10 Things You Never Want to Hear From Your NY Video Production Company
Creating video content for your business can be very exciting, yet finding the best video production company can often be a daunting task. As the demand for engaging video content continues to grow, so does the pool of video production companies in NY and NJ.
In an industry that’s saturated with options, its more important than ever to find a video production company that will be able to partner with you every step of the way to ensure that your final product will help you reach your intended goals.
To help narrow down your selection when choosing a company to work with, I’ve compiled a list of 10 things you never want to hear from your video production company.
1. No We Can’t
You’ve put a lot of thought into your video and may have very big ideas and expectations. Sometimes, due to logistics, budgetary restraints or simply due to factors outside of anyone’s control you may have to scale back on your wishes; But, an inflexible video production company who says no to your needs without further discussion and trouble-shooting should raise a red flag.
With open, honest discussion and willingness for both parties to compromise, many challenges can be conquered. You should look to find a video production company that will work within your budget to make your dreams as close to a reality as possible.
Sure, maybe you won’t be able to hire your favorite Hollywood actress to star in your video, but your video production company should be ready, willing, and able to help you find an affordable, local actress who has a similar look and attributes that you admire.
2. We’ll Give You The Moon
Over promising without a deep knowledge of the project details can be a red flag. Hear me out on this one… Obviously, you’d like the video production company that you selected to work with to respond with a resounding “No Problem!” to each and every one of your requests, and ultimately to ensure that the end product will be exactly what you are expecting. But be wary of companies that over-promise before they know the true scope of your project.
If you’re looking to make a million dollar video on a shoestring budget, chances are you could be looking at additional costs down the road that you were not made aware of up front. Make sure you and your video production company are on the same page regarding scope, cost, and all project details prior to starting the project.
3. What Does Your Company Do Again?
The ideal video production company to work with should be ready to enter into a relationship with you as a strategic partner, and should educate themselves about what you do and how their video production services can help you achieve your goals. If you’re well into the planning or pre-production stage of your video project, you video production team should know by now what your business is all about.
If your team does not have a clear understanding of your business or marketing goals, they will not be able to help you get the most value out of your video content, and that could potentially cost you in the long run.
4. Nothing
No matter what the industry, there is nothing more frustrating than a company that comes across as indifferent to your needs, or is not responsive to your questions and concerns. If you leave a voicemail or send an email, any company that you work with should respond to you in a timely manner; even better if their response comes back within 24 hours.
The entire collaboration and production process will run much more smoothly if you seek to partner with a company who stays in touch, is aware, and is always ready to help. When trusting a partner with a hefty investment like video production, silence is never golden.
5. It Wasn’t Our Fault
Even with foresight and preparedness, mistakes can be inevitable. Video production has so many moving parts, that production teams are no strangers to impromptu challenges and unexpected surprises. But, when an unwelcome event occurs, passing the buck is unacceptable.
Your video production company should aim to be transparent and communicative. “The show must go on”, and your team should be willing to do everything within their power to keep your lights and camera in-action. Worrying about blame is time wasted, when what is really needed is a solution to whatever problem is rearing its ugly head.
Ask your production company about challenges they’ve experienced in the past, and how they worked to face them. It is imperative to be able to fully trust your video partner, so look for a company who knows how to forge forward in the face of mishaps.
6. We Lost Your Footage
You may be thinking to yourself, “No video production company could possibly ever lose my footage! That would be downright dumb!” You should be correct, but stranger things have happened. A client of mine experienced this terrifying occurrence with a different production company in the past. When starting his current video production project, it took an awful lot of time, persistence, and guarantees of our backup method to convince him that that his footage was safe and secure.
Asking your potential video partner how they backup their files and how they reference archived footage before signing on the dotted line can save you a lot of stress, time, and money in the long run. You should never have to waste any of your own resources to re-capture footage because files were accidentally deleted or lost by your video production company.
7. We’ll Figure It Out At The Shoot
While some small details may arise that need to be ironed out the day of your shoot, your video production team should have the majority of project details and specifics determined prior to your filming day. Things like scripts, shot lists, storyboards, and schedules should be established ahead of time to ensure efficiency and effectiveness throughout your production.
There are several behind-the-scenes elements when it comes to producing a video, and even a single mishap could cause a domino effect that throws the entire day off track. To avoid unnecessary issues, always look for a video production company who is organized and prepared rather than one who prefers to “wing it” come production day.
8. This Is How We Always Do It
While you want the video production company that you choose to work with to be confident in their overall operations, cockiness is never a positive attribute and can only lead to problems down the road. With ever changing technology, it is important to find a video production partner who is ready, willing, and able to change with the times and stay relevant, as well as be open to hearing out new ideas that they may not have considered before. Look for partners who steadfast in their process yet are prepared to bend if it means getting a more desirable end result for their clients.
9. I Didn’t Understand What You Meant Before We Started
Making sure that you and your video production team are on the same page before getting started will not only guarantee a final deliverable that you are happy with, but also it will ensure that additional costs are minimized in the end. If your production company doesn’t understand what you are asking of them, it is their responsibility to clarify any confusion well ahead of time so that your end product meets and hopefully even exceeds your expectations.
Video production can be confusing to companies who have never done it before, so look to find a company that has a clear history and great experience running a variety of types of productions. Make sure you feel confident that your video production company understands your expectations completely before the cameras start rolling.
10. I Don’t Know
It is OK not to know all of the answers right away. But a company who simply says “I don’t know” without following up to provide answers to your questions shows a lack of motivation, and will probably treat your entire project with the same lackadaisical attitude.
You take your company’s image (and investments!) seriously, and the video production company you choose to work with should be dedicated to seeking out the knowledge that you both need in order to determine if you are a good fit for one another.
Finding a video production company for hire in NY or NJ can be challenging, so I hope this info has helped you narrow down some of the attributes you don’t want in a video partner. Remember: seek to find a video production company that is transparent, knowledgeable, trustworthy, and dedicated to helping your company.
