Making a TV commercial should be pretty straight forward right?
You come up with an idea, write it, film it and put it on TV, Done. Well, not quite. There are lots of things you need to do in-between to make sure your ad goes on air without a hitch. Below we take you through the process of creating a TV advert from start to finish.
Scheduling
When starting at the beginning, you actually need to look at the end, more specifically, the on air date. Once you know this date you can work backwards, creating a schedule of deadlines and targets to meet to ensure you make the on air date with wiggle room to spare. There are lots of requirements, such as Clearcast approval, that can delay or even stop you ad going on air. This schedule ensures a smooth process.
Development
Now that we have a schedule to work from, we enter the Development phase. Initially this will include Script writing, story boarding and generally refining the creative.
Script writing
A draft script will be written and there will be some back and forth to work on the script until both parties are happy. When writing the script it is important to keep in mind realistic locations and situations that are relevant to your budget.
Clearcast
Once you are happy with the script it is important to send your script to Clearcast. Clearcast is an ad clearance service used to make sure that your commercial adheres to the UK code of Broadcast Advertising. For more information about Clearcast, take a look at our blog post ,‘A client’s guide to Clearcast’
Pre Production
Now that your script is being reviewed by clearcast, our production team is well underway crewing, finalising locations, set builds and casting your talent. We will liaise closely with you throughout this process to check that you are happy with all the decisions being made.
Filming
The script has been approved by Clearcast, the crew and location confirmed and the call sheet sent out. With all of the planning leading up to the shoot completed, we are prepared and ready to go.
As a client, when you arrive on set, our crew will already be busy setting up camera, lights and props. You will have a video village set up where you will have a live feed to watch the action as it happens. Shoot days can feel very long as there is lots of stopping and starting, but there are plenty of snacks and opportunities for a break.
Post Production
The ad has been filmed and the finish line is in sight…almost. Your ad will be handled by our post-production department as it develops into the final commercial. It begins with editing which involves piecing your ad together. This is then handed to the Sound department, the graphics department and the grading suite to add the finishing touches. There are many requirements for broadcast including, sound levels, brightness and colour levels of the picture and the video format. All of this will be checked and corrected until it is ready to be sent to stations. Again, you will be invited to see the edit and all other elements for feedback. Finally the finished ad is ‘clocked’, giving it an identification number and sent to clearcast for final approval.
Sign off and delivery
The ad is finished, Clearcast has approved the ad, you are happy with the results and the air date is approaching. You or your media buyer will need to send us a media plan so we can send your advert to the correct stations in time for broadcast. Copy instructions will also need to be sent to stations so they know when and what channel your ad will air on. These can be created by us, yourself or your media buyer. We send your ad and there is nothing left to do but sit back and enjoy your final ad on TV in all its glory.
If you are considering creating a TV commercial or any other form of video or animation content, drop us a line.
Let’s get started…
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