Secrets of Nimble Video: the DirEditor, Super DP, and Remote Producer
Quality video content is the most effective communication tool, hands down. Note the word quality. It makes a difference. And until recently, it was a complicated, expensive endeavor. Less than ten years ago, rolling into a video shoot with an entourage of a dozen specialists and assistants was considered a mark of professionalism. Fortunately, the cumbersome, cost-prohibitive days are over.
The sturm and drang of budget approvals for lengthy shoots have eased considerably -- and in some cases, vanished. The endless parade of crewmembers with crates of unwieldy equipment that fill offices and corridors (not to mention invoices and annual budgets) can, in many ways, be considered a thing of the past. Of course, extremely portable equipment has been around for years… but now it packs a punch.
On a moment’s notice, our award-winning video team, Fearless Company, can produce and deliver broadcast-quality videos within 48 hours in over 100 countries*.
(* Yes, even North Macedonia.)
This next-level nimbleness is more than just the by-product of technological advances. It’s the result of integrating that new technology into the most efficient production system and team structure in the industry. It’s about knowing how to find and hire the right crew members at the right time. It’s about constantly, endlessly learning, tweaking, and finding ways to improve. With over a decade of award-winning corporate and documentary-style videos under our belt, it’s time to spill a few trade secrets.
Three… it’s a Magic Number
Corporate environments often provide less-than-stellar aesthetics for an eye-popping video. Even when we hit the jackpot and score a conference room, there simply isn’t space for a full production crew, much less optimal controls of the lighting (and/or window shading) and controls for the room (noisy office colleagues) or building acoustics (HVAC, bathrooms, street noise). And then there are those days when a CEO’s availability window unexpectedly narrows, and she can only be interviewed in her office, which happens to be six floors up - or across the street. The bigger the operation, the less flexible we can afford to be with last-minute changes.
The key to a painless shoot is to come prepared with the leanest, most professional team possible. Our ideal video SWAT team is flexible, fast, fun, and comfortable with spontaneity and the ever-shifting skies of the corporate landscape.
To be at our most nimble, we frequently use three multi-skilled team members: the DirEditor, a Super DP, and a Producer. Each member of this talented triptych wears many hats while working in seamless synchronization, from pre-production through final cut and delivery.
The DirEditor
The creative chief of every Fearless project is our DirEditor. An effective DirEditor must be both a deft director and an expert editor. The best DirEditors have a keen sense for capturing and creating narrative nuance. They work with clients to develop a unique vision for each shoot, run the on-site endeavor, and ensure that our talent and crew are giving their best.
To capture content efficiently, a DirEditor must be a master interviewer, a skilled script surgeon, and a nerve-soothing stage-fright therapist. They see everything the camera captures and mentally log footage and envision edits as the cameras roll. Their roving eye picks up B-roll opportunities, and their gift for gab puts everyone at ease.
Once a shoot wraps, they’re ready to jump into full edit mode -- sometimes before the boom mic and gaffer tape have been packed. Many of our edits are finished in the airport lounge or during the flight home. A few months ago, one of our DirEditors shot a video in Boston, which he edited in the car en route to another shoot in Manhattan. It was ready to send to the client before they reached the Triboro Bridge.
The Super DP
This is our master technician, a go-go gadget, whiz-kid type who is equally adept and experienced with the three main ingredients of video: camera, sound, and lights.
Super DPs must be:
Camera Slingers. They always have the right lens. With a poet’s eye and a tech-savvy mind, they compose shots, troubleshoot on the fly, and improvise camera setups in the most cramped spaces.
Sound engineers. Every decent filmmaker knows how this aspect can make or break a video. The Super DP knows mics and mic placement; they understand the nuance of audio dynamics in different rooms and can adjust levels accordingly. They also have a secret agent-like talent for hiding a lavalier behind a fidgety big shot’s tie.
Lighting mavens. As we mentioned, offices have notoriously bad lighting, with flickering fluorescents that never fail to turn subjects a sickly shade of green. Super DPs can make anyone shine (without making them shiny) and create the right mood with an angle or filter adjustment. Since lighting gear has become lighter, brighter, and more flexible, Super DPs can set up and break down equipment in a matter of a few minutes.
Super DPs are also super-organized and handle their various roles, like circus performers juggling a fresh set of flaming torches. It’s quite a display of savvy, and the ease with which they pull it off belies the difficulty and precision of their work.
The Producer
The third star in our nimble constellation is the Producer. This maestro is omnipresent throughout the shoot whether they are on-site or working remotely half a world away. These folks truly put the “pro” in producer by staying in constant contact with the team and the client representatives, keeping things on schedule and checking contracts, organizing transportation, staying on track with time and budgets, and, most importantly, ordering a sensible but delicious lunch for their team. Whether they are on-site or working remotely, they get it all done without missing a beat.
Like SEAL Team commanders, our elite squad of Producers care for their crew at every turn and ensure they have what they need to complete the mission.
Brave New Video World
Though we’re fortunate to have such incredibly multi-talented filmmakers on our team, we have also been mindful to define these critical roles and nurture the right crew members to fill them. In the process, we’ve streamlined productions and broken down the barriers to creating Fearless-caliber videos. In an era of extreme distraction, the importance of compelling visual content for brand awareness, corporate messaging, and investor relations has never been greater. So, get back in the game with professional videos at palatable prices and minimal workday disruption. Let our Haystack family show you how.
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