3 Questions to Ask When Planning Video Production for Your Next Event

When you begin the event planning process, you need to sit down and consider all of your needs. One of the most important parts of any successful event is the audio and video (AV) production. No matter how big or small your event is, a crucial piece is the video! The video can make or break your event. Video helps to bring excitement to your audience and makes the people attending feel like they’re a part of your event.

When you’re considering your AV needs for your event, there are a lot of things to think about. Do you need jumbotrons? If so, how many do you need so that all attendees can see and really “experience” your event? Will you be doing a livestream so others can watch the event live over the internet? How many cameras do you need?

Here are three questions to consider when you plan video for your next event.

What do I need consider when planning video at our event?

Video is not just setting up a camera on a tripod to capture your keynote speaker or entertainer. It’s about engaging the audience, enhancing your presentation with eye-catching images and video playback and capturing the moments from your event so they will last forever.

There are many pieces of event video production that you will want to incorporate into your event that will make a huge difference in your overall event experience. Consider some of these questions that your AV company may ask to develop your event video production:  

– Are you going to live stream your event?

– What graphics would you like to display to convey your messages?

– Do you need to record the event? (NOTE: Recording your event is great because you can then use the recording — or parts of it — for marketing purposes later!)

Plan ahead for exactly what you want to share with video at your event! Be sure that you are able to coordinate specifics between your speakers or entertainers and your AV production company. For instance, make sure that your speaker’s contract allows for video recording and that you reserve enough equipment to work in your venue. These are the types of things you want to think about ahead of time. If you don’t plan ahead, you’ll have additional stress and costs at the last minute.

My venue has a videographer. Do I really need to hire an outside video production team?

In some instances, you may not need to hire an outside, professional video production team. If you are simply looking to magnify a speaker onto the built-in projection screens at your venue or record the presentation, an in-house or freelance videographer may suffice for your event. But what if you need more? You may want to consider a full-service AV company that provides an on-site producer to change slides, play the videos, create videos ahead of time that you can play to get the audience excited for the speakers or entertainer and direct the camera operators.

What do I do with my video footage after my event?  

Some AV companies may charge for any video pieces you receive after the event (also known as “deliverables”) because there is post-production time that is required to produce the video files and costs to get them to you — like hard drives or USB flash drives (depending on the file size.) If additional editing or video services are needed, these should be discussed before your event to ensure that the video production company gives you the proper services before, during and after your event.

Once the footage is yours, the opportunities to use it are endless! You paid to host and produce your event videos, so why not get the most bang for your buck and use the video afterwards? Some common uses for video footage after an event include training pieces, promotional/marketing videos and selling the video content. Video is a HUGE part of marketing in today’s world. Don’t miss an easy opportunity to utilize your footage!

No matter how you decide to approach the video aspect of your event, it’s very important to ask plenty of questions to be sure you are getting the video production services that you need for your event to be successful. AV production is very technical, but the best AV companies want to be sure that you get the most value out of your video production budget and your event is impressive to you and your attendees from beginning to end. The goal is to make the video at your event work for you — and your attendees!