With so much choice, it may seem like a minefield if you’re deciding which company to choose to make your video, but these simple tips will help you narrow down the field to a point where you can ask a more manageable number of companies to pitch their ideas to you.
Portfolio
First, look at the films they’ve already made. Not showreels – anybody can put together a stunning showreel with bought-in stock footage and some editing software. Instead, look for examples of films that have been made for real clients. Films that people have paid for and are happy with. Most videos are bespoke – so it’s very unlikely you’ll find a company who’ve made exactly the film you want. What you’re really looking for is film that looks good, that you’d be proud to see representing your business or organisation and that shows the film maker understood their brief. You should also look for a range of treatments within their portfolio that showcase interesting and creative work.
Recommendations and references
Just like tradesmen, a good recommendation from a happy client is often the best indicator of a quality production company. Again, that client may not be in the same sector as you and may well have had very different requirements, but the qualities you want them to describe in your production company are creativity, flexibility, reliability and adhering to budgets and deadlines. It’s likely you’ll be working quite closely with them over a period of time, so a good fit with your organisation’s culture is important.
Results and Value
Proving a video’s value can be difficult. It’s not about how little or how much a film costs, but the results that that film delivered. That might be how many people the video reached, or if training objectives were met, any feedback from audiences and if possible any tangible results. A decent production should be checking that their films do offer value, and looking at ways to get the most out of their clients’ investment. That might be suggesting ways to use material in different ways on different platforms, offering advise on how best to distribute material and ensuring your video remains up to date. So make sure you ask the production company to demonstrate how they ensure their video’s offer value for their clients,rather than asking how much they cost.