Clarify the communication goals of the horizontal main video and vertical behind-the-scenes footage during the project initiation phase.
At the launch of a commercial video project, horizontal main videos and vertical behind-the-scenes footage are often treated as byproducts of the same shoot, but they serve completely different purposes. Horizontal main videos are used for brand image, product selling points, or corporate introductions, with viewing scenarios leaning toward large screens or horizontal platforms, featuring complete narratives and controlled pacing. Vertical behind-the-scenes footage is used for social media distribution, livestream warm-ups, employee showcases, or client interactions, with viewing scenarios concentrated on mobile devices, emphasizing authenticity, presence, and personalized expression.
Brands need to clarify two questions during the project initiation phase. First, whether the vertical behind-the-scenes footage is an independent video or supplementary material for the main video. An independent video means the behind-the-scenes footage has its own script, structure, and editing logic, and cannot simply be cropped from the main video. Supplementary material only requires providing key shots or behind-the-scenes moments, which can be quickly spliced together in post-production. Second, the distribution platforms and intended uses for the behind-the-scenes footage. Different platforms have different requirements for duration, aspect ratio, subtitle styles, and interaction methods, which directly affect framing and audio recording strategies during the shoot.
During the project initiation phase, the production team should output a dual-version requirements document listing the script, storyboard, duration, and tone for the horizontal main video, as well as the asset list, shooting focus, usage scenarios, and delivery formats for the vertical behind-the-scenes footage. The brand must provide brand visual guidelines, reference videos from past social media accounts, the viewing habits of the target audience, and whether the main video and behind-the-scenes footage will share the same visual language. If the behind-the-scenes footage needs to highlight individuals or behind-the-scenes stories, the scope of authorization and the duration of portrait usage for on-screen personnel should also be confirmed in advance.
The risk is that failing to distinguish the communication goals of the main video and the behind-the-scenes footage during the initiation phase can easily lead to a lack of assets, composition conflicts, or inconsistent styles later on. An exception is when the project budget is extremely low or the timeline is extremely short, and the behind-the-scenes footage can only serve as a simple crop of the main video; in this case, the brand should accept the reality that the behind-the-scenes quality will be lower than the main video and reduce its creative requirements during acceptance.
Develop a dual-aspect-ratio composition plan before shooting to avoid quality loss from post-production cropping.
When delivering both vertical behind-the-scenes footage and behind-the-scenes assets, the core shooting challenge is how to accommodate both horizontal and vertical aspect ratios in the same scene. There are three common approaches, each with its own applicable conditions and risks.
The first is dual-camera shooting, where one main camera shoots the horizontal main video and a secondary camera shoots the vertical behind-the-scenes footage. This approach offers the highest image quality but requires additional equipment, personnel, and space, increasing costs. The second is single-camera horizontal shooting, generating the vertical version by cropping the center area in post-production, but this sacrifices horizontal perspective and resolution, making it suitable for shots with centered subjects and simple backgrounds. The third is single-camera vertical shooting, cropping the horizontal version in post-production, but the horizontal image will lose the top and bottom areas, making it suitable for scenes emphasizing vertical character movement.
Before shooting, the production team should develop a dual-aspect-ratio composition plan, specifying the positions of the main and secondary cameras, lens focal lengths, character blocking, and background elements for each scene. For key shots, it is recommended to simultaneously record reference compositions for both horizontal and vertical versions and mark safe frames on the storyboards. The brand needs to confirm whether the vertical behind-the-scenes footage requires original audio; if the behind-the-scenes footage includes live sound recording, ambient noise, or character dialogue, a separate reference audio track should be recorded during shooting to avoid a lack of assets in post-production.
The standard for judgment is whether the composition of the vertical behind-the-scenes footage can stand independently without cropping out key information. If the brand logo, product packaging, or text information must appear in the behind-the-scenes footage, these elements must be kept within the vertical safe frame during shooting. The risk is that dual-camera shooting can lead to chaotic on-set coordination, with the secondary camera easily capturing outtakes or interfering with the main camera. An exception is when the project is primarily for vertical distribution and the horizontal version is only for archiving; in this case, vertical composition can be prioritized, but the responsibility for any horizontal image quality loss must be clearly defined in the contract.
Synchronously record behind-the-scenes assets during shooting execution and establish a searchable asset index.
The focus of behind-the-scenes assets is purposeful collection. It includes on-set b-roll, communication between the director and actors, the set construction process, equipment debugging, failed takes, and the working status of team members. These assets can be used in post-production to create making-of featurettes, employee stories, client testimonials, or brand culture content.
During the shooting execution phase, the production team should designate a specific person to record behind-the-scenes assets, typically the assistant director or production assistant. This person needs to clarify which moments are worth recording, such as pre-shoot preparations, actor makeup, reactions after the director calls cut, overcoming technical challenges, and moments of team collaboration. Meanwhile, behind-the-scenes shooting should use independent equipment to avoid occupying main camera resources and must not interfere with the official shoot.
For asset management, it is recommended to create folders by scene, date, and content type on the day of the shoot, with filenames including the date, scene number, asset type, and a brief description. For example, 20250510_scene01_bts_director_guiding_actor.mp4. After the shoot, the brand should receive an asset index listing the shoot time, content summary, usable duration, and file format of all behind-the-scenes assets. This index is an important basis for post-production acceptance and the foundation for future content reuse.
The risk is that shooting too much behind-the-scenes footage will increase storage costs, while shooting too little will fail to meet the needs of b-roll editing. The standard is to keep at least 3 to 5 behind-the-scenes clips for each main scene, each lasting between 10 and 30 seconds, and including different shot sizes and angles. An exception is when the project involves confidential technology or trade secrets; in this case, behind-the-scenes shooting should be restricted, and the contract should clearly specify which content must not be made public.
Post-production editing should distinguish the narrative logic between the main film and the b-roll, avoiding simple cropping.
In the post-production phase, the editing logic for the horizontal main film and the vertical b-roll should be handled separately. The main film follows the brand narrative, emphasizing the progression of rhythm, emotion, and information, and is usually led by the director or editor. The b-roll focuses more on authenticity and interest, and can break the timeline to be organized by theme or emotion, such as mistakes during the shoot, breaking character, team interactions, and technical challenges.
When editing the b-roll, the production team should prioritize footage with dialogue, action, and emotional changes, avoiding static empty shots. At the same time, the editing pace of the b-roll can be faster, but the integrity of key information must be preserved. If subtitles need to be added to the b-roll, the subtitle style should be consistent with the brand's visual guidelines, but can be more lively, such as using handwritten or dynamic fonts.
For behind-the-scenes footage, post-production should create a rough cut lasting 1 to 3 minutes for internal review. When reviewing, the brand should focus on whether the b-roll authentically reflects the shooting process, whether it includes the team spirit or product details the brand wishes to showcase, and whether there is any content unsuitable for public release. If the b-roll is used for advertising, it must also be checked for violations of platform advertising policies, such as exaggerated claims or unauthorized third-party content.
The risk is that the post-production team might crop the main film directly into a vertical format for efficiency, causing the b-roll to lack an independent narrative. The standard is whether the b-roll can be watched independently without relying on the main film for understanding. An exception is when the b-roll serves only as a supplementary link or QR code redirect for the main film; in this case, partial reliance on the main film is allowed, but users should be clearly notified.
Color grading and sound processing must balance consistency across both versions.
The horizontal main film and vertical b-roll should maintain consistency in color grading and sound; otherwise, viewers will feel uncomfortable when switching between them. In terms of color grading, the main film usually undergoes precise color correction and stylization, while the b-roll can retain a more natural tone closer to the original footage, but the overall color temperature and contrast should coordinate with the main film. If the brand has unified color guidelines, the b-roll should also follow them, but saturation can be appropriately reduced to highlight authenticity.
In terms of sound processing, the main film uses professional recording equipment, resulting in clean sound with a wide dynamic range. The b-roll, however, might use on-camera microphones or live ambient sound, resulting in uneven sound quality. Post-production should uniformly process the volume of the b-roll, remove obvious noise, and add necessary ambient sound or background music. If the b-roll contains character dialogue, the speech must be clear, with subtitles added to aid understanding if necessary.
The production team should conduct dual-version comparison testing before delivery, playing the horizontal and vertical versions on mobile phones and computers to check for color shifts, audio sync, and subtitle clarity. The brand should provide reference devices, such as commonly used phone models or players, so the post-production team can optimize for actual viewing scenarios.
The risk is that excessive color grading or audio processing will cause the behind-the-scenes footage to lose its authenticity, violating the original purpose of its distribution. The standard for judgment is whether the visual and auditory experience of the behind-the-scenes footage makes the audience feel it is natural and credible, rather than like a compressed version of the main film. An exception is when the behind-the-scenes footage is used for brand advertising and needs to be completely consistent with the main film; in this case, color grading and audio can be unified, but additional post-production costs will be required.
The delivery acceptance checklist should cover formats, duration, subtitles, and source files.
Delivery acceptance for commercial video projects cannot rely solely on the final video effect; a complete checklist covering formats, duration, subtitles, source files, and copyright scope must be established. During acceptance, the brand should verify each item one by one to avoid future disputes.
Regarding formats, the horizontal main film and vertical behind-the-scenes footage should be provided in container formats suitable for the target platforms, such as MP4 or MOV, with encoding recommended as H.264 or H.265, and resolution based on platform requirements. The brand should require the production team to provide at least two resolution versions: one for online playback and one for archiving. Regarding duration, the main film's length should follow the script, while the behind-the-scenes footage should be kept within the platform's recommended range, but without rigid rules, as it should be determined by the natural length of the content.
Regarding subtitles, both the main film and behind-the-scenes footage should be provided with subtitle files in SRT or ASS format, ensuring accurate content and synchronized timelines. If the behind-the-scenes footage contains dialects or professional terminology, the subtitles should include annotations. Regarding source files, the brand should require the production team to deliver all original footage, editing project files, color-graded versions, audio stems, and subtitle files, as these files are the foundation for future content reuse.
The acceptance checklist should also include the copyright scope, clarifying the usage period, geographical restrictions, and modification rights of the materials. The brand should confirm whether it owns the portrait rights of the individuals appearing in the behind-the-scenes footage and whether distribution on third-party platforms is permitted. The risk is that if source files or copyright clauses are omitted during acceptance, subsequent content updates or rights protection will be very difficult. The standard for judgment is whether the acceptance checklist covers all stages from shooting to delivery, with clear deliverables and acceptance criteria for each item. An exception is when the project is only used for a one-time event playback and does not involve long-term use; in this case, source file delivery can be simplified, but this must be noted in the contract.
Applicable boundaries and inapplicable conditions to avoid blindly pursuing dual versions.
Not all commercial video projects are suitable for simultaneously delivering vertical behind-the-scenes footage and behind-the-scenes materials. Applicable scenarios include brand promotional videos, product launches, corporate annual meetings, and social media marketing campaigns, as these projects require multi-platform distribution and feature storytelling or character interaction. Inapplicable scenarios include pure product showcases, technical demonstrations, and data reports, as this type of content has high information density, making it difficult for behind-the-scenes footage to stand alone as a video, and the behind-the-scenes materials may involve confidential information.
Before project initiation, the brand should evaluate its own needs; if the communication goal is primarily horizontal and the vertical version is only supplementary, the production standards for the behind-the-scenes footage can be lowered. If the brand lacks sufficient social media operation resources and no one will promote the behind-the-scenes footage after production, it should not invest too much budget. The production team should also proactively inform the client of the cost differences and risks of dual versions to avoid setting client expectations too high.
Another condition where this does not apply is when the shooting space is cramped or the lighting is complex, making a dual-camera setup difficult to arrange and forcing behind-the-scenes filming to interfere with the main video's quality. At this time, priority should be given to ensuring the main video, and behind-the-scenes footage can be changed to post-production reshoots or shot using a mobile phone. Additionally, if the project cycle is extremely short and post-production cannot accommodate dual versions, you should communicate with the client in advance to clarify the delivery priority of the behind-the-scenes footage.
The criterion for judgment is whether dual-version delivery can bring clear communication benefits, rather than just meeting formal requirements. Brands should ask themselves if the behind-the-scenes footage can help the target audience better understand the brand, product, or team, and if it can trigger interaction or sharing. If the answer is no, it is recommended to cancel the behind-the-scenes production and concentrate resources on improving the quality of the main video.
The next recommendation is to start optimizing the reuse process from the project review.
For brands preparing to launch a commercial video project, it is recommended to conduct a review after the project ends, recording the successful experiences and problem points in the dual-version delivery process. For example, which vertical compositions for scenes were most effective, which behind-the-scenes materials received the best response on social media, and which stages wasted time or budget. These review conclusions should be documented to serve as a reference for future projects.
At the same time, brands should establish their own content asset library, archiving the main videos, behind-the-scenes footage, behind-the-scenes materials, and source files of each project according to unified rules, and marking usage rights and expiration dates. This way, in future marketing campaigns, historical materials can be directly accessed to reduce the costs of repeated shooting. Production teams can also optimize their service processes based on the review results, such as providing clearer dual-version requirement templates or more efficient material indexing tools.
Finally, when selecting a production team, brands should prioritize evaluating whether the other party has experience in simultaneously delivering horizontal and vertical versions, and require them to provide behind-the-scenes samples or behind-the-scenes material cases from past projects. If they cannot provide these, their capabilities should be evaluated with caution. The core of commercial video production is risk reduction; dual-version delivery is merely a means, and the ultimate goal is to maximize the value of brand content on the right platforms.
If you are preparing a commercial video production project, you can first organize your brief, reference visuals, product or company materials, delivery platforms, and copyright scope, and then view thevideo production solutions pageto ground communication from abstract preferences into executable production boundaries.
