Future of TV Briefing: Inside creator Grace Wells’s 100-hour branded video production process

This week's Future of TV Briefing dives into creator Grace Wells's comprehensive production process for branded videos, exposing the considerable time and effort invested in creating high-quality content for brands. Unlike the typical sponsored video, Wells's videos boast professional production values and blend her unique style with the brand's identity.

Grace Wells (@gracewellsphoto) stands out as a testament to the evolution of creator-produced branded videos, drawing millions of followers on TikTok and Instagram. The creator processes around 100 hours to produce one video and churns out two to three such videos each month. In a recent Creator Strategies virtual event, she shed light on her extensive workflow from the initial briefing to final delivery.

Wells prioritizes pre-production, which consumes roughly 30 hours of her time, emphasizing the importance of detailed planning. She begins with a briefing call with the brand, aiming to understand their objectives, target audience, and existing brand assets. This conversation is crucial to balance maintaining her artistic vision while aligning the content with the brand's goals.

Upon receiving the brief, Wells delves into a meticulous pre-production phase, which includes extensive storyboarding. Every single shot is carefully storyboarded, considering the perspective, duration, and additional elements like voiceover, sound effects, or text callouts. This thorough approach ensures the brand's satisfaction and minimizes the risk of reshoots, as it allows her to move forward confidently with minimal risk.

Wells's production process is singularly focused, as she handles everything herself, from set design and lighting setup to filming. Given her solitary workflow, she captures two types of videos: the product showcase and the behind-the-scenes footage of her creating the showcase. This dual functionality allows her to optimize her time and resources.

Despite the intensive filming schedule, Wells enjoys the flexibility to film at her own pace, experiment with shots, and even edit the video while filming. Once filming concludes, the post-production process generally takes around 20 hours to complete. Her storyboards act as a guide during editing, akin to coloring by numbers, with music chosen early in the process.

This meticulous pre-production phase significantly reduces the need for revisions, which, if required, are minimal. Typically, they consist of minor tweaks such as adjusting text wording or adding punch-in effects to highlight details. Overall, Grace Wells's 100-hour production process exemplifies the level of dedication and craftsmanship demanded in creating branded content that feels both authentic and aligned with the brand's vision.