"How To Pick The Right Video Production Company - Don’t Forget the Intangibles." by Victor Van Rees

You need a marketing, convention, training, or recruiting video.

You’ve worked up a set of specifications – how long, how many shoot days, how much graphic design, etc. 

After receiving three or more quotes, you have to pick one. How do you decide?

Is the lowest price the main driving force, or is it quality (of course, all the vendors profess top quality).  Consider the intangibles.

Creativity – Is your intention a clear, direct presentation of facts and message? Or do you want to make it a memorable impression – have some personality to separate it from the herd?

To determine if your vendor can breath some spirit, excitement, or a unique perspective to your project, ask them to provide samples or a creative approach.

Don’t forget to allow some flexibility in your budget for those creative touches.

Personality – What services a company provide is only part of the relationship. How they provide a service can make a difference.

What about the personality of the producer, editor or the entire production company?  Visit the facility and get a sense of their culture. Do you think you’ll like working with them?

Ask for references. More than anyone, those other groups can give you a great perspective of how a working relationship might evolve. This is an important facet, since you will likely be spending a good deal of time with them.

Finishing, Duplication, Web Posting - Is the vendor truly a full service facility?

A full service post-production facility can truly deliver from ‘script to screen’, and should have the resources to create and distribute your product for your specific need.

Are you playing this video from a computer during a meeting?

Will it live on a large-screen display at your annual event?

How about an HD broadcast commercial? 

Or are you embedding this on your web site?

Do you need DVDs or CDs to send out by the year’s end?

Most in-house production setups, or smaller single-person outfits, do not possess the materials and technology to go seamlessly from the edit suite to your specific distribution needs.

Full-service production facilities can master to most any tape or digital format in standard or high definition, create web-ready video files, embed your presentation within a PowerPoint, develop interactive menu driven DVDs, or provide … well, you name it. 

If you have more complex needs like translation, captioning, package fulfillment or interactive programming, make sure the vendor you choose can manage and direct the process. Think about all your needs and find the vendor who can meet them all.

Special Effects, Animation and Interactivity: Do you want to make an impression on your audience? Will your video have a greater impact through a distinct, creative presentation style that only motion graphic effects or animation can bring?

Blending your branding with animated scenes, aligning your message with the right pace and emotion will let your message resonate more with an audience.

Does the video company you select have additional capabilities to create 2D and 3D animation? Full service post-production facilities generally have on staff motion-graphic designers or animators who specialize in creating impressive or realistic effects, using their skill to blend them seamlessly into a story.

If your presentation will live on a DVD, Interactive programming can transform a ”chaptered” DVD into an interactive experience for a viewer.

Utilizing a combination of technology and skill can separate your presentation from others, reflecting a positive image of your company as a creative, energetic forward-thinking group.

Storytelling – You have a message to send. Make sure your audience both receives and clearly comprehends it. Storytelling is an art requiring talent enhanced by experience. A professional editor or producer understands how an audience receives a message and interprets the varied sights and sounds. Balancing all the elements from effortless pacing to eliciting a specific emotion, are some of the advantages of working with an industry pro. Viewing sample videos can tell you a lot about the story-telling ability of your video company.

Deep Bench – Modifications and deadlines are a fact of life, but will they overwhelm your vendor? Will your facility of choice handle and adapt to immediate turn-around needs or last-minute changes? Do they have ample edit suites, night shifts and additional personnel to meet a too-near deadline or last-minute changes? Or will your project just stand in line, awaiting the next available opportunity?

Cost in dollars is always a major consideration. However, when making your selection, think about the additional impact of time, quality, reputation and stress. Creating a quality video takes a lot of work, but with the right video production partner you should actually enjoy the process.

Victor Van Rees

Vice President Sales and Marketing

EFX MEDIA

2300 South Ninth Street

Arlington, VA 22204

vvanrees@efxmedia.com

phone: 703-486-2303

FAX:703-553-9813

"Well Begun is Half-Done"- Preproduction Planning Guide by Victor Van Rees & Tom Oates

Aristotle, an early proponent of detailed preproduction planning, is credited with the phrase - “Well begun is half done”. Surprises and change orders mid-project tend to derail a production schedule and increase costs. Thinking through all the details of any project will not only keep your production on budget, it will enhance the quality and effectiveness of your video. The following is a check-list of items to consider when planning a video project...

PART ONE: Creative Approach/Messaging

• What is the objective of the video? What do we want the audience to think, feel and do after viewing the video?
• Who is the ideal viewing audience for your video.
• How will the audience benefit from watching the video?
• What key messages do you want to get across in the video?
• Who is going to write the script?
• How much specificity, facts, figures, talking points must be provided to the script writer?
• What is the desired tone, manner and mood for the video?
• Is there any existing video footage or graphics that can be re-purposed in the video? 
• Can stock footage/graphics be utilized in place of original location shooting?
• Have you identified individuals to be speakers in the video?  If so, how people will be included and are there bios and photos available for each person?

 

PART TWO: Production

• What specific geographic and/or building location(s) will be required for shooting the video?
• Will crew travel be a cost consideration – most labor is based upon portal-to-portal?
• Are there additional locations available for b-roll shots or atmospheric shots that might be needed for cutaways - people working, building amenities, etc? 
• Has a shoot location(s) within the building been determined - Rooms/Location
• Is the location ‘noise secured’? (clear of construction/traffic or outside noise, office conversations, elevators, foot traffic)
• Are there windows at the location (will we have to contend with sunlight/exterior lights)?
• Will outlets for lights be available and will there be a building electrician or maintenance person available?
• On the day of the shoot, what hours will we have access to the location? (we may need to arrive early for set-up and stay late to finish the shoot). The crew normally arrives approximately 90 minutes prior to the scheduled “roll tape” time.
• Will the building/location be accessible? (i.e. not locked if it is too early/late in the day)?
• What is the parking & loading protocol? What information will building security need for all crew / vehicles involved?
• Who should the crew contact upon arrival? (name, phone number, email address)?
• Are location or filming permits needed for this location? Have they been filed with appropriate offices? Will copies of the permits be needed on-site during filming?
• Is a separate insurance rider – Certificate of Insurance (COI) - needed for this shoot? Will a copy of the COI be needed on-site?

PART THREE: Post-Production

Prior to editing, all music, graphics and voiceover narration must be finalized.  Plan for  the following items prior to initiating post-production and editing, either before, or as soon as possible after the shoot is completed:

• Do you have specific ideas on music or voice-over talent for your video or would you like suggestions? 
• Is there a corporate branding guideline to be followed?
• What type styles for titles or other text in video?
• What graphic design and colors should be considered for transitions?
• Are their existing charts, graphics or photos to include, and do they need enhancement?

PART FOUR: Deliverables

• What format – DVD or web based?
• Are either custom design labels and packaging required?
• Closed captioning required?
• Foreign language versions required?

Now you have considered nearly every element for budgeting and planning your next video project. You can now expect a more accurate budget, a better production experience and less stress.

White Paper: Save Money with an Omnibus/Ad Hoc Video Support Contract verson II

From Victor Van Rees, VP Federal Marketing, The EFX Company (dba EFX Media)

 

With an omnibus video services contract, similar to contracts awarded to EFX Media by the US Census Bureau, FEMA, OCC and others, Federal agencies can enhance quality, improve efficiency, and most importantly, save money. Oh, and you’ll only have to deal with contracting and price negotiations once every 3 to 5 years. 

Consider bolstering your in-house video capabilities with video services such as: a network of qualified video crews in every state and in fourteen other countries; technical support, such as: editing, interactive programming and animation; and staffing on an as-needed basis, under an IDIQ or BPA contract. When any department requires services over and above your existing capabilities, a vendor, such as EFX, could supply them on an "as needed" basis. 

FEMA has tasked EFX with providing script-to-screen video production services to communicate the importance of and the critical points in following  and complying with the Privacy Act. EFX videotaped in multiple locations, Atlanta to San Diego, and created several videos in a short amount of time . You can view one of the videos at http://www.efxmediatv.com/media.cfm?c=585&m=3124

 You will save money compared to adding staff on a semi-permanent basis for what might only be a temporary spike in activity. A vendor can supply media specialists, designers, producers, editors on a weekly, monthly or annual basis. Further, you would avoid the high cost of retooling your video equipment to keep pace with the latest in High Definition cameras, recorders, editing software, multimedia capabilities, etc. You would have at your fingertips, experienced artists and technicians who can instantly deliver a polished, professional, modern look to your videos. 

Office of the Comptroller of the Currency recently awarded EFX with its second BPA for start-to-finish video production.EFX produced this recruiting and orientation video for bank examiners, shot in various US locations.

Watch the Video at http://www.efxmediatv.com/media.cfm?c=729&m=3237

An extremely important issue is scheduling. How often have you had to postpone communication releases until your in-house shop can work them into their schedule? An on-call full-service production center can deliver rapid-response location shooting, animation, editing and finishing within days, if not hours.

For FEMA, EFX taped training seminars in San Diego, then created a graphic-oriented promotional video to show FEMA stakeholders  the importance of attending orientation seminars. View the video by clicking http://www.efxmediatv.com/media.cfm?c=583&m=3975

The U.S. Census Bureau foresaw this advantage and awarded a contract to our company similar to what was proposed above – location shooting, editing, animation and staffing. The advantage of having a vendor with wide-reaching capabilities such as EFX under contract is you can minimize contracting efforts when sudden needs require immediate response.

Noorvik, Alaska, January 25, 2010 -- EFX provide US Census Bureau with a live satellite uplink from remote Alaskan village of Noorvik . In this photo, Census Bureau Director Robert Groves traveled by dog sled today and visited residents.

 

In addition to providing the U.S. Census Bureau with nationwide location, EFX provided animation, editing, and translation services. The animated video, “It’s Easy” was produced in 60 languages, including a version for the English & Spanish LGBT communities and a version in American Sign Language. View the video at http://www.efxmediatv.com/media.cfm?c=582&m=3160

 Here’s another example of cost effective animation for a government agency.  Touchstone and their OMB client, needed an animated video to simply explain the benefits of cloud computing. The video EFX created was presented on the app.gov website. You can view the animation at http://www.efxmediatv.com/media.cfm?c=582&m=2691

The funding minimum for such a contract can be extremely low, with each task order requiring simplified budget approval. A specially discounted rate card for services and labor categories would be established up front to allow instant cost calculation for task orders. The cost savings would be considerable. 

We can share with you sample discounted rate cards for ad hoc support contracts that have provided other agencies with the efficiency of instant support, enhanced quality, and extremely important budget savings

The EFX Company (dba EFXMEDIA)

GSA Contract GS23F0059P and GS23F0060P (small business set-aside)

EFX Media is one of the country’s leading full service video production and media communications firm with a complete production, post-production, graphic arts and creative department located in Arlington, VA. EFX Media has a team of exceptionally talented, experienced, and dedicated professionals trained in traditional media, the latest interactive and distribution technologies as well as business communication. Our core business revolves around Full Service Video Production, Interactive Solutions, Media Services and Online Video Distribution. We emphasize creating benefits and value for our clients. We have developed methodologies based on industry best practice and years of experience that allows us to deliver quality services. 

We are a small business, on the GSA schedule. Our staff of managers, producers, directors, cameramen, engineers, editors, designers, writers, schedulers, and office staff have been carefully developed to find the most capable and loyal personnel available to manage projects and to best serve our clients. Additional information about EFX and samples can be viewed at www.efxmedia.com. 

Just a few of our clients include: US Army, US Navy, Tricare, FEMA, USDA, OCC, US Marshals Service, Library of Congress, IRS, US Census Bureau, Department of Justice, National Geographic, UN Foundation, Booz Allen, Serco, SRA, General Dynamics, America Online, Exxon-Mobil,, and many others.

Victor Van Rees

Vice President Federal Sales and Marketing

The EFX Company ( dba EFXMEDIA)

vvanrees@efxmedia.com

2300 South Ninth Street

Arlington, VA 22204

Voice 703-486-2303 Cell:   703-447-8950

View our demos at: www.efxtv.com

View our blog at: http://efxmediavictor.blogspot.com/ 

How to Negotiate Best Values from a Video Production Company By Victor Van Rees

Like everyone, you want the best price for the best service and best quality.  How do you make certain the responses to your Request for Quotation serve you well? Here are a few inside secrets from an experienced vendor.

Be clear and explicit in your RFQ: If your bidders have to guess on certain requirements, they will have to include some “pad” in their pricing to cover unspecified elements.  For any variables (shoot days or locations, number of projects involved or type/amount of deliverables), provide a set number.  Although it may not be the exact details you will eventually have, giving a set number allows you to compare apples to apples. Another way to combat vagueness is to ask for additional options (a second shoot day, for example).

If you require music in the soundtrack, stipulate the number of cuts. Include specifications for graphics and/or animation for the opening and transition scenes. The more information you specify, the more accurate a vendor’s quote will be, and the less “pad” the bidder will include in their pricing.

Be flexible with your timeline: If you dictate a tight schedule and deadline, vendors may not be able to give you their best price. Every company has peaks and valleys in their schedule. From a pricing standpoint, allowing them to take advantage of ‘slow’ time with your production can avoid overtime and freelance costs. From a quality standpoint, a flexible schedule will let them utilize preferred editors or crews for your job, who might not be available on short notice.

Look deeper: Don’t just check references. You’ve asked for three references, and you plan to send them confirmation emails, maybe even a questionnaire. Call them. Ask the references if your prospective vendor produced projects similar in style and scope as yours. Ask the references how flexible the vendor was, how creative or eager to please.  Don’t just check on the references, but ask for client contact information for each sample video submitted. You might find the samples look great, but the vendor only provided a portion of the work, or - heaven-forbid - went over budget.  When you view samples, consider the body of work. You may not see a perfect match to your project goals, but you should analyze samples for creativity, polish, storytelling ability, graphics approach, pacing, style and professionalism.

Add a step or two: Take time to make your decision. Allow for time to receive and respond to questions. Consider your review of proposals to be the first step in the bidding process. From your initial selection process, ask for best and final offers from the best three vendors. Ensure you include more specifics about the requirements when requesting the best and final offers. You’ll learn quite a bit from the initial submission, guiding you in fine-tuning your requirements. Consider an oral presentation from the finalists. Meeting face to face with a vendor can tell you a lot about their business sense, professionalism, creativity, and how well you might get along with them. Eliciting answers about approach, or suggestions for value-added enhancements to the project will foster a better production. Plus, you can learn the vendors’ thought processes. Think about scheduling the oral presentation at the vendors’ facility. You’ll get a look at how they operate, meet their entire staff and view their production center.  Remember, you are hiring a company, not just the individual you’ve been negotiating with. If there is only a single edit suite, or only one producer, or a small support staff, how likely is that vendor able to meet your schedule if illness strikes or another big job comes in.

Part of your negotiation is deciding the best product for the best price. It is a balance between both quality and cost. Don’t forsake one for the other. A bit of homework and planning can provide the best of both.

When to Outsource, Part Two by Victor Van Rees

In our previous blog article, FULL SERVICE PRODUCTION CENTER - When to Outsource? http://efxmediavictor.blogspot.com/2010/09/when-to-outsource.html , we suggested reasons to consider outsourcing to a full-service video production company. In Part Two, we concentrate on some special skills many in-house facilities don’t possess - Interactive programming and animation.

Since these aren’t necessarily capabilities many companies use regularly, why expand your staff with an expert?  It’s a perfect time to outsource.

Video asset management (i.e. organizing your video library so a viewer can find what they are looking for,) is becoming problematic as more organizations take advantage of the power of video communications. As one government public affairs executive stated, “We’re getting YouTube crazy”.

As videos proliferate, trees get lost in the forest. Viewers often miss the specific message intended for them as they search through a maze of videos.

Here are some examples where outsourcing was required to solve certain communication challenges.

“Finding the Right Career Path” – International Training Institute (ITI)

ITI possesses a wealth of online training videos for a variety of industrial career paths. The problem was finding job-specific training materials.

Example: Contractors wanted to view videos about becoming a better contractor, yet they would wade through a mass of videos dealing with how to be a better foreman, welder, roofer, etc.

An Interactive asset management microsite was developed, organized based on a user’s specific interest.

http://www.sheetmetal-iti.org/resources/index.html

 Every subject area was available to view, but users were first directed down a path of their choosing. Sounds basic, I know, but the Interactive programming and design for media management required special capabilities. Today, the right training is more readily available to the employee it was intended to serve. Every subject area was available to view, but users were first directed down a path of their choosing.

“Weaving the Web Into View” – Arlington Economic Development.

OK, your mere PowerPoint presentation now must be a multi-faceted, speaker-controlled video and animation-based show, merged with Bing 3D maps.

 

http://arlingtonvirginiausa.com/aedpres_web_version1/index.html

 No problem, right?  Not so fast. After the meeting, the entire presentation has to reside on your website with viewer controlled navigation.Now is the time to think about outsourced horsepower.

Arlington (VA) County Economic Development  needed a commercial real estate ‘virtual tour’ to showcase developing and available properties. They outsourced with a pro who could blend video with After Effects animation, with interactive design and programming, creating an attention-getting live presentation with navigation controls.

“Getting Real Face Time” – American Bar Association (ABA)

Sometimes, simply posting another video to your website isn’t enough to ensure your message gets heard. You need to position your cause or event as a prime importance to your audience. 

American Bar Association wasn’t getting the desired registration for their seminars and meetings. “Selling” the seminars’ advantages through promotional videos was the key.

ABA saw the need to outsource to a production company with experience in producing and showcasing promotional materials. Further, a seminar-specific microsite was needed to host these special interest videos. The site was then wrapped into ABA’s main website, so viewers never actually left the association’s website. The outsourcing paid off with a marked increase in registrations.http://www.efxmediatv.com/media.cfm?c=587&m=2926

So, long story short, think about outsourcing when you have a particular communication challenge that might best be solved with an outside vendor – a vendor with sophisticated design, programming or production expertise.

Victor Van Rees

Vice President Federal Sales and Marketing

EFXMEDIA

vvanrees@efxmedia.com

2300 South Ninth Street

Arlington, VA 22204

Voice 703-486-2303

Cell:   703-447-8950

FAX   703-553-9813

View our demos at: www.efxmedia.com

Video concepts and white paper blog at: http://efxmediavictor.blogspot.com/