What Is Pre-Production (Pre-Pro)? A Quick Guide to Video Production Planning & Preparation

While you may be eager to start filming your next big video, it’s important that you don’t rush through the pre-production process. Often referred to as “pre-pro,” pre-production is the planning phase of video production. It refers to the process in which you organize and plan every aspect of your video’s creation before filming begins.

If you enter production without a solid plan, you’re likely to go over budget or encounter delays, possibly both. Below is everything you need to know about pre-pro so that you can set yourself up for video production success.

What Should You Do During Pre-Production?

Here are some basic tasks that you need to take care of during pre-pro:

Wrap Up Your Script

You should already have a script before pre-production starts, but now is the time to edit and lock it in. That might sound simple, but you don’t want to rush through things here. You may need to perform multiple sets of revisions to nail the dialogue and pacing of your video. While it’s okay to make minor tweaks once filming gets underway, the majority of your story should be set.

Build a Budget

You need to create a realistic and detailed budget based on the length and complexity of your video. Some costs to account for include the following:

• Equipment
• Paying actors and film crews
• Permits
• Props and rentals
• Editing and post-production

Surprises are bound to occur once filming begins, so you’ll want to plan for overages by building some leeway into your budget. Having a little extra room will help you deal with these hurdles without compromising the quality of your content.

Schedule Everything

You’ll need to build a detailed schedule that outlines when and where you will film each scene. Like your budget, it’s best to give yourself some leeway here in case you need to shoot multiple takes of any scenes or encounter logistical delays, such as poor weather impacting an outdoor shoot.

Put Together a Great Team

Hiring the right crew members and selecting talent (directors, producers, cinematographers, sound engineers, and actors) within your budget are pivotal decisions. Partnering with a third-party production team can simplify the process, as its members should already have all of the off-screen resources you need to film your content. That just leaves you to identify your on-screen talent.

Scouting Locations

Identify locations that fit your budget and the script’s requirements, making sure to leave yourself enough time to file for permits and adapt to potential scheduling conflicts. Try to choose locations that are in close proximity to one another to keep costs down and simplify site prep.

Storyboarding

Storyboarding involves creating a visual representation of your script through physical poster boards or storyboarding software. You can sketch each major scene and add prompts for your film crew, such as bits of dialogue, instructions for the camera crew, and brief descriptions of what is taking place in each scene.

Why You Need to Pre-Plan

Taking the time to adequately prepare for production will allow you to do the following:

• Identify and reduce risks
• Adapt to unexpected costs
• Give your creative team a roadmap to follow during filming
• Reduce downtime and make the most of every filming opportunity

Ultimately, pre-production is the foundation of a successful video project. Take the time to get it right.

Ready to Start Planning Your Next Video?

With a great video concept in mind, it’s time to dive into pre-production. A solid plan will help transform your raw ideas into an actionable set of steps that you can use to create an awesome video. Use these steps to set the stage for a successful project and maximize the impact of your next piece of content. Let’s work together to elevate your brand and achieve your business goals.