Video Pre Production

Pre production for a corporate, wedding or narrative video is a lot like war, and no one knows war better than the Sun Tzu:

“Every battle is won before it’s ever fought.”

In other words, preparation is key. Preparation is especially key when dealing with video production. If you don’t have a plan for your production, then expect cost overruns and lost time during the production and post production process. If you plan your videography and video post production properly, then you’ll encounter less issues and be on budget.

As a full service video production company in NYC, 2Bridges provides a variety of services to our clients:

What video pre production services can we provide at 2Bridges?

At 2Bridges, we help clients with the following video pre production processes:

Casting Talent
Find the right film director
If needed, find producers to help with the production
Write a compelling screenplay
Scout locations
Create shot lists and call sheets
Take care of legalese matters and permits

Regardless of scope or budget, we have video production solutions for everyone.

Here are video types we produce for our clients:

How we provide premier video pre production solutions to our NYC clients

Create a compelling script

For anyone NOT in the film industry, just getting started with filmmaking can be a difficult and confusing endeavor. If you have the budget, it’s best to hire professional videographers and film producers to produce the film from end to end (pre production to post production).

As professional video producers, we at 2Bridges work with you to create a compelling script. It’s said that it takes 15 seconds to impress a new viewer so we make sure you have an incredible opening shot for your videos. Then we work with you to create a compelling story to keep the viewer hooked on the video. If you intend to engage in video marketing on YouTube, it’s important to be cognizant of the important metrics, like watch time and retention. YouTube, in particular, rewards videos that keep audiences captivated and watching for long periods of time. If your viewers are watching close on average 10 minutes of our video, then you’ve hit the YouTube jackpot. Expect the YouTube algorithm to rank your videos higher on search.

This helps with SEO. This helps with growing brand awareness. This helps with site traffic, which eventually leads to sales.

Storyboarding & Shot List

When scripts are finalized, we help our clients in storyboarding and creating shot list. This step is akin to creating an architectural design of the end product, which in this case is a cinematic video.

We work with the director and the cinematographer in outlining the script shot by shot. We sketch out where actors need to be, what equipment is needed for each shot and when would be the best time to capture each shot on the shot list.

These pre production elements are key so that everyone is on page once actual production begins. No time is wasted. No budget dollars wasted on poor planning. We ensure we execute on the shooting script and stay on budget.

Finding the right film crew

At 2Bridges, we understand every video production is different. Each film production has a different budget and requirements. Producing a video can be expensive in New York City. We use our contacts at 2Bridges to get the best video talent for the right price. This includes finding the right actors, crews, directors and editors. We hire professionals who will help us meet the deadlines and stay on budget.

Scout NYC Locations

Once we have secured the right talent, it’s time to find cinematic views for your corporate or narrative film. New York City is such a beautiful place.

“There is no place like [New York], no place with an atom of its glory, pride and exultancy.” – Walt Whitman

We find the right places that would make sense with the script and at the same time, what idyllic New York spot would look great on video. Moreover, we understand that filming outdoors in NYC requires permits. We work with the NYC municipality to secure the necessary permits so the video production stays on course with no delays.

Finally, if the script requires a film studio, we can secure the proper event space. Perhaps, even get a WeWork space to shoot an office location, which are common in many corporate videos. Then there’s also the need for film insurance to operate in particular event spaces or buildings in New York City. At 2Bridges, we have the appropriate general liability insurance to film in most locations. If needed, we would be able to acquire any additional insurance requirements, whether it’s extra liability, workers comp or auto insurance.

We clear the red tap around video production in NYC so you can rest easy and leave the filming to the pro cinematographers!

Finding the right cast

With film locations and crews in place, the next step is to acquire the necessary talent to execute on the script. We often work with the CEOs or executives in their videos. However, for some commercials, a local actor or actress might be needed to play a part in the video commercial. At 2Bridges, we take care of film talent sourcing so you don’t have to scour Facebook or the Internet to find actors and actresses for your film production.

We have an extensive network of local acting talent, ready and eager to participate in a high quality video production. We take care of the audition and the selection of the appropriate acting talent.

Choose the right video equipment

Every video production is different. Film productions in the day require very different lighting requirements versus videography done at night. We take care or acquiring or renting the appropriate lighting equipment to get the most production value for your video.

We only work with the very best cameras – everything from the Hollywood style RED camera to the run and gun DSLR cameras, like the Sony A7Sii. Depending on the style of the cinematography, we choose the appropriate camera and the lens needed to execute on the shot list.

As a production house and film production in NYC, we have access to rental houses, as well as our own equipment. These resources will help us get quality film production for any video at any budget.

Rehearsals

Once we’ve hired the right film crew, secured the appropriate video equipment and acting talent, it’s time to rehearse. We take photographs of the location and go over any potential issues with the director and cinematographer. We ensure he have enough lighting equipment if we feel the location is too dark. We make sure we have light reflectors if we feel the sunlight at the location is too bright.

If possible, we ask the talent to practice their lines and to walk through the location. We block out the location so the crew and the actors know where they need to be and when they need to be there once the cameras start rolling.

If necessary, we have table reads and rehearsals weeks before the cameras start rolling. These precautionary steps before actual filming will help create chemistry and trust between acting talent and film crews. Hence, we’ll be one perfectly optimized unit once film production starts.

Conclusion

At 2Bridges we treat every video production engagement like a general prepares for war. We understand that a successful operation starts with proper planning. This means creating compelling scripts, hiring the right people, securing the right equipment and practicing before actual video production commences.

If you want a professional video production service that will stay on budget, then contact us at 2Bridges.

Where does 2Bridges Productions provide corporate videography services?

We are also open to filming in other states or regions. Again, contact us for our custom solutions.

Finally, meet our team of professional videographers and creatives!