Complete guideline for becoming a pro video production. Top 5 Tips to Better Streamline Your Video Production

The time before leaving for a video shoot can be chaotic, especially if you have a creative mind. Unfortunately, creative people very rarely default to organization. If you’ve ever noticed, artists are usually whimsical and untimely, writers have their head in the clouds and photographers are always looking at the world through a lens. Don’t get us wrong, creativity is the cornerstone of success! Those who are naturally creative might simply need to spend some extra time becoming organized in their professional lives if they want to excel in their careers. Without qualities like organization, time management, and flexibility, there’s absolutely no way to have a successful shoot. At D&O Lighting, we can relate to lack of organizational skills negatively impacting video shoots. We’ve all been there!If you can relate, too, then hopefully this article can help you learn the skills needed to streamline your video production. Here are our top five tips:

Tip 1: Get a notebook

Organization doesn’t come naturally to you but that’s okay! Practice makes perfect, right? The best way to get started is to buy a notebook and start making lists. Maybe you already make to-do lists or grocery lists, so why not make lists of what you need for your shoots? Lists are a nearly foolproof way of making sure that we don’t forget what we need. Make a list of the items you need to pack for a shoot and cross them off the list as you pack them. This will help cut down on the stress surrounding the prep for a shoot.

Tip 2: Familiarize yourself with your video equipment

If you don’t know what you’re working with, how will you be able to better streamline your video production? Do yourself a favor and read your camera’s manual from front to back. Even if you feel like you know your video equipment well, there might be features that you were unaware of that could help with efficiency.

Tip 3: Organize your charging equipment

Whether you use VMount or Gold Mount batteries with your camera, you need to have them organized. If your camera battery dies during a shoot, you can waste precious time by rummaging through piles of dead batteries to find one that works. Develop a power system to know which batteries work and which don’t.

Tip 4: Learn how to manage your time

Learning time management is a precious skill that can help you in every area of your life. When it comes to shooting, poor time management can be detrimental. To ensure that everything runs smoothly, always allot more time than you think you need to film. If you think an interview will take an hour, give it two. If a scene should take ten minutes to film, schedule an hour. Time management is one of the most useful tools when it comes to streamlining your video production.

Tip 5: Stay calm

It’s easy to get overwhelmed during a shoot, especially if something doesn’t go as planned. Remember to stay flexible. Don’t sweat the small stuff. Even if plans change, the final product will get finished if you adapt to the changes rather than rebel against them.

At D&O Lighting, we’re committed to helping fellow photographers and videographers improve their craft. Streamlining your video production can have a huge impact on your shoots and can be easier than you think! Just follow these simple steps to radically change the way you work: make lists, read your camera’s manual, organize your batteries, practice time management and be flexible.