Time management is something everyone struggles with at some point in their career. No matter the industry, there are times when there’s just too much to do As Deadlines approach.
The tight timeline of video production
It’s no secret that many video production projects happen on extremely tight deadlines. From the time footage gets shot to when a finished product must get delivered is sometimes so tight you’re up working until the wee hours of the morning.
Compiling footage takes time. Editing takes time. Adjusting color, sound, and adding in graphics takes time. Then, you have to wait for everything to render, which can take quite a while based on the size of your final video file.
From there, you have the footage, but now you’re in the zone of mission-critical upload. You don’t have the time to wait hours for your very large file to go up for review, or better yet, load to its final delivery destination. What do you do?
Meeting Deadlines With Effective time management
To give yourself an easier time moving through the tight deadlines associated with video production there are a few tips that help. Most important is to focus. You should also look to the professionals for time-saving best practices you can incorporate along the way.
Keep your schedule open
Even once all the components of a video production project get scheduled, it’s necessary to build in buffers and failsafes just in case. Unexpected delays can occur due to all manner of unforeseen factors, from weather to COVID infection and beyond . You may forget to factor in time to load and unload the grip truck or even to grab a meal. Leaving yourself room to squeeze these things in as needed can help relieve the feeling of time running out. It is always best to effectively manage client expectations by under-promising and over-delivering.
Ask for help from the start
You never have to work in a vacuum. Especially in video production, projects are successful because of the entire team. Don’t hesitate to ask for help, lean on the crew, and see who’s available to provide additional support. With all-hands-on-deck, something slated to take two hours to complete may only take one, giving you back some valuable time.
Attack one piece at a time
Although you do need to keep looking ahead when working on video, you shouldn’t get so stuck on the outcome that you’re not focusing on what’s happening in front of you. If you take the time to plan ahead, develop a strong storyboard, and create a realistic schedule for production, you can stay in the moment without consequence.
It’s also motivating to check off a single component of a larger project once it’s done, freeing your mind to work on what comes next.
Avoid the long way around
There are always more streamlined ways to get things done, and listening to the more experienced members of your team can help a great deal. Whether they suggest a different way of capturing a shot, or know of a more efficient post-production workflow, take all this advice into consideration.
Especially when it comes to transferring your footage, the experts know best. You don’t want to find yourself at the mission-critical upload stage with a service that’s going to take hours to get your deliverables out. You need to not only know who works the most efficiently, but also who works the fastest.
Go with gig speed at ECG Productions
Not only can the team at ECG Productions give you a creative and efficient environment in which to create your next video project, we also have the technology to make those mission-critical uploads happen at light speed. This is thanks to our dedicated gigabit fiber internet.
With a skilled professional managing the transfer process, and our dependable, lighting-fast connection, we can get large video files where they need to go quickly and reliably. To learn more about how we’re here to support you at every step of your next video production project, contact ECG today.