THE PRODUCTION PROCESS

Ultimately, the objective of the production process is to create a campaign that will amaze viewers. ProsperO Digital Agency will deliver a service that meets the needs and wants of the client and their customers, in order to sell the product and to make it more desirable.

ProsperO Digital Agency will explain all the steps of the production process to you:

Pre-production:

• The Brief: Before ProsperO Media can start working on the media planning and strategies, they first need to receive a full brief from the client. In this brief the client will explain to us exactly what they want the outcome of the campaign to be, who their target market is or who they would like to reach, as well as the deadlines that need to be met by ProsperO Media, the specific time when the campaign needs to be on air or published etc.
• Quote: Now that ProsperO Media has an idea of what the client’s needs are, we can start off by working on the quote for the production. ProsperO Media will take all the needs and requirements of the client into consideration, explaining to the client how the production budget will be used and what they can expect from the end product. We will also explain all the individuals involved in the process and what their contributions to the process will be.
• Production schedule: The production schedule is the project plan and the steps that need to be taken till the end product, and how the work will flow over the given timescale, in every phase of the making of the commercial.

The production budget may be spent on:

• Special effects
• Wardrobe
• Special equipment
• Stunts
• Scripts
• Music demos
• Photos/video of location
• Extras for silent bits
• Extras and atmosphere
• Cast/actors
• Vehicles and animals
• Make-up and hair
• Sound effects and music
• Props
• Production notes

ProsperO Media will provide our clients with the entire ad copy and scripts, where and when it's needed: from the audio and visual copy for the commercial, to slogans and cast links, as well as voice-over scripts used in the post production.

Once the production quote is accepted, Prospero Media can start the following process:

• Confirmation: Confirmation of all the necessary extras, actors, the music that will be used, location, all the props imaginable that will be needed for the shoot. ProsperO will revise weekly to make sure the client stays informed and can feel at ease knowing that we are on track with the proceedings.
• Logistics: ProsperO Media will make sure the right crew and equipment is booked for the day and sort out all the call sheets for the client and the crew. A call sheet is where we give information such as the location where the shoot will take place, directions to the location, time and the contact details of all the people involved on the day of the shoot. The call sheet must be sent to all the people a couple of days before the day or days of the shoot, whether it is a small personal corporate marketing video shoot, or a big TV advertisement.

ProsperO Media, as the production house, takes full responsibility to coordinate and make sure that the airtime or correct vehicles are ready, booked and available for flighting or publishing.

The last step

This is the step where we will do the last presentation and receive the final approval of the quote before the excitement begins! We will revise all the steps and the ins and outs of the production with the client, making sure that the client understands everything that is about to happen.

Production: THE SHOOT

The big day finally arrives!

ProsperO Media will make sure that the production crew arrives on time and that every single person involved in the shoot of the commercial is well aware of what is expected of them, insuring a problem-free day that will stay on schedule in order to wrap on time!

The monitor

Having a monitor on set makes the job of the director so much easier, making sure the necessary footage is captured on camera, double checking the sunlight and any reflection that can cause interference. With a monitor on set, the client can also view the proceedings live on location, which makes it easier for the director to stop where the client feels it should be done differently, or where the same sequence should be done over.

Some of the important crew members involved in the day of the shoot:

• The Producer
• The Director
• Director of photography
• Production Manager
• Audio assistant
• The casting team
• The lighting team
• Production assistants
• Camera crew
• Talent

The number of people involved and the amount of days the shoot will take will depend on the size of the commercial or as the production budget allows.

The post-production: Putting everything together to deliver a dream commercial

• Off-line Editing: This is the process where the editor will use all the footage to choose the best frames to build up a draft without voice, music or any graphics.
• Computer graphics: After the off-line editing is completed and the graphics were approved, it must be input to tape. ProsperO will provide the client with the necessary graphics and animation specifically used in certain types of broadcast media.
• Online editing: This is the final stage of editing. As soon as the off-line editing is complete, the pictures are re-assembled at full or online resolution.
  After the conforming of the project, the online editor will add visual effects, titles and apply colour correction. Before the final mix, where the voice recording and music takes place, the client should come in and view the product.
  The editor will also ensure that the program meets the technical delivery specs of the broadcaster, ensuring proper video levels, aspect ratio and blanking width.
  Sometimes the online editor will package the show, putting together each version. Each version may have different requirements for the formatting i.e. closed blacks, use of bumpers, different credits and can also be influenced by channel requirements etc. Again this will depend on the production budget, or client’s requirements.
  Normal usual circumstances: the one and only version, where only one master Betacam tape must go to the correct channel.
• Final Mix: The stage where the recorded voice and the music of choice are mixed to perfection and input on tape.
• Final control: ProsperO Media is responsible for correcting any mistakes at this stage, should there be any. Double checking all the flighting codes or time codes and making sure the tape used is the correct tape for the specific chosen channel, as well as the Dolby on/off stereo which is very important when it comes to audio (for example, most of the channels are Dolby on; where the SABC is Dolby off). The music used in the commercial or any type of advertising or production, must be filled in a music cue sheet that needs to be sent to NORM - National Organisation of the Reproduction Rights of Music in South Africa.