30-Minute
Lemon Garlic Chicken Pasta
Overview
My Role
This project involved creating a short-form cooking video designed for busy families and beginner cooks. From recipe development and audience research to filming and editing, the goal was to produce a clear, engaging tutorial that demonstrates the complete video production process.
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Recipe Development
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Audience Research
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Video Production
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Editing & Post-Production
Watch the Final Video
Pre-Production &
Audience Research
Before filming began, I tested camera equipment, experimented with different filming setups, and developed the recipe to ensure it could be recreated consistently on camera. This phase also involved researching and defining the target audience, ultimately focusing on busy families and beginner cooks looking for quick, approachable meals.
I created a production plan that outlined the recipe workflow, filming sequence, and visual storytelling approach. By documenting each cooking step in advance, I was able to identify key moments that would be most engaging for viewers and ensure the final video remained clear, concise, and easy to follow.
This planning process helped establish the video's structure, pacing, and messaging before moving into writing the outline.
Video Outline &
Time Planning
After finalizing the recipe, I transformed it into a detailed production outline to ensure the final video remained concise and engaging. Each cooking step was broken down into individual scenes with estimated runtimes, allowing me to map the entire video before filming began.
Using the recipe as a framework, I identified key instructional moments, planned text overlays, and organized the sequence of shots needed to clearly communicate each step. This process helped me determine which actions required close-up footage, which information should appear on screen, and how long viewers would need to absorb each instruction.
By calculating the duration of every section in advance, I was able to verify that the completed video would meet the target runtime while maintaining a smooth pace. The outline also served as a production guide during filming, reducing unnecessary takes and ensuring all required footage was captured efficiently.
Filming & Camera Setup
The video was filmed entirely on an iPhone 17 using a smartphone gimbal and portable LED lighting to create stable, well-lit footage throughout the cooking process. Before recording, I tested multiple camera positions and lighting arrangements to determine the most effective way to capture each stage of the recipe.
To create a more engaging viewing experience, I combined high-angle overhead shots with first-person point-of-view (POV) perspectives. The overhead shots provided a clear view of ingredient preparation and cooking techniques, while the POV footage helped viewers feel as though they were completing the recipe themselves. This combination allowed instructional content to remain easy to follow while maintaining visual variety throughout the video.
The lighting setup was designed to reduce shadows and improve ingredient visibility, ensuring that key cooking actions remained clear on camera. Using the gimbal also helped create smoother movement during filming and minimized distracting camera shake.
Editing Workflow &
Post-Production
Once filming was complete, I imported all footage into Adobe Premiere Pro and used the production outline as a roadmap for the editing process. Because each scene had already been planned and timed during pre-production, I was able to organize and name video clips according to their corresponding recipe steps and outline sections.
This file-naming system created a streamlined workflow, making it easy to locate footage, assemble scenes in the correct order, and identify any missing shots. The structured organization reduced editing time and helped maintain consistency between the planned outline and the final video.
During editing, I trimmed clips to match the target runtime, arranged footage to follow the recipe's natural progression, and incorporated instructional text overlays to reinforce key cooking steps. The pacing was carefully adjusted to keep viewers engaged while ensuring each action remained easy to follow.
Audio levels were balanced throughout the project, and background music was added to enhance the viewing experience without distracting from the instructional content. The result was a clear, organized, and engaging cooking video that remained faithful to the original production plan.
