6 things you need to start your video production business

One of my favorite questions to ask successful entrepreneurs is:

“If you had to start completely over in business, from ground zero, having all the knowledge that you have today, what is the one tool or resource you would use first to build your business?”

The answers I have gathered have been diverse, but one response left a lasting impression on me talking about how most people want the fast-track to success answer and the reality is great things are built overtime. In this world of instant gratification, it’s hard to want to accept that answer. I look back at my journey of building the good vibe media and studios over the last 15 years and know that I could have built a better business faster if I had more resources and community to lean on. I was a one-woman show for almost a decade before I took more risk to build a team and scale. I had absolutely no business background or education. I was just a free-spirited creative, who loved telling stories through video. 

So my hope for this blog post is that it will catch the eye of some hungry creatives and support them as they start their journey, turning their creative passion into a successful career.  

Here are the six things you need to start your video production business:

  1. Pre-Production gear

    1. Project management software like asana 

    2. Scheduling automation software like calendly 

    3. Software for invoicing and accounting like quickbooks or 17 hats

This first phase of the production process could arguably be the most important, and one you should feel most confident about. We actually did not implement asana within our workflow until a few years ago. I can tell you in full confidence that this project management software supported us to be more organized, and on top of pre-production logistics, which ultimately generated more time and revenue for our team.  That’s what we all wish we had more of, right? How can we create better systems to generate more time and money? It all starts with organized systems and processes. Utilize these resources to help you create more flow in your work, and automate portions of your pre-production process!

2. Production gear 

    1. Camera

    2. Audio

    3. Stabilizers / Tripods

    4. Lighting

When I started out in this industry 15 years ago, I was a Sony girl. Then, after graduating college, I turned to Canon. It wasn’t until three years ago. I was back to Sony. All that being said, your camera is your personal preference. I highly suggest renting cameras to play around and explore before you make a big investment of a purchase. If you are curious, here is what is in our Good Vibe kit:

3. Post production gear 

    1. external hard drive (we like the G-drives)

    2. Laptop (apple all the way)

    3. Adobe cloud subscription (you will be living in premiere)

So much magic happens in the edit, so make sure you have the appropriate equipment to support this process. I would suggest investing in a laptop so you can be mobile if needed. You can purchase an additional monitor to plug in at your home office for a desktop setting and more screen space. The external harddrive is key, because you will eat through space on your computer quick with all the footage you capture. Make sure all footage and project files are saved and working on your external, to leave your computer ram and space available to work without glitches.

4. Legal - contracts for clients, contractors, trademarking 

You can go to the grassroots style and find templates online and search the database for trademarking on your own, or hire a professional to support you. Either way, it’s incredibly important that you protect yourself and your business with these contracts. You also want to make sure you own your name and your business by trademarking. I have heard many horror stories of people having to re-brand completely because they did not trade mark their business name. 

5. Mentor, or business development community 

I did not realize how impactful this one thing could be on the success of my business until I really leaned into it in 2021. That year, my team and revenue tripled, and I know so much of that was because I found support and sought counsel from business coaches, mentors and community. I think one of the best things that we can do as business owners and entrepreneurs is to be humble and hungry to learn, grow and evolve more. One of the best ways to do this is to get in more rooms that are filled with people who motivate and inspire us in business. Ask more questions and expand your network, and I guarantee you will see the reward faster than you think. 

6. Grit and solution oriented attitude 

Again, we live in a world full of instant gratification. It’s common to crave short cuts and fast tracks to success, but be patient and have faith that the work you’re putting in now and the foundation you are creating is going to lead you to so much success as long as you stay consistent. Shift your perspective on failure, knowing that each one is an opportunity for growth. You want to fail on many things throughout your journey, so that way you can learn and grow and be a better version of yourself as a creative and business owner.

VIDEO PRODUCTION, BUSINESSGood Vibe MediaComment