So your company has a video project that they'd like to see produced. Maybe it's web video content, possibly it's an internal video for sales training, or you want to capture an upcoming corporate event.
What's the best way to go about finding a reputable video production company to contract? Secondly...what should you be looking for?
Here are 5 pointers.
1. Naturally the easiest way to search for a video production company is to Google keywords relevant to your region and then add video production or videographer, post-production. Targeting your specific area of production is a good idea as well. You can include marketing or corporate video, or web video if that pertains to your needs. Another idea...don't forget about YouTube. YouTube is the 2nd largest search engine in the world and you'll be sure to find several video production companies in your area on YouTube simply by typing in the appropriate keywords in your search.
2. Make sure their experience is aligned with your project. Today there's a lot of video production companies in the communication business. Most companies target a specialty area they're comfortable with and build their experience in that niche. Never assume that just because a group is experienced in video production that they can automatically handle your project. For instance there are some companies that specialize in event videography...they make beautiful wedding videos. Do you want to hire them to produce your marketing video? No. That may seem like a no brainer...but there are horror stories out there where an organization made a poor choice and as a result they suffered from the experience. Narrow your choices down to 2 or 3 companies whose focus meets the type of work you need produced.
3. After you've determined the companies that match up with your needs, review their work. Every video production company should have video projects that you can view on their website. Analyze their strengths...what do you like about their work? Make a list and interview the companies. Ask who will be your point person for this project. Ask to talk to their clients.
4. Provide a scope of work for the companies you've narrowed your list down to. Ask for a budget. At this point the knowledgeable companies will emerge. They'll begin to ask pointed questions about the objective of your video, the target audience, the distribution of the video and your expectations. If they don't that should raise a flag.
5. When you're received the bids ask yourself who you feel most comfortable with. Who do you have the most trust in? Often times companies that promise too much or don't ask enough questions won't be able to deliver. Something else to consider are people skills. Naturally quality of work is important, but who communicated the best? Who do you feel most comfortable with especially if they're working on a project where senior management or the owner of the company is involved. Quality is important but so is integrity and reliability.
Follow these 5 key points and always trust your instincts. Producing a good video takes patience, creativity and good judgement. Best of luck!
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