Choosing a Video Company

Are you looking for a videographer to cover your next event or a video production company to produce a series of promotional material for your business? Chances are that you have looked on the internet for video production companies and have been faced with large number of results from your area. While there are many great videographers and video production companies out there to choose from, there are also video companies that may not give you the type of finished product you will be satisfied with. You need to first do a screening process to ensure that your decision is indeed the right decision. The following guide will give you some tips and things to consider as you set out to find the right video company.

1. Quality of Work: 
   Obviously this is the first thing you need to consider when looking at which video company you want hire. Quality of work is key and is the strongest reason to go with one company over another. But what determines if a video companies work has the quality you are looking for? Even if you are not an expert at video production it can be easy to determine if the quality of work measures up to your expectations. The first thing you need to do is check out the production company’s video samples, demo reels, or full videos on there website. If a video company says that they have lots of samples but they don’t have them uploaded or the samples are not available or whatever, don’t go with them. You don’t have time to wait for when they we become available. Reputable companies will be happy to provide you with their video samples, and you will want to see what they have done for their past clients?

   When you watch the samples how do they make you feel? Does the message come across clearly? Do you understand what the video is about? Does it make you excited, happy, emotional? Video is a medium for delivering a message and if the message is not clear then why are you having a video produced?  The message is important and not only that, the video should look and sound good with an overall professional feel. Take note of the colors and resolution of the video: are they clear and crisp. How is the videotaping? Is it smooth or does it give you a headache and can you see what is being shot? What about the audio and the interviews? Do the people sound far away and muffled or do they sound like they are right in front of you and perfectly clear? Is the editing too quick that you cannot see anything, or is it slow and boring? Do you even notice the editing or are you so engaged in the film that you don’t remember if you liked the editing or not. A film is okay if you comment on the lighting, or editing, a film is truly great if you comment on the message of the film. These are all very important peices of advice. Another important thing to see is if a company has previous experience and video samples of the type of video you are looking to have produced. Say for example that you would like a video made for your business and let’s pretend at this moment that your business is to sell cars. It would be in your best interest to find a list video companies that have already produced car type videos with samples that are readily available. If they don’t have car videos or related car samples on their website, look for the next best video clip that could be related to cars: For example, look for video clips with fast and exciting editing, Speed, and Adrenaline, impacting text that pulls you in. You wouldn’t hire a wedding videography company if they do not have any wedding video samples, so use the same caution for your video type and make sure that the samples you see are relevant, and most of all, that you enjoy the style of work you see. Once you have found samples from a number of different video production companies, you can begin to compare what you like and what you don’t like. You can start to see trends of what some video companies are doing, what others are leaving out, and what some are doing very well. With this awareness you will have a better idea of who is suited for you. Be sure to put a star beside these video companies.

2. Cost & Pricing:
   Having a video produced is not cheap and can sometimes be quite expensive. Little ad-ons can begin to ad-up. The nature of the video production you want produced will determine how much you will actually have to spend. Usually videos for events such as gala dinners, banquets, parties, seminars, and keynotes etc. can be pretty affordable as a minimal amount of planning is usually required, and filming time may only be a matter of a few hours. Editing time can also be pretty quick. The cost of a video production can start to ad up when you decide to have a larger promotional video, TV commercial, or bigger documentary produced. The reason for this is that there is much more planning and pre-production involved. Along with that there are more shoots and videotaping dates, longer editing sessions along with more crew, cast etc. The best thing to do in order to find a video company that offers the best value is to excersie the three “C”s which are: Call, Compare and Consider. Once you have a list of production companies and an idea of what you want produced, it is time to meet with them or call them for a quote, compare their quality of work to the quality of other video production companies, and then compare their prices to the prices of other video production companies. Once you have found the video company that satifys your expectations and suits your budget, you are well on your way to the hiring process…Well almost. Let’s move to step three.
3. The Interview:

   So you have seen a wide range of video samples. Some videos are very good, and others are…well…you know what I mean… You have an idea of the price and what you can afford, and you also have an idea of who you potentially want to go with for a video company. The third thing you need to do is to have a chat with the producer of the videography company (or list of companies if you have more that one in mind…which you should!) You want to make sure that before you hire your video company that fully understand all the details. Also you want to make sure that you will actually get along with your videographer or video producer and that you can work together as a team. Here are some of the key things to consider when speaking with a video producer from a video production company:

   • What past work or experience from the video company is relevant to your project? Have they had experience producing your type of project?
   • Who will be videotaping your video? Will it be the person you are speaking with or somebody else? What is their experience?
   • What is the turn-around-time for the video? When can you expect it to be finished?
   • Do you get to see a rough copy before the video is finalized?
   • How much input can you provide?
   • What type of camera equipment to they videotape with? Is it High Definition (HD) or Standard Definition (SD)?
   • What is the actual cost for your project? Your initial phone conversation may have given you a ballpark quote and now you will need to obtain a more accurate quote by providing the video company or video producer with more indepth details about your project including, the date for shooting, the location, number of hours you will need videotaped, how many different edited videos will you need? Does the video need to be duplicated? Does it need to be uploaded on your website? Do you need a script written? What other info can you provide the production company with? Think about this and even make a list of your ideas and wishes before calling.
   • Is there a payment plan available and what are the terms? Do they need a deposit?
   • (Very Important) What is their cost per hour for extra videotaping or extra editing (sometimes if you end up having more shooting than what was orginally included in scope of your video project, it can end up costing you quite a bit than what was expected.
   • How long do they keep the video on there editing system until they delete it? Is there a way to make future changes and what are the costs involved?

   Above all else, use common sense when speaking or meeting with the video producer. Make sure to ask all your questions and don’t hold anything back. You should be educated enough about the details and understand the process, the cost, and what to expect. Before any money or services are exchanged, make sure to read over the video production contract or video agreement to see if you have any further questions. If there is something you just don’t understand or are concerned about, make sure to ask.

4. Testimonials and Feedback:
   You are already armed with 3 useful tips and tactics that should have you on your way and ready to go with the hiring process, but there is still another thing to consider, and that is feedback: How did the company perform for their past clients? A good thing to check when you are about to hire a video company to is see if they have any posted testimonials from their past clients. Usually these are available on the companies website. With these testimonials you can truly see what other businesses have said. Some production companies offer text only testimonials while other production companies offer both text testimonials, video testimonials, and even case studies which is a great combination for you to really see what other clients have said and how the production process went. Unlike a real job interview where a candidate will give references, it is not normal for a video production company to give references, #1 For confidentiality and #2 – Their clients probably do not want to be bothered by multiple annoynmous calls. While real references are good. Testimonials and case studies are the next best thing.

   
   

   So there you have it: 4 great tips to consider when you are looking at hiring a video production company. These tips and steps remain completely the same whether you are looking to hire a wedding videographer for your engagement, or a video producer to create a series of promotional videos and commercials.

   Remember: There is so much that goes into making a video, film, or movie: A producer doesn’t just simply whip out his home video camera, point it at his dog, and then Kapoof: A powerful marketing video is created. Producing videos takes time, money, people and most of all: creativity and experience, and that is why it is important that you see for yourself the wide range of videos and quality that is available to you. You must find the balance between spending what you have budgeted and receiving a great end product. Do not be fooled by video and production companies that have a dramatic drop in price from your other shortlisted video companies. In the end, you always get what you pay for so you need be certain that you find the balance between cost and quality. It is always better to spend just a bit more than to skimp on quality in order to ensure that you receive an amazing video that you will be proud to distribute, advertise, or even just show to your family and friends, and cherish forever.

   This article was written by Errol X. Lazare who is the owner and video producer for EXL Films in Vancouver.
   If you are looking to have a video produced for yourself or your organizations be sure to contact us. We can answer all of your questions and suggest the right video type & package that is right for you.