A Manager's Guide to Commissioning a Corporate Video - points to consider when choosing a Production Company .

A Manager's Guide to Commissioning a Corporate Video

Step 4 - Choosing a Production Company

Hopefully, by the time you begin looking for a production company to produce your corporate video you will have set the objectives for your video, you will have written a Brief and you will have a Budget to work to.

You now need to choose a video production company that will produce a professional production, fulfilling your objectives, and providing you with a valuable investment for the future. This can be a rather daunting task, each production company claiming to be the best, but in reality providing a vast range of services and all quoting a variety of prices. This is because producing a programme is an 'art', each production company having their own ideas on how best to meet your objectives. You may be quoted for a simple but very effective programme at a very affordable price, or an elaborate programme with lots of animated graphics, special effects, a well-known presenter, exotic locations etc. with a large price tag.

If you can provide each production company you consider with a Brief, it should ensure that you will be quoted for a video with your specified requirements. If you give the production company an idea of your budget then it may also save you time dealing with quotations that are out of your price range. Having taken these steps should make your choice easier.

Here are some points to consider when choosing a video production company:

• Does the production company have a set of standards to which they work?
  
  
  If you are investing in a corporate video to promote your company, services or products, you should be insisting on a production of the highest quality. Therefore, it is worth considering the standards to which the production companies work and the Codes of Practice adhered to.
  
  Production companies that also work in broadcasting will be familiar with broadcasting standards and are likely to adopt them in all of their productions. They will used to monitoring the quality of both sound and vision throughout thus ensuring a programme of broadcast standard. As your video will be used on a wide range of televisions, plasma screens etc. you will require a programme with as much portability as possible. A video produced with such monitoring will be more accurately reproduced and result in a higher level of consistency in colours and superior sound quality, without distortion, when played on a variety of television sets and screens.



• What sort of equipment will be used for your corporate video?
  
  Some production companies are kitted out for broadcast work and therefore only use professional broadcast equipment for all of their productions. Their cameras will be of the standards required by the large broadcasters, and they will be used to arriving at a location and setting up lighting and audio equipment prior to filming. Others will arrive with a small hand-held camcorder, and no lighting or audio equipment and therefore will be unable to match the quality of images or sound of the broadcast production company.
  
  The camera - Due to sheer number of cameras available it is becoming increasingly difficult for the client to know the difference between a camera suitable for creating a home movie and a professional camera suitable for enhancing your corporate image. As a guide you should expect a suitable camera to be shoulder-mountable, having a removable and interchangeable lens and digital picture processing, recording onto either DVCAM or Digi-Beta tape. Such a camera will have a larger focal plain (capturing a higher resolution image) and a proper optical lens. The sound quality will also be far superior to that of a small hand-held camcorder.
  
  Lighting - Some production companies will not bring any lighting with them or just use an on-camera light. They will be completely dependent on existing lighting and daylight. The quality of their work is likely to suffer - even if the lights in a room are bright, they are often produce the wrong colour temperature and can seriously effect the quality of the images filmed. Other companies will bring a range of professional lighting with them and will plan for the day of the Shoot allowing sufficient time to set the lighting up in order to produce much crisper, cleaner images, thus producing a video of a superior quality.
  
  Widescreen 16:9 - You have a choice of aspect ratio in which your corporate video can be produced, either 4:3 (standard television) or widescreen 16:9. Today, when investing in a corporate video you ought to be making sure it is widescreen from the onset (now demanded by most UK Broadcast Companies, widely used at exhibitions and increasingly used in the home). In order to achieve this it is necessary for widescreen to be supported throughout the production process, starting with the camera. The format of the camera's CCD chip needs to be widescreen, 16:9, in order to capture a true widescreen image. It is sadly possible to use letterbox formats or 'cropping' to stimulate widescreen resulting in substantial loss of picture quality and a drop in resolution.



• What will the production process consist of ?
  
  Check what the production company is really providing as part of their service in making your corporate video as this can vary greatly from one production company to another.
  
  The Script - Occasionally a production company may suggest that a script is not necessary for the production of a corporate video and merely supply you with the narration. The script is the most important document produced by the production company as it provides the core upon which the whole production process is based. It will be used throughout the whole production being the most important source of reference. The lack of structure resulting from working without a script can add considerably to the production and editing time and therefore can actually cost you more in the long term.
  
  The most widely used form of script for corporate video is the 'two-column script' one column containing the visual elements of the video and the other column for the audio content and dialogue. This clearly shows how the programme will be developed.
  
  A script can also be of great importance to you as it provides you with a point of quality control. You will be able to refer to it to ensure you are getting the corporate video that you have commissioned.
  
  If the production company tries to persuade you that a script is not necessary, then it would be advisable to keep on looking for a production company.
  
  The Storyboard - this consists of a series of sketches based on the script and visually depicts where talent and props should be and the flow of action.
  
  The development of a storyboard is not essential in the production of a corporate video, and time and budget often prevent it - developing a storyboard is a very time-consuming task. However, when a storyboard is used it provides a working document which can be referred to when developing the shooting script and even when setting up props and organizing talent on location.
  
  
• Request a show reel or samples from the production company
  
  As every corporate video is unique, it is advisable to ask the production company of your choice for a show reel or samples of their work. Although it is very unlikely that you will see anything the same as you require, it should give you a good idea of the competency and expertise of the production company to produce a professional production.
  
  Do be careful when you request a show reel or samples of work by the production company to ensure that it is representational of their standard of production - a show reel is sometimes produced by freelancers and they may well not be working for the production company when your video is produced. Occasionally, the show reel may even have been brought in specifically for sending out to potential customers and therefore is not even produced by any one working for the production company.
  
  Some production companies do not send out show reels as standard procedure but once involved in discussing your requirements for a corporate video will more more than happy to provide you with samples of their work.



• Can you keep within your budget?
  
  When considering which production company to choose, you may well be quoted a range of differing figures. Be careful not to go purely for the most competitive price but do make sure you know what you are getting for your money.
  
  Insist on a breakdown of the budget before signing a contract. If you are not satisfied with the figure quoted it is always worth trying to negotiate with the production company. There may be the possibility of some discount or reduction in the costs.
  
  Shop around to find a production company that you are convinced will produce a high quality production with competency and expertise, even if it is not the cheapest.



• Arrange to meet the producer to discuss your requirements
  
  Not only should this meeting be very informative for you, but you also will get the opportunity to see if you can work with the production company, particularly if you meet with the people who will be working with you on your corporate video.



• Check on copyright awareness
  
  You should check that the production company is familiar with the copyright law in order to avoid any risk of implication to your company for use of material without clearance.
  
  Prior to commissioning a production company, you should also consider what rights you wish to retain and which rights you will agree with the production company retaining. If the rights are not mentioned in the contract, then technically the production company retains the rights to all footage. Sometimes the production company will retain rights to all unused material and pass the rights to the finished programme to you, apart from any library footage used. Occasionally, a production company may request to retain the rights to use your finished product in their show reel for promotional purposes.



• Is the production company insured?
  
  Check that the production company has the necessary insurance cover before commencing work on your premises. They should be able to provide you with written proof.




• Does the production company have a Health and Safety Policy?
  
  Check that the production company has a Health and Safety Policy and that they are prepared to comply with your company Health and Safety Policy whilst on the your premises.

What happens when you have chosen your video production company?

This will vary from one production company to another - some production companies will expect you to be very involved throughout the production process whilst others respect that your existing commitments may not allow this. However, it is in your interests to work with the production company where necessary.

Next: Step 5 - Working with the Production Company