A video production company presents the perfect example of
an organization where teamwork is truly a functional word. Whether you’re
operating as an established video production company or a newly established
video production agency; there are a number of important staff positions you
will need to fill in order for the video production company to function
effectively.
Although there are many people who go into video production
because of their passion for filmmaking; it still remains that a video
production company remains, ultimately, a business that needs to make money.
You may consider yourself very fortunate if your video project
is one that draws your passion out. Otherwise, having the opportunity to work
on video projects with passion alone isn’t going to be sufficient to turn your
video production agency into a profitable venture. It is going to require the
collaborative efforts of equally passionate but skilled employees who can use
their expertise to create visually appealing videos that are of commercial
value to your production company.
This is why we should first consider the different types of production
companies that exist within the film and video production industry. From a
full-service video production agency to a niche post-production house, here are
the various types of video production companies and roles within them—as well
as why these options may be appropriate for your needs.
Production Companies
Let us begin by discussing the various types of production
companies that exist in the video industry. These are the different types of production
companies that are involved in shooting and producing various types of video
content.
Although it is a common misconception by many to think that
video production is a single-track type of business; there are, however, many
different areas of production that a video production company can specialize in.
Some of these specific areas of specialty for video
production companies include:
- Audio /Video Rental
- Event Videography
- Wedding video
- Documentary video
- Narrative (shorts and features)
- Corporate video
- Commercial Video
- Educational Video
- Real Estate Video
- YouTube Content Creation
- Influencer / Social Content Creation
Consequently, whether your video interest is in high-end
productions such as commercial and corporate videos, which may sometimes cost
as much as $100,000 or even more; or simple DIY videos like YouTube and social media
influencer content that can be shot on smartphones with minimal budgets, it is
clear that video production has many specific niches that any independent video
producer or video production company can specialize in.
However, despite the fact that we highlighted the various
areas of specialization in video productions; it is nevertheless, a restriction
on a video production company’s flexibility in the types of productions it can
engage in despite its preferred niche.
Whatever your area of video specialization might be; for as
long as your skill set and resources enable you, you can take on more than one
video project in more than one area of specialization such as wedding videos,
corporate videos, or documentary projects. As a result, although you may be
shooting primarily high-end commercial productions, you could as well make your
video production company work with large-scale corporate clients on more varied
video projects.
Turnkey Production Companies
Whereas most video production companies choose to specialize
in specific areas of video production; there are however, certain production
companies that possess the capacity in skills set and resources to handle every
aspect of video production from script writing all the way through to screen.
These types of companies are known as Turnkey Video Production Companies.
Although many companies might aspire to offer a wide range
of services, doing so would require them to possess a lot of expertise and
resources.
However, with the advent of digital production techniques,
it has become relatively easier for this new generation of video producers to
offer these comprehensive services to clients.
Nevertheless, as you develop and grow your own brand, you
will naturally develop your company’s capacity to handle each aspect of a video
production project. But to be able to achieve this; you will need to build a
team for your video production company as quickly as you can.
Which Video Production Company Type is Right for You?
Haven covered all of the various types of video production
companies in operation in the industry; it is perhaps time we finally ask the
most important question that you may have to take into consideration when
deciding on a niche: What kind of video production company is best for you and
what will it require?
Seeing so many different types of roles and jobs can be
overwhelming especially for an aspiring video producer or filmmaker looking to
find his place within the ecosystem of the video production industry. Of
course, it is an option to try to develop yourself in all of the skills
required to function in any role within the video production company; but as
you would probably have realized already, this will take quite some time to
achieve, besides the very high demands it would place on you to be effective in
all aspects of video production management.
But on the other hand, if you have decided on a specific
area of production or post-production, it may benefit you more to give all your
attention to that niche you have chosen to work in and truly aspire to be the
most effective and efficient in that area. However, I am certain that you must
by now have realized that collaborating with others with skills set in other
areas of production is certainly more beneficial in the long run for you or
your video production company than being a Jack-of-all-trade but master of
none.
So, while it is possible for you to understand all the fine
details of every aspect of video production; pursuing them, however, may likely
prove the least beneficial to learn all of these various types of video
production company’s roles if your ambition is to run a turnkey video
production company because, while a turnkey production company might seem the
most convenient for your video needs, they can, however, turn out to be the
most expensive.
The secret is to understand your video production company’s
needs in terms of projects, skills, and resources required to create the best
films and videos possible.
Roles Found At Production Companies
Many video production companies begin small, but this does
not imply that starting a video production company is an easy task. You
obviously require a large amount of capital, gear, and equipment. And, if you
want to expand your business and take on larger, more lucrative projects,
you'll need people. Assembling a strong team would be a necessity.
Now to look at the various roles that can be found within a
video production company.
1. Sales Manager
At some point, you'll need someone to serve as your
company's point of contact. Part of the responsibilities of this personnel will
include taking charge of some networking and scouting, as well as actively
seeking new clients and projects. In most cases, this position is usually the
video company’s figurehead.
At the infant stage of the video production company, this
position could be filled by you, the founder, one of the first employees of the
company, or someone with qualifications or experience in sales or who simply
thrives on the challenge of door-to-door salesmanship.
The Sales Manager’s role includes:
- Sales solicitations and networking.
- Taking charge of meetings and sales presentations.
- Customer service and communication.
- Working to meet sales targets.
- Collaborating with producers.
2. Producer
As soon as your sales team has secured a new production,
you'll certainly require someone to oversee the project — this responsibility
is usually that of a producer in the video production company. It is the
producer’s primary duty to control the entire production process and coordinate
the various aspects of the production process until its completion.
Although there are others who would be involved in the
production process; it is, however, your producer that will play the most critical
role in ensuring that communication of what the objective is, is clear and that
everything stays on track.
It is very important that you hire a producer rather than a
project manager as producers are generally more knowledgeable about the entire production
process than project managers. This, of course, is in addition to the advantage
they have in possessing specialized skills that distinguish them from a more
regular project manager.
Some of the roles of a producer include:
- A sound knowledge of all aspects of film and video
production.
- Effective communication skills with clients.
- Possession of Pre-production skills for organizing a
project.
- Ability to plan and budget.
- Integrating and organizing all relevant resources such as
footage and assets required for a project.
- Liaising with the director to determine the project’s
scope, schedule, and budget.
3. Director
Every project, whether it is for film or video production
requires a proven director at the control. A person who possesses the ability
to envision, communicate, and supervise all aspects of production from
beginning to end.
A film or video production director could be someone hired
from outside the company to supervise a specific project or an in-house employee
who may work part-time or full-time.
The roles of a film or video production director include:
- A comprehensive knowledge of the film and video production
process.
- Sound communication skills that enable him to work with
cast and crew.
- A sharp and creative mind that enables him to think
quickly on set.
- Remarkable problem-solving skills.
- Ability to collaborate well with the director of
photography and the heads of other crew members.
4. Director of Photography
The Director of Photography (DP) is the person in charge of
the camera department and collaborates closely with the director.
The DP is often seen as the director's right-hand man who
supervises everything in the camera department. The DP is responsible for
ensuring that every shot is of the highest quality by utilizing all of the
available gear, equipment, and crew. As a project is planned, the DP will
collaborate with the director on storyboards, shot lists, and shooting
schedules.
This role includes:
- A thorough or expert understanding of the various film and
video cameras and gear used in production.
- An expert knowledge of the craft of cinematography,
composition, and lighting.
- possessing sound communication skills to enable him to
collaborate with the director and other members of the camera crew.
- Working seamlessly with others in his department such as
the camera operator, and the gaffer/lighting department, to ensure that the
capture the best shots possible for video production.
5. Camera Operator
While the DP frequently fills this role, many professional
video shoots employ a dedicated camera operator who may sometimes be required
to work side by side with an assistant camera operator. The camera operator
controls the camera and its associated equipment, such as tripods, gimbals, and
Steadicam. When available, an assistant should handle a follow focus or provide
additional support.
The camera operator’s role includes:
- A perfect knowledge of the various cameras and related
gear used in video production.
- Excellent camera skills for handling a camera, framing a
shot, and setting focus.
- Communication and listening abilities between the DP and
any assistants.
6. Gaffer/Lighting Crew
By now, anyone familiar with the video production process
must understand the critical significance of proper lighting in any kind of
video production. This is the exclusive preserve of the Gaffer or Lighting
crew.
Gaffers are the ones who supervise the lighting department
and crew.
A gaffer, also sometimes referred to as a chief lighting
technician, is a crew member in charge of lighting on a film or video project.
The gaffer collaborates with the director of photography to set up, maintain,
and ensure the safety of all lighting on set. The gaffer may oversee the lighting
department and crew, depending on the scale of the project.
This role includes:
- Top-class knowledge and understanding of lighting gear and
uses.
- A critical awareness of safety conventions for properly
setting up, using, and breaking down lights.
- Sound communication abilities with the rest of the lighting
crew and any assistants.
- Collaborating closely with the director of photography and
director to adjust lighting for every required shot, as desired.
7. Audio Technician and Sound Recording
Another role that could require an entire department in a
major role, but may only involve one or two people on a smaller project is that
of the audio technician. The audio and sound recording of any video project is
often overseen by an audio or sound technician. An audio technician should
ideally collaborate with a boom operator to ascertain which microphones should
be used and where to mix and record as needed.
This role includes:
- Excellent audio recording and sound design skills.
- Conversant with all types of microphones and mixers.
- Sound communication relations with the rest of the crew
and any assistants.
- Close collaboration with the director to ensure that all audio
work is recorded properly, and similarly with the DP to make sure microphones don’t
encroach into the shot frame.
8. Editor/Editing Supervisor
When the film or video production has concluded, the
producer then submits all the production footage and assets to an editor or
editing supervisor, who then uses them to create a post-production workflow. It
is the editor who handles all the footage acquired during the production shoots
in post-production to come up with a final production cut for screening or
distribution. At times, a digital-imaging technician (DIT) will handle footage
as it is being received on many sets and may even begin a rough edit.
The role of the editor includes the following
responsibilities:
- World-class knowledge of the best video editing platforms.
- A very sound understanding of editing practices and
digital assets.
- A gift for storytelling and problem-solving of any production
issues with footage.
- Collaboration with the producer, as well as any additional
post-production roles such as motion graphics and/or coloring.
9. Motion Graphics/VFX
Many video production companies outsourced animations that
went beyond basic motion graphics to a motion graphics expert or VFX artist.
Once completed, these additional graphics are returned to the editor or editing
supervisor to be included in the final renders.
This role includes:
- Sound working experience in motion graphics and VFX
design.
- Expertise in advanced platforms such as After Effects,
Cinema 4D, Nuke, and others.
- Close collaboration with the producer or editing
supervisor is required to review and provide feedback on any templates or
storyboards.
10. Colorist
Lastly, besides motion graphics, enhanced color correction
and color grading would usually be delegated to a separate specialist,
sometimes in order to speed up the workflow. A colorist is primarily
responsible for the aesthetics of a project's final draft. The colorist works
with the project's final draft to finalize the color aesthetic and look.
The colorist’s role includes:
- A very sound knowledge of color theory and cinematic
coloring.
- High level of proficiency in using color grading platforms
like Adobe Color software, Red Giant Colorista, and DaVinci Resolve.
- Working in close collaboration with the producer and
editing supervisor for finishing color adjustments and grading.
Again, the roles outlined above are common and widely
accepted as best practices, but they are not set in stone. Build your team with
creativity, and look for ways to save money without sacrificing quality.
Finally, no matter what your org chart looks like, make sure it's filled with
creative collaborators you can rely on.
