A Manager's Guide to Commissioning a Corporate Video - working with the Production Company from the initial meeting to delivery.

A Manager's Guide to Commissioning a Corporate Video

Step 5 - Working with the Production Company

Initial meeting

During this meeting your requirements for a corporate video will be discussed in detail covering the areas discussed in Setting the objectives, Writing a Brief and Setting your Budget. The production company will most likely take this opportunity to find out as much information as possible about your company and may be interested in company logos, graphics used on literature which may be used in the video to enhance your corporate image and contact details of those who will need to be involved during the production process.

This meeting may provide you with the opportunity to meet the people who would be working on your corporate video if the company is commissioned to do so. You will be able to check that you would feel happy to work with this production company to achieve your objectives and confirm the competency of the production company to produce a quality programme to promote your company, products or services.

Treatment and Budget

Following this meeting the production company will usually put together a 'Treatment' or 'Proposal', outlining the objectives of the programme, the means of achieving the objectives, and a Budget. (In some cases, a proposal will have been drafted as part of the quotation process.) From this initial document it should be possible to see how the programme will work. You will have the opportunity to suggest any changes and additions to ensure you are happy that it will meet your objectives.

Signing the Contract

Once you are happy with the Treatment and Budget, the video production company should provide you with a written contract to be signed before any further progression of the project. This agreement should include copyright ownership, time-scales, details of costs, any additional costs and payment terms. Payment terms vary from one Producer to another, but it is generally accepted that a third of the total budget is paid on acceptance of the Treatment, one third either prior to, or immediately after the shooting, and the final third on acceptance of the finished programme.

The Production of your Corporate Video

The degree to which you will be involved in the production of your corporate video will be dependent on how much you wish to be involved and the production company of your choice. This may be something you would want to discuss during your initial meeting with the production company.

However, a production company usually appreciates having a contact with whom they can keep in touch regarding the progress, the scripting, scheduling of key stages in the production and the making of internal arrangements with regard to the Shoot and locations.

You will usually be shown a 'Rough Cut' for your approval (a rough version of the corporate video with music, sound effects, animation and voice-over). You will usually be invited to suggest any small changes at this stage before the 'Final Cut' is produced.

All the best!

We wish you all the best in commissioning your corporate video. We hope this Manager's Guide has been informative and helpful and that your corporate video is a great success.

If you still have any questions about commissioning a corporate video, please feel free to give us a call on 01629 55817.

Click here to download Manager's Guide to Commissioning a Corporate Video