How a video production works: the 8 steps and how long they take

For many clients a video production feels like a black box: you give a briefing, things happen, and a few weeks later there is a film. I prefer to work transparently. Every production at White Label follows the same eight steps, and you are involved in each of them. Here is what happens in each step, what I need from you and how much time it takes.

1. Intake

Listening is more than hearing. The first conversation is not about cameras but about you: your organisation, your product or service, your audience and what the video has to achieve. Should it sell, explain, recruit or inspire? Where will it be shown? What are the deadline and the budget?

What I need from you: an hour, the right people at the table and honesty about budget and expectations. Planning: the conversation and proposal are scheduled with the client.

2. Concept

See what everyone sees, do what nobody does. Based on the conversation I develop a concept: the idea that carries the video. For an interview film that is a structure and a tone; for a campaign it is a creative idea. Storyboards and moodboards make the concept concrete, so you know what you are approving.

What I need from you: a decision. The concept is the moment to change direction; later it gets expensive. Planning: depends on the concept and approval.

3. Script

From concept to black and white. The concept becomes a script: what is said, what is seen, in which order, and how long each scene lasts. For interview films the script is a question list and a structure; for commercials and animation every second is on paper.

What I need from you: a content check. Are the facts, names and tone right? Planning: depends on the content and feedback required.

4. Pre-production

Sketches become a schedule. I arrange locations, people, props and equipment and draw up a shooting schedule. Everyone involved receives a call sheet with times and expectations. For shoots at your location I agree how work can continue during filming.

What I need from you: access to locations, availability of the people who appear on camera, any permissions. Planning: agreed around the script, locations and availability.

5. Production

Bringing the story to life. The shooting days. I am your contact on set. I assemble a crew for the production only when needed. An interview day with a small crew runs differently from a campaign day with actors, but the principle is the same: the schedule leads, and there is room for what happens on the day.

What I need from you: one contact on set who can make decisions. Time: one to three shooting days for a corporate video.

6. Edit

Shaping the story. Editing, colour grading, sound design, music and motion graphics come together. You first receive a rough cut that shows the structure, then a refined version. Two revision rounds are standard.

What I need from you: bundled feedback. Collect the comments of everyone involved and send them at once. Planning: depends on animation, the number of versions and feedback.

7. Delivery

Premiere. I watch the result with you and fine-tune where needed. Then I deliver the final files in the formats you need: the main film, short versions, vertical versions, subtitled versions.

Planning: delivery follows the agreed schedule.

8. Distribution

Reaching your audience. I stay involved after delivery. I advise on placement on your website, social media and campaigns, and make extra versions when a channel asks for them.

The timeline at a glance

Step	Time	Your role
Intake	By agreement	Share goal, budget, deadline
Concept	By agreement	Choose a direction
Script	By agreement	Check content
Pre-production	By agreement	Arrange locations and people
Production	1–3 days	Contact on set
Edit	Depends on finishing and feedback	Bundled feedback
Delivery	As agreed	Approve
Distribution	ongoing	Publish and measure

A production at White Label often takes two to four weeks, including one to three shooting days. The schedule is agreed around the scope of the production and the availability of people and locations. See the product video for Technobis and the recruitment video for Henkelman as examples of the finished work.

Where it can go wrong

The steps are not complicated; delays usually come from waiting for decisions. The three causes I see most often: too many people with an opinion in the final phase, feedback trickling in through separate emails, and a script that is changed on set. All three can be prevented by agreeing early who decides.

Want to know what this path looks like for your project? Read about my project films or get in touch.