Digital Corps

Production Tips

Quick Tip!

Successful production on set begins before you even arrive to set! Always plan ahead and double check your equipment before arriving on location.

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Production Defined

Production is the second step in the three-step video production process. Generally, production is the shortest of the three processes, but is crucial to ensuring a smooth post-production workflow as well as a successful end product. Production is the process of capturing all of the necessary footage for any specific video. Crew members on set use cinematography, audio, and lighting to create and capture relevant video based on the planning and discussions done during pre-production.

Roles of Production

On set, crew members are given specific roles with several designated tasks to perform within each role. The Digital Corps deals primarily with four main roles that crew members can be assigned to:

• Director
• Camera Operator
• Field Audio Mixer
• Production Assistant

Director

The director is the person in charge of ensuring that the set runs smoothly as well as being the driving creative force on the project. The director’s primary goal in a narrative or scripted production is to direct the talent’s performance in a way that best fulfills the creative vision of the project. In a formal piece like an interview, the director is less of a creative force, and is more of an authoritative role, there to ensure that the set runs efficiently and effectively in regards to the talent’s time.

Camera Operator

On any set, the camera operator’s (also commonly referred to as “cam op”) main responsibility is capturing any and all necessary footage on a given production day. The camera operator should also be involved within the pre-production stages of the video production process as it is also their responsibility to help create shot lists, equipment lists, and storyboards. On set, the camera operator works closely with the director to craft the visual elements in a way that best suits the director’s creative vision. This starts first and foremost with shot composition, but also extends to lighting, camera movement, and set design. Lighting is entirely dependent on the location, but the camera operator should always ensure that it is done properly and meets the video’s needs.

Field Audio Mixer

The field audio mixer’s job is recording all necessary audio on set as cleanly as possible. Like the camera operator, the field audio mixer’s job starts in pre-production by determining what audio equipment will be best to use for a given shoot/environment. On set, the field audio mixer is in charge of recording the talent via lavalier microphone, operating the boom, monitoring audio recording levels, and eliminating background noise where possible.

Production Assistant

Unlike the previously stated positions, a production assistant (also commonly referred to as “PA”) does not have a standard pre-determined function to perform on set. A production assistant’s only job is help out wherever needed on set. The types of tasks that a production assistant performs are different for every set, but a few common tasks are: transporting equipment, setting up/moving lights, clapping the slate before a shot, etc. There can be any number of production assistants on a given shoot, but at the same time some shoots are small enough not to warrant having one.

Quick Tip!

When setting up/moving equipment on set, crew members can all lend a hand when needed– it’s not just the production assistant’s responsibility!

The Production Process

Every video production is different, and therefore the way production operates on set changes accordingly. At the Digital Corps, video productions usually fall into one of four main categories:

• Interview shoots
• B-Roll shoots
• Greenscreen shoots
• Scripted content

Interview Shoots

Interview shoots are perhaps the most common type of production that happens at the Digital Corps. These shoots usually have a crew comprised of one to two camera operator(s) and a field audio mixer. The amount of camera operators depends on how many cameras will be used to shoot the interview. The camera remains stationary, capturing the subject as he/she is interviewed. Subjects are almost always mic’d using a lavalier microphone, but on occasion a boom may be used. Finally, there are also other times in which the director may decide to operate without a field audio mixer. In that case, that role will fall onto the camera operator(s) since audio can simply be run through the camera and is easy to monitor simultaneously.

B-Roll Shoots

B-Roll shoots are small-production shoots where the objective is to collect additional supplemental footage for any given video. Most times audio is not needed for these shoots, so crews usually just consist of a camera operator and a production assistant. These shoots are more “run and gun” than all the others, but the crew still needs to have a solid plan for getting all necessary shots. The camera operator should work with the team prior to the shoot to determine what shots are needed so there is a clear plan for what specifically needs to be captured. During the shoot, the camera operator should be getting multiple angles of everything on the shot list to give the editor plenty of options in post-production.

Quick Tip!

On B-Roll shoots, it is always best practice to shoot more than what is necessary! Doing so gives the editor more to work with in post-production and prevents reshoots/extra shoots.

Greenscreen Shoots

Certain projects at the Digital Corps require footage incorporating a greenscreen. Greenscreen shoots always take place in Studio A or Studio B. The crew for these shoots can vary in size depending on the project and the amount of equipment needed. For example, a typical shoot for The Loading Zone consists of a director, camera operator, field audio mixer, and a production assistant, but other larger shoots can have up to three camera operators. As the title suggests, all action on these shoots takes place entirely in front of a greenscreen which makes these shoots very straightforward. Many greenscreen shoots are scripted, so checking out the iPad teleprompter and having a production assistant on set to operate it may be necessary. Finally, the two biggest elements to be concerned with when shooting with a greenscreen are lighting and focus. If the talent is not exposed properly or if the subject is out of focus, problems are bound to happen later on in post-production, which will hinder production timelines severely.

Quick Tip!

From a director/JPM standpoint, be sure ask the talent not to wear any green apparel to the shoot as it will cause issues later in post-production when keying out the greenscreen!

Scripted Content

Scripted content is the final category of production that the Digital Corps regularly produces. These videos are written prior to production and are narrative in nature. The majority of these videos are produced for the Corps’ Social Media project. Crews for this type of production feature a director, camera operator, field audio mixer, and one or more production assistants. These shoots can take place at just about any location, and it is likely that a shoot may need to move to multiple locations on a production day. On average, these productions take the most amount of time to shoot. It is a good practice to allot more time than necessary for these. A detailed shot list should also be made prior to scheduling the shoot to gauge which talent is needed for is or is not needed for each scene.

Set Etiquette

Professional behavior on set is especially important during production. Certain things may be obvious, while others may be unknown to some outside of the video realm. Here are certain rules of etiquette that should always be followed during any video production:

• On any shoot involving a client or non-Corps figure, the black Digital Corps polo is required with appropriate pants and shoes.
• Avoid profanity
• Keep phones silenced/off and put away
• Be mindful of equipment
• Return the location as it was found
• Speak up if something is wrong, but don’t interrupt the talent (i.e. a light went out, battery died etc.)
• Be polite and respectful

All actions on set ultimately reflect back on the Digital Corps’ reputation as a whole, whether they are positive or not. Therefore, it is critically important to act with proper etiquette and professionalism at all times while on set.

Wrapping Up

One element that is similar across every production is wrapping up. Wrapping is perhaps one of the most overlooked elements in production, yet it is nonetheless important to do right. When the cameras stop rolling, the first priority should be to get the talent sent on their way as soon as possible. If they have a microphone or anything else attached, be sure to assess that before tearing down any equipment– talent should only be on set for as long as they are needed. Once talent has left, the next priority should be putting all equipment away neatly and properly. This means checking small items such as tripod plates to ensure that they are attached to the correct piece of equipment, as well as making sure that the correct gear is in the right kit. If anything appears to have been broken during the course of production, now is the time to report it. Once the equipment has been stored away, double check the room to ensure that there is no other equipment still out. Finally, before leaving, if anything in the room was moved or adjusted during the course of the production, be sure to move it back to where it was before. Once all of this is complete, that production day is officially wrapped.

In Summary

Production is a major aspect of all video work done at the Digital Corps, and understanding it is imperative to ensuring the creation of successful and quality videos. Production takes the intangible ideas from pre-production and begins to bring them to life, and understanding how that’s done as well as how to do it effectively makes the entire process of video production a much smoother one overall.