Video production involves three main stages: pre-production, production, and post-production.
Pre-production
In pre-production, you plan the video’s elements, define the audience, outline required resources, and set timeframes. You also create a full plan including script, locations, talent, and schedule. Planning takes the longest and is integral for a successful shoot, from the initial decision to the start of filming. Key aspects include objectives, target audience, resources, timeframes, script, locations, talent, schedule, contingencies, and logistics like food.
Production
Production involves recording or animation and motion design. The scale of production depends on crew size. A 2-person crew can make a feature film, and a 10+ person team can produce a corporate video.
Post-production
Post-production covers editing, adding sound and visual effects. Quality relates to crew size more than content restrictions.
Finally, the video is distributed to the target audience.
Distribution and Marketing
Phase 5 distributes and markets the final video.
What are the stages of film and media production?
The question ‘What are the 4 stages of film production?’ and ‘What are the 4 stages of media production?’ should perhaps be ‘What are the three main stages of video production?’ as outlined earlier. However, if including the development phase (financing and hiring) and distribution/marketing separately, the stages could be formatted as follows:
- Development
- Pre-production
- Production
- Post-production
- Distribution and Marketing