Common to these three examples is the need for clarity of how materials should be incorporated into broader teaching and learning activities, combined with a well-organized production schedule. Before practical and technical issues are considered, one must consider how the material will be used. This usually starts with the establishment of the overall goal for the project and clarification of ways videos will be embedded in the course.

Video production usually consists of three main phases: preproduction, production, and postproduction. During the preproduction phase, an educator and video producer would consider the overall goal of the project, pedagogical requirements, budget, a detailed outline of the required scenes, casting needs, copyright issues, legal implications, and needs for third-party equipment. Furthermore, they would develop scripts, scout locations, and determine equipment and production team roles. Actors should become familiar with their parts in the script at this stage, well before any filming occurs.

During the production phase, an assembled team would set up in the arranged location and then practice and film the required scenes. A variety of filming equipment can be used on set depending on the scene requirements. Not everything goes according to plan. Outside noise often cuts in, and scenes need to be refilmed. Actors might not show up, cameras and microphones can break—a backup plan can help. Once filming is complete, production moves to postproduction.

During postproduction, footage is imported into the editing suite and editing starts. A variety of software can be used. The Faculty of Business and Economics of the University of Melbourne has been using Avid Media Composer for many years. An editor works with the footage and any required third-party material to produce compelling video materials for students. Copyright issues arising during this stage are brought to Melbourne University Copyright Office. Soundtrack and custom graphics and animations are also added at this stage. An educator and the editor preview the video to ensure appropriate progress. As a final stage, the video gets encoded for various platforms and uploaded to the university learning management system (currently Blackboard) or to Vimeo, YouTube, and other online channels for students to access. The video is then used for a variety of teaching and learning activities.

A detailed outline of all processes and resources needed is critical before production occurs. However, an overall plan cannot be set in stone. With video production one should always anticipate the unexpected, things occasionally going wrong, and the need to change tack at times.

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