PUZZLE PIECES

HOW WE SNAP IT TOGETHER

It can seem like a daunting task, but video production doesn’t have to be difficult if you break it down into categories. I look at it like putting a puzzle together… get a clear vision of what it looks like, collect the pieces, and snap ’em together. Here’s the basics.

IMG_E9440-CrushCorrected — Filming for Durango Boots “Crush” fashion line

PRE PRODUCTION

Pre production… just a fancy way of saying “make a plan.” I always ask people, “who’s your audience, and what do you want them to feel, and do after they watch the video.” If you can answer that in advance, everything becomes much clearer. Make a plan, and then execute, because the more focused you are, the better the shoot, and end product will turn out. But… reality has a way of rearing its head, and sometimes there’s no way to make plan, so in that case, you have to accept “the plan is, there is no plan,” and jump in with both feet and think fast!

IMG_E7007 — Filming with Old Gringo Boots using the Titla Float

FILMING

I really enjoy the creativity the pre production phase brings out, but the actual filming days are my favorite. I like to look at filming as “collecting the puzzle pieces.” There’s an old saying… “you can’t edit what you don’t have,” so be sure to collect all of the pieces! If you’ve done a good job in pre production, you’ll be able to find them all so you can put a great story together.

AUDIO

Here’s where I’m going to jump on a soapbox, because this is so important, and near & dear to my heart. In many cases, audio is as important, if not MORE important than the video itself. You can have beautiful video, but if the audio suffers it will lower the quality of everything. I hear bad audio all time. There are several steps… you have to capture clean audio with good mics. You must know how to process it with compression, EQ, and various other tools. And in the edit, layering in ambient sounds will create a sense of reality. We’ve got this!

An amazing time filming at the 24 Hours Of Daytona with Risi Competizione Ferrari Racing

EDITING

Each step of the process can make or break it. After collecting all of the puzzle pieces, it doesn’t matter how good they are if the edit is going ruin them. I like think of editing in a musical way, with pacing and phrasing. I often pick the music, and build the “audio bed” before starting the edit. There are many steps in the editing process including the edit, color grading, audio work, etc. so this definitely becomes the most time consuming part.

The Video Zoo transformed our vision into an extraordinary video that truly captured our brand’s identity. Their professionalism and creativity made all the difference!

Emily Johnson

TOOLS OF THE TRADE

With over 20 years of experience, we combine creativity, technical expertise, and a passion for storytelling to deliver exceptional video production services tailored for you. Content is king, but… we love great gear! You need to tools.

Ground Filming Gear

Gear can be rented, that’s a fact, but having the good stuff on hand eliminates rental costs. And… it’s much easier to work with cameras, and other peripheral equipment that you’re familiar with. The image quality of the RED Monstro 8k VV is outstanding, and that’s the main go to. Compliment that with exceptional microphones, stabilizers, motion control, lighting, etc and we’re set. We have top of the line gear in house.

An Aeriel View

Do NOT hire someone that will be flying a drone unless they’re FAA certified. We are. Even just a few drone shots can elevate a production, so having one on hand can be a big asset.

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