Over the past few years, all industries have had to adjust to a new way of working. Remote work has become much more accepted and, in many cases, the norm now moving forward. But is remote work possible in video production? And can remote video production be successful?
Not only is remote video production work possible, but it can also bring about more efficient and effective workflows. Read on to find out how to make remote work successful during the video production process and how to adopt a remote video editing workflow.
Pre-Production
The key to remote video production is communication and planning. The pre-production stage is always important, but when working remotely this initial phase is going to make or break your project. Since everyone isn’t in the same room, your timelines may need to be adjusted. Account for the extra time that may be needed to work through the difficulties that may arise from being remote.
Make sure that all parties are clear on the timelines and expectations. Ensure that everyone is aware of how you all will be communicating with each other – pick a mode of communication and make sure you stick to it. There’s nothing worse than missing messages or calls while working remotely and getting severely off track because of it. Communication is key!
The last item that seems trivial but is an important element in your planning process is checking your wifi. Be sure that you will have a strong connection during the production and post-production phases. That way, you can avoid connection issues as much as possible and keep all lines of communication open.
Remote Shooting
Depending on the type of video you’re producing, there may be some crew members on set or all members may be remote. In the case that some crew members are on set, your pre-established method of communication will be extremely important. You may even want to do a run-through prior to filming to ensure everyone can communicate effectively.
Video conferencing apps can be another good way to do remote video production, especially when it’s not safe or possible to gather everyone in the same room. If a set is not required, this can be another cost-effective option. It just depends on the needs of your video.
Remote Editing
After the filming is complete, you can move on to remote video editing. Depending on your normal workflow, remote editing might be your typical process. But if you have a team of editors that is used to working in the same office, remote video editing might be a new and somewhat daunting task. As mentioned above, planning ahead and communication are key!
One method that some teams have found to be effective when editing remotely is using proxy editing. Proxy editing is the process of making copies of the original file that are smaller and lower quality (aka proxies) that allow multiple editors to work on different proxies simultaneously. This keeps the original file safe from corruption and also allows team members to effectively work remotely.
The other thing to be aware of during the remote editing process is video storage. Utilizing the best cloud video storage possible is extremely important. Be sure that your remote team members are aware of where they should be saving their files and what naming convention they should be using. File management is essential, especially when working with proxies, so be sure that the whole team is aware of the agreed-upon file naming.
Now that you’ve got a handle on how to effectively do remote video production and editing, it’s time to get started (from the comfort of your own home). Or if the remote process isn’t something that you want to undertake quite yet, then send us a message or give us a call at 831-824-9660 and we would be happy to help! Our experienced team is ready to take your idea and turn it into a high-quality video today!