Our Video Production Process

The 5 Stages of Video Production

Especially if this is your first time investing your time and energy in a video production, we understand it can be a little daunting to start. We strive to make the process as easy (and fun!) as possible — and we are happy to guide you through the process and answer any questions you may have along the way.

Though we will hold your hand through each step and explain as we go along, it is comforting to have a roadmap so you know what to expect and so you can hold realistic expectations of the process.

Here is a little itinerary to help you along:

Film 101: All movies go through five stages of video production: development, pre-production, production, post-production, and distribution — and depending on the nature of the project, the length of each stage can vary. Each phase has a different purpose, with the overarching goal to get to the next one, and ultimately on to distribution.

Stage 1: Development

1. This is the Genesis stage, where the ideas are conceived. We have an initial conversation (whether on the phone or in person), where we get a sense of your needs and goals, your budget, and where you intend to distribute —  and what is a realistic scope given those together. This can be achieved in one meeting or over multiple conversations, as needed.
2. Vision quest: Some clients have a crystal clear vision of what they want and how much they want to spend and others know what they want to achieve but let us come up with the creative vision for them to achieve this and how much it would cost. And other times, it is a collaboration of your vision with our vision. Either way, at this point a project scope is put on the table and our wheels start turning on what ingredients we need to pull this off.
3. Once we have a general sense of you and your vision, with the help of some example links of other work you admire, some soundtrack direction and any information you can provide us, we at Iris Pictures will work together as a team to determine and propose the best way to achieve your production in motion pictures. 
4. We will send you synopsis (a brief summary) of how we propose to move forward, a contract agreement outlining our policies and a work order that outlines all the specific details for this production.
5. Sometimes the synopsis, contract and/or work order needs some tweaking to get them right and can be a process in itself. Once you approve all three, the production officially is greenlit with you digitally signing our agreement, work order and making any contractual deposit (typically 50%) to commit you to our production calendar.
6. This is when the gears of writing, organizing, and planning are set in motion and approval of final drafts are required.

Stage 2: Pre-Production

1. Pre-Production (or ‘pre’ as it’s called) is when we, your video production team, prepare for all the visual, aural and narrative elements; this integral preparation stage will streamline the next two stages of production (production and post-production).
2. Here the vision is fine-tuned and we line up all that is needed for your production shoot. All the locations, props, cast/crew members, costumes, special effects and visual effects are identified. Sometimes this includes producing a final storyboard and script.
3. We scout locations (and sometimes stock footage), cast talent, determine a shooting schedule and reserve any necessary equipment, crew, talent and travel arrangements. This stage is essentially all the work until the camera starts to roll.

Stage 3: Production

This is where the rubber hits the road. As determined in the Pre-Production stage, here we capture (record) all the visuals and audio elements as we follow the shooting schedule set out, one day at a time. We are located in Qualicum Beach on Vancouver Island on the beautiful westcoast but, depending on the project, we can travel to you if need be!

Lights, camera, action!

Stage 4: Post-Production

1. Video Editing begins — this is where all the sculpting of time and space happens (in other words, where all the magic happens!)
2. If soundtrack hasn’t been identified yet in the earlier stages, scouting and licensing a soundtrack often begins now to set the tone for the editing. We will send you some watermarked options for your approval at this point.
3. We typically send you two review links; first a rough cut of the video production, then a final cut so you can offer your feedback and/or approval (see your contract agreement for more details).
4. If you haven’t already, you are required to approve the soundtrack and any stock footage, at which point we purchase and license for your production. Before this step, typically a payment is due to cover licensing costs.
5. Once you have approved a final cut, we produce your master files for your final cut and, as determined in your work order, send them to you either digitally through a WeTransfer download link or by couriering a hard drive containing your files to you.

“If a butterfly came out of the cocoon too early, it would look funny…”

Stage 5: Distribution

1. Without an ironclad distribution strategy, the other four stages of video production are somewhat redundant, at least from a business perspective. Distribution is the final stage in a project for clients looking to make a return-on-investment.
2. For most of our clients, distribution is sharing the productions on their website, Facebook, YouTube channel, Instagram account and other social media or advertising platforms. Consideration of viewing device are key here (for example, 4K widescreen or mobile).
3. Whatever the distribution plan is, clients need to spend many hours planning and marketing their production to ensure the biggest audience and largest return. With the Digital Age and rapidly converging technologies, viewers are watching content in new and different ways, meaning that the distribution phase is constantly evolving.
4. Although distribution is the final stage of the project, the channel of distribution and marketing of the project will be planned in pre-production.

“The caterpillar does all the work but the butterfly gets all the publicity”

~George Carlin

Well, there you have it, these are the five stages of Video Production summed up — but again, we will guide you along as we move through the process! So take a deep breathe, buckle your seatbelts, and let’s enjoy the ride…