At its heart, video production is the art of creating visual stories, a tedious process from planning to shooting and editing. Whether it’s a corporate video, a music video, or a T.V. commercial, video production’s core lies in making a perfect collaboration between creative vision and technical execution. Every frame, sound, and cut must come together to tell a story that resonates with the intended audience.
Breaking Down the Stages:
○ Pre-Production: This is where every great project begins.
Pre-production lays the foundation, ensuring the shoot runs smoothly. This stage is the blueprint for success, from concept development to location scouting. In Iceland, this stage is critical; it can make or break a production. Imagine the logistical complexities of shooting at Kárahnjúkarvirkjun, one of East Iceland’s most rugged yet awe-inspiring areas. Location scouting in remote places and preparing for unpredictable weather requires creativity, strategic foresight, and adaptability.
○ Production: The Heart of the Process
This is when the vision comes to life. Crews, regardless of size, come together to bring the story to the screen. It’s a delicate dance between technical and artistic elements. In Iceland, production crews must be agile, as the weather, light, and landscapes are ever-changing. What might be a challenge elsewhere becomes an asset in the hands of experienced teams who know how to adapt. For instance, Iceland’s natural light creates unique opportunities. The long summer daylight hours, with their distinctive blue tint, provide unparalleled conditions for cinematographers. Icelandic shoots, like Justin Bieber’s “I’ll Show You” music video, make full use of this, capturing epic landscapes in natural light, which brings a richness and texture that’s impossible to replicate in a studio.
○ Post-Production: Polishing the Captured Vision
Once the cameras stop rolling, the work is far from over. The footage is pieced together in post-production, and the narrative is shaped. Editors not only cut for the story but also manage color correction, sound mixing, and the addition of effects. Post-production choices can elevate the final product, especially with Iceland’s diverse environments. For instance, on Polarama’s Land Rover shoot, color grading was essential to highlight the contrast between the industrial precision of the vehicle and the raw, untamed Icelandic landscape.
Video Production vs. Filmmaking: Different, Yet Alike
While video production and filmmaking have similar components, they differ in scope and purpose. Filmmaking has traditionally been seen as a much larger undertaking, typically aimed at cinematic releases. It involves long development cycles, larger budgets, and complex story arcs. Filmmaking is immersive, with keen attention to every detail, from the script to the sound design, often spanning months or even years.
Video production, by contrast, can be more targeted and versatile. It is used across industries, from corporate content to music videos and commercials. The timeline may be shorter and the crew leaner, but the creative and technical demands remain high. Even if it’s done on a smaller scale, the production process still requires meticulous planning, attention to detail, and expert execution.
The Cinematographer’s Role: Crafting the Visual Story
Both video production and filmmaking consider the cinematographer their most important asset. While the director may have a vision, it is the cinematographer’s job to bring that vision to life through light, lens, and composition to tell the story. In video production, particularly with smaller crews, the cinematographer often takes on additional responsibilities operating the camera, managing lighting, and assisting with set design.
For smaller productions, like Icelandic commercials, the cinematographer may work with just a few crew members. Despite limited resources, their duty remains to produce the highest-quality visuals possible. Iceland’s vast landscapes provide an incredible canvas for cinematographers, who must adjust their techniques to constantly changing elements like wind, rain, and sunlight.
Lighting in Iceland is especially crucial, as the extended twilight hours, known as the “magic hour,” offer ideal conditions for shooting. Cinematographers working on commercials or music videos in Iceland often plan their shoots around these hours to take full advantage of the environment’s natural cinematic quality.
For example, in Justin Bieber’s video, the cinematographer harnessed the natural environment and visual storytelling to create an emotionally impactful final product. The sweeping shots of glaciers, waterfalls, and volcanic plains instilled a sense of wonder that aligned perfectly with the song’s themes of escape and introspection.
Small Crews, Big Results: The Unsung Heroes of Video Production
First, of course, is crew size
Where big-budget films may employ hundreds of cast and crew across various production departments, video productions, music videos, commercials, corporate videos can manage with much smaller crews. Smaller doesn’t mean lesser; often, it means the same complex tasks get done, but in a more streamlined fashion.
Every position is crucial to the success of a smaller production
The same director might also act as producer, the cinematographer might handle lighting, and the editor might take care of sound design. Despite the multitasking, the quality remains high due to the dedication and expertise of the crew.
Take Polarama’s commercial work
These shoots, with remote locations and tight schedules, required everyone on set to take on multiple roles. A production team shooting a car commercial in the middle of Iceland’s vast, otherworldly landscapes has to be efficient and versatile. Every role, from the cinematographer to the sound engineer, is essential.
Mastering the Elements: Icelandic Crews Excel in Extreme Conditions
The smaller crews in Iceland are even more impressive, as they work with unpredictable natural elements, challenging terrain, and remote locations, all while delivering high-quality content. This skill set speaks to the professionalism and adaptability of Icelandic production teams.
Quality Over Scale: Small Crews, Big Results
By emphasizing the dedication, versatility, and professionalism of these smaller production teams, we can see that the scale of a crew doesn’t define the quality of the final product. In fact, smaller crews consistently rise to the challenge, delivering exceptional content in even the most challenging environments.
Your Vision, Our Expertise: Partner With a World-Class Production Team
If you’re looking to produce world-class videos that capture the essence of a location and tell your story with visual impact, now is the time to collaborate with experienced teams that can adapt and excel. Whether you’re shooting a commercial, music video, or corporate content, make sure you partner with a production crew that knows how to harness both creative vision and technical expertise.