The online video creation process that VideoBloom performs for you consists of 5 phases:
This is often the most important phase and sometimes the most neglected by clients, yet this phase is crucial to the development of a high-quality online video. In the planning phase (also called "pre-production"), the VideoBloom team will first assist you with researching and expressing your communication needs, and then will plan the filming of the video. This includes scripting, hiring talent, subject matter experts and associates, defining project guidelines and storyboarding. After several revisions, a final storyboard and script mark the end of the planning phase. Then the filming of the video, or "field production", can be scheduled.
The key steps of the planning phase are:
- Research
- Creative strategy
- Script writing
- Script editing
- Casting
- Storyboarding
The filming phase (also called "production") consists in shooting footage that corresponds to the details of the script. The videographer or crew will work with camera, lighting and audio equipment, and follow the script to ensure that your vision is effectively communicated. Once the video is shot, the tape or digital file is transmitted to the VideoBloom studio for a series of creative transformations called "post-production".
Some clients who already have video assets won’t need to film any new footage. In such cases, VideoBloom assists them in all four other phases (planning, transformation, distribution and measurement) to re-purpose their existing footage into successful online videos.
The key steps of the filming phase are:
- Selection of film director, lighting crew and sound engineer
- Selection of equipment and field production crew
- Selection of filming locations
- Teleprompter, hair and makeup, if necessary
- Authorizations and copyright issues
The transformation phase (also called "post-production") is often viewed as the most creative phase of the online video generation process. After all footage has been digitized, it is edited and submitted for client review. Final scenes are then converted into the right video format, or "encoded", and embedded in animation shells. A team of motion graphics specialists develops the concept and visuals for the online video and develops interactive components (such as a call to action, request for more information, etc.).
The key steps of the transformation phase are:
- Film digitization, if necessary
- Video editing (transitions, titling, special effects, etc.)
- Music selection and audio production (including voiceover)
- Sound editing
- 2D and 3D illustration
- Design and animation
- Flash application development
- Online video look and feel customization (packaging or "skin design",interactive controls, etc.)
The distribution phase (also called "video delivery" or "video streaming") brings the finished video to the Internet, for distribution via Web sites, emails, online greetings, online advertisements, etc. Online videos are hosted on the VideoBloom servers and are streamed in real-time to any desired location on the Internet. The VideoBloom servers provide failsafe hosting for all videos and bandwidth for hundreds of concurrent streams. Finished online videos can also be hosted, at our client's request, on the client's servers.
The key steps of the distribution phase are:
- Selection of delivery mechanism (Web site, emails, etc.)
- Flash video streaming
- Hosting capacity
- Server availability and redundancy
The measurement phase (also called "usage tracking") allows clients to track online video usage by their users. This phase is critical for business executives as it evaluates the return on investment of the videos. How many people watched the videos? When and for how long? How many of them converted into sales leads and into sales? Etc.
The key steps of the measurement phase are:
- Selection of measurement variables, or "metrics"
- Frequency of measurement
- Integration of online video metrics with other client data for research purposes (e.g., Are the videos increasing the client’s Web site’s overall "stickiness"
- total time spent on Web site? Are the videos improving the client’s image or brand? Etc. )