Still, a lot of that work looks pretty different compared to a year ago. Video production has been fundamentally changed by the pandemic in important ways. Here are the five changes that will shape the future of video production.

The Experience on the Ground

To better understand these trends, we spoke to Cara Yeates, current partner and Head of Production at Trigger Creative, a video production studio. She joined Nick LaClair, Creative Director at SproutVideo, for a round of mezcalitas in the second episode of our Cheers series, where we celebrate important people and topics in the video industry.

Cara has been working on video shoots as a producer during the pandemic, and is responsible for keeping her crew healthy and safe. Watch below to hear what she has to say about the important safety guidelines to follow on set, and what the future holds for video production.

Keep reading for the top five takeaways from Cara’s experiences on set.

1. Health and Safety First

Health and safety on set has been an ongoing issue in the film industry for a long time. From unending shoot days with heavy gear, to dangerous stunts, there are many risks for those behind and in front of the camera.

In some ways, the film industry was primed to adapt to this challenge, despite its reliance on large groups of people and events. Between union and guild guidelines, and the protocols for stars and high-powered subjects on set, many working in film are accustomed to highly regimented procedures. Granted, this is a whole other level of complexity, but prior experience carefully following important regulations certainly helps in times like these.

The pandemic pushed the health and wellbeing of cast and crew members to the forefront. New guidelines from different guilds and organizations have codified those practices and helped productions of all sizes to be safer for everyone involved.

Those new habits won’t necessarily go away as the pandemic ebbs. After all, a shoot can be derailed by illness, even if it’s not during a pandemic. And, some of the practices are helpful for more general well-being, like limiting a shoot day to ten hours.

There has been a problem in the film industry with overworking people… I think it’s really a safety issue. Properly scheduling your day for 10 hours of shooting is going to keep everyone safe and on track in the long term.

– Cara Yeates, Trigger Creative

Granted, we don’t expect most productions to maintain rigorous testing and on-set medics if they aren’t warranted. Still, if the past year has taught us anything, it’s that safety has to come first if you want to be able to do anything else.

2. Hybrid and Online Events

As work has picked up again for the video industry, much of the productions pertain to replacing or extending live events that would typically be held in person. While we’re eagerly anticipating a return to in-person events of all shapes and sizes, online-only or hybrid events are going to stick around for the long term.

Why? Because the pandemic has shown that they work for many types of events and gatherings. In some cases, they even offer distinct advantages. Just because in-person events will become possible again doesn’t mean they’ll obviate the need for an online component, or always be the best solution.

For example, large concerts, conferences, and festivals have been live streamed for years. After a crash course in how to do that over the past year, smaller events that would not have bothered before now have the capabilities and equipment to do so.

Importantly, consumer expectations have shifted. If you can’t attend in person, there’s the assumption that you’ll be able to attend virtually. In turn, that will drive how events are designed and marketed. This, more than anything, will keep the online and hybrid event model around for the foreseeable future.

3. Leaner Productions

Part of being able to produce video during the pandemic has meant doing more with less. After all, having fewer crew members on set reduces the risk of transmission and helps keep everyone safe.

There is every reason to think that we will happily bring back certain roles and team sizes when necessary. However, the reality is that after a year of doing without, many crew members and talent have learned new skills that reduce the need for additional team members.

For example, at SproutVideo, members of our marketing team learned how to set up our own DSLR camera kits and film ourselves so we could keep producing video while working remotely. Before, we would have relied on our in-house video team to handle the setup and filming in our office studio.

While we’re greatly looking forward to getting back to the studio, we can now be more nimble, and produce more video no matter where we’re located. If you’re setting up or expanding your own home studio, check out our guide to the video studio upgrades that are worth your while.

Many teams have made similar investments, and learned new skills that won’t go away when the pandemic does. We expect many will continue to produce more video with less, while welcoming back the extra helping hands when and where it makes sense.

4. Production Partners

Pre-pandemic, most production studios would typically handle all shoots for a project, even in far-flung locations. Today, with travel restrictions and quarantine requirements, shoots on location have only been possible with the help of local film crews on the ground.

In many cases, these partnerships have been so successful that studios expect to continue working in this manner going forward. After all, the partnerships offer several benefits. For instance, there’s the cost savings in terms of time and money on travel, and the local expertise for scouting, logistics, and regulations.

I was nervous at first because you’re really putting your baby in someone else’s arms, but I’ve found really amazing, passionate filmmakers all over the world to work with.

– Cara Yeates, Trigger Creative

With new connections, and the technology to make it possible, production partners expand the scope of what studios can achieve. Importantly, they also save time and money. For those reasons, we think production partnerships are here to stay.

5. Remote Crew Members

After a full year of being forced to be remote, well, we’ve gotten pretty good at it. Now, it’s second nature to loop people in via video to participate in any aspect of video production.

It’s not just the partnerships with studios and film crews in different locations. It’s also the clients needing to approve shots, or the director of photography, or the team broadcasting the stream live. All you need is a live video feed, and anyone, anywhere, can contribute to the shoot.

Of course, there is a certain energy and excitement that comes with being on set. Nothing can ever truly replicate that or replace it. However, the efficiencies gained by this technology will ensure remote crew members remain the norm going forward. It just might not be the entire crew.

What trends do you see emerging from the pandemic as video production resumes? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

The post The New Normal for Video Production appeared first on SproutVideo.

In this post, we dissect the approaches of Salesforce, Mailchimp, Microsoft, and Google to find important takeaways for your own campaigns.

Leadership Lessons for Crisis Management

Many companies have been faced with significant crises this year, and navigating them has not been easy. Being in a leadership role can be especially stressful and trying when dealing with so much uncertainty.

Salesforce recognized this need, and launched a series of live videos with different thought leaders to provide inspiration to those in need of guidance. Their Leading Through Change: Helping Business Manage Through Crisis playlist contains dozens of in-depth, hour-long interviews that are packed with insights.

One favorite is an interview with Marriott to discuss how they adapted to a dramatic drop off in sales.

The travel industry has been badly hit by the pandemic downturn. Many changes were immediately required to ensure the health and safety of workers and travelers alike. Hearing how Marriott grappled with these changes directly from the source can provide companies in similar situations with a pathway forward out of crisis.

The Takeaway

Many companies are struggling with similar issues. Find the common threads to share messages that resonate.

The Human Aspect

If you’re stuck at home, staring at screens all day, it can be easy to lose sight of the human connections behind all the headlines. A few different outlets have tried to remedy that in different ways. One effective approach is to shine a light on stories from frontline workers or those impacted directly by the pandemic.

Mailchimp tackled this head-on in their Essentials series. They partnered with Vice to showcase small businesses and frontline workers who confront the realities of the pandemic on a daily basis. This hard-hitting series succeeds because of the authenticity that underpins the storytelling.

Most of the videos are told from a first-person perspective. Often, nothing is more powerful than hearing a story told by those who lived it.

The Takeaway

If you’re looking to tell someone’s story and have an emotional impact on viewers, have the subject narrate in their own words to let it unfold naturally.

Focus on Home Life

At this point, many of us are used to seeing coworkers in their homes on video chats. And of course, all the interruptions that home life can bring too.

Rather than turning away and pretending it’s not happening, some brands have found that inviting more viewers into the homes of their team members has helped foster a more human connection with audiences. Microsoft’s Home Cooked video series is a perfect example.

All the videos are filmed by Microsoft employees from their homes. The concept is very simple. The employees prepare a favorite recipe for viewers, and share a little about what it means to them. It’s a surprisingly soft touch from a technology giant like Microsoft.

The production value of the footage is very DIY. Each video appears to have been filmed by the employees preparing the recipes. Still, Microsoft ensured the videos come across as being part of the same series by using a few key touches in post-production.

First, they used a relatively tight edit to cut out any unnecessary segments and keep each video under ten minutes. Then, they added a consistent intro and used the same formatting for all text overlays throughout each video. Finally, they added subtle music tracks to help the videos feel more polished and professional. Our favorite is the recipe for empanadas, but they’re all very endearing.

The Takeaway

Consistent editing and text formats help user-generated videos feel more professional and on-brand. Of course, our guide to filming yourself solo can help those in need of some guidance.

Focus on the Future

With the fast pace of the news cycle, and few events to look forward to, it’s easy to forget that a new day is on the horizon. While it’s not exactly escapism, thinking about the future can be especially comforting at times like these. After all, there’s every reason to think it will all eventually be behind us.

In that context, Google decided to tell the stories of those who are very future-focused: the high school graduating class of 2020. Entitled Our dreams won’t wait, this series features a mix of video journals and professionally produced videos. It shares some of their experiences of the pandemic, as well as their hopes for the future.

Picking a path after high school is difficult and stressful under any circumstances. Still, you can hear the well-earned pride and hope in each person’s voice as they share what they’re looking forward to.

The page where Google shared these stories also features contextual mentions of different technologies that empower students as they embark on their next adventures. While it’s borderline sales-y, it doesn’t feel totally out of place. After all, remote education would not be possible without technology. Google is behind many of the tools teachers currently rely on.

The experiences of the young adults feel very universal, while their individuality still shines through. By adding home video journals from the students, Google’s storytelling comes across as very authentic. This is especially key because of the product plugs. Looking to the future can help give people hope and aspiration when they sorely need it.

The Takeaway

If you can find an angle that fits, future-focused content can help audiences stay positive and find something to look forward to.

How has your video marketing changed over the course of 2020? Did you try anything new?

The post How Major Tech Brands Responded to the Pandemic with Video appeared first on SproutVideo.

However, the stakes are clearly high. For cast and crew, and anyone close to them, a serious illness could be a matter of life or death. 

In this post, we’re looking at how major production studios have adapted to the new normal through emerging best practices to help everyone stay safe.

Pandemic Problems

Filming in a pandemic comes with a host of challenges. Most videos featuring actors require them to interact without face coverings, and in close proximity to each other. Under normal circumstances, that’s hardly an issue. But when you’re trying to prevent the spread of an airborne disease, it’s clearly problematic.

Of course, it’s not just your on-camera talent you have to worry about. A typical film shoot is a busy, bustling place. There are usually more people behind the camera than in front of it.

Sadly, there have been reports of both cast and crew members becoming ill, and there has been at least one death associated with a production. Clearly, it is paramount to take safety precautions and to prioritize the health and wellbeing of cast and crew above all else.

If you’re considering whether to produce a video in the near future, the most important thing to keep in mind is that the safest option is to figure out a way to produce it without bringing everyone on set. Constraints can fuel creativity if you start seeing them as an opportunity rather than a negative block. For instance, SNL found a creative way to manage production remotely, and an entertaining horror film about a Zoom seance went viral. 

So, what can we learn from these different approaches? Mainly that COVID will impact all aspects of your productions, from the concept and location, to the production and, of course, the cast and crew. 

Concept

With a few exceptions, plots involving lots of combat scenes or intimacy, or almost anything requiring people to perform lines face to face are being scrapped. Instead, we’re seeing imaginative ideas that focus much more on individual experiences, or limited casts with far fewer extras. 

For example, Tilda Swinton stars in an upcoming short that focuses on the isolating experience of waiting for someone to reach out. The Human Voice is remarkable for how transportive and very “right now” the plot feels. Content that can tap into our collective experience will resonate and connect with audiences.

Location

A lot depends on the specific location where your shoot is taking place. Regulations vary tremendously, as do the chances of catching a serious illness.

Many major productions have shifted from the US to overseas locations with much lower rates of illness. A change in location does not come at a low cost, and there are significant logistical challenges to doing so. Moreover, travel is still restricted in many areas, so extra steps and paperwork are often required for a drastic move such as this.

A less drastic option would be to move your production outdoors, to an area within your home country with lower rates of infections, or to choose a location that makes it easier to control access to the set. Some studios have already upgraded their ventilation systems to help prevent the spread of disease, and others are adding more controls and policies over how the set can be accessed, and by whom.

For instance, Pinewood Studios in Atlanta is monitoring the health and safety of workers by implementing weekly COVID tests, using an app to track symptoms between tests, and badges linked to testing results are required for accessing different areas of the studio.

Cast and Crew

The health and safety of those working on your production is everything. While there are specific guidelines in place in many areas, the situation is continuing to evolve.

The safest option is to abide by the stricter set of regulations that applies to your production. If there aren’t any local regulations you can refer to, or if they feel inadequate, the “Safe Way Forward” guidelines, published in a joint effort by multiple unions, is an excellent reference. It builds on the reopening white paper from the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers published in June.

New Roles

So far, there are two big ways small-scale productions have changed. The first is that there is a medic present on set, even for a small, five-person shoot. And, one person is now designated to be in charge of COVID precautions. For it to be done well, you can’t just pile these extra responsibilities onto an already-stressed producer.

This role entails: enforcing mask wearing and distancing requirements, and making sure materials like sanitizer and PPE are readily available. They’re also in charge of a meeting at the beginning of the shoot to inform everyone of the rules. And, most productions now include COVID protocols in the call sheet beforehand, as well, so everyone knows what to expect.

More Participants in Pre-Production

Another shift that’s occurring is to involve more of the team in the pre-production planning than before. By doing so, you can provide reassurance that their concerns are being met, and answer any questions they may have. Of course, this is being done remotely via video chat or phone.

Minimizing In-Person Contact

Yet another change we’ve seen is to make every effort to minimize person-to-person contact as much as possible. For instance, many productions are enabling actors to handle more of their setup than before. It could be as simple as coaching them on mic placement so they can do it themselves, or applying their own makeup. 

Larger shoots are also implementing the recommended “Zone” approach to avoiding unnecessary contact between different team members. The basic concept is to divide the team into different zones according to the type of work they are doing on the production. Then, restrict or alternate access to the set accordingly to reduce overlap between the different zones.

Depending on the nature of the work being done, different safety protocols might apply to different zones. For instance, set builders and designers typically do not need to interact with the cast, and can often perform their work while wearing PPE. Meanwhile, cast members need to interact with the director and producers, and are unlikely to be able to wear PPE at all times. Therefore, members of that zone will likely require stricter testing protocols than those able to wear protective gear. By carefully defining zones for your production, and devising the appropriate protocols for each zone, you can reduce confusion on set.

Lessons From a Major Production

When it comes to managing the safety of your team, there are lessons to be learned from one of the largest productions to be green-lighted since the pandemic broke out. Filming paused on Jurassic World: Dominion earlier this year, but recently resumed over the summer.

The level of collaboration and coordination required to restart production was nothing short of herculean. Here are some of the key changes that allowed production to restart.

Location

This installment in the Jurassic Park franchise benefitted from its original filming location in England. Because it was already planned and underway, it required fewer approvals and logistical headaches to get the go-ahead.

Accommodations

First, the production team booked an entire hotel to house the cast and crew for the duration of the shoot in England. Prior to the pandemic, this was not a usual practice, even for large productions.

The cast and crew received COVID tests upon arrival, and were asked to stay quarantined for an initial two-week period. Only then were they able to move about the hotel and socialize. 

Pandemic Procedures

A 107-page safety manual stipulated how all other aspects of production would be handled from a health and safety standpoint. Everything, from temperature scans and weekly testing, to serving meals on set was covered in detail. 

Production Zones

One important change was to divide the cast and crew into different teams according to their role in the production and how vital they were to its completion. In an interview for the NY Times, one of the stars compared it to a closed set. The director, cast, and essential crew comprised a “Green Zone” with stringent testing protocols. Anyone working on pre-production, like sets or props, had more limited access to the set. 

Costs

Of course, these changes were not easy, or cheap. Operating a large, 750 person production required medical staff on set, around 18,000 COVID tests, and 150 hand sanitizer stations, plus hand-washing sinks and temperature scanners.

The cost for all the safety enhancements was estimated at around $9 million. Based on data from other productions, COVID precautions can increase your budget by 25% or more.

Outcome

While every precaution was taken, filming was halted after four crew members tested positive for COVID-19 in August and had to self-isolate. While no one became seriously ill, it shows how difficult it is to maintain a quarantine bubble on set.

Production was able to resume, but adjustments were made to the scale of production in different locations. For instance, a spike in cases in Malta led to a significant reduction in anticipated team size. The stop-start-stop nature of production, along with the evolving situation, make video production a truly difficult feat in these circumstances.

Going Forward

If you decide to move forward with a production, you really have to think through how to do so as safely as possible. And, if you can devise a concept that obviates the need to bring everyone together, you should explore it.

There are still many unanswered questions, as this is truly uncharted territory. Ultimately, we expect the video industry to get back to work slowly, with many adjustments along the way.

Are you planning to produce a video any time soon? What sort of precautions are you taking? Share your tips in the comments below.

The post Staying Safe on Set in a Pandemic appeared first on SproutVideo.