Creating Digital Media In-House: Where Do I Start?

In a prior post I said that now is the time for small businesses to jump in and starting creating video and other digital media by bringing it in-house or, at minimum, hiring talent to help produce and distribute it. Costs are incredibly low and technology makes it easier than ever to create videos, podcasts and presentations.

Some of you may be thinking that it sounds good but how do you actually get started and do it? What is the first step? And then what? I’m currently working on an ebook to provide more detailed answers to these questions and more and I thought I would provide some information and ideas in this post to get you started.

I could talk all day about specific video camcorders, video editing software packages, etc., (and I will get more specific in other posts) but I think the first thing to do is to talk about a strategy before making any investments. Otherwise, you’re potentially just throwing money away. So you want to Do video, podcasts and/or presentations? Asking the What, Why, How, Where and Who questions will get you started on the right path.

For example:
What do we want to Do? We want to create demo videos of our product(s).

Why Do that? To “show” the product (in action, in color, in context), enhance our company reputation, share knowledge, create buzz, thwart misconceptions

How will you Do that? Write an outline, create a script and corresponding shot-list, determine equipment/software resources to complete job (does project require a video shoot or just animated graphics, for example?), shoot and edit the video, deploy online and/or master on DVD.

Where will you Do that? Do you have a conference room, lunch room or accessible large office? You can easily accomplish many product or other videos by using existing office spaces. It may just be a matter of scheduling the conference room or asking the VP for a favor to use her large office at lunch or perhaps after hours. If you can’t coordinate or have the internal space, look to a photography studio. They often have open blocks of time they would like to fill, have appropriate lighting and backdrops. Negotiate a rate you feel comfortable with. Make sure you know what is included.

When will you Do that? The “when” here refers to shooting. You shouldn’t really shoot anything until you have a plan on paper first: a script (an outline at minimum) and a shot list. This may seem overboard to some that are experienced but to those who have little to no experience in video production, being prepared is an important step. If you are prepared, then the “when” will be determined by availability of required resources including: a place to shoot (conference room, office, off-site), people involved in the shoot, products to be demonstrated (software, machine or physical item) and any relevant props.

Who will Do that? “Who” might be you or your assistant and/or others. Who will write the script? Who will shoot the video? Who will be in the video (the talent)? Who will create any graphics (or powerpoint) for the video? Who will edit the video? And who will be responsible for distributing the video (internal, internet, CD, DVD, etc)? This could actually all be done by one person, perhaps you. However, initially I would recommend involving others, delegating components of the project, since you probably already have your “regular” job. Eventually you’ll come up with processes that will enable you to get more done on your own.

With the right plan in place you should be able to create professional quality video and audio productions without disrupting the flow of your business and co-workers

In future posts I will zero in on each of the areas above and try to shed light on specifics that will hopefully help you get you where you want to be with your finished product. If you have questions, comments or specific needs you would like me to address, please feel free to contact me or leave comments here.

-Scott