Table of Contents
What Is A Video Production Company?
A video production company specializes in producing high-quality and well-directed videos in a digital format, most often for the purposes of marketing and branding.
These teams of experienced creative professionals start their projects by creating a unique story.
Following this, they film the story in a way that is easy to understand but also compelling enough to engage the brands’ intended audiences.
What Do Video Production Agencies Do?
They create different types of videos, such as:
- Onboarding videos
- Demo videos
- How-To’s
- Motion graphics and animation
- Brand videos
- Commercials
- And more
While covering all the stages of the video production process, including:
- Having creative consultations
- Developing strategies
- Creating initial concepts
- Writing scripts
- Performing pre-production planning
- Booking on-screen talent
- Scouting and securing the filming locations
- Selecting music
- Shooting videos
- Editing videos
- Distributing videos
- And more
Unlike regular specialized agencies, full-service video production companies offer a broader range of services and can handle projects end-to-end, i.e. from strategy to marketing.
So, besides the standard filming services, they can also offer:
- Video marketing
- Analytics
They have access to the following talent:
- Photographers who can shoot behind-the-scenes images
- Experts who can storyboard the video
- Writers who can create a script
- A marketing team who can help release the video and ensure it is a success
- And more
Video Production Company vs. Videography Agency: What’s The Difference?
Videographer companies are simply agencies that record or film different life events like weddings, sports matches and dance recitals.
They don’t specialize in strategic branding or marketing.
Unlike them, video production companies develop videos from scratch, meaning they coordinate and manage all aspects of the process, from strategy to promotion.
These specialists:
- Have strong communication skills
- Are good storytellers
- Have a creative eye
- Are able to stick to hard and fast deadlines
- Have analytical skills
...which are key characteristics needed to help businesses craft a message and promote it.
How Much Do Video Production Companies Charge For Their Services?
Needless to say, they can be quite costly. After all, you are paying for the final product - the many hours of work shooting, and editing the video, as well as the large crew.
However, the final price largely depends on how big your project is.
There are a few pricing structures and average costs to keep in mind, though.
The most common pricing plan is the fee per hour. These companies typically charge between $50 and $200 per hour.
Another option is the flat fee. Or you pay a fixed amount for specific services like:
- Video editing ($40 and $125 per hour)
- Camera-trained actors ($50 to $500 per hour)
- Studio time ($400+ per hour)
Why Hire A Video Production Agency?
Before we go into the reasons why you should invest your time and money in a professional agency, let’s look at a few statistics that highlight the role of video content in today’s digital world:
In 2019, people spent 6.80 hours a week watching video content online. (Limelight Networks)
Online video consumption is growing at a fast pace. In fact, since 2016 the average viewing time has grown 59%.
And that’s just one side of the story…
93% of brands claim that they’ve gotten a new customer thanks to a video on social media. (Animoto)
Video is the favorite type of content among social media users.
According to HubSpot, 53% of consumers want to see more video content from brands they support but they will keep their focus on it only if it is engaging.
This highlights the importance of investing in a professional video developed based on research and strategy.
Bottom line: Consumers love to watch videos and videos can influence their buying decisions only if they are engaging and of high quality.
These are the top three reasons why you should hire a video agency:
Reason #1: Have Access To High-Quality Equipment
The videos you take using your smartphone will never be of the same quality as professional equipment can capture.
Cell phone cameras are good for filming birthday parties and opening presents. However, producing videos with them to promote your products or services can turn your efforts into an unprofessional and unsuccessful project.
Hiring a professional company can make all the difference.
They not only have the talent but also the equipment that will give the best results in standards of video quality.
Reason #2: Get High-Performance Video
Working with various clients, these agencies have gained diverse experience in various sectors.
So, their ideas and creativity won’t become sluggish nor lack the proper drive you are looking for.
A part of these professional agencies' work is to participate in conferences and workshops to improve their skills and stay on top of industry trends at all times.
This is how they manage to deliver high-performance videos that help brands reach their targeted demographics.
Reason #3: Reach And Engage The Audience
Branded videos are always based on proper storytelling. And a qualified, experienced agency knows what it takes to share your message.
They will research your demographics, and discover their needs, wants, pain points and challenges.
Then they will create authentic videos and deliver your message across various platforms to trigger an emotional response from your audience.
How To Choose The Best Agency For Your Brand?
Choosing the right partner agency for your brand can be a tricky process.
However, these five steps can help:
Step #1: Decide On The Type Of Video
Before you start searching for a reliable production service to build your visual content, determine the goal your brand needs to reach and the type of video you think would do so.
Research your industry, company type, and competitors to see the content that consumers are gravitating towards, then evaluate if that content might (or might not) work for your business, too.
Step #2: Consider The Timeframe
The amount of time you have to determine a concept, shoot the video and edit several versions will determine the most reliable production service provider you choose to partner with.
Some agencies have faster turnarounds than others or may charge a hefty fee to expedite a project to meet your deadline.
Step #3: Understand If They Have Marketing Expertise
Having digital marketing expertise will help them identify the types of videos that work best on various platforms, the lengths they should be and what particular demographics relate to the best.
Remember, you aren’t creating an artistic film - you are promoting a business. Therefore, every idea - even the creative ones, needs to be rooted in B2B or B2C objectives.
Don’t just rely on an agency to have great shooting and editing skills - an equal amount of strategy needs to be present.
Step #4: Find Out Who Will Work On Your Project
Typically, these companies have varying levels of full-time, part-time and freelance crew members and these might not be the same every time they work to produce a video.
This is why before you sign the contract with a partner, ask who your point of contact will be throughout the project, who exactly will be working on your video and in what capacity.
Step #5: Check Their Past Work
Portfolios and case studies can give you valuable insights into these companies’ previous work. Past work plays a key role in finding out whether they:
- Create content that feels fresh and unique
- Develop videos that look professional
- Can deliver the type of video you need
- Have experience in your industry
- And more
Above all…
These will show you whether these agencies are capable of telling compelling stories.
Stories hold a fundamental place in the human heart.
And what separates a good company from a great one is the ability to share a brand's message and tell an engaging story.
15 Questions To Ask Video Experts Before Hiring One
- What do you think of our visual identity? How do you think a video can help improve it?
- What type of video would you suggest to reach our goal and why?
- How will you define our demographic and pinpoint the key messaging?
- What trends do you think we should incorporate in our video and why?
- Who will be working on this video and what roles will they have?
- What similar projects have they worked on and what was the outcome?
- Do you have an in-house producer? Will your producer work with our in-house producer or point of contact?
- Who will send the call sheet?
- Who will scout and secure locations (permits included)?
- Who handles catering, transportation, props, music playlist, casting and glam squads?
- Who will be in charge of keeping the shoot on schedule?
- What information or assistance will you need from us leading up to the shoot, during, and post-production?
- What is the project cost? Do we need to budget for additional crew members, stylists, and hair and makeup artists, or does your cost include them?
- Does this cost include catering, cost of location, styling and glam items, transportation and props?
- Are there other costs that we should expect to incur throughout the production process?
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