Is there really a difference between these three roles? Yes, there is and it's quite easy and helpful to learn the simple distinctions between them.

When a video story project has several team members on it, it creates the opportunity for roles, expectations and lines of communication to get mixed up.

In the world of corporate videos, understanding these three key roles during a project is just as important as understanding the roles in your other business projects.

Let's take a look at three roles every video story project will start with:

1. Executive Producer
The executive producer enables a story by...

--Obtaining the money.

--Hiring the producer.

--Developing and maintaining various key relationships throughout the life of the project.








2. The Producer
A producer enables a story by...

--Hiring the right people.

--Managing the money.

--Managing the time.








3. The Director
A director enables a story by...

--Discovering the frame.

--Hiring the right crew.

--Capturing the narrative.






When producing a corporate video, the executive producer's role is often played by the client--the one one with the money and the vision. This person or team makes the video possible.

The producer and director roles are often rolled up into one person: the producer/director.

Think "right-brain" aspects for the director role: imagines, dreams and discovers many possibilities to capture the story and narrative.

Think "left-brain" aspects for the producer role: handles logistics, attends to the details, creates schedules and analyzes all possible outcomes.

In a producer/director, these two roles are always in motion like a ping-pong match.

Remember: if you are the executive producer, understanding the two hats a producer/director constantly wears during the life of a project will help create better lines of communication and ultimately, a better story.

---Tom

Who Does What on a Corporate Video

Ever try building a home without expert advice?

I can certainly say I haven't but I can imagine how difficult it would be.

I've been spending some time the past few weeks budgeting for a large number of different types of corporate videos. Throughout the budgeting process, I also get to play "teacher" and help clients figure out how to most effectively produce their video.

Just recently, a metaphor jumped out at me.

Imagine building a new home.

You have a clear vision how your new home will look. The plans are in place. All the details have been meticulously worked out. The blueprints are finally done. Now, imagine telling your builder how many days it will take to build your new home. Remember, you've never built a home before but you proceed, nonetheless, to indicate the amount of time your builder will build your home. Also keep in mind, you have no sense of what this new home will cost, since you've never traveled this path before.

The builder comes back and says it will cost "this much." To which you reply, that's not what I planned on.

So here's the question: Why do this to your corporate video story? Why tell a producer how many days it takes to produce a film? Why hold back on budget discussions? Why deliver a fully developed script to a producer with (most often) unreasonable parameters?

Try this little no-cost experiment.

Pick up the phone and call your producer.

Before the pitch. Before ideas become concrete. Before expectations are set.

Share the idea. The context. The backstory. The politics. The budget issues. The audience. The purpose for the film.

Then listen. And take notes. Then ask this question:

Is your vision in sync with your producer's vision?

You'd be surprised what the ROI on a phone call could be to your story. And to your bottom line.

---Tom

The Greatest Gift for Your Corporate Video