The whole category in one page.
LIGHT AND SOUND DETERMINE QUALITY; EQUIPMENT RARELY DOES
Viewers tolerate poor picture and abandon poor audio, which is why a microphone close to the speaker is the single most valuable purchase. Current phones exceed professional cameras of a decade ago.
ESTABLISH WHAT THE PIECE SHOULD MAKE SOMEONE DO, BEFORE ANYTHING ELSE
If the message cannot be stated in one sentence, the production will not communicate it. And list deliverables exactly — disputes about what was included are the commonest trouble.
KEEP ORIGINALS UNTOUCHED, AND KEEP THE VECTOR OF EVERY LOGO
Lossy formats degrade on every save, and a logo without its vector cannot be resized or reproduced properly. Remaking one is expensive.
MOST EDITS SHOULD BE SHORTER
Cut openings that delay the point, and anything kept only because it was hard to film.
CAPTION EVERYTHING, AND CORRECT AUTOMATIC CAPTIONS
Much social video is watched muted, so uncaptioned video simply goes unwatched. Automatic captions mishandle names and local accents worst of all.
CHECK THE LICENCE AT ITS SOURCE, AND KEEP THE PAPERWORK FOREVER
Files circulate detached from their terms, claims arrive years later, and the defence is the record. Consent to be photographed is not consent to appear in advertising.
CLIENTS IDENTIFY PROBLEMS ACCURATELY AND PRESCRIBE SOLUTIONS POORLY
Ask what is wrong, not what to change — and require one person to consolidate feedback.
EDITING TIME EXCEEDS SHOOTING TIME SEVERAL TIMES OVER, AND PRICING THAT IGNORES IT LOSES MONEY
