How to Hire a Video Production Company: 8 Tips for New Buyers
How to Hire a Video Production Company: 8 Tips for New Buyers
March 13, 2023 | Gabe Roy
Finding the best video production company in a city near you
Having professional video content for your business is a must for any marketing strategy in 2023 - that’s been well-established. But, if you don’t have an in-house video team - you’re going to need to outsource expert help in your area. Sure, Googling “video production companies near me” is a good place to start, but knowing how to vet the results that pop up is the tricky part.
No two companies are the same
Hiring a video production company that fits your needs and budget can be a challenging process. For example, in competitive markets like Vancouver (a city with a metro population of 2.6 million people) - where there are a variety of companies to choose from - it can be hard to know where to start. While there are many options, it’s important to understand that creative services are subjective by nature. Each business has its own way of doing things - its own specialties, price points, and bandwidth to take on new clients.
Creative services are subjective by nature - that’s normal!
Searching for the right production company to partner with is going to be a different experience than… let’s say… hiring a mechanic. For the most part, auto mechanic services are pretty black and white. They fix cars and they’ve generally been trained to do so in a standardized way. Your only priority as a customer is to find a service that is trustworthy, affordable, and ideally close to your home.
Hiring a creative service-based company - on the other hand - comes with a bit of nuance. Don’t worry - we’re going to pull back the curtain on what this process actually looks like and hopefully remove some of the mystique in the process.
This is the ultimate buying guide for first timers (or anyone, really)
If you’re a marketer, ad agency, or business owner and this is your first time considering hiring a video production company, we’re going to teach you how to be well equipped before you start inquiring with companies in your area.
Identify your goals for the project
It’s important to have a clear understanding of what your overarching communication goals are. This doesn’t mean you should have a video concept storyboarded and ready to be filmed. In fact, you may actually have no clue what type of video would work best for your audience. Maybe you’re simply hoping for an expert to come in and audit your situation in order to provide options for a solution that fits your brand - that’s perfectly normal!
The one thing you should be clear on is - what does success look like to you? Here are some common communication goals brands have when creating video content for their audience:
Increase general brand awareness
Promote a particular product or service
Effectively demonstrate social proof
Promoting brand values
Build support for a cause or campaign
Improve internal communications
Establishing thought leadership
Education
Intrigue potential investors
2. Determine your budget
Before you start looking for a video production company, it's important to determine your budget for the project. As a rule of thumb, the majority of companies typically allocate 25-30% of their total marketing budget toward content creation. For example, say the company you work for just approved $100k for the marketing department to spend on their spring campaign. As the marketing director, you'll likely opt to spend at least $25k of that budget on video content creation.
Having a clear picture of your max spend will help you narrow down your options and ensure that you find a company that can work within your budget. While you should try to keep within your budget limits, be wary of companies that are willing to work for far less than others within a particular market. While hiring a cheaper video production company may seem like a good way to save money, it can often result in lower-quality work. In the long run, this may actually hurt you more than help you.
Source: Content Marketing Institute
Companies that are able to offer creative services for a drastically lower price than their competitors are often less detail-oriented, less experienced, and may not be able to provide much value for your goals. As a marketing professional, you understand that any asset created for a brand should be considered an investment rather than an expense - video content is no different. Bargain hunting shouldn’t be your #1 priority in this process.
3. Look at the company's portfolio and case studies
Once you have a budget in mind, start looking at video production companies' portfolios. This will give you an idea of the company's style, quality of work, and the caliber of their previous clients. Your goal is to make sure that the company's portfolio aligns with your vision for your project.
Remember creative services aren’t black as white - especially in the video world. For example, some companies specialize in high-budget narrative commercial spots, while others are primarily focused on corporate brand videos. Others may even be generalists - providing a wide array of video types for a broad scope of budgets and clientele. And, within that wide range is an entirely subjective way of delivering a finished product.
When going through a company’s “Our Work” page, ask yourself questions like:
Can I see my project in their work?
Do you see something in their body of professional video production work that fits what you’re hoping to achieve? Even if it’s not an exact match, do they seem to have the capacity to deliver what you envision?
How is their overall production quality?
As a viewer, does it feel like you’re watching a professionally produced piece of video content?
Does it feel modern and engaging, or outdated?
Does it feel like content that is elevating the client’s brand overall?
How is their video quality?
Was the lighting flattering?
Was the subject in focus?
Was the camera unintentionally shaky?
Were there any weird, unnatural colors?
How was the overall frame composition?
How about the audio quality?
Was the background music too loud or distracting?
Was voice audio (spoken or voice-over) clear and without background noise?
How is the sound design? (Sound effects, transition sounds, etc.)
Most importantly, was the video effective?
As a viewer, did you enjoy the video?
Was your attention held and was the message delivered effectively?
Were you inspired to take action or did it increase your understanding of the brand, product, or service?
4. Consider the company's experience
It's important to consider a video production company's experience when making your decision. Look for companies that have experience creating videos similar to what you are looking for. This will ensure that they have the skills and knowledge necessary to create high-quality content for your business.
Number of years in business doesn’t necessarily equal quality
While experience is important, the number of years in business isn’t always the best determinant. A production agency that’s been in the business for 15 years doesn’t automatically mean they will provide a better service than a company that’s been operating for just 3 years. In fact, often times it can be quite the opposite. Video production standards are constantly changing - fuelled by access to new camera technologies, software, and evolving ways in which viewers consume video content.
Some older companies may be reluctant to adapt to changing standards and will stick to what’s worked in the past. That’s not who you want to work with. You want a company that takes pride in its craft and aim to find solutions that fit today’s market of online audiences. Be cautious of companies that give off any aura of complacency.
If their online portfolio looks like it was filmed in the 90’s, that’s probably a good hint.
5. Check reviews and references
Social proof is important!
Before making a final decision, check the video production company's reviews and references across various trustworthy sources. A great place to search for reviews is in places like Google Reviews or Clutch. These are two reputable places for finding relevant, verified customer feedback.
You’ll want to find out if other clients have had positive experiences working with them. Depending on the size of the city you’re searching in, as a rule of thumb, look for businesses with at least 15 reviews on Google. That should be a large enough pool size to give you an idea of the company's reputation and how they work with clients.
Some companies will go into further detail on their own websites - providing video testimonials from their past clients and in-depth project case studies. You may also consider reaching out to previous clients to ask about their experience working with the company.
6. Communication is Key
When collaborating with any service-based business, communication is key. Early on in your search, you need to look for signs of how each company approaches client communication. The way they interact with prospective clients is usually a pretty good indication of how communication will go once you’ve signed the contract.
Even if everything else you see on the company’s website seems like the perfect fit for your situation - if communication becomes muddy, unnecessarily bureaucratic, or downright non-existent, this is probably a sign to continue your search elsewhere.
To save yourself a future headache, ask yourself questions like:
Did the company respond promptly to my calls or emails?
When reaching out to a company for a quote, consultation, or audit - was the process clear?
Was my inquiry handed over to other team members throughout the process? If so, did I have to re-explain my situation or were they already briefed on my needs? Having multiple touchpoints during an onboarding process can be perfectly fine, but only if it’s done in a progressive fashion. You want your needs to be heard and your ideas to not fall on deaf ears.
Did they keep their word? If the company said they will respond to your question in 48 hours, but you haven’t heard back from them in over a week this may be a sign to keep searching.
7. Consider the company's creativity
When looking for a credible team to provide your business with professional video production services, it's important to find one that has the creative capacity to bring your vision to life. Look for companies that seem willing to think outside the box and come up with unique ideas for your project.
Remember the thing we talked about in point #4? About complacency? Yes, there are companies within creative industries that would prefer to rest on their laurels and not strive to bring new ideas to the table. Companies like this are more likely to treat your project like an item on an assembly line - offering a cookie-cutter solution that may not be the right fit for your company.
One thing to look for is the range of projects a company is capable of producing. Check out the portfolio on their website. For example, you may notice that they are able to produce high-quality documentary films, corporate marketing videos, and social media ads, as well as eye-grabbing music videos and creative films.
Having the ability to take on a wide variety of projects while maintaining high-end production quality can point to a culture of flexibility and creativity within the company - embracing new challenges and ideas as a team.
8. Ask about the production process
Don’t forget to ask about the production process before agreeing to hire a video production company. You’re likely going to be engaging with this company for at least several weeks. Depending on the scope of the project, it may even be longer. You should have a clear understanding of what input will be expected by you as the client and what you should expect from the company.
You’re also going to want to know when you can anticipate receiving your finished product. As a professional video producer, it can be hard to give precise guarantees, due to the many variables that are involved in the entire process. However, it’s entirely reasonable to ask for estimates.
For example, a commercial concept the creative director pitched may require a scene filmed at a sunny beach. If the forecast is calling for rain during the week the shoot is scheduled, the timeline may be affected. Unless the budget allows for the shoot to be moved to a green screen studio or LED virtual projection wall, production will have to cease until the weather is right.
Here are some questions to ask about a company’s production process:
What is the estimated timeline for this project? How long will this take to prepare for, shoot and edit?
How do you create a video production strategy?
What will you need from me to make this all possible?
How many crew members will be involved?
Who will be the producer for the project?
What are the next steps after signing the contract?
How will I receive my video files?
Feeling ready to start your search?
We hope these tips help you find your perfect match - a video production company that can not only create high-quality video that fits your budget but content that works to effectively achieve your communication goals! Throughout the process, be sure to stay honest with yourself. Remember your goals, budget, and expectations. Trust your instincts, don’t disregard red flags, and most importantly, don’t be afraid to ask as many questions as you need.
Hunting for a 5 star-rated video production company in Canada?
My name is Gabe, and I’m the Creative Director here at Zest Media Productions - a full-service video production company in Vancouver, BC. We offer a wide range of video services and take on all types of creative projects for our wonderful clients - both big and small!
If you’re in the market for some professional video production assistance in Vancouver - or anywhere in Canada for that matter - I’d be happy to offer you a free 15-minute consultation call to learn more about your communication goals. And please… don’t be afraid to ask me all of the tough questions!