Video Production Workflow

5-Phase Production Pipeline

One video, start to finish. Repeat for each new topic.

1. Script

Brief + Outline

2. Thumbnail

Canva

3. Visual

Canva

4. Voice

ElevenLabs

5. Edit

CapCut

Phase 1 — Script & Brief

All tools: browser, ChatGPT, or Claude.

Write the Video Script

Each video is 45–90 seconds. Hook in the first 3 seconds. One main message per video. CTA at the end (call, visit, book).

Pull topic from client's content calendar or monthly brief
Write hook line (question or bold statement — grab attention in 3 seconds)
Write 3–4 key points, each 1–2 sentences
End with CTA: "Call us at [number]", "Book online at [link]", or "Come see us at [address]"
Target: 150–200 words for a 60-second video
Save as: scripts/clientname_topic_date.txt

Brand voice check: Before writing, re-read the client's brand voice notes. If they sound like a no-nonsense HVAC company, don't write like a lifestyle brand. Match the personality.

Phase 2 — Thumbnail Design

Tool: Canva (canva.com)

canva.com (free account)

Create the Thumbnail

Thumbnails get clicked. Bold text, high contrast, human face if possible. Use the brand's color palette.

Open Canva → Create Design → Instagram Post (1080×1080 for Reels/TikTok)
Pick a dark background from the brand colors or a solid brand color
Add a bold headline in Syne or a chunky display font — max 3–4 words
Add one image or graphic element (service photo, icon, arrow)
Export as PNG → upload to the video project folder
Save as: thumbnails/clientname_topic.png

Phase 3 — Visual Assets (B-Roll)

Tool: Canva + Stock footage (Pexels / Pixabay)

Assemble B-Roll and Graphics

Every video needs visual variety. Cut between stock footage, text overlays, and branded graphics.

Search Pexels or Pixabay for relevant stock footage (free, no attribution required for most)
Download 3–5 clips that match the script (e.g., for HVAC: technician working, happy homeowner, ac unit running)
Use Canva to create text overlay slides matching the brand palette
Create 1 branded intro slide (logo + tagline) and 1 branded outro slide (logo + CTA)
Save all assets to: /raw/clientname_topic/

Phase 4 — AI Voiceover

Tool: ElevenLabs (elevenlabs.io)

elevenlabs.io (free tier: 10k chars/month)

Generate the Voiceover

Pick a voice that matches the brand — professional for trades, warm for food/home service. Use a consistent voice across all videos for a client.

Log into ElevenLabs → go to Voice Library → search by accent/tone (American, British, Warm, Professional)
Pick 1 voice per client and stick with it. Save the voice ID in the client's notes.
Go to Speech Synthesis → paste the script → select the chosen voice → Stability: 0.5, Similarity: 0.75
Preview → Download as MP3
Save as: voiceovers/clientname_topic.mp3

Pro tip: ElevenLabs free tier = 10k chars/month. One 60-second script ≈ 150 words ≈ 900 chars. You can produce ~10 voiceovers/month on the free plan.

Phase 5 — Edit in CapCut

Tool: CapCut (capcut.com or desktop app)

capcut.com (free, no watermark on export)

Assemble the Final Video

Combine voiceover + B-roll + thumbnails + captions → final deliverable. Target 9:16 vertical for Reels/TikTok.

Create new project in CapCut → set aspect ratio to 9:16 (1080×1920)
Add voiceover MP3 as the base track
Sync B-roll clips to match the script sections — cut every 3–5 seconds for pace
Add text overlay captions: auto-caption via CapCut AI → review for accuracy → style with brand font
Add branded intro/outro slides
Export: 1080×1920, 30fps, MP4, high quality → upload to client folder
Save as: final/clientname_topic_final.mp4

Handing Off to a VA

Give the VA this checklist for each new client and each new video.

Create a shared folder for the client in Google Drive or Dropbox

Fill out the onboarding form at /onboarding → save client intake data

Create folder structure: scripts/, thumbnails/, raw/, voiceovers/, final/

Write the first month's content calendar (5–10 topics)

VA follows this 5-phase workflow for each topic

Final MP4 uploaded to client folder → notify via Slack/email