Choosing a video production company is a serious and big decision as the budgets also usually are considerable. It is important to make sure that you find a video production partner that is the right fit for your project and your brand. In this blog post we will discuss 10 questions to ask when choosing a video production company as your partner for a video project:
- What is your experience in video production? How many years have you been in this field?
- Do you have any samples of your previous work that match with what I am looking for?
- Do you have any client reviews?
- What are your rates for video production?
- What is your process for video production?
- What equipment will you use?
- What are your video production turnaround times?
- What are the video production formats that you deliver in?
- What kind of post-production services are included (editing, colour grading etc)?
- How many changes can we make after the first edit?
Now let’s dive deeper and see each of the questions in detail.
Question 1 – What is your experience in video production? How many years have you been in this field as a video production company?
The answer to this question will give you insight into the level of experience your potential video production company has. It is important to make sure that you are working with a company which has a significant amount of experience in video production, as this will ensure a higher-quality final product. These days video production equipment is very much cheaper than it used to be even 10-15 years ago, therefore the entry into the field is much more easy than it was before. From one side this is better as more people can enjoy creative careers, but from the prespective of companies seeking pro service providers it can be detrimental. Currently there are many freelancers and “companies” out there who have just recently bought couple of items of video kit and watched a couple of YouTube videos and already advertise as professional video producers. To avoid hiring someone like that, make sure to ask what experience do the people in the video production company have. Have they worked in TV? How many years? Have they worked in an advertising agency? What roles they had when they were employees? These and similar questions will help you determine the level of expertise the company has.
Question 2 – What kind of videos do you specialize in producing? Do you have any examples of your work that I can see?
This question will help you to understand what kind of videos your potential video production partner is capable of producing. It is important to make sure that they have experience producing the type of video that you are interested in, as this will impact the quality of the final product. Seeing examples of their work will also give you a better sense of their skills and abilities.
Question 3 – Do you have any client reviews?
When you’re looking for a video production partner, one of the best ways to gauge whether they’re the right fit for your project is to see what past clients have to say about their experience. Client reviews can give you insights into a production company’s strengths, weaknesses, and overall quality of its work.
When reading reviews, pay attention to both the positive and negative comments to get a well-rounded perspective. Also, keep in mind that every client’s needs and expectations are different, so one person’s bad experience doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ll have the same result.
You can always reach out to the company directly and ask if they can put you in touch with some references.
Question 4 – What are your rates for video production?
The cost of video production can vary greatly depending on the project, desired quality, and other factors. Rates can also differ depending on whether you’re working with an agency, video production company, or freelancer. When considering video production costs, be sure to ask your potential partner what their rates are and what is included in those rates. This will help you get a better understanding of the overall cost of the project.
video Question 5 – What is your process for video production in your video production company?
It is important to ask a prospective video production company about their process for video production to get a sense of how they will approach your project. This question can also help you to understand what the company values in terms of quality and creativity. For example, a process can involve initial meetings, clarifying the brief, scriptwriting, storyboarding etc. Larger projects will involve all of these stages and more, but smaller projects can be more simplified.
Question 6 – What video equipment will you use?
Asking your prospective video production company what equipment they use is important for a few reasons. One reason is that you want to make sure that they have the right tools for the job. Another reason is that you want to make sure that their equipment is compatible with your own. For example, if you are shooting a video in 4K, you will want to make sure that the production company has 4K-compatible cameras. Finally, you want to make sure that the company is using up-to-date equipment. This will ensure that your video looks as good as possible.
Question 7 – What are your video production turnaround times?
The turnaround time for a video production project will vary depending on the scope and size of the project. However, it is important to ask your prospective video production company what their typical turnaround times are so that you can get an idea of how long it will take for your project to be completed. This question is important to ask so that you can ensure that your project will be completed in a timely manner.
Question 8 – What are the video production formats that you deliver in?
The format of the video is important to consider because it will determine how the final product will appear. The three most common video formats used for business videos are MPEG, WMV, and AVI. You want to make sure that the company you choose can deliver the format that you need.
Question 9 – What kind of post-production services are included (editing, colour grading etc)?
It’s important to ask what kind of post-production services are included because it can make a big difference in the quality of the final product. If you’re looking for a high-quality video, you’ll want to make sure that the production company you choose offers editing and color grading services. These services can help to take your video to the next level, and they can make a big difference in the way that your video is received by your audience.
Question 10 – How many changes can we make after the first video edit is done?
When you are working with a video production company, it is important to have an idea of how many changes you are allowed to make after the initial edit. This will help you to know how flexible the company is and if they are able to accommodate your needs. It is also important to ask why this question is important to ask. This will help you to understand the company’s process and how they value customer satisfaction.
Final Thoughts
Every business deal has 2 sides – the seller and the buyer. And both have responsibilities to fulfil in order for the deal to be completed successfully. The seller must be transparent about what they offer. But the buyer also must take full responsibility for doing adequate research and exercising critical thinking before making a purchase. Asking some crucial and probing questions can help a buyer to understand a video production company better before hiring them for their services. We hope these 10 questions can help you to get a better deal when hiring a video production company in the future.