Every ad film production in the world at large has dynamic processes and departments for every TV commercial. Nevertheless, seven fundamental steps bind every film making process regardless of what it involves or how long it takes.
Irrespective of the size of Ad Film there are seven vital production stages to making an excellent Ad film for your company. These steps incorporate everything from bringing your idea for the picture together to distributing your finished video to the right channels.
These steps determine how long the TV commercial production may last, which usually ranges from six weeks to six months, depending on the complexity of the project.
As an Ad Film Maker, you must maintain a keen eye on every single step to create the perfect TV commercial. Here are the seven key stages of your ad film production to watch out for.
Development
The first step involves transforming your idea into a script for filmmaking. During this stage, you must evaluate your marketing goal, target audience, film style, and other crucial components that bring your idea to life.
As an Ad Film Maker, you may work with a screenwriter to create the script and story outline for the TV-commercial project.
Pre-Production
In this stage, you have to plan and set the overall vision of the project strategically. These involve outlining your cast, drawing the storyboard, setting dates for shooting, equipment, schedule, and budget.
Here, the Ad Film Maker works with the Producer to develop a realistic work plan that sets the pace for the production phase.
Production
The production shoot is the filmmaking phase. This encompasses every event that occurs during the production phase.
Nevertheless, the success of this state requires proactive planning and strict adherence to the budget and schedule. Therefore, efficient communication is vital to keep all parties involved focused on the goal.
Principal Photography
This involves taking the raw footage and is the most expensive aspect of production. It demands specific props, equipment, on-set special effects, and off-course the salaries of the crew to make the phase go smoothly and efficiently.
Communication between all crew and cast is necessary to ensure that this phase remains on schedule.
Wrap
After the shooting phase, the wrapping stage comes along. It involves everything done to clear the location and return all filming supplies to their suppliers.
Bear in mind that a full set of records of the shoot is crucial to ensure every item is returned immediately without any missing parts.
Post Production
This state usually overlaps with the principal photography phase because it begins at the end of it. It usually involves reviewing, editing, and correcting the raw footage taken.
It requires sound, music, and visual effect composition. Overlays may also be added to the finished film during this stage. Generally, it includes a series of “cuts” to transform the disjoined footage into an authentic TV commercial.
In the film we did for Lifelong Online, what came to us as a surprise was the amount of time and creative inputs that went into the sound design of the film. As we mentioned earlier, in the Post Production stage you are constantly dealing with multiple layers, and all of them need to be in perfect sync for you to put out a great film.
Distribution
Once the desired product has been made, it’s time to distribute it to the appropriate markets. It is where the marketing team takes charge to find outlets to attract their ideal target audience.
The distribution stage requires hours of research, and energy to secure the best distribution channels that guarantee higher conversions for the company
Concluding Thoughts
So there you have it, every vital step that makes an ad film production possible. However, you must know that these stages may be further divided into smaller phases, and the phases aren’t always clear-cut.
As the Ad Film Maker, creating any great TV commercial depends on how well you plan the process. Like we said earlier, you must pay strict attention and ensure that the desired image, schedule, and budget align perfectly.