How to Produce a Web Show
The single definitive element of a Web show is that it is produced and distributed exclusively for online audiences. There are thousands of Web show styles that can be adopted by journalists, writers and artists interested in reaching global viewers. These show styles range from video blogs and city tours to weekly comedies and business reviews. Every Web show needs to be plotted out, produced and edited to keep viewers coming back for future episodes.
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Instructions
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Nail down your Web show's concept before turning on cameras and microphones. The best Web shows have catchy titles, theme music and graphics from the first show to develop brand identity among online viewers.
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Write down an extensive production schedule in your home office that will guide every day of shooting and editing. A producer should seek out interviews, permissions to use private property and set final dates for editing to inform shooting schedules.
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Clear space on your hard drive to handle large audio, video and graphic files needed for a good Web show. Many video producers purchase external hard drives for their home computers to separate personal files from Web production materials.
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Invest in quality production equipment before you start writing out scripts and find actors. Every Web production must have a microphone, headphones and a high-end video camera.
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Experiment with proper lighting in your home studio as well as location shoots before pressing record on the digital camera. Take notes on lighting position, camera angles and other factors after finding a few shots that work well for your needs.
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Purchase graphics and movie-making software for your computer to give your Web video a professional look. An amateur producer can produce end credits, name tags and stat lines using basic graphics software available on PC and Mac computers. There are inexpensive movie making packages like Microsoft's Movie Maker available for cash-strapped Web video producers.
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Develop scripts for Web videos with the assistance of actors, participants and production staff. Write down a rough outline of the script on your own and bring copies of the script to an informal table session. This session should be used to create a final script that makes sense for all parties involved.
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Keep framing, sound quality and show pacing in mind as you edit videos during the post-production process. Actors, interview subjects and technical assistants should be kept on call to record additional material if the final video fails to meet these criteria.
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Tips & Warnings
Offer deleted scenes and extras available after post-production editing to loyal subscribers. Review your website comments and subscriptions to find viewers who have watched from episode one to reward viewers with the longest tenures.
Shoot some video shorts and commercials for your Web show for distribution on video sharing websites like YouTube. These videos generate buzz among avid online users while testing out cameras, microphones and lighting before the first show is released.
Capture every moment during Web video production by running audio and video until the last line is spoken. The ongoing use of recording equipment preserves every moment of production for future videos and lets participants get more comfortable around microphones.
Anticipate hours of production, editing and marketing time before your first episode hits the Internet by creating several episodes in a week. These episodes allow the producer to gauge interest among online viewers and make changes in future episodes without falling behind the production schedule.
Resources
- Photo Credit Photo by Shazeen Samad
