What to Consider When Hiring a Video Production Company

More than 85% of businesses use video as part of their marketing strategy. Many of these videos are used for social media ads. But companies also post their videos on YouTube and as unpaid content on brand websites, Instagram reels and LinkedIn.

If you want to get in on the game by creating your own brand videos, you may quickly realize that it takes some know-how to transform your vision into a polished video. Hiring the right video production company takes the guesswork out of this process and results in engaging, effective videos that you’re proud to share with your audience.

Why Should You Outsource Video Production? 

Although anyone can put together a video with a smartphone, they can’t always produce a final product that looks professional. There are several benefits to hiring a video production company, including the following:

• Save time and money – It takes about an hour and a half to edit one minute of video. Unless you have a dedicated video production team, you will likely have to sacrifice working on other aspects of your business to create videos.
• Expertise – Video production companies understand the details that go into producing enticing videos. They can optimize the format, camera angles, lighting and script to help you reach your specific goals.
• Professional equipment – You can do a lot with basic, accessible gear, such as ring lights and microphones. But you should upgrade your equipment to take your videos to the next level. A production company already uses state-of-the-art equipment and techniques, allowing you to elevate the quality of your videos without spending time learning how to do so.
• Following trends – Video production companies know what audiences are looking for. They keep track of the current trends so that you always produce timely videos that stand out from the competition and provide what your viewers are seeking.
• Pre and post-production assistance – A professional video producer will help you from start to finish. With some insight into your brand, objectives and vision, they can create the storyboard and script. They’ll walk you through the process of shooting the video and take care of editing, including fine-tuning the audio and visual appeal of the final product.

What to Look for in a Video Production Company

 Hiring the best video production company for your brand involves a bit of research. Use the following guidelines to evaluate each production team that you interview so that you can select the best one for your needs.

Ask for Referrals

Most people start their hunt for a video production company by searching online. While that’s a great place to start, it doesn’t deliver personal recommendations. You may have better luck asking for referrals.

If you have relationships with businesses that consistently publish top-notch videos, ask who they use. Look for production companies that create videos for a similar niche as yours. They’ll understand your goals and know how to incorporate the elements that you need to reach your objectives.

Persue Their Portfolio

A reputable company will make their portfolio available so that you can look into their work. Some questions to ask yourself as you view the portfolio include the following:

• Is the video quality something that I’d be happy with?
• Are their videos similar to my vision?
• Do they create the types, formats and lengths of videos that I need?
• Do I like their style?
• Are they transparent about the pricing and process?
• Do they share client testimonials?
• What do they specialize in?
• Do they have a robust team?

Reach Out to Multiple Agencies

Once you have a list of several agencies that seem to fit your needs, reach out to them. Create a brief that describes what you’re looking for in regard to video production. Your content brief should include these elements:

• Relevant information about your business
• Specs about your audience
• Key messages that you share with your audience
• Formats that you want to use to publish your videos

 When you share this brief with potential production partners, assess how aligned the company is with your vision. Do they immediately come up with ideas to transform an ambiguous vision into specific videos? Are they enthusiastic about bringing these concepts to life?

Ask About Their Process

Video production can feel like a constantly moving puzzle. There are several different aspects that have to come together seamlessly to create a quality product.

Find out how the process works for each company that you interview. Some elements to reflect on are as follows:

• Do they have a robust team?
• What kind of experience does the team have?
• What is required from you during the process?
• Can they provide you with an organized timeline of the process?
• How long will it take to shoot and complete the video?
• Will they provide you with a proposal along with a quote?

Consider Your Budget

The perfect video production company can produce the results that you need for a price that works for you. You should have an idea of your video production budget before you contact these companies. But it’s tough to know how much you intend to spend if you don’t have an idea of what video production costs.

Here are some key factors to consider:

• Video length – Longer videos usually cost more than shorter ones.
• Video format – A video that compiles images with a voice-over will have a different price than a live-action video.
• Technical complexity – Special effects and action sequences require more work than single-background, live shots and may cost more.
• Pre-production necessities – Writing a script, rehearsing and scouting locations can boost the cost of the service.
• Talent – You may need to account for the cost of hiring actors.

Final Questions

Once you have narrowed down your options, you should have a face-to-face meeting with the candidates. Some questions to ask that we haven’t addressed already include:

• How long have you been in the video production industry?
• Have you worked with companies like mine?
• Can you provide references?
• Do you have statistics and analytics to demonstrate the results that your videos achieve for your clients?
• How will you make my video stand out from the crowd?
• How much involvement do I want in the process?
• How much involvement do you expect from me?
• What needs to be included or left out to meet my budgetary needs?
• Can you meet my deadline?
• How much guidance do you offer along the way?
• How will we communicate during the process?
• Will you provide suggestions for publishing and marketing my video?

Once you have completed this process, you should have enough information to make a decision. Before you hire the company, find out how they handle revisions and edits. Will you get to see the rough cut and have a say in the final product? What kinds of changes can you make to the final video if it’s not what you expected?

The most important element is clear communication. If a company answers all of these questions comprehensively, it’s likely that they’ll continue to communicate just as well throughout the process. Make sure that they’re also asking you questions about your brand.

 The best video production company really gets to know your background, goals and style so that they can tailor the production to your vision.