Before you kick off the process of hiring a video production company, get your brief ready!
The very first step towards getting great video produced is defining a creative brief with all the relevant information on your target audience, key insights, and business objectives.
Ask yourself this:
- What story are you trying to tell?
- What product/service messages do you want to land?
- What do you want the viewer’s next action to be?
The next step? Hiring an expert production company such as Kartoffel Films to bring your ideas to life.
There are a number of elements to consider as you decide how to select a video production company. Start with the obvious: check their website and their online portfolio. This gives you a good initial idea about the quality of their productions.
But, how do you really find out whether the company can provide you with what you need? Here are 10 important video production questions for clients to ask before hiring.
Can they share results from previous promotional videos they’ve made?
As lovely as it is to have beautifully produced videos for your website/event/social media channels, the key objective is for the videos to drive results for your business. This should be one of your primary considerations when hiring a production company – do their videos actually get their clients any results?
Of course, you want exceptionally crafted content. Ultimately though, it needs to meet your business objectives, get engagement, and increase conversion rates. Ask to see case studies such as ours from past projects.
Do they have any client reviews?
Thanks to online reviews, a good Google search or snoop of a company’s social media pages should uncover any red flags from past customers. If you can’t find any reviews online, ask whether you can get a reference from a previous client.
Will their team work well with your team?
Although output is the most important thing, you also want the production process to be as painless as possible. It is crucial to hire a production company that will work well with your internal team. Both teams will need to work closely together to produce a video that resonates with your audience. As the client, you’ll bring your deep knowledge of the brand and business objectives, while the production team will bring their creative talent and production skills.
Ultimately, the best output will be driven by how well both teams work together. Beyond just their portfolio, look at personality and culture. Luckily, this isn’t too difficult to suss out after an initial meeting or two.
Can they bring something new to the table?
Let’s face it:
The internet is crowded with video content. But, this doesn’t mean that there isn’t room for more. In fact, studies show that 54% of consumers would like to see more video content from brands they support.
However, one of the key criteria for hiring a video production company should be to produce something that stands out from the noise. Ask yourself whether their previous work is fresh and exciting or everything you see is on the formulaic side.
Seeing examples will allow you to suss out the quality of the production equipment as well. Any good video production company should be able to provide you with a number of clips that offer a clear idea of their filming style (and ability).
Does their portfolio excite you?
Now, this can differ based on individual preferences. As with any creative art form, the style of video that you regard as compelling is subjective. Here at Kartoffel Films, we created a showreel to display our vast spectrum of capabilities. Reviewing showreels of video production companies will undoubtedly facilitate your evaluation process.
Will their style excite your audience?
As hard as it may be, try and remove personal preferences from the equation. Use all the insights you have on your target audience to work out whether the style will resonate with them. You can even ask to see whether they have specific samples for brands with a similar audience set.
How much do you want to be involved with the production?
Now, this is a key question to keep in mind as you select a video production company. How much will they expect your involvement to be? And how much do you actually want it to be?
Ask yourself this:
Do you want to hire a video production company that will take over once you’ve submitted a brief or do you want to be involved in each aspect? Many video production companies will have the resources to write the script, do the voice-over and take care of everything. Other will simply be adept at filming. The level of involvement is something that needs to be discussed at an early stage.
Will they be able to deliver within your budget?
Ah, the dreaded B word. But unfortunately, it’s something that all businesses have to keep in mind. With professional video production, as with everything, you’ll get what you pay for. With a limited budget, you may need to opt for a company that is newer without too many results or awards behind them.
Once you have a clear budget in mind, discuss all the production services you need. For instance, is script writing included in the price quoted? Do they even offer that service?
It’s always best to get a detailed breakdown for all quotes. This is particularly important for something like video production which involves so many different elements.
Do they have the resources to meet your deadline?
Got a specific deadline in mind for your video to go live? Be really upfront with this as you’re talking to production companies. You’ll need someone with the resources and availability to deliver within your timeframe.
What questions are they asking you?
Although we’re talking about video production questions for clients here, let’s shift the focus to the production team themselves. If you’re in discussion with a few different companies, consider which one is taking the time to get to know your business and your brand.
Keep this in mind:
Promotional videos should be developed based on some back and forth discussion. If a company simply takes your brief and suggests kicking off production without any real questions, it’s a potential red flag that they’re not genuinely interested in understanding the needs of your audience.
Hire a company that is willing to immerse themselves in your brand and product story. A producer that gets under the skin of the brief will be able to convey your message in the most engaging manner.
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Hopefully, the above questions will help you work out how to select a video production company that’s right for your business. Remember, your video content represents your business. It may even be the first time many people encounter your brand online. Spend time finding the right team to deliver the output and the results you want.
