small, there are some people who have enough experience and skill to do almost everything…but that’s a completely different article.
Video Producer vs Director
I think that most of the positions on a crew are pretty self-explanatory, but people aren’t always clear on the difference between a video producer vs. director.
Basically, a producer organizes all the details of the project; a director calls all the shots as far as content and aesthetics on shoot day.
Just keep in mind, as you are starting to plan for your production, that each one of these positions – and what they contribute to the video – need to be thought about in some detail. And don’t sweat it. If you can’t afford to hire out these positions…just keep reading this blog … you’ll know all about them before too long.
Is it Fun to Produce Videos?
Heck yah it’s fun! I’ve been producing video content for over 20 years and I can’t think of anything much more exhilarating besides a few activities that have nothing to do with work (and you certainly wouldn’t get paid for them 😎
I started out as a writer/reporter and moved into video editing and videography. After several years I was able to start producing.
I love being able to use the left and right side of my brain on the same project. Sometimes it’s hard to make the switch but if you are someone who can do it…video producing could be for you!
Downloadable – Video Production Organizational Chart
If you are going to be producing a video in the near future, here is an organizational chart for video production that will get you started thinking about some of the details. This Video Production Process & Budgeting Sheet doesn’t list absolutely everything you may run across, but in broad strokes, this chart will help you get going on the right track. Let me know if you find it helpful.
If you’d like to learn more about the video production process or if you’d like to hire a video production company to help you create a corporate video marketing strategy or campaign…please send us a note in the form below.
Lastly, if you don’t relish the thought of speaking to anyone and you’d like to learn more but can’t wait for more blog articles…here’s a great book on Corporate Video Production by Stuart Sweetow to get you started. He goes through the entire process from start to finish with many examples from the corporate world. The book is a bit pricey but the time it will save if you want to know more about Corporate Video Production makes it worth the spend.
NICE!!!!!
