Ask The Studio The Right Questions
Not all video production studios tell the same types of stories. Make sure that they have portfolio examples similar to your end goal. An amazing wedding videographer may not be the best option for your corporate recruiting video or marketing project. Houston is known for its innovation in energy, technology, engineering, and business. Video production companies in Houston, Texas have special expertise in B2B marketing. Here’s a guide on how to sift through the options.
If you don’t see exactly what you’re looking for, just ask! Video production studios probably have examples of work not listed online that may be very similar to your vision. Understand that each project is unique and custom, and that you will not always find an apples to apples comparison. Look for high-level similarities, not super specific details.
When searching for a studio to work on your project, it is beneficial to look for ones that have experience on similar projects. However, past work is not a guarantee that future work will be the same. Ask about their work on specific projects, what materials were needed, the time it took to finish, and any issues that arose. Some video production studios outsource some or all aspects of video production to contractors that may or may not be available for your project.
It is important to make sure the studio you choose has the capacity and resources to complete your project in a timely manner. Ask about the studio’s overall production process and the type of equipment they use. If your project has a hard deadline, like for an investor meeting or trade show, ask how the studio can guarantee your project will be finished on time. Get references from past clients and ask about their experience with the studio.
Is The Studio Asking The Right Questions?
The best video production companies will help you with your digital marketing strategy – not just point a camera. The right production partner will be with you to brainstorm and improve upon ideas that you present them with. Be open to alternative solutions, like animation, if it makes the most sense for your story. It’s easy to get distracted with a studio who advertises large crews with expensive camera gear. Make sure that they have expertise with telling compelling, memorable, meaningful stories too.
The video production company should be asking about your target audience, where the video will be played, goals of the video, who your competition is, and what the key selling points of your product are. They should also be able to help you identify and address potential objections from your target audience and how to incorporate those solutions into the video.
The best creative partner will tell your story from your client’s perspective. Sorry, but nobody cares about your origin story, or how well you’re doing as a business. Your customers care about how your product can solve their problems, make their lives easier, and make them money. Find a video production studio that has experience figuring out how to make your customers the hero of your story.
Finally, they should be able to ensure that the video is optimized for all of the various social media and trade show platforms where it will be played.
Know Your Video Budget
Clients don’t always know how much a professional video costs. Having a ball-park idea of your video budget before interviewing studios can give you an advantage. Studios that estimate significantly over or under budget may not understand the assignment or they may not be a well qualified or the best fit to tell your story.
There are many factors that go into estimating costs for a project, including:
- Location(s) of the video. If airfare and travel arrangements are needed for a multi-person crew at a multi-day, multiple location video shoot, costs can stack up fast! One way to reduce this cost is to limit the number of locations or travel to the video production studio instead. It is often more expensive for the video crew to travel to you because video equipment has to be checked on the airplane and a large van may need to be rented.
- Set Rental and props. Depending on your story, you may need to rent a space and/or populate it with props. Peerspace is a great resource for finding unique and beautiful spaces to rent for your video if your office or warehouse isn’t camera-ready.
- Quality. You get what you pay for, and some studios charge a premium for their superior quality work. Hiring a highly-rated studio with a killer portfolio may seem more expensive up front. Consider the alternative of spending weeks managing a low-cost and low-quality studio that produces an unusable video.
- On-Screen Talent. If you have a product that needs to be modeled or presented, you may need to hire an actor. The right video production studio will be able to consult with you on hiring the appropriate talent for the story. Actors are typically hired per half-day and their rates vary based on their experience and demand. Make sure to read the fine print of their contracts. Some talent agency contracts do not automatically allow you to use the final video in perpetuity- you have to pay extra for that!
- Size of the video production crew. Compare proposals for several video production studios to make sure they’re offering an appropriate crew size. You do not need a 7 person crew to collect b-roll at your office. In contrast, 1 person cannot do an executive interview by themselves. If you suspect too many people are included in the bid, ask the studio what each person’s role is and if they have options for a smaller crew to reduce the price.
- Turnaround. Some video production studios charge rush fees for tight deadlines because they need to source contractors or work overtime on short notice. It’s important to factor in the turnaround time for projects and add more time for any potential delays (like weather, or your CEO we’re supposed to be interviewing gets sick or double booked)
- Added visual effects. In some cases, stories require a bit of movie magic. If you have a story that needs animated overlays or special effects, you’ll need to budget for that. And if you’re working with a studio without animation experience, you may need to factor in longer turnaround times for them to secure a qualified contractor.
- Revisions. The more revisions you request, the longer the project takes and the more it will cost. Working with a video production studio that has a clear and robust pre-production process will help reduce the need for revisions later. Be sure that the production studio includes revisions in the proposal so you don’t get surprised by additional costs.
Figure out a realistic range for your video project. For reference, an effective two minute corporate overview video with interviews of a few of your key executives at your local facility ranges between $12,000 and $25,000. More elaborate videos that require extensive travel, special effects, or or on-screen talent could be $50,000. An internal video message from the CFO highlighting the company’s profits for the year could be as little as $4,000. Discuss your budget and get a quote to make sure that the production studio you choose is within your price range.
What To Do Next
If you’re local to Houston, Tx, and need a marketing video, you’re in luck! There are many great video production studios to choose from that specialize in B2B and B2C marketing. Search for topics like “Video Production Studios in Houston” or “corporate overview video company” to find the most relevant portfolios to compare.
If you’re not in Houston, don’t worry! We have extensive experience traveling with a lean crew to your location. Motion Giraffx can provide a free consultation and a quote for you to make an informed decision.
