Explaining the Secrets Video Production Industry

Here’s a dirty little industry truth no one talks about: most clients only use about 15% of what we shoot. Yep, after a 12-hour day of lights, lenses, and “one more takes,” we’re left with a terabyte of beautiful, expensive, well-lit footage… and maybe 90 seconds of it makes the final cut. The rest? Well, let’s just say our editors keep a vault of meme-worthy moments that will never see daylight.

But before you panic and imagine your project buried under hours of wasted effort, let’s break down this perfectly normal (and often hilarious) phenomenon, and explain why Episode 11 Productions isn’t your average content mill.

Where All the Extra Footage Goes

First off, you should know: this 15% figure is totally standard. It’s not because people don’t know what they want. It’s because video production is a creative buffet. We try things. We experiment with angles. We film safety takes. Sometimes we capture a gold nugget in a moment no one expected.

Think of it like a photoshoot: you take 300 shots to find the one photo where everyone’s eyes are open and no one is making a weird face. Same with video. Except every shot is moving. With sound. And people blinking in surround sound.

The Secrets of the Video Production Industry? B-Roll. So Much B-Roll.

The “secrets of the video production industry” often come down to what you don’t see. B-roll footage, cutaways, reaction shots, test footage, scene transitions, lighting tests, audio warmups—all of it plays a role in creating that final tight, beautiful, 90-second brand film. It’s like sculpting: you chip away the excess to reveal the masterpiece.

But here’s the thing: most production teams are happy to let the clock run wild. They overstaff, overcomplicate, and overshoot. Because hey, the more you film, the better your chances of lucking into something magical, right?

Not at Episode 11 Productions. Lean, Mean, Creative Machines

At Episode 11, we believe in preparation over excess. Our process is so dialed in that we shoot smarter, not longer. We bring lean teams, clear storyboards, and a creative vision that doesn’t rely on “let’s shoot everything and figure it out in post.”

In fact, our crew is so efficient, clients are sometimes confused when we show up with just two people, a van, and confidence levels that should be illegal. But trust us, when your director and cinematographer have over 30 years of experience and your editor is so good she once cut a 6-minute highlight reel in the time it takes to toast a bagel, you don’t need 15 people standing around a monitor.

Less Waste, More Wow

Our high ethical standard means we never waste your time or your money. We don’t pad shoot days for the invoice. We don’t charge for crew members who spend most of their time holding lattes and looking at their phones. And we don’t believe that more footage equals better results. It just means a longer edit and a higher Dropbox bill.

We capture exactly what we need, plus a little extra sparkle, and we do it with precision. That means you get a polished final product faster, cleaner, and without the fluff. (Unless you request a blooper reel. Then buckle up.)

So What Happens to the Other 85%?

Sometimes it becomes a demo reel. Sometimes it becomes a GIF that lives in our group chat forever. Sometimes it teaches us what not to do (like letting Brian eat a beef and bean burrito between takes again-shhh weeee). But most importantly, it’s part of the creative process. You don’t need to see it all to get something unforgettable. That’s the real secret of the video production industry: knowing what not to include.

And we’re really, really good at that.

Citations:

Boltz, M. (2001). Musical Soundtracks and Cognitive Processing of Filmed Events.
Shams & Seitz (2008). Benefits of Multisensory Learning.
Kahneman, D. (2011). Thinking, Fast and Slow.
Interview data from Episode 11 editors, who have seen things. Wild things.