What does the typical video production process look like?

The video production process generally follows these stages:

1. Discovery & Briefing: SVZ learns about your goals, target audience, key messages, and where/how the video will be used. Together, you discuss creative direction (tone, style) and any initial ideas. The output is a creative brief that guides the project.
2. Concept & Scripting: SVZ comes up with a concept or narrative for the video. This is translated into a script or outline. If it’s a dialogue or voiceover, a full script is written. If it’s more visual (like a montage with text on screen), a scene-by-scene description might be created. You will review and approve the script/concept. This stage is crucial – it sets the blueprint for everything.
3. Storyboarding & Shot Planning: Especially for more complex videos or animations, the team might storyboard the video – sketching out key frames to show how it will look. For live-action, SVZ creates a shot list (a list of all the shots they need to capture). SVZ also plans details like location, props, actors, wardrobe, etc. If needed, they’ll do casting or find interview subjects. Scheduling is finalized.
4. Production (Filming/Animation):
   • For live-action: The crew films according to the storyboard/shot list. This could be on location or in a studio. All the footage is captured with professional cameras, lighting, and sound. Multiple takes are done to ensure quality. This is where our directors, cinematographers, etc., do their magic. If it’s an interview, the SVZ crew sets up and the interviewer asks questions to get good responses on camera.
   • For animation: SVZ Designers and animators create the visuals and work with our SVZ production studio in LA. If it’s motion graphics, they might design assets (illustrations, icons) and then animate them. Voiceovers are recorded (either before animation to animate to, or after to fit the animation’s timing, depending on workflow). This stage can be quite time-consuming if it’s detailed animation.
5. Post-Production: After gathering footage or creating initial animation drafts, the editors step in. They cut and arrange the footage according to the story. They add transitions, effects, and graphics (like name titles, logo animations, etc.). They also incorporate music and sound effects. If there is a voiceover or narration, that is synced with the visuals now. Color grading is done to ensure all shots look cohesive and polished. If the video has any on-screen text or subtitles, those are added. Essentially, this is where everything comes together into a first draft of the video.
6. Review & Revisions: You (the client) get to see a rough or first cut. You’ll provide feedback – maybe edit out a part, change music, adjust pacing, or swap in a different take. Good agencies include a couple rounds of revisions in the process. They’ll then produce a second cut, you refine feedback further, and then a final cut. Many agencies use tools where you can comment timestamp by timestamp to simplify giving feedback.
7. Final Delivery: Once you’re happy, the video is finalized. They’ll export it in the needed formats – high-quality master, plus versions optimized for web, social media, etc., as needed. They’ll ensure it meets any specs required for various platforms (resolution, duration, file size).
8. Launch/Distribution (if part of their service): SVZ will also help with uploading the video to YouTube, embedding on your site, or even running it as an ad. Others simply hand over the files to you for your team to deploy as needed. If we’re working with you on Growth, we’ll help distrubute and manage ads as well - implementing all of this content into your site as needed. For example see: Jax Case Study

This process is quite collaborative. “It always starts with the creative and ends with the launch, working through pre-production, production, post-production, and beyond” - Nikos Maheras (SVZ Project Director) . SVZ even provides a step-by-step guide for clients new to video, indicating transparency in process .

A tip: trust the process but also be engaged. For example, during scripting, speak up if something doesn’t align with your vision – it’s easier to change on paper than after filming. During the shoot, typically clients are welcome on set; some attend to ensure things go as expected (though you don’t have to).

At SVZ, our video projects follow these steps closely. We emphasize the planning phase – a smooth shoot and edit always comes from careful prep. We also love when clients collaborate on the creative (after all, it’s your story), but we make sure to handle the heavy lifting. Also, part of our process is to think ahead about cuts: we often capture extra footage or edit alternate versions (like a shorter cut for social) as part of the plan, so you get more mileage from the production.

To summarize, video production is a multi-stage journey from idea to screen: plan → shoot → edit → deliver. A professional agency guides you through it so you know what to expect at each step and end up with a video that meets your goals.