The top 3 questions to ask your video production company before hiring them

With the rise of video marketing, video production has become more sought-after than ever. Brands realise they need a high-quality, professional video to stand out. To be taken seriously, it’s no longer acceptable to film a video on your smartphone and quickly edit it before posting online. As more videos are posted every day, consumers are paying their attention only to higher quality ones.

Turning to a professional agency for corporate video production has, therefore, become commonplace. But you shouldn’t partner with just any video production agency. You want to work with a company that understands your messaging and goals, which can deliver results. So whether you are looking for production companies in London or companies in New York, you want to be assured that you are getting the best quality for what you need. To find such an agency, you should ask three main questions in your search.

What’s Your Process?

When shopping around for a video production agency, you’ll likely look at their reel to see what types of videos they create. You shouldn’t only choose an agency based on their final products, though. You don’t know if, when creating those videos, they stayed on schedule and on budget. You’re also unaware of how many edits or revisions it took to get to the final video. A good business partner will have their process streamlined, with all the potential issues worked out ahead of time. A video agency is no exception.

At the first consultation, a video agency should be able to walk you through their basic process. A video contains several parts that must be completed by specialists, like camera operators, scriptwriters, set designers, actors, or animators. You should ask who is responsible for all these aspects, as well as how involved your team will be. It’s also prudent to ask about revisions. If you’re unhappy with the first version, are you allowed a certain number of edits?

It’s reasonable to inquire about a potential client’s business model before agreeing to work with them. In the case of video production companies, it’s also practical to ask about their familiarity with marketing. Video marketing becomes increasingly significant in today’s digital marketing landscape, so videos must meet certain standards in order to bring in ROI. Ask your prospective video company what their experience is with producing videos for online consumption. If they’re unaware of current trends or how to optimise a video for the web, that could be a red flag. Fortunately, there are video production agencies similar to Out of the Dust Marketing & Communication, a jacksonville video production marketing agency that is up to date with the latest trends and development of video marketing.

What Have You Worked on Before?

By inquiring about a video agency’s marketing background, you’re asking if their services correlate with your goals. Assuming your aim is corporate video production for promotional purposes, posing questions about video marketing is appropriate. Your goal might not be a promotional video for online consumption, though, or it’s only your main goal. As a business owner, you likely have several objectives you’d like your video to meet, like boosting sales or generating leads. With these aims in mind, you should ask a video production agency what they’ve worked on before.

If they don’t have experience working with clients in your industry it’s not a dealbreaker. What you’re looking for is if they’ve created the type of video that interests you. Maybe you want an explainer video for your website’s help pages, or perhaps a conference film to send to your email subscribers. You should pay attention to the type of stories they tell with their films, but you should focus more on how they tell those stories.

Can I Get a Quote?

Pricing is probably the first question that comes to mind when looking for video agencies. It’s understandable that you have a budget you must adhere to, but don’t eliminate options just because of their price. Find out what’s included in their figure. If their price is high but they’re able to break down the costs exactly, then they’ll be much better to work with later on. Agencies that give you a number without backing up why are risky. You don’t know which services are included or if you’re allowed to make modifications.

Companies that take time to educate you on their pricing model are also likely to be more process-oriented. You should consider how they break the project up – are there phases for pre-production, filming, and post-production? Another aspect to ask about is itemized pricing. Are they charging you per day of filming or per minute of edited footage? With this approach, you can see exactly where you’re investing your money.

Final Thoughts on Questions to Ask a Video Production Agency

When partnering with new agencies for your business, it always pays to be aware. Asking about process, previous work, and price will help you suss out the best video agency for your needs. At CoolBox Films, a video production company in Brighton, we encourage our clients to ask questions. We aim to be as upfront as possible with our services, because that’s how the best videos are produced.