Even a short user-generated video requires planning; videopreproduction is as essential to the success of eLearning videos as productionand postproduction.
A foundational understanding of what video preproduction isand what steps it might include is useful for any eLearning professional whouses video—and that includes nearly all eLearning designers and developers. Notall videos will require all of these video planning steps, but all will requiresome of them.
- Budget: The budget determines much of theother planning, so it’s a good place to start. Keep in mind that it’s possibleto create some short videos in-house with minuscule budgets—for instance,user-generated videos featuring SMEs or employees that are recorded usingsmartphones. Larger-budget projects could entail hiring voice actors or other professional talent and purchase of cameras, mics, andother recording equipment.
- People: Will you star in your own video?Will the video feature in-house experts offering instruction and sharingknowledge? Is it a scenario or story that requires people to play parts? If so,will these be in-house volunteers or hired talent? The budget and schedule, aswell as the content, are deciding factors here, but there’s no avoiding it: Someonehas to be on camera, even if only as a voice-over.
- Location: This might be the simpleststep; much eLearning video is recorded on-site, often using screencasts tocreate instructions for using software. However, when planning eLearning videosthat include simulations, a location is needed, whether on- or off-site.
- Set: When creating a simulation or gamethat requires a set, video preproduction must include planning the set. Whatprops are needed? How many actors will participate? What props do they need? Asimulation of an insurance sales meeting might need two actors and an officewith desk, chairs, phone, and computer; a simulation of a busy emergency callcenter could require a different space with more people and props to create arealistic simulation.
- Script or screenplay: Even the simplestthree-minute video of an SME explaining a short concept or process whileshowing screencasts requires a script. Scripting videos does not have toinclude word-for-word transcripts, but providing SMEs an outline andencouraging them to write a draft of what they plan to say will smooth therecording process. It also helps keep people to a time limit; if the firstdraft of the SME’s script is 10 densely typed pages, some trimming is in orderto meet the goal of a focused, three-minute video. A more developed document,often called a screenplay, will include instructions for the actors and thedirector.
- Storyboarding: Video storyboarding isakin to wireframinga software project. Storyboarding means representing the flow of the videovisually, shot by shot. A storyboard does not have to be an artisticmasterpiece: Stick figures are sufficient, and apps and programs exist to helpwith creating a storyboard. But for a video that is any more complicated thanusing a smartphone to record one person talking, a storyboard is needed to plancamera angles, lighting, placement of people and props, and more. Videostoryboarding also aids story development.
- Equipment: Will the budget allow forpurchasing equipment? Is it needed? Thinking about equipment requires abig-picture approach: Different equipment is used for video preproduction,during shooting, and for video and audio post-production.
- Scheduling: Rooms, people,equipment—these all might need to be scheduled. Even for a set of short videoswith a single SME, the director (also known as the eLearning developer) has toschedule time with the person to go over the concept, review the script, andactually shoot the video, which could require multiple attempts.
