Every so often we receive enquiries from people who want a video made but aren’t really sure where to start. Maybe they’ve been told by their manager to investigate the possibility of having a video produced or have seen that all their competitors have videos on their websites. Whatever the reason might be, if this is your first time of getting a video produced there are a few questions you may wish to consider…
What’s it for?
Now we all know that videos can be incredibly handy tools to use either in marketing or in any other facet of a business but you need to ask yourself specifically what do you want to get from having a video produced. It could be used to promote your business, sell a particular product or service or it might be used internally to communicate with staff and share holders. Whatever the reason might be it’s best to make sure that everyone is on the same page about what you’re trying to accomplish.
Where’s it going to be shown?
The great thing about videos is that they can be used over and over again in different formats in different ways – on your website, on social media or on a big screen at an exhibition. However, it’s best to decide where the video will be shown primarily. If we know exactly where your video is going to be seen we can think about who is going to be seeing it and plan the content and style accordingly.
Is there a deadline?
There’s nothing worse than spending an awful lot of money on a video only to have to compromise on the final result because you ran out of time. Try to figure out the final deadline and work backwards. Some complicated videos may require months to plan due to a long pre-production process or other videos might need to be approved by multiple colleagues or board members, try to take these facts into account when considering your schedule.
Would you prefer animation or live action?
As I’ve discussed in a previous blog, there are many reasons why your project might be better suited to one style or another. If you’re trying to explain a complicated process then a bright, concise animation might be what’s needed, but if you’re wanting to promote your company it might be better to get some of your staff in front of a camera to show the human side of the business.
Have you seen anything that you like?
These days we are constantly surrounded by video whether it’s on TV, cinema or YouTube. These are great places to take inspiration from for your own video project. Even if you’ve seen a partners or competitors video that you really like (or dislike), all of these things an help shape your ideas for a video. It could be a particular look or effect you’ve seen or maybe you really like timelapse photography or slow motion footage. You might even want to check out some of our previous video projects to see if there’s anything there you like. Whatever it might be send it over and we can see how we can incorporate it into your video.
Do you have an idea of budget?
It probably seems very obvious but in the end it all comes down to what you can afford. The final cost will likely be dictated by your answers to all the the other questions above but not necessarily. If you have a fixed budget in mind then we can work backwards to see what can be accomplished and make sure you get the best end product possible at a price you can afford.
Hopefully by considering these few questions you should be able to start getting a better idea of what you want from your video. But don’t worry if not. Here at Echo Video we love meeting with people to discuss ideas and working together to discover what would be best for you.
If you would like to talk to Andy or Will about your project then please drop us a line on 01273 911345 or visit our contact page.