Producing a video in a pandemic.

Three things we learned about producing a video in a pandemic.

In this new mid-pandemic world, we keep asking ourselves the same question: how do we deliver the best possible work without compromising safety?

And each time, our answer is to simply get creative.

So when our friends over at Sani Professional approached us about finding a way to pull off a safe, effective video shoot, that’s exactly what we did.

The experience taught us some valuable lessons—many of which we’ll use even post-pandemic! Here’s what we learned:

1. Plan as much as you can ahead of time.

Planning is always a big part of our process. But in this case we took it even a step further to minimize the need for problem-solving from afar on shoot day.

We started with a virtual location scout, thoroughly documenting the space with photos and videos that we referenced throughout the pre-production process. Then we got granular with the storyboards, working with our director of photography and prop/set stylist to nail down the details of each shot.

All the extra preparation enabled a more focused planning process—which ultimately led to a smoother shoot.

2. The fewer people on set, the better.

Minimizing the amount of people in the space not only helped us comply with current health guidelines—it also allowed for a more comfortable and efficient shoot.

We set up space for our clients in a separate room that was on-location, but off the actual set. This meant they could see the space in-person, then observe through a monitor as we were filming.

Meanwhile, our creative directors tuned in via video conference.

Being spread out allowed everyone to really concentrate on their individual roles without being distracted by side conversations, set changes, or scattered feedback.

3. Effective communication can happen from anywhere.

Everyone from JK participated remotely with the exception of our account manager. We flowed all client and creative team comments through him, allowing for streamlined communication and a productive feedback loop.

As a bonus, having our creative team off-site meant they were only seeing what the camera was seeing—which gave them a unique perspective and removed a lot of the guesswork.