Once they have been filmed, training videos can either be delivered on CD-ROM for computer based presentations, or VHS and DVD for television presentations. Training videos are often incorporated into part of an overall training programme depending on needs of company. Training videos are very often used for induction purposes for new staff and most people will see at least one of them in their working life. However they can also be used for a multitude of other applications. For example, if a new piece of technology is introduced into your company, then a training video is ideal way to get information on how to use it across your entire workforce as quickly as technology needs to be incorporated. It could take weeks to train staff in individual or group sessions, so costs can be saved on both training, and time. Training videos can also be used to train staff on new policies, health and safety issues, customer service standards, or simply latest sales features on a new product. When you have to train a wide and geographically diverse audience, training videos can be ideal means of getting information through your company in fastest and most cost effective way.

Corporate video is a powerful media that can have a major impact on your sales campaign. Video production allows for versatility in that it can be played to a large audience at a conference or an exhibition or it can be used in smaller sales presentations or incorporated into a bid response. This document sets out to bring you a brief overview of some of things you would need to know if you considering making a corporate video.

If you are thinking of a corporate video production, first thing to do is arrange a meeting with a video production company. At this meeting corporate video production company will aim to learn as much as possible about what you are seeking to achieve and will try to establish following facts:-

(i)Who is audience? (ii)What are objectives of corporate video? (iii)What is likely lifespan of corporate video? (iv)How is corporate video is likely to be used? (v)What are key messages? (vi)Who and what needs to be filmed and where? (vii)Does programme need a script or can it be made up of interview clips? (viii)Does programme need a presenter or will voice over suffice? (ix)Would programme benefit from video graphics? (x)What format will programme be delivered in - CD ROM, DVD or web clips? (xi)What are timescales for project?

It is likely you will not know answers to all of these questions, but reputable video production companies will have a wide portfolio of work from other clients which they can show in meeting to give examples of different approaches to programme production. Following this meeting video production company will produce an initial draft scope.

A video production scope document is reference document for all projects for both client and video production company. The document describes in detail audience, objectives, messages, proposed treatment, filming schedule and budget for programme. This budget is completely transparent in that it itemises individual activities contained in production process and states daily rate and estimate of time required for each activity.

The initial scope document produced may be agreed immediately or it may change as your ideas for project develop and further meetings take place. However, once scope is finalised budget will be fixed and will not change unless you change scope.

This process protects you from "budget creep" and protects video production company from "scope creep". For example, if video production company has underestimated one of their activities - editing for example - then this is their responsibility and no additional charge should be levied. If you alter scope in any way during project - adding an additional day of filming for example - video production company will then amend scope document, inform you of increased charge and await confirmation of acceptance of charge before additional work is undertaken.

Corporate and Training Video Production Costs

Corporate video is perceived as being expensive when compared with development of other marketing collateral, though this is not necessarily case. A corporate video can be produced for as little as £6,000 or as much as £50,000 depending on what is involved.

Advice on budget depends on objectives of corporate video and your likely return on investment. If video is going to be used many times and be a key part of a long sales campaign to win a £500M outsource contract, a significantly larger budget would be required than a programme that is going to be played once at a conference.

The activities that will make up a video production budget are as follows:-

(i)Project Management. (ii)Script writing. (iii)Filming/studio. (iv)Presenter/voice over artist/sound studio. (v)Editing. (vi)Video graphics and grading. (vii)Stock footage (news or general footage purchased from BBC or ITN). (viii)Encoding (to CD ROM, DVD or web) (ix)Software authoring (CD ROM or DVD menu) (x)Artwork (on body disk label, interface design and packaging). (xi)Disk duplication.