Video production can be a tricky process. When you need a video production company, it is important to choose the right one. One way to guarantee this is to interview the company before hiring them.
How Long Have You Been a Video Production Company?
This is an odd question but still relevant. Think about your project. Is it new and cutting edge? Do you want an older look and feel? Does the company have the contacts and experience you need for your project?
Well-established companies are more likely to have experience with most complications and can respond quickly and efficiently to problems. They will also know actors and venue owners.
This is also a great question for the person completing your video after you’ve hired a production company. Some video companies assign a director or production specialist to your project. Knowing that person’s individual experience will help you utilize their experience to the best of your advantage.
What Services Do You Offer?
Make a list of the services you need before interviewing the company. Some companies only do certain parts of production, while others will be with you throughout the production process.
What Is Your Specialty?
This is particularly important if you have a clear vision of what you want your project to look like. A video production company that specializes in your specific project may work better for you than one that generalizes.
How Do You Advertise Your Company?
Although there are some exceptions, most people want a production company to help with marketing materials. Something might be amiss if someone who specializes in video production does not use their own videos in their marketing.
What Is Your Average Turnaround Time?
Since you probably have deadlines to meet, your video production company should be able to complete your project in time. You will not know if they can unless you ask. Be wary of a company whose turnaround time is unrealistically short, as well as one that has an overly long average.
How Much Time Will It Take?
Once the production company has an idea of what you want, they should be able to give you an estimate on how long a video will take. This is different from the average turnaround because it is specific to your project. You want to ensure they can get it done within your time constraints without rushing.
What Services Will I Get for This Price?
Price is always difficult to determine before discussing it with the producer, and every video production company will have a different cost associated with their services. Be sure to confirm that you are getting all of the services and copies that you need within your budget.
How Much Do Your Estimates Usually Range and Why?
The price and timeframe you get will most likely be an estimate. This gives you a great way to budget both time and money. Very rarely does a video project come in on time and under budget, but a good company will overestimate rather than underestimate.
You want to get an idea of why their estimates range as well. Do their productions typically run over time and budget, or are they usually close? Look for consistency when you ask this question. The video production company might have deeper problems if they consistently run over their budgeted time.
Who Do You Think of as an Ideal Client?
Most people do not ask this question, but it can indicate what they expect from you as a client. Make sure that they do not have unrealistic standards. This can cause problems during production and post-production.
Who Retains Copyright?
Although you might think you own the rights to your video, this may not necessarily be true. Copyright is usually stipulated in the contract you sign before production begins. A video production company will do this to fill their portfolio and highlight their work. This is also a good time to ascertain whether they plan to use your video for their own marketing and promotion purposes. It is usually fine if they intend to unless you decide that it is not something that would benefit your company.
How Do We Communicate?
An important aspect of video production is communication. Knowing how you and the video production company will share information helps you understand how they will update you on their progress. Some production companies use online means such as email or their website, while others prefer in-person meetings and phone calls.
Knowing your contact person is also extremely important. Consistency is essential and cannot be achieved if you are always talking to different people. Having one point of contact between you and the video production company is always better.
How Often Will I Receive Updates?
Another part of communication is how often the production company will update you on their progress. Any video production will take time, and progress reports are a must. This helps build the relationship between the company and the client and allows you to make corrections during production when necessary.
Do You Provide Revisions?
In a perfect world, the video will be excellent the very first time. Unfortunately, revisions are often necessary. Hopefully, you can catch things that need to be changed early, but when you need to make a change for whatever reason, it is important to know if revisions are factored into the cost or if they are extra.
What Would You Want From a Video Production Company?
Although this might seem like a strange question, it will give you an idea of how the person you are communicating with feels about their business and their work. Most video production companies welcome the chance to tell you about their products and services. An in-depth interview is sometimes the best way to understand what a video production company has to offer.
At MatchPoint, we are always happy to answer all of these questions to be best of our ability. Video production is what we do, and we love discussing new projects. If you have a project that you are considering, contact us anytime. We are always happy to help.
Sources:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/ryanrobinson/2018/12/13/small-business-video-marketing/
https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/243236
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/why-hire-video-production-company-joshua-otis-miller/
https://www.forbes.com/sites/ryanrobinson/2018/12/13/small-business-video-marketing/
