Behind the Scenes: A Chicago Video Producer's Workflow

What is the first step in commercial video production?

The first step in commercial video production is establishing a detailed creative brief to define the target audience, outline the project scope, and set clear budget expectations. Because the video production process can seem like magic to outsiders, a creative brief helps clients accurately explain their goals.

Most people do not know where to start or how to provide the correct information for a video project. As a Chicago-based video producer with over 15 years of multimedia experience, I always guide clients through a creative brief that asks key questions. This is especially helpful for clients who have a huge scope but a small budget, as the brief clearly establishes exactly what is possible before a single frame is shot.

Why should you always read a video script out loud?

You should always read a corporate video script out loud to eliminate confusing internal buzzwords and catch awkward tongue twisters before filming begins. Businesses frequently get caught up in company-specific language that outside audiences simply do not understand.

Reading a script out loud instantly highlights those moments and reveals anything that sounds unnatural. My background as a SAG actor and commercial voice-over artist has taught me that conversational flow is critical to a successful video. Forcing a client to read their own script out loud ensures the final message resonates clearly with the actual target audience, rather than just sounding like an internal corporate memo.

How do video producers save time in post-production?

Video producers save time in post-production by capturing clean audio and lighting "upstream" on set, and by building reusable graphic templates. Taking five extra minutes to perfect mic placement and lighting before filming can save an hour of cleanup later.

Industry experts often note that audio is actually the most important element of video. Audio cleanup is the biggest time sink in editing, which is why it is so critical to get it right on the day of the shoot.

Furthermore, you can avoid drowning in edits by standardizing your assets. Professional producers build their templates once: setting up intros, outros, lower-thirds, transitions, and color presets at the beginning of a project so they can be seamlessly reused across all future videos. As a one-person production team who handles everything from filming to custom motion graphics for commercials, tutorials, and testimonials, relying on upstream capture and templates keeps my workflow incredibly efficient.

How many revision rounds should a video project have?

A video project should have a strictly limited number of revision rounds with specific deadlines to prevent the editing process from dragging on indefinitely. Without clear expectations and guardrails, clients may provide drip-fed, conflicting notes that derail the project timeline.

A video can technically be edited forever, making endless revisions the number one problem freelance producers run into. The bigger the video, the more people have to review it, and the more people you add to a project, the more conflicting notes you will receive. While serving as a Senior Multimedia Producer for the tech company Agero, I have seen firsthand how complex corporate workflows can be. You must give clients the chance to edit, but you must also establish strict limits on how and when those edits are delivered.

Why is patience critical for corporate video producers?

Patience is critical because corporate clients often lack the vocabulary to explain visual ideas and may not fully know what they want until they see a finished draft. Working as a creative professional in a corporate environment can often feel like speaking an alien language.

Unfortunately, some people simply cannot see things in their mind's eye. Because they struggle to guide the visual process, producers often end up making multiple completely different videos just to help the client discover what they actually want. Using tools like Final Cut Pro and Adobe After Effects, I rely heavily on the initial creative brief to bridge this communication gap. Even with a great brief, a successful commercial video producer must remain patient and never be surprised if a project has to start from scratch.