Video Production Company Services

This post takes a look at the Video Production Company or VPC, and some of the services provided by a VPC. I got into video production to make movies. My movie-making started with an 8mm film camera then one day, in June in the late 80s, while in a Sears store, I went by the camera department to gaze at the $1,200 Super 8 film camera, with sound, that I hoped I would be able to afford one day and to my shock and surprise that 1,200 dollar Super 8 camera had been reduced in price to only a couple hundred dollars. 

I quickly searched for a salesperson and found one. I had to find out for myself just what was wrong with the camera of my dreams. The salesperson assured me that there was nothing wrong with the Super 8 film camera, adding that the reason the price was so low was that the store was phasing out all of their Super 8 film cameras to make room for the new camcorders expected to be on the store shelves before that Christmas. I ended up with the camera of my dreams just in time for video cameras to replace them all.

Film
by MovieMakerGK

Not long after that, I ended up with my own video camcorder and after a while, I set up my own VPC. One of the first lessons I learned was that movie deals were very few, and very far between. Luckily for me, there were friends I had met in school video production classes who had gone into other branches of the video production business. By working with them during the long breaks in between people showing up with television or movie scripts I was able to learn about corporate video production.

Some VPCs do corporate video production, some do commercial video production, and some specialize in training and safety video production. It was educational, challenging, and in a lot of cases fun learning about the other forms of video production and their different audience concerns. The VPC I worked for created video content for other companies like employee training videos, and product showcases. This worked for me because it kept some paychecks coming in when television and film production jobs were low.

Boom! Ops Necklace
by MovieMakerGK

I was able to get a job at a place in the South Bay called BAI (Bay Area Interconnect) a professional VPC that produced a sports show, video/television commercials, and online ads. My experience working in corporate video production added greatly to my resume, and I like to think, was one of the reasons I was hired. To start a VPC, or to work for one it's a good idea to keep your video production chops sharp, meaning stay on top of the latest video and video editing production technologies. And while it might be helpful to know everything there is to know about video production it is more important to be willing and able to learn what technology is necessary for you to contribute productively to a VPC.

Keep in mind that video technology can change almost overnight. I went from 8mm to Super 8mm to VHS, SVHS, and Bata, and the video production hits just kept coming DVDs all within the span of what seemed like a few years and before I had made the move to television quality resolution video production equipment. Good VPCs develop a custom video strategy that uses ROI (Return on investment) as their metric. Which, in a lot of cases means getting called back to do other projects because of their creative ability to drive engagement, build brand awareness, and most importantly generate sales.

Video Production Equipment for Beginners

 

What are some of the basics of making a good video production? One of the things I have found to be very important to video production is to always have some idea of just how long you want your finished video/film production to be. From the start are we shooting a 30-minute or a 60-minute video production? Do I need to leave some room for promotional or commercial insertions? The next important production item is the script. Does the script reflect any of the above concerns? Since the script is the glue that holds your video production together, contains dialog, music, and visual information that will eventually be shared with your lighting, set builders, and cast to bring your production idea to life on the large, or small screen.

Camera Lens
by MovieMakerGK

What format will your production be shot in? Film or Video involves two completely different forms of editing and costs or dollar amounts. Film usually is the more expensive when it comes to the editing process. Often people refer to shooting video as filming and as a rule, most video professionals are not confused by this. However, as a producer, you need to know whether you are videotaping, or actually filming because this will affect your choice of camera and budget. It also helps to know that when your production is done, and you make it to the post-production state whether you expect to have your finished production released in digital, film, form (or both:-), following the three forms of production (Preproduction, Production, Post Production) should help you solve all of the above problems.

Camera Lens
by MovieMakerGK

Another important production concern will be your sound and lighting. Nothing is more important to a director or producer than good (in focus) images, and easy-to-hear/understand sound. Depending on the format you chose to work with, or shoot with, matching great sound with great images on the screen is a trademark of a pro production. Especially since most go on to be mixed with music and other sound effects in post-production. Natural lighting is also important (where it can be accomplished). Working with artificial lighting and reflectors the goal is still the same so that the best image possible is seen on the screen.

Editing is next, no matter what format you decide on providing your post-production editor and sound department with the materials they need to complete your production is key. Good pre-production, production, and post-production will leave you with a production filmed on video that you, and your entire crew, can be proud of.

Movie Maker Accessories

 

What do you need to make a movie? Well, it helps to have a good mirrorless camera, or, a DSLR Camcorder. A good microphone, and a headset. A good tripod to keep your camera shots rock solid. You'll need some lighting and reflectors, and of course, a computer with a good editing app. The above should cover nicely, pre-production, by giving the list of the necessary equipment articles, even covering the actual production when you use all of the above to complete your video project. For us at Movie Maker GK post-production is an important time because many of the video production-related items I offer are meant for the end-of-the-shoot celebrations, like the wrap party.

Movie
by MovieMakerGK

The movie maker accessories offered at Movie Maker GK are things like business card templates, that allow you to add your own business information, photo, or logo to design a business card that represents your business. We even offer articles and items for organizations that host award shows. We have different video production awards and award templates for best director, best actor, best screenplay writer, and more. Video production awards that let you reward cast and crew for a production job well done.

Pocket Watch
by MovieMakerGK

                                                    

There are posters, video production-related wall art, and decorative mugs all of which can be customized with your business or organization logo, or business message. Wearable art, in the form of t-shirts and hats, is also available to help you promote your production talent or business. All of these items make a great gift for yourself or the movie maker you know. these are just a few of the post-production items available at Movie Maker GK. Getting back to the things necessary for video production. You can never have enough tape on the set.

Production ID
by MovieMakerGK

I have found tape to be one of my most important tools when working on a video production shoot, in-house, or on location. A good multi-tool and a Maglite can be useful. Always keep a rubber bulb blower, some lens cleaning fluid, a good multi-screwdriver, and of course plenty of reusable C-47s.

What does a film intern do?

Film production interns are sometimes asked to perform a wide variety of production tasks that can range from administrative answering phone calls, or emails, sometimes they are tasked with researching a host of different topics. Film production interns are sometimes asked to edit videos, and photographs, or work with lighting or with sound. The overall experience, for me anyway, was learning about how film production flowed when it came to capturing as much on film/video as the time, weather, and actors would allow.

In the early days of my film production life, I served as an intern on a couple of locally shot motion pictures. Aside from my first day on the set search for a C-47, I was a flag person who, armed with an umbrella, provided some much-needed shade from the hot noonday California sun for actor Darren McGavin. Providing both him and myself with some protection from the solar rays while the rest of the production crew scurried about to set up the next basketball court scene Darren told me that when his scene was over he would be headed back to Europe to join his family on a barge to continue their vacation. 

I told him that in a few days I would be taking my family on a one-week cruise of the California Delta onboard a houseboat and a boating conversation between us went on until the director sent word they were ready to shoot the scene. On the same film project, at another location my intern duties landed me and another intern, the keepers of a giant spotlight, illuminating a beachfront hotel from a pier in Santa Cruise Ca.

My internship introduced me to the army of behind-the-scenes gaffers, electricians, carpenters, assistant directors, and more necessary to being a major motion picture to life on the big and little screen. My internship also went a long way in helping me establish a network of film and video production specialists, writers, directors, and producers that would eventually result in some other film production jobs coming my way. 

That other intern I spent most of a chilly night taking turns to warm ourselves beside the giant spotlight contacted me a few years later for a movie he was directing and asked me to be the behind the scene videographer, I said yes and went to work on the movie Skin Deep.

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by TimeStore

Film production interns can get paid but there is really no internship payscale. I did not get paid but I did value the experience. The time I spent working on the production as an intern was usually my own time, meaning if a school, work, or anything else got in the way I was free to go take care of it. My time on the set as I remember was totally up to me. Not all internships work that way so take the time to get an answer to any/all questions important to you, such as "will I get paid?"

A good film production intern will find the following skills helpful and in some cases necessary. Knowledge of editing and editing software, some strong storytelling skills, and most important of all good teamwork and communications skills mixed with the ability for attention to detail and organization will open some film production company doors.

What camera does Netflix use?

There are actually quite a few different cameras that are accepted by Netflix like the Canon C-300 Mk II and III, The Panasonic BS1H, BGH1, and the S1H. The Red Komodo 6k and the Panavision DXL2 to name just a few. This post focused on the ARRI Alexa 65.

The ARRI Alexa 65, at 54.12 x 25.88 mm, is the largest sensor from ARRI. More than a few huge Hollywood movies have been shot using this camera. The ARRI Alexa 65 is a Netflix-approved camera and this post is sprinkled with some useful information about understanding some of Netflix's guidelines. The Alexa 65 has been approved for anamorphic capture. When using the Alexa 65 the following setting is preferred by Netflix 6k (6560 x 3100) in ARRIRAW which is another way to ensure that your footage can be used on Netflix, which by the way has some fairly strict image capture requirements.

The sensor has to be able to capture a resolution of 3840 pixels per width so you want to make sure that your camera will be able to shoot a minimum of 4k UHD. As mentioned above your camera should be able to record in a Raw format like ARRIRAW, REDCODE, X-OCN, or in compressed format with intra-recording and a high bit rate like ProresHQ or XAVC. The minimum data rate should be 240Mbs at 10bits UHD 2398. All files should contain Timecode, ISO, Frame rate, WB, etc., metadata. You will also need at least 10bit of log processing or a minimum 16bit linear recording.

You'll want to use as wide a color space as possible, capture as much shadow, and highlight information as possible with the log profile. I don't recommend this camera for the beginner. For the student, or beginner creating a low-budget creative film shooting with a mirrorless camera will do. Some of them can be even better than a camcorder when it comes to low light. The compact system of the mirrorless camera can shoot stills and great-looking 4k video and can fit different lenses.

Cameras capable of being acceptable by Netflix don't come cheap in most cases to rent, or to buy, but the quality you need is there.
 

How to become a filmmaker?

Most of the filmmakers I know are an interesting blend of talent and education and since there are some skills involved step number one for becoming a filmmaker would be to finish high school. Complete high school. Most of the writers, directors, and producers I have met have a sizable amount of college under their belts and have earned a college degree, so add a bachelor's degree if you can.

Seek out an internship, just about every film/video production studio and even major television station offers some kind of internship in film/video production. Produce a short film of your own. These days all you need is a good phone with a camera. Whatever you have access to capable of recording moving images use it. Do what you can to develop film-related experience.

Pillows
by GK Designs

Build your own professional network for example when I was in school I joined an organization called SMPTE (Society of Motion Picture & Television Engineers) which didn't require me to be an engineer and accepted interested non-members. Their meetings were once a month and there was no requirement to attend.

As a result, I ended up running into other film and video-related friends from other schools and just about every production manager from every major production house and television station in the SF Bay Area. One of the SMPTE meetings was held at George Lucas' Lucas Productions and another at a television production company in the south bay where I ended up being offered a job on a television sports program titled Giant's Vision.

Besides SMPTE there were the Broadcast Engineers and other film art associations that made building a professional network relatively easy with a little effort. My interest was always to write and direct my own film/video production and with the help of all the above, that opportunity finally did come earning a trip to Hollywood and everything.

When I started out I didn't know where, or when, my filmmaking opportunity would come from but following the steps above I did everything I could to sharpen my filmmaking skills so that when the opportunity came I was ready.

How long does it take to complete a movie?

 

Well, if you go by Hollywood standards the average time that passes between the announcement date, the date the project is publically announced, and the eventual release date, the date the project reaches the paying public and the cinema, is about 871 days or two years four months, and nine days.

The above encompasses the first day of pre-production, the first day of principal production, and the first day of post-production. Put all of the above in the hands of a, relatively well-oiled, production staff and there's another finished motion picture in the can. I have almost always functioned at the Low to NO budget end of the production scale and even though most of my video projects were headed more for the small screen than the big screen I was still able to get my film production tasks done.

I think the thing to remember is the less complicated and the shorter your film project is the easier it will be to bring your film/video production to the screen. To shoot on a minimum style budget try very hard to restrict your locations to 1 (as is only one) The more different locations you have the further about zero your budget will need to be.

The good thing about creating your own filmmaking production is that you are in complete control. Control of the shooting location ideas, the budget (if any) securing the talent, and production necessities. Filmmaking these days takes time and money and has become a giant and expensive undertaking.

So for those of you who want to get started and are working on close to zero/no budget here are some filmmaking cost-cutting ideas that have worked for me. Since just about every movie idea requires a location the cheaper the location the better. Keep in mind that if you're planning on shooting anything out in the public, permits may be required.

Shoot as much as you can without a production crew. For this, you will need to be on your toes production-wise when it comes to capturing good images and good sound. If you're lucky enough to have a production company in your area sometime if you get lucky they will allow you to shoot some or all of your production at their facility.

The key will be trying to find everything you will need to complete your filmmaking idea without having to sell everything you own. When it comes to low-budget filmmaking a friend of mine named George used to say when working with a budget that is under-low, mix the right plan with the right attitude and you'll be able to get your film done.