When you are looking for your video production company, knowing what to look for to see if they are a good fit for you can be important. Here are some items you should consider when looking for a video production company for your business.
Do you like their work, and is there work readily available to see on their website?
This seems obvious, but it can be easy to be captured to a slick website, nice reviews, and some cool pictures of them working or posing next to some recognizable faces. You don't want to count out those things entirely, but at the end of the day you are receiving a product. If you don't like what they have done for other clients, there is a good chance they won't measure up when it comes to your video.
If you have to ask to see their work, it can mean that they're embarrassed of their own work. If they don't like the work they do - chances are neither will you.
Are they responsive?
If you contact a video production company and they can't seem to get back to you in a timely manner, don't chase them. If they aren't responsive now, they likely won't become more responsive over time. This could put unnecessary roadblocks in front of your video project reaching completion.
Do you like the people?
When looking for a video production company, you should always meet with them first if you can. Meet the key people who will work on your project. They should be easy to work with, easy to talk to and be open and honest about their process. No matter how responsive, or how great their work is, if you don't like spending time with them at the beginning you and your team probably won't like them later when they ask for a 10th take and seem like you're wasting their time.
Are they experienced, but not too rigid?
This can be tricky. After working in video production for long enough, you anticipate obstacles and plan for solutions. You've failed so many times that its hard for you to find a new way to fail. However, when you become afraid of failure and only go for the tried and true methods you can become stagnant. If you have a cool shot in mind and they flat out say it can't be done or push you hard to a safer choice - it may mean that they are afraid of trying something new. They know what they can do, and they probably do it pretty well. You want your video production company to be creative, adaptive and experimental when its called for. An experienced video producer will get excited if you ask them to do something they've never done before and will likely live up to the challenge. This is true because even if they have never done something before, they have enough experience to have multiple solutions in their back pocket and to know that even if things go terribly wrong - your video will not suffer the consequences.
The Price is Right...or is it?
If they're charging the highest price in the market they must be good, right? This may be true. You certainly don't want the bargain video production company do you? Probably not. If you get through the other items, and say "This video production company looks great!", but look at their price and have to scrape your jaw off the floor its either for one of two reasons. It may because you had low expectations going in or the price is just so overwhelming you can't believe anyone would pay for it. What's right for you may not be what's best - just best for you. If you need the absolute best, it will no doubt be expensive. If it feels like you can't afford to work with them, you shouldn't unless you can see the value of that price. Any good production company will want to give you value - even if it means ultimately losing you as a client. Not every video will be the next work by Scorsese or Spielberg and that's okay. When looking for a video production company - look for a company that shows they're worth MORE than what they charge. If they charge $1,000 or $10,000 or $100,000 they know what they're worth - but the company that can deliver above expectations on a consistent basis is one that's always worth coming back to.