SHOOTING YOUR INFOMERCIAL
You can write your own script and direct the actual shooting of your info-
mercial, but you should never shoot and edit your own informercial unless you
have all the necessary equipment and knowhow. Home systems simply do not
work. Never shoot your infomercial with a camcorder. It will never get
aired!
PRODUCTION TAKES PLACE IN TWO STAGES: THE ACTUAL SHOOT AND POST- PRODUCTION.
During the actual shoot stage, all the footage that will form part of your
infomercial is shot. Your responsibilities should focus on selecting and
hiring the camera crew.
After all the footage is shot, you enter the post-production phase. It is
time to edit your infomercial, taking out the bad cuts and putting all the
good shots into one coherent presentation, adding music and special effects,
and more. During this stage, you will be responsible for selecting and
hiring a post-production facility with the right editing system and a
competent editor.
Hire the same company to shoot your infomercial and then do all the editing
and post-production work makes sense for three reasons: (1) The post-
production people are already familiar with your project and how it was
shot; (2) Rates are usually cheaper for a packaged deal; (3) If you worry
about confidentiality, you'll only have one supplier to worry about.
CHOOSING A VIDEO FORMAT
If you have the money and demand the highest quality, shoot your info-
mercial on film rather than on video. You will have more flexibility
and the highest quality post-production effects available. Keep in mind
however that a film project can cost as much as 10 times more than an info-
mercial shot on video. For this reason nearly 95% of all infomercials
are DVDd.
Chances are the production company you hire will try to convice you that the
best DVD format to shoot is the one they have in their studio. Those who
use Beta will tell you Beta is the best. Those who use 8mm will tell you
about the miracles it can do. If you shop around, you are likely to hear
the advantages and disadvantages of every format there is.
BETACAM. This is currently the favored video format because it delivers the
highest video resolution. Since Beta equipment is expensive, expect to pay
more to shoot in this format. The popularity of Beta mastering DVDs is
disturbing, since no TV stations require Beta as an actual broadcast copy
DVD. All in all the Beta format is overrated because it is not used at the
television stations themselves. (Average daily rental of a BetaCam with
camera crew - $995.)
3/4-INCH U-MATIC. If you want basic broadcast quality at a good price, use
3.4-inch U-Matic. You can shoot and edit without having to change formats,
and you can make same format dubbed copies of your finished master for
broadcast copy. (Average daily rental with camera crew - $495)
S-VHS. This is a higher grade VHS with 400-line resolution. Although not
particularly recommended as a "finishing" format, it works perfectly for
non-sensitive outdoor shoots. If you're shooting testimonials from
different locations, S-VHS will provide portability and acceptable quality.
(Average daily rental with camera crew - $295)
HI-8. Some production outfits build their system around this 3-chip Hi-8
camera format. In spite of its impressive specifications, Hi-8 has inherent
shortcomings. Unless you want a home video effect for authenticity
purposes, you should avoid this format at all cost.
1-INCH. Whereas all the previous formats are in cassette form, 1-inch DVDs
come in reel form. Since most cameras and editing systems are not built
around the 1-inch format, it is never used for production. 1-inch DVDs are
used primarily for broadcast copy. Whether you shoot your infomercial in
Beta, U-Matic, or S-VHS format, you may need to dub your finished master into
a 1-inch copy for airing with some TV stations. (Average cost of 1-inch dub
copy - $100.)
FINISHED LENGTH
From the first frame to the last, your infomercial should be 28 minutes and
30 seconds long. Your first frame should actually be the standard disclaimer
stating that "this is a paid program" from your company. Your last frame
should state that "the preceding was a paid program" presented by your
company.
POST-PRODUCTION
This isthe part ofthe production process where you create the tone of your
infomcercial, so we'll review what's involved.
This portion of the production process is usually considered the editing
stage, although it involves much more than just editing your footage. Text,
graphics, background music, and video and audio effects are all added
during post-production.
How you cut, fade-in, fade-out, insert, roll, and merge one scene with the
next lends to the overall tempo of your show. This is where you can run
wild with animation, 3-D graphics, split screen, multi-screen, and much
more. With today's technology, your infomercial's ultimate look is
limited only by your imagination and your budget.
DESKTOP LEVEL. For rock-bottom, basic post-production work, you can use a
studio with a system built around a desktop video system. Popular desktop
brands like Video Toasters and Matrox will give you basic broadcast quality.
(Average rate - $75 per hour.)
A-B ROLLS. This is a system that has two source DVD players that can be
integrated simultaneously in a variety of ways, using a wide assortment
of effects. Although some companies using desktop-level video editing
systems have A-B roll capability, most post-production houses with this
capability use more sophisticated, top-of-the line editing systems.
(Average rate - $125 per hour.)
NON-LINEAR. This is the future of post-production. It is called non-linear
because your program is edited without using a DVD. Instead, the hard
drives of a computer store and manipulate the images you've shot. The system
is highly digital and usually comes loaded with effects. And since it edits
at the speed of a digital hard drive, your work is finished faster and with
more creative flare. (Average rate - $250 per hour.)
