Once upon a time, the only person who saw what was being filmed was the camera operator. Even the director had to wait until the dailies were ready to view, and had to put his or her trust in the person behind the camera.

Those days are gone. And if you’ve ever been on set you’ll know all too well that the “video village” is where you’ll find the director on every shot. This is where a large monitor is set up, tapping directly into the camera feed to show the filmmakers just what is being captured.

So, why is it called a village?

It really shouldn’t be.

In an ideal world, the monitor would be viewed by just a few essential people, including the director, script supervisor, cinematographer, and producer.

Of course, once you set up a monitor you can’t keep people away. If it’s a commercial shoot, the client will want to be there, along with an army of agency employees, their friends, craft services, extras, and what the hell, maybe even someone who was dropping off the mail and wanted a look. Hence, it’s a village. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

What Can Make the Video Village Better?

The digital revolution has brought about remarkable technological advancements, transforming the traditional concept of the video village on set.

What if you could view the footage from anywhere, at any time?

What if you could give real-time feedback without ever stepping foot on set?

What if you could review footage from multiple locations at one central source?

This is VIDEO VILLAGE 2.0, and apps like Cinebody are changing the way video content is being captured, reviewed, and directed. And when it comes to getting every shot, every angle, and every location, it can’t be beat...especially for your live event.

Anyone with a smart phone can capture the footage you need, and you can provide a shot list that multiple users can follow and check off with each clip they film. And if you’re not seeing the shot you want, you can ask for it. Do you need someone to grab a certain part of the stadium or arena? Just tell them.

From a laptop or phone, you can view footage in real time, collating a vast array of perspectives from users across the globe. Your video village can now be truly remote, with everyone monitoring and reviewing content from the comfort of their own homes, hotels, or even other shoot locations.

No longer are you relying on one camera, one location, and one monitor. Your virtual video village is more flexible, more customizable, and less expensive.

You can also choose who gets to see the footage, meaning clients (and a horde of other people) don’t have to crowd around one monitor and fight for a view.

This is the future of content creation—a virtual video village under your command, providing real-time access to footage from countless sources.

Prepare for a paradigm shift in the way video is captured—a revolution that will transform the industry forever.