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3 Things Your Video Production Company Wants You to Know

By Food for thought

Clients feel more empowered seeing all the new and different approaches to video and yet they have some unrealistic thoughts about how inexpensive it should be to create a really compelling video. We will consider 3 things 3 Things Your Video Production Company Wants You to Know

Now, that everyone can buy an HD camera, many people assume that video production should be quick, easy, and inexpensive. They often don’t put enough thought into what it takes to produce a video, the art of storytelling, of capturing memorable shots, and of thoughtfully sequencing those shots.

Here we will discuss a few things potential clients should consider before producing a video.

  • Saving Money Shouldn’t Be the Number One Concern

Many people will say to me, “We could do the video ourselves, but we do want it to be professional. However, we don’t need it to be really high quality or expensive.” Clients who focus too much on price are often disappointed with the product.

I totally understand the lack of knowledge clients have about the costs of video production. It’s not easy to understand why one video might cost $2,000 and another one of the same lengths might be $100,000. It’s a tough world to navigate. But, focusing on price alone often leads to producing a video the client doesn’t even end up using. So, the effort to save money backfired, and they ended up wasting money.

A few years ago, I bid on a video project. The client signed an agreement, and then discussed it with his web designer. The web designer who owned a consumer camera thought, “wow if he’s willing to spend $2,500 on a video, I can do it for him and charge him a lot less”. The client was thrilled with the cheaper price and went with the web designer. He ended up with a video that he couldn’t use at all. He was embarrassed in front of his clients who were doing testimonials, and the web designer ended up with an angry client who refused to pay.

I would advise clients to discuss openly with prospective companies the budget they have in mind and ask to see some of the videos the company has done which fit in with that budget. Clients should look for a company that’s done work they love and someone they feel comfortable with. Clients should also ask about the company’s process so that they can decide if they’re comfortable with the process.

For instance, my company focuses on conducting interviews and developing a script from the interviews. We rarely do storyboards. If a client likes a storyboard, we probably aren’t going to be the best fit for them. But, finding a company that realizes your vision, has videos you love, and has a process you understand and like is so much more important than finding the least expensive company

  • Video Is Stronger Than Audio

Many moons ago in the news business, a business I was in for 20 years, the focus changed from creating a script and then matching video to that script to what is now called “writing to video”. The shift meant you’d decide what video you have or will have and then you develop your script to narrate that video.

Visuals are so strong that when a person is watching video, their mind is focused on the visual, and if the script or narration is not explaining what they are seeing exactly, then they just find it irritating or confusing.

Imagine this, you see a doll on video. If the script says “this doll was recovered during a break in”, you get that. But, if you are seeing that same doll and the script is saying, “There was a break in last night, and this doll was recovered”, until the script refers to the doll, all you can think about is “why am I seeing that doll?”

So, all that is to say thinking through what visuals you have is a great start. What do you want to show or explain. If you develop a script, which many clients do, before they call, then you might have to adjust your script to fit your visuals or simply be willing to use text to emphasize the words.

  • Allow Your Video Production Company The Freedom To Be Creative

My favorite clients are the ones who don’t want to produce the video for me. They are the ones who let me have the freedom to tell their story in a creative way. I’ve done all types of videos, and I love them all. But, the clients who come to me with every detail already worked out and don’t allow for freedom and creativity rarely get as good of a video as those who say “what would you do?” I love the flexibility to add something fun or funny or dramatic to the video.

I think most video production companies employ really fun and creative types, and clients get the best products when they allow the company the freedom to make a project fun. We usually end up spending more time than the budget really allows on those “fun” projects, but they are always worth it. Clients tend to get the most out of their marketing dollars when they allow people who love to be creative the freedom to do what they do best.

Click on our portfolio to see how videos work.

 

Top 3 Reasons to Hire a Professional

By Food for thought

It’s no secret that making a corporate video can take time, patience, and a lot of tedious work.  It’s also no secret that just because you own a video camera, you aren’t a videographer.

Creating original content that engages your audience and keeps them entertained isn’t something where you should cut corners.

So, why hire an amateur when you could hire a professional?

Well, you shouldn’t.  And here are the top 3 reasons why hiring a video production company will better serve you than using an in-house, freelance, or amateur videographer.

Top 3 Reasons to Hire a Professional

1. Professionalism

A video production company, like Sheffield, or professional agency will produce a product that is high-quality, dazzling, and a video that aligns with your personal business goals.  Creating a corporate video takes many different people to come alive – professional companies already have a team that works together like a well-oiled machine that will bring you the best product for your business.

An experienced team of video engineers can help you focus on the most practical ideas based on the most effective method to remain aligned with your marketing strategy. Their years in the field have made them keen to adapting to the needs of others, and knowing what will work best in each industry.

If you try to use a company employee to shoot, edit, and produce your company’s video, you run the risk of him or her trying to wear too many hats.  Their regular daily duties will suffer, as well as the overall productivity of the finished video.  Producing a video is more than a one-man show.  A company employee may also have the tendency to create a finished product that feeds their ego, instead of helping the company achieve bigger goals.

Freelance teams can also be incredibly problematic.  Managing a team of freelancers can be hugely time-consuming – and time isn’t always a luxury you can spare.  It can be hard to coordinate multiple schedules when working on a tight deadline.

Not only will you get to work with a team that respects your business’ marketing strategy, but you will also grow your professional network by working with a business.  It’s a win-win for you and the video production agency.

You get an amazing product that will bring in clients, and they have another piece of work for their agency’s portfolio.  A professional company will work hard for a clean, polished product because their success is your success.  They want to help your business thrive and they don’t want their name on a video that is poorly made. Building a solid business relationship is a surefire way to gain the trust and loyalty from your customers and the community.

2. Budget

There’s truth in the saying, “you get more bang for your buck.”

Working with a professional company can save you loads of money in the long run, and provide you with a product that can be used for many different marketing campaigns.

An agency or video production company that specializes in video creation will be able to work with you and create a product that is exactly what you’re looking for, while staying within your budget (no matter how limited).  The company will already have access to equipment, a qualified team, and the ability to edit a high-quality video, so instead of needing to purchase cameras or hire multiple people, this will be much easier and cost-effective.

Using an employee that’s already on your payroll will actually cost you more money than hiring an agency.  Buying video gear is a poor business investment because cameras and equipment are constantly changing.  Chances are your employee doesn’t have the experience using high-end equipment to create videos, so the camera won’t get used to the best of its ability and the product won’t look nearly as polished.

Hiring an agency will increase your ROI because the business you are bringing in through your video marketing will make up for any funds spent on creating it.

3. Originality

Because video production companies work with a variety of clients, their ideas and creativity won’t become stagnant and lack the proper drive you are looking for.  Part of an agency’s job is to stay up-to-date on all the latest trends across the industry, so they’ll be able to provide a creative vision that is sure to reach your targeted demographic.

Knowing what is popular and up-to-date in the world of video production is a full-time gig alone… The research, workshops, conferences, and studying that goes into knowing the hot new trends provides the agency with information that will help them create a better video for you.

Professionals will know how to create a video that will trigger an emotional response from your audience and that it’s all about proper storytelling.  Professional videographers know what goes into delivering your brand’s message in every digital medium and social platform.  They also know how to tell a story that will stretch across all different platforms like Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube, and Facebook.  You will be guaranteed that your story will be told, and it will be told by the pros.

If you feel like your brand isn’t going anywhere and your marketing efforts are struggling, then it’s even more crucial that you bring in a video production company.  Sometimes, a fresh pair of eyes looking at your business plan and marketing strategy can be very good.  Allowing new people to enter your business plan can lead to new ideas and new marketing perspectives.

Instead of wasting time and money on a video that may not be the high-quality, look into different video production companies that are trained and specialized in creating original corporate videos.  Don’t be afraid to contact a few agencies and get their quotes so you can be sure you are getting the best finished product that fits within your budget.

why nonprofits should consider an animated video

By Food for thought, Technicals

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How much does TV advertising cost?

By Food for thought

How much does TV advertising cost? There are TV solutions to suit all budgets, and this section will help you understand what sort of budget you need to get started on TV, the factors affecting the price of TV, plus a few examples of what sort of bang you can get for your buck.

There are a number of things that determine the cost of advertising on TV, including target audience, seasonality, regionality, copy length, transmission time and programming. And like a lot of markets, the cost of TV is based on a supply and demand mechanic. Supply is the audience or “impacts” and demand is the advertiser revenue. The more supply available to advertisers, the lower the cost, conversely, the higher the demand from advertisers the higher the cost.

And naturally, there are several factors that can affect both supply and demand, such as; the economic situation, event TV, scheduling on non-commercial channels such as the BBC, the weather and the time of year. Therefore, the cost of TV airtime fluctuates all of the time.

A media agency and / or a Tv Sales House can advise you on the cost of advertising on TV at different times of the year.

Successful campaigns, with different objectives and budgets

There’s a perception that you need to have huge budgets to advertise on TV, but actually TV is incredibly accessible to all. Many advertisers use TV, with varying budgets and different business objectives. Below are a few examples to inspire you.

Launch a brand on a low budget

how_much_does_tv_advertising_cost_chambord

With just c. £200k and by using the right programme at the right time to talk to their target audience, Chambord managed to establish their brand in the UK. You can read more about how they achieved so much on so little here.

Changing perception and behaviour

Paddy Power wanted to inspire a movement of change that would gain the support of professionals, fans, the media and other brands in their “Kicking Homophobia out of football” campaign. They spent £600k and did an incredible job with this, partnering with players from Arsenal football club and Stonewall, changing perceptions and behaviour amongst football fans and the wider public. Read more about this campaign here.

Customer retention

how_much_does_tv_advertising_cost_morrisons

Morrison’s wanted to reconnect with family shoppers on an emotional level and showcase the talent of their Market Specialists. They did this through a partnership with Ant & Dec  and two of ITV’s biggest shows, BGT and Saturday Night Takeaway, delivering mass reach against their core family audience and also driving participation and engagement. The budget for this campaign was £1m+. Read more about this campaign here.

Driving response

With £2.5m set aside and using TV for the first time, lowcostholidays generated brand fame with a series of engaging ads that juxtaposed the low cost adjective with high production values, generating a 54% increase in sales.

Benefits of having a corporate video

By Food for thought

Corporate videos are a highly effective way of informing clients and potential customers about the organization, its goals, products and services. Promotional material can make or break the opportunity the organization has to make a good first impression or lasting impression and a poorly made promotional vehicle does not promote an image of professionalism. Given the impact that corporate videos can have on a business, you simply cannot take the risk of getting them made in house; unless, you have a well qualified and professional team of in-house video production experts. So, here is a look at why you should get in touch with a professional establishment if you are interested in getting high quality, corporate videos.
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