You may or may not know that Bay Media Services, the parent company to The Bay Net, has an active commercial and video production unit. Last Monday, our crew had to shoot two separate commercials for two divisions of Brandywine Auto. We thought you might enjoy learning more about what goes into making a commercial.
Every commercial starts with the script. Writing a commercial script is not easy. Capturing the idea, delivering the message, and creating interest and impact – all in 30 short seconds – takes specialized writing skills. Our scriptwriters must take into account the targeted market and customers of the client, the region the commercial will be broadcast and a hundred other details when creating the script. This process may take up to two weeks. Once approved, the fun begins! Everything happens after that is determined by the script.
The next step is casting the acting talent for the shoot and scouting locations. For most locally produced and broadcast commercials, the locations and actors are limited to the client’s talent and various sites with their location. In the case of the two Brandywine commercials – one for Heavy Trucks and Equipment and one for Brandy Rentals, we had budget for acting and multiple diverse locations.
Next comes scheduling the shoot. There is a lot involved in the decision. The Bay Media Producer has to take into account four things when making the schedule: 1) the weather. 2) The availability of the actor, 3) video crew schedule, and 4) the client’s willingness to interrupt their business for the 4 to 8 hours it takes to shoot the commercial. That is right! A 30-second commercial may take 8 hours to capture enough footage for the 30-seconds.
Once the day of the shoot is scheduled, the producer keeps a close watch on the weather to make sure Mother Nature has not changed her mind. On the morning of the shoot, producer, crew, and talent all converge on the location and the shooting schedule is discussed in detail, with every scene numbered in the order of the shoot. Then the camera crew begins capturing B-Roll while the actors and producers prepare the first location for the first scene. B-Roll is the industry term for background footage used to add spice to the commercial. Then scenes are shot; the commercial is taped, and sent to the edit booth to be put together.
While in edit, the producer picks out the music, the sound effects, the various graphics that need to appear on screen and the editor puts the spot together, based upon the script provided by the producer. Everything comes together in the edit booth. Once done, the spot is ready for broadcast and you can see it on your televisions at home.
See slideshow below for pictures from the two commercial shoots.