From Take Me Out to corporate content, our Producer, Rebecca Rappaport dishes on her TV-to-video production journey and shares her vision for the industry’s future.
So whether you’re a video pro, just starting out or looking to commission a video, read on for some practical.
How did you get into video production?
“I trained at drama school and spent a few years working as an actress, Harrods perfume promoter, and office temp before getting a job in TV.
“My first job in TV production was as a runner on Take Me Out casting the girls. The casting process was a lot of fun. We travelled around the UK, street casting and auditioning hundreds of applicants. But the real challenge came in the studio. My role was basically getting 30-plus girls up and out through wardrobe, hair and makeup in time for the 3 pm dress rehearsal, then back through wardrobe changes, hair and makeup again, ready for the evening recording. Then getting them back to the hotel, ready to start all over again the next day, all while managing the various egos and emotions in the room and working with a boss who had exceptionally high standards. It was pretty full on but it taught me a lot about managing busy schedules and challenging people!
“From there, I went on to work on shows such as All Star Family Fortunes, Big Brother, Saturday Kitchen, The Chase, Unreported World – I had a really varied career and thoroughly enjoyed it.
“I spent 10 years working across entertainment, factual-entertainment and documentaries before expanding into podcasts, where I worked with some corporate clients on their sustainability content. Moving into corporate video production was a natural progression, and at a time when the TV industry was (and still is) on its knees, I was very fortunate to be able to make the transition.”
What experience led you to where you are today?
“Working in TV was like a crash course for video production. The fast-paced environment had me thinking on my feet and juggling a million things at once – skills I use every day now.
“But also dealing with people from all walks of life, from TV execs, commissioners, celebs, expert contributors, and quiz show contestants. There aren’t many jobs I can think of where you can be filming with a rabbi and their family one week, and be on a phone call with Michael Sheen the next. It could be a bit unpredictable at times, but it taught me to be ready for anything.”
What are some of the most valuable lessons you’ve learned in your career so far?
“I’d say be prepared for change. The vision you start with might not align with clients’ expectations. So, you have to be willing to adapt as you go along. You also don’t always have control over how things are going to go, particularly on shoots, so you need to be flexible and think on your feet.
“Another one would be understanding the value of checking in with the people you’re working with. You know what you’re doing, but does everyone else? This is particularly key when it comes to working with contributors who might not have filmed before, but also the crew, and the client. Regularly making sure that everyone’s okay and has what they need to do the job helps fight any fires before they start, and goes a long way to building trust.”
Do you have a favourite project that you’ve worked on?
“I’ve loved working on a recent volunteer campaign film that we’re making for a big charity.
“It put me back in my happy place of working with contributors and being on shoots. I’ve enjoyed seeing it through from start to finish – from research chats with all the volunteers to setting up the shoots, writing the interview questions, looking after everyone on set, and then edit producing the final film. So, it’s all the aspects of the job that I enjoy the most, and it’s for a good cause.”
“Another favourite was the North Atlantic Fishing Company brand film to celebrate their 40th anniversary and highlight the company’s sustainability messaging. It was one of my first projects at Definition.
“It was quite a challenging shoot to set up, including getting our Director of Photography on board the fishing vessel, but we got some great footage. What I really liked about that job was that it challenged my perspective on an industry that I didn’t really know much about. There’s quite a strong narrative out there already about commercial fishing, which NAFCO were keen to change. I think we made a really strong film for them and I was very proud of the work that we did on it.”
What advice would you give to someone who’s just starting out in video production?
“I’d say, be curious. You’re constantly required to learn new things. That might be new techniques and technologies, but also the different sectors that you’re working in. You’re not supposed to be an expert on every industry or product, but you do need to understand what your client does and get to know them as a brand. So there’s a lot of learning along the way. Ask questions, and don’t be afraid to ask for help if you don’t understand something.”
If you could work with any brand, who would it be and why?
“I love Who Gives a Crap. I think they’re a really playful brand. They don’t take themselves too seriously but have also got a really strong sense of identity. And sustainability is at the heart of who they are.
“I think we could have a lot of fun exploring video concepts for them.”
How has the video industry changed over the past year?
“I’d say businesses are perhaps experimenting a bit more and are willing to try new things. They’re starting to realise the importance of having good video content.
“It’s become easier for people to make and edit their own content, but I think it’s also become a bit overwhelming and, where brands have tried to make things in-house before, they’re now seeing the value in having an expert video production company to help them along the way.”
How has audience behaviour changed in terms of how they consume video?
“I would say video comes to people now, rather than people having to go out and search for it. More and more videos are being shared on sites that were previously focused on written content, such as LinkedIn, so audiences are coming across them more organically.”
What do you think the next big trend in video production will be?
“The obvious one is AI. It’s an exciting time and a lot of people are experimenting with what AI can do. I think there will be a rush of brands wanting to be at the forefront and including AI generated videos in their content.”
What’s your personal take on AI?
“I think we should see it as another tool in our belt. So we’ve got live action, we’ve got animation and now we’ve got AI. I think it is opening up the possibilities of what we can create – whereas before we might have been limited by budget constraints or what is physically possible, now, if it can be imagined, it can be made.
“But I do think there still will be a need for producers, directors and designers to steer that vision and create the final product. It’s also all very new and there is a lot of learning to be done before we can produce consistently high-quality material.”
What’s your favourite part of working in video production?
“The variety. The variety of projects that you work on, industries that you work with, the people that you meet. But also the day-to-day job. No two days are the same, really. You’re constantly working on multiple projects, each at different stages of the process, so there’s very little time to get bored!”
Do you have a preferred style of video to create?
“I’m much more comfortable with live action – shooting real people in real-world environments. I’m still fairly new to animation, but I’m learning fast!
“The brands I prefer to work with are anywhere sustainability is at the heart of their business, and I also enjoy creating content for charitable organisations.”
What’s one thing brands often get wrong when creating video content?
“I think not having a consistent tone of voice or a clear identity across their videos. There is so much content available online, so many videos out there. The brands whose content has a really clear identity are the ones that stand out for me. You know what you’re going to get and can straightaway identify what brand that is and what that video is going to look and feel like.
“It can be quite evident when businesses have produced videos in-house with lots of different people creating the content, or have maybe worked with several different production companies – things just don’t feel like they’re from the same brand.
“I think it’s worth taking the time to think about your video content as part of the overall marketing strategy – how does it support your brand’s tone of voice and overall look and feel?”
If you could give businesses one piece of advice about video production, what would it be?
“That high production value is worth the cost.
“I think sometimes businesses don’t appreciate the cost of making the kind of video content that they aspire to have, but spending a little more on production can make the difference between a really high-quality, slick film, that does exactly what you need it to do, and something that is less impactful.
“Don’t shy away from putting a healthy budget behind a video to get that high production value because it will pay off. You’ll get your money’s worth.”
What factors create a high-quality video?
“It depends on whether you’re talking about live action or animation. With live action, it’s about having the best cameras within the budget. It’s carefully choosing your location so you have an interesting background, rather than just the company office.
“And it’s having lighting that gives it a certain look and feel, adds depth, or warmth – depending on what style you’re looking to achieve.
“And hiring a sound op will make a world of difference.
“When it comes to animation, you can choose very simple motion design, but if you want something more bespoke, with detailed movement and character development – there’s a lot of time and skill required to create that. If you want 3D animation, then that’s going to elevate your video even further, but it will cost more.”
What’s something people should never say to or ask a video expert?
“Don’t say something like, “Oh, can’t you just do everything on your mobile now?”
“Yes, you can, and there’s a place for that sort of content. But your video content represents who you are, so isn’t that worth investing in?
“If you’ve got something that’s topical, or there’s a trend that you want to jump on, or maybe you want to show behind the scenes of your project – UGC on your socials is fine. But it should still be consistent with your brand and your tone of voice. You don’t want your socials to just be a mishmash of stuff that people in your business have chucked out.
“If it’s evergreen content that people are going to come back to and is going to sit on your website, then I think that’s when it’s important to invest in a well-thought-out, scripted and styled video.
“And you can then make social cuts from that main film as well. So you get more bang for your buck.”
Need a video? Talk to Rebecca and the team