I received an email recently from one of our blog readers in regards to our article on the Art of Storytelling. He had a question regarding the role music plays in telling a story, which I feel is a very important topic to discuss when it comes to video production. I have always supported the use of music throughout a short film, feature film, TV commercial, corporate video, etc. The right music, used in just the right way, can really enhance the mood and emotion of a scene. In other words, music should compliment the story. However, I am against relying solely on the music to encourage an emotional response. If the story is structured well through the writing, cinematography, direction, and the editing, then the audience will feel the appropriate emotion. Leaning on the music to elicit an emotional response that otherwise can’t be earned by the story is manipulative. Concentrate first and foremost on telling a good story by the way you edit the video. Then find the right piece of music to fit the mood you have already established. The video will be stronger as a result.

On April 20 I had an opportunity to give a guest lecture at Samford University to a group of public relations students. The professor invited me to speak because his class was learning about the video production process. He had already covered the topic of producing VNR’s (Video News Releases), and asked me to teach on the subject of commercials and marketing videos. During the class, I covered a general overview of video production. We discussed current marketing and advertising trends, the process of formulating and scripting ideas, common mistakes to avoid, how to work with and respond to clients, and the process of shooting and editing video. The slides from my presentation are embedded below.

In April 2009, we started production on a short film, tentatively titled “If Only.” The production itself was set back several times due to bad weather and some issues with locations, but we finally wrapped in early July 2009. If you would like to see some production stills, click here. Since that time we have been trying to finish post-production and it has been a long process. One reason for the delay has been our conflicting schedules. It has been difficult for the editor and me to sit down and hammer out the cut. Another reason has been our approach to the story. When I first wrote the script, I had a certain structure in mind for the film. However, as the editor and producer looked through all the footage, they had a different take on how we should construct the story. We had several discussions on how we would approach the edit and I am very pleased with the approach we took. We have now completed the edit and currently the film is in the hands of our music composer who will score the film. Once we have the music in place we will due a final audio mix and some color correction before we submit it to this year’s Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival. The film has been officially renamed, “A Changed Man,” and centers around an emotionally distraught woman who struggles to put her past behind her and regain control of her life.

How can I create an echo effect for an audio clip in Adobe Premiere Pro? I’m quite new to this program, and I can’t quite figure out how to work with sound effects. Thanks.

When your company decides to hire a video production company to create a marketing/promotional piece for your brand, you need to figure out right away who will be the final decision-makers. I’ve produced videos for clients with only one decision-maker in the mix, and I’ve worked for clients who have assembled a committee of about twelve people. Knowing who needs to be a part of the team working with the video production company is an important step, because it affects the overall production schedule. I’ve given some advice in a previous post about scheduling your project, so you might want to glance at that article (bear in mind that the production schedule defined in the post is simply a guideline; video projects can vary greatly in regards to schedules and deadlines).

As a video producer/director, I want the same thing you as the client want – an efficient production that results in a high-quality video delivered on time and on budget. I know how important a deadline is for you and your marketing team. I sometimes see scheduling problems occur when a client has several people on a committee, each of whom have a say in what the video says and how it looks. There’s no problem with forming a large committee tackle an important video project, but it’s important to remember that the more people that are included in the project means that more people need to see the video and provide feedback. This means that you need to pad your post-production schedule accordingly to accommodate revisions and approval meetings. The last thing anyone wants is to be right up against your deadline, only to find out that Bob has some last-second changes that he wants to incorporate.

Organize your entire team first and make sure everyone stays in the loop. Then, give yourself enough time in post-production and your company should walk away with a great video and a pleasant experience.