TV Commercial Production Primer
Knowing the Process Is Critical to TV Ad Production
Without hands-on experience, it’s difficult to feel in control of the creative advertising process when TV commercial production time arrives. It helps to have a little knowledge about the process. The work starts long before shooting and editing.
The Process
Develop the copy. This shows both the audio and the video, typically side by side in a columnar format so it’s easy to follow as the audio matches the video. A professional ad writer is key. Typically, this means hiring an experienced freelancer. Ad writers used by many TV stations are often relatively new to the field.
Request for proposals. Experienced production companies gladly submit bids accompanied by written proposals for evaluation. Many advertisers prefer the expertise of independent producers versus TV station in-house production.
Preproduction conference. With the director and the producer, review their vision for shooting and editing the spot according to the copy. Experienced freelance directors can contribute surprising creativity.
Location and talent scouting. Ad agencies and production companies generally have staff or contractors who specialize in these functions. Review location photographs and audition reels to finalize the selections.
Location shoot. Plan on at least a day on location for a 30-second spot. Watch each take. Review tape of each good take to assure it’s the preferred quality. If a director wants another take, it’s usually prudent to assent – it’s much more economical in both time and money to get more than enough video the first time around than it is to get into the editing suite and realize that another day of location shooting is required to finish the spot with the desired creativity and quality.
Director’s rough cut. Many directors prefer to do a preliminary video assembly before final editing. Generally, this will not include effects or transitions between shots, and typically does not include audio. It’s the first tangible view of how the video will go together.
Digital editing. Final assembly of the video in its finished form is done through computerized editing that renders all effects and transitions. If the spot was shot on film, it is transferred to digital format through a process that preserves the film look. It’s important to understand that the video goes together first, then the audio is manipulated to match. Often an excruciatingly slow process, it pays advertisers to watch closely as each shot goes together into the finished product to assure a preferred level of quality and to prevent time-consuming and costly re-edits. This is particularly true when it comes to assuring accuracy of character-generated text that appears on-screen in the finished spot.
Post production. A professional audio production studio edits the audio to match the video. Digital time code locks each millisecond of audio to its digital counterpart in the video. Audio editing is typically done while simultaneously viewing the video. The audio producer will add required sound effects and music to help dramatize the video. They will also equalize all the audio together into a harmonious whole that is as clear and vibrant as possible when broadcast on TV.
Master, dubs and distribution. The production company makes a master digital copy of the spot, and usually a safe copy as well just in case anything happens to the original master. The master is then used to produce enough copies of the spot for every TV station that is included in the advertising schedule. Because it’s a digital process, each copy is virtually identical to the master in every way.
Observe closely throughout the process to be certain the spot stays on track. Trust the professionals with the technology, but retain control of the content.
