Top 10 Mistakes People Make When Hiring A Video Production Company
These days, businesses are dedicating more and more of their marketing budgets to videography.
And with good reason – video marketing has proven to be very effective at converting customers and a worthwhile return on investment.
But, not every business has the resources to handle their video production in-house.
When this is the case, a business can make the decision to outsource their video marketing to a professional video production company.
The problem is that often times, the company doing the hiring doesn’t know all that much about video production, or how to hire the right video production company for them.
This is understandable, as videography is a specialized field and it is an industry that is constantly evolving.
When making a big investment, such as hiring a video production company to handle your company’s video marketing campaign, it is important to be informed before making a decision.
Here are 10 of the most common (and avoidable) mistakes that businesses make when hiring a commercial video production company…
1. NOT HIRING FOR NICHE
It is important to understand that no two video production companies are created equal.
That doesn’t necessarily mean that one is better than another, but it does mean that they will likely specialize in different aspects of video production.
If, for instance, the commercial video you want to produce requires a lot of animation, then you should hire a video production company that specializes in animation.
On the other hand, if you require an original jingle or musical score, then you need to hire a video production company with a strong creative audio department.
Know your specific needs, and hire someone who specializes in meeting those needs.
2. NOT CONSIDERING BIG STUDIO VERSUS BOUTIQUE STUDIO
When it comes to hiring a video production studio, size matters.
There are both pros and cons to hiring a big production studio, as there are to working with a small boutique-style videography company.
The advantage of a big studio, of course, is that you’ll have access to more equipment, crew, and other resources.
On the other hand, your budget won’t go as far as it could with a smaller boutique.
Some big production companies won’t even touch projects with what they consider to be smaller budgets – say, of less than $10,000.
With the smaller, boutique-style video production companies, you tend to get more personalized services from your crew.
Also, if your budget is on the smaller end, a boutique production company might better be able to accommodate your needs.
You’ll often find that with smaller production companies, you’ll get more individualized attention for your money.
3. HIRING THE LOWEST BIDDER
More often than not, hiring the production company that comes in with the lowest price is a recipe for disaster.
If someone’s price estimate is remarkably lower than that of everyone else, chances are they either do low-quality work, or they don’t know what they are getting themselves into and are going to under-deliver.
When this situation arises, find out where they are cutting costs. Then ask yourself, is it worth it to you to cut these corners?
Often times, simply spending as little as $500-$1,000 more so that the crew can hire an extra set of hands, or upgrade their equipment, will deliver exponential added value to their client.
Someone coming in too low is a red flag that should not be ignored. Proceed with caution.
4. HIRING THE FIRST VIDEO PRODUCTION COMPANY THEY FIND
Hiring the first video production crew you talk to may not be in your best interest.
There are a lot of factors to consider, such as if they are the right company to produce your business marketing video and are these people you are comfortable working with?
It is advisable that you get quotes from at least 3-4 video production companies and then carefully analyze what you would be getting in each case.
It is advisable that you get quotes from at least 3-4 video production companies and then carefully analyze what you would be getting in each case.
Remember to compare “apples to apples”.
For instance, if in one case you are getting a three-person crew to handle the various aspects of lighting, audio, and equipment, understand that this is more valuable to you as a client than getting a one-person crew to handle everything.
5. HIRING SOMEONE WHO DOESN’T OWN THEIR OWN STUDIO OR GEAR
Depending on the specific needs of your production, you may find it both more time-efficient and cost-effective to hire a video production company that owns their own equipment, transportation, and studio space.
Reducing the cost of rentals means that you can re-invest that portion of your budget into another aspect of production – for example, post-production effects and editing – which means getting more value for the budget.
6. HIRING SOMEONE WHO CAN’T ACCOMMODATE YOUR SCHEDULE
Depending on the specific needs of your production, you may find it both more time-efficient and cost-effective to hire a video production company that owns their own equipment, transportation, and studio space.
Reducing the cost of rentals means that you can re-invest that portion of your budget into another aspect of production – for example, post-production effects and editing – which means getting more value for the budget.
7. FALLING TOO HARD FOR THE SIZZLE REEL
A sizzle reel is basically a slickly edited highlight reel of a production company’s best work.
It is a great way to give a quick overview as to what can be accomplished by the production house: it can demonstrate the scope of their work, their various skills, and an overview of the clients they’ve worked with.
However, it should not be the only determining factor when deciding on who to hire to shoot your business marketing video.
When hiring a studio, you should look for someone who can complete a project that is comparable to the one you are planning.
Some people make the mistake of falling in love with the idea of working with a videographer that has worked with a big brand, or can do some special effects that are not even required for their own project.
Keep your project and its needs in focus when hiring. See completed final work that aligns with the goals you have in mind for your own business video. Don’t just rely on the sizzle reel.
8. NOT HIRING LOCALLY
Don’t assume that just because you don’t live in Hollywood, or some big city, that there are no quality production companies nearby.
What you may not realize is that when you hire a video production company from out of town, they often subcontract locals in order to save on costs.
So, in other words, you’d be inadvertently hiring locals anyway, but for more money!
Plus, you’ll likely be spending more on travel, accommodation, rentals, and other things that wouldn’t bring your production real value.
9. OVERLOOKING THE IMPORTANCE OF EQUIPMENT
High-quality video production calls for high-tech, and often expensive, equipment.
It is advisable that you ask a video production company about what sort of cameras and gear they intend to use for your production.
Do not assume that you will be getting the same gear that was used to produce the sizzle reel – always ask!
10. OVERLOOKING THE IMPORTANCE OF CREW
You could put the newest, most expensive camera in the wrong hands and end up with a terrible video.
Are your crew members experienced and skilled?
Do they listen to you and understand the story you want to tell with your video?
Are they interested in producing a video that will get you the desired results?
Are they communicative and pleasant to work with?
Equipment is important, but so are the people you hire.
JUST THE FACTS
When hiring a video production company to produce your business marketing video, make sure you:
- Hire someone who specializes in the right niche.
- Don’t hire a big studio if a boutique-style production company is better suited for your needs.
- Don’t automatically hire the lowest bidder, or the first video production company you talk to.
- Consider the advantages of hiring someone who has their own equipment and space, and who can accommodate your schedule.
- Don’t be easily seduced by a videographer’s sizzle reel, and hire locally.
- Ask lots of questions about the video equipment and crew.
By avoiding these common mistakes, you should be able to find and hire the right video production company to produce your business marketing video.