Audiovisual production: Frequently asked questions for companies

You have an idea for a video, but you still don't know if you need a piece to present your company, explain a service, catch contacts or feed a campaign. That difference conditions the script, recording, editing and final format. Here you will find what a audiovisual production implies and what you must decide before you start it.

Definition questions

What is audiovisual production?

Audiovisual production is the job of planning, creating and preparing a piece that combines image, sound, text and editing to communicate a message. It can lead to a corporate video, a product demonstration, a social media piece, an advertisement or explanatory content.

It does not limit itself to recording images. It includes previous decisions about the target, the audience, the message, the resources needed and the use that the material will have after it is finished.

How different is it from shooting a video?

Recording is a part of audiovisual production. Production also covers what is going to be said, what scenes are needed, who participates, where is recorded, how is edited and in what format is delivered.

A recording can be technically correct and still not solve the commercial need if it does not make clear what the person who sees it should understand or do.

What can a company video do?

It can serve to explain a proposal, present a service, show a process, resolve frequent doubts or accompany a specific commercial action. Use defines the piece.

For example, a video for a service page needs to help understand an offer; a short piece for a campaign needs to focus the message in a few seconds. They are different targets and should not be treated as the same order.

Questions of scope

What should be defined before we start?

At a minimum, you should be able to answer who will see the video, what should understand and what is the action or impression you expect after watching it.

It is also appropriate to specify:

• The channel where it will be published: web, social networks, commercial presentation or other media.
• The main message and the secondary messages.
• The people, spaces, products or resources that should appear.
• Who reviews and approves the content.
• What materials already exist: visual identity, images, texts, demonstrations or graphic elements.
• What deliverables you need: a main piece, short versions, vertical adaptations, subtitles or other formats.

Defining this does not require closing every detail from the very beginning. It does prevent concepts like "a complete video" or "something dynamic" from hiding decisions that later change the work needed.

Is it a script?

Yes, when the video must convey a concrete idea. The script sorts the message and helps decide what will be seen and what will be heard at each moment.

It does not have to be a complex document. A clear structure can suffice for a short piece: problem, explanation, visual proof and next step. If several people intervene, there are demonstrations or is recorded in different places, the script acquires more importance to coordinate the shooting and editing.

What is the difference between pre-production, production and post-production?

The pre-production prepares the work: objective, audience, script, planning, locations, participants and resources.

The production is the capture phase: image recording, sound, interviews, demonstrations or visual resources.

The posproduction transforms this material into the final piece: selection of sockets, assembly, audio processing, on-screen texts, graphics, subtitles and export in agreed formats.

The separation of these phases allows a better review of the scope. A late decision on the message can affect the script, the necessary shots and the editing.

Technical questions

What video format do I need?

You need the format compatible with the place where it will be published. It is not the same to prepare a horizontal piece for a web or presentation as a vertical version for a mobile consumption channel.

Before producing, it is advisable to specify the orientation, approximate duration, image proportions and if there will be one or more adaptations. Thus, it is avoided to force a video thought for one channel in another where it loses readability or rhythm.

Why do sound and subtitles matter so much?

Because the message can be lost even if the image is good. An unclear voice, background noise or uneven audio levels make it difficult to understand.

Subtitles help track content when sound is not available and make the spoken message visible. They should be reviewed as part of the content: an error in texts can change the sense of an explanation or transmit a neglected image.

What are support resources or B-roll?

These are images that accompany the voice, an interview, or a main explanation: hands using a product, tool screens, details of a space or work scenes.

Its function is to make visible what is being explained and to give continuity to the assembly. They must be planned in relation to the message; adding generic images only to fill can distract from the central idea.

Do I need animation or graphics on screen?

Only if they help you understand something that the real image doesn’t explain well. A chart can clarify a process, highlight a validated internal data or show the steps of a tool. Labels can also reinforce a key idea.

The animation adds a production layer and must respond to a specific need. If the message works with image, voice and editing, incorporating complex graphic elements does not have to provide clarity.

Limits and exceptions

Does a well produced video guarantee sales or contacts?

No. Audiovisual production can improve the clarity of a proposal and offer useful material for a particular channel, but the commercial result depends on factors that go beyond the piece: the offer, the audience, the context of publication, the subsequent journey and the action that is requested of the user.

That is why it is preferable to define what role video will have in a commercial action, rather than expect it to resolve the whole catchment process on its own.

Can I reuse a single piece on all channels?

Sometimes yes, but with limits. A main piece can serve as a basis for adapted versions, although the proper duration, orientation and rhythm change according to the channel and purpose.

For example, an extensive explanation can fit into a web page, while a brief fragment may be more suitable for entering a campaign. These are adaptations of the same message, not an automatic copy of the original file.

What if the message is not yet clear?

It is important to stop the decision on recording and work on the focus first. Start producing without deciding what need the piece resolves usually transfer uncertainty to editing, where it is more difficult to correct it.

A useful formulation is to separate three layers: the target — what the audience should change or understand — the scope — what the content should include — and the solution — how it will be recorded and edited. The camera, style, or effects belong to the last layer.

What aspects require validation by the company?

The company must especially review the accuracy of the messages, the displayed data, the persons appearing, the material use permissions and the final approval of each version. It must also confirm that the content correctly represents its services, products and conditions.

An audiovisual piece does not replace the commercial, legal or trademark review where necessary.

Next decision

How do I know if I'm ready to order an audiovisual production?

You are in a good position to move forward if you can explain, in a few sentences, for whom the video is for, what message that person should retain, where it will be published, and what materials or participants are available. If any of those points are still open, it is not a problem: it is the information that should be clarified before closing the scope.

If you are looking to integrate an audiovisual piece into a communication or capture action, you can explain your advertising content project to assess which message, formats and deliverables fit your need.