Television commercials have become ubiquitous. Even with changing technology, they are still a viable form of advertising. Yet not many people consider how TV commercials are made.
When making one, you are striving to do more than sell. A commercial entertains the audience so that they remember the message and the company that produced it.
Stages Towards Creating A TV Commercial
The process for making a commercial is quite simple. We’ve outlined them below, that video production companies or marketing agencies follow.
Partnership With A Marketing Agency, Production Company Or Team
Some firms have the capability to develop a commercial in-house. Others would rather specialize. We recommend that if you have the budget, then enter into a deal with a production company.
Always schedule a kickoff call and a meeting. Normally we would recommend scheduling an in-person meeting, but with circumstances, video calls are also a viable means of communication. If you do prefer to meet in-person, take the necessary precautions for your sake and the company’s representatives.
Goals And Budgets
The commercial must have a central goal and message. This can come from a creative brief, that outlines all the necessary details. You will go over this brief with the company or the production team, to ensure you are all on the same page. Having brand guidelines, product or service details,
Determine how much a tentative commercial could cost. Money could include rentals, paying actors, buying meals, original music, or special effects. Locations can make or break a budget, as can certain CGI, stop-motion, or pyrotechnics. This can increase significantly if you are doing a commercial for a special event, like the Super Bowl; you also have to determine slot fees for running during that time.
Creative Concepts, Pitches, And Moods
A creative concept is a central idea behind your ad. It can come from a pitch, which is a short speech that sells an item, idea, or principle. You have to tell a story in less than three minutes using a commercial. A pitch tells that story in a shorter amount of time.
The mood is also important. Some viewers argue that the commercials they remember the most have strong emotions like sadness, fear, or humor. Others prefer to have pure entertainment. In any case, a certain emotion may fit your branding best. For example, some anti-cigarette PSAs use black comedy to denote important facts.
Video Scripts And Storyboards
Every story needs direction, no matter the medium. Even if you have a concept and a mood, a script for your commercial provides direction and dialogue. It tells the narrative and solidifies the tone.
Storyboards are a panel-by-panel rendition of a scene. They often show camera positions, the type of shot, where the characters are positioned, and dialogue. This creates a plan that a director can follow in either animated or live-action media.
Recruiting Talent, Rehearsals, And Filming
Once you have the story, storyboards, and location down to pat, then you need to find actors or actresses for your commercial. This does not apply if the actors in question are your employees pitching in to assist.
Rehearsals are a form of practice for the actors and directors. They will be shorter than those for movies or television shows, but they will assist actors in remembering their lines and direction. Set aside a few days for filming, if not a week.
Post Production And Video Editing
After filming is done, video editors will review the footage to determine the cuts, potential audio changes, and music placement. They will also add necessary graphics, text, and credits. The process shouldn’t take more than a few days.
Editing is important for clarity, and to respond to situations in real-time. There are cases when a commercial may have bad timing with a news event, for one example, or has improper wording. A little change in post-production can make all the difference.
Streamline Your Commercial Production With TVA Media Group
TVA Media Group has developed many commercials and marketing campaigns for clients over the years. We can increase brand awareness and help you remain memorable. Our experiences come from more than thirty years of producing video content.
Reach out to us today to learn more about how we can promote your product or service. With TVA Media Group, your big idea for a commercial can become a bigger reality. TVA turns vision into visuals, and image into income.
