Manufacturing Videos

Our process generally starts with a verbal or written brief and production budget. Based on your individual requirements and urgency for your project we will send over a proposal for your approval.

Pre-Production: from the agreed proposal, our pre-production process maps out the outlines and details of what we will do to manage the process throughout the production. At this stage it's important that any locations, filming approvals and other considerations are carefully explored, to ensure the the filming process runs smoothly throughout production.

Filming: A production team is assigned to your project, depending on what we're producing that can be anything from a two-person crew through to 40+.

Some productions need only a Director of Photography and Sound Assistant, whereas others may need a full production team and crew. This can consist of Line Producers, Assistants, Directors, DoPs, Camera Operators, Focus Pullers, a full Sound Department, Makeup, Continuity, Gaffers, Runners, Stage Managers, Assistants, etc.

Generally production crews of this size are for complex or high-end film or TV Advertising productions for global clients.

Filming day(s): Many Customer testimonial films can be filmed in one day or a couple of days, however we will discuss this with your prior to shooting. The number of days we film, number of locations and crew allocated will depend on what we are trying to achieve and also the production budget for your video.

For projects requiring cinematography of the local area we will capture GVs (subject to weather and requirements. For most projects we also film b-roll (used to cutaway from interviews or product shots). Again, what we film is very much subject to what we are doing, budget and time availability and when your project delivery is required.

First Cut: A first cut will be made once our video production company in Manchester has converted the footage for edit. At this point a Director will discuss the creative process with Edit and once approved internally, you will receive your First Cut for comment and approval.

Amendments: Our agreement is likely to include specified amendments - for example a specific number of amendments, type of amendments and/or time amendments, within the fixed price of the project. Additional fees are subject to client approval and we work to a strict Purchase Order system so that you're always in control of video production fees.

Delivery: Delivery is dependent on the client and format required. For example, you may wish for us to deliver directly for TV/ DRTV. Perhaps for Social Media Video Content use 0- in a variety of different formats and aspect ratios. Or simply you may want the finished video converted for YouTube, Vimeo or other online format. Whatever the delivery format, we will discuss this with you prior to project commencement.

The best length for a videos is usually less than two-and-a-half-minutes in duration. For TV Adverts or Social Media Video Content, the optimum time is somewhere between 30-seconds to one-minute.

Deciding on the ideal duration for your video will normally be based on a number of factors, including what the purpose is, who is going to see it. You can always ask for advice or guidance from a video production company like Thinktank Video Productions Manchester, to determine what will work best for your market.

Naturally if we're making a documentary or series, then around 46 minutes per episode is the required run time for broadcast television productions. But again, this varies depending on the commissioned length and the channel airing the finished work.

A small video production generally between £850 to £5,000. However, you are always better off agreeing a fixed-fee with a video production company so that you know what your production budget is right from the start.

Some productions can run into hundreds of thousands of pounds, however generally this is including talent (famous actors or celebrities), hotel, accommodation and location fees - for very large TV productions.

Sometimes we are asked if video is sold by the minute or by filming days. But this isn't the case either. For example it may cost £10,000-£50,000 to produce a good documentary film which airs for an hour, yet a Christmas TV advert can cost millions if you're thinking of engaging a celebrity with their own star on Hollywood Boulevard.

Normally what is included in a video production budget is creative development, pre-production planning, client discussion time, crew costs, travel, accommodation, use of equipment, limited public liability insurance, editing time, the first cut, agreed amendments and delivery of the final video in a pre-approved format.

It's difficult to give an exact answer because every production type has production items which are included whereas for others they may be optional extras.

If the content is for web, online or Social Media, then it usually doesn't matter what format is used to film. Sometimes there are advantages to filming in 6K or 8K such as the ability to crop into shots and retain 4K quality. The 8K and 6K formats can be used for productions, yet they generally come into their own for TV Advert productions.

The colour science, sensor technology and equipment quality requires considerable knowledge. For example all 4K equipment is not created equally. There is a world of difference picking up a £1,000 smart phone and filming in 6k, to working with a high-end broadcast camera and lens which may be 'technically' 4K yet cost £100,000  - the difference is night and day in what can be produced and the creative expertise you need to use a cinema camera is completely different to trying to make a video production with a DSLR or Mirrorless Camera, often used by some producers.

Professional video production companies use a variety of different camera equipment, however, the cameras used are generally cinema cameras from manufacturers such as Arri, Red, Sony, Red and Panasonic.

Lighting and Sound is generally always off-camera (separate and not mounted on the body of the camera). Radio microphones and shotgun microphones (from a range of different equipment manufacturers) are used and lighting kits are usually high-end tungsten or LED lights, made by specialist providers to the filming industry.

Video productions are normally edited on proprietary edit suites made by Avid or Adobe and Colour Grading and Post Production is carried out using a variety of tools an different edit suites.