Production design is an integral part of the video-making process. As videos are an audio-visual medium, it is obvious that the audience will remember what they see in the video. The filmmakers must pay equal attention to making the visuals beautiful with the help of proper set design, props, costumes, etc. rather than just focusing on the cameras, lenses and lights.
A well-thought-out narrative and an excellent script aren’t enough to make a video. A video becomes memorable when it is visually striking. This is where production design comes into play.
For example, we made a series of videos for Sharekhan, where they wanted to educate their audience about different theories in economics. In the first part of the series, we created a scene where students talk about economics at the tea stall they regularly go to. For this, we created a set with a tea stall, on top of a building, against an exciting backdrop of buildings that can easily pass off as a college campus. The actors who played the characters of students were dressed in college attire and carried college bags and books, whereas the professor was dressed formally.
Production design immerses you in the world of the video:
Since production design encompasses all the visual aspects of the video, it helps the viewers immerse in the world of the video.
For example, we created a video for Symbo Insurance, showing their claims process. We created a narrative that takes place in an eyeglasses store. To create the world of the video, the set designer came up with ideas for a make-believe store. We used props like sunglasses stands, spare eyeglasses, and a cloth to clean them. We even worked on the costumes to ensure that the clothes speak volumes about the characters wearing them.
This helped us create a visually compelling video for Symbo Insurance.
Production Design makes the video more believable and credible:
Through research, references and resourcing, production design helps create a realistic and trustworthy world.
Coming back to the video we made for Sharekhan, the tea stall we built was through several references of tea stalls that we visited all our lives. Packets of biscuits, jars filled with snacks, kettles, and a stove, does that sound like a place you’d have visited at least once?
We were able to achieve this through research and picking up instances from our own lives to make it look and feel credible and realistic.
Production design works best by mixing the mood, theme and characters of the film. Along with thorough research, one can create visually pleasing videos that will be memorable for the audience.
