How to Work With a Boutique Video Production Company
Far too often, small-to-medium-sized business owners attempt to learn the ropes about everything related to their businesses—especially branding and marketing. This, unfortunately, leads to thousands of dollars worth of equipment and time wasted, and perhaps even a video that wasn’t exactly what you envisioned.
There are still ways for a business owner to get involved with the creative process, all while entrusting the more difficult aspects of video production with the industry professionals. Before you hastily search “Video Production Companies near me,” first consider these important steps to work with a boutique video company or agency.
Hire a video agency that works in your industry
Boutique creative agencies or companies tend to work in the niche where they have developed the most business in. This might happen by industry, location, or even equipment. For example, companies specializing in drone work and landscapes might not be ideal for an educational webinar or a video that highlights a specific product.
A great way to navigate this is through referrals from colleagues or by doing a little snooping on who some of your competition might be working with. Importantly, you just want a company familiar with your industry so that you can more quickly and effectively get to work on your project.
Research The Company And Review Their Video Portfolio
Once you’ve found a candidate, or multiple if working through a bidding process, it is important for you now to get to know those companies more deeply. The first place to start is with their video portfolio or reel. Is there work similar to what you have already been producing or to what you are envisioning? Consider also the specifics of the content, do they make similar types of advertisements or corporate video?
You might also consider reading into their client testimonials and trying to discern who not only produces incredible content but also has a reputation for being a good collaborator. If you have a good connection with any of their previous clients, consider reaching out and asking some friendly questions about their experience.
Get involved with the ideation and setup of the video
Once you have accepted a proposal it’s time to create! For some, this may seem like a no-brainer, but others may be thinking “if this really is a professional video production company, why should they need any help from me?” However, nothing could be further from the truth.
Be Present In The Writing/Editing Process
All great video content starts with a brilliant idea. The storyboarding and scriptwriting process are what define how your video is going to end up as a finished product, and much of this is up to you to decide. While any qualified boutique video production company will be happy to write a story and script for you if that’s what you need, you run the risk of not getting what you really want even with the best agencies when this is your approach.
A better strategy is to draft the building blocks of your content beforehand, based on your needs and goals. Write the script yourself if you feel comfortable doing so, or simply provide your agency with relevant background information and keep them apprised of your goals with this content. The more you are able to do it ahead of time, the more your boutique production company will be able to take that and really make it come to life exactly how you picture it.
Learn The Value Of Your Equipment
It’s also important, especially when you have been stricter on your budget, to get to know the value of the equipment being used for yourself. While a typical good rule of thumb is to defer to the expert’s judgment when it comes to the right tool for the job, if you better understand what you get from different kinds of camera gear it will be easier for you to plan ahead and budget for yourself.
For instance, if you are planning some really cool slow-motion videography for an exciting new product, you’ll need to be aware that only certain cameras can do this at a higher level. These cameras tend to cost a little more and often require specialized equipment to execute well. It will also help you be aware of the choices your agency is making and the value you are getting from them.
Reviews And Assess After Publishing
While analytics and ROI are something you’ll need to be responsible for, that doesn’t mean you should forget about that agency. If you find that your new video content is succeeding beyond your expectations, it is extremely easy to continue working with that company on simple re-works of that same content for other media. Sharing this data with them will also help them grow and create better content for you in the future.
It’s also worth considering involving your collaborator in data analysis and tracking, when available. Many of these boutique video production companies will also be sophisticated at evaluating performance in the digital area, particularly when it comes to video content. In this way, they can fulfill a dual role of production agency and digital marketing specialist at the very same time (though keep in mind, these services will typically have their own set of fees attached).
Conclusion
In the end, not every boutique video production company is the same and no project is exactly alike any other. Yet these guidelines can help you navigate this complex industry more easily regardless of what sort of video content you are looking for. If you can demystify the experience, it will allow you to get more for your money and create endlessly better content for your brand or vision.
If this seems like something you’re interested in or would still appreciate a little more information about the process of working with a company like ours, don’t hesitate to reach out. Get in touch with us now to discuss what our years of video broadcasting experience and digital marketing expertise have to offer your next campaign or project.
