In a 3 part series, Chris Deakin tells us everything you need to know if you're thinking about having a video produced for your company. This week they talk about things to consider. 

1) Clarify what you want to accomplish and determine what resources you have available to you.  For instance, do you want to demonstrate products, build your brand, attract new clients or train staff?

If you only have £500 to spend, you won't be able to have the fifteen minute video you were hoping for, or do you want a thirty second advert with animations and voiceovers?

If you don't clarify what you want and keep changing the goal posts when production is underway, it will add to the costs considerably and to the quality of the finished product.

2) Don't immediately go for the cheapest option.

The video will be a representation of you and your company.  If the footage looks amateur, it will reflect on yourself, and more often than not it will need to be re-done by a Professional Production Company.

(It is worth mentioning  the many times I have been asked to attend  meetings to discuss re-filming a video which had already had £750 sunk into somebody's friend's pocket as they had been originally asked to make it because they were cheap.  In every circumstance the videos had not been made, and usually about 6months had passed since the money was handed over)!

3) Don't immediately go for the most expensive option.

In many cases you don’t need a massive production to get a message across, and you won't need Steven Fry to be the voice over or to have The London Symphony Orchestra to score the music.  You might just need something simple, short and to the point.  

4) Be available to supply the resources that the production company needs.  This can include everything from access to people, locations, logos, brochures, background history, photographs, marketing literature and particularly your ideas and thoughts. It will save time and consequently keep costs down.

Remember, the finished product will represent both your company, and the Video Production Company who produced it.

It will be a collaboration of your products/company, combined with their skills in demonstrating what you have to offer.

On all the video projects Chris Deakin Productions has been involved with over the years, however simple or complicated, it has always been a partnership between ourselves and our client in order to make us both look good.