Video production camera for video production services

10 questions you should ask your video production company

Important insights into Video production in South Africa

To be sure you use the right video production company in Johannesburg for your next video you need to ask these questions.

Being armed with this information will improve your chances of have a good fit.

Absolutely AV has been producing corporate videos for a long while, and from our wealth of knowledge and experience working with a range of different clients, we’ve learned a thing or two about what goes into creating a company video.

We have also learned some of the most important questions to ask your potential video supplier.

Why are video production companies so different?

While the term “video production” means that videos are being produced, the way they are produced and what they cost can vary widely.

The reason is that video production company types vary. There are TV production companies, wedding videographers,  corporate videographers, documentary video production companies, animation studios and list goes on. There are also differing levels of experience as well as price to take into consideration.

The 10 questions you should ask video productions companies before starting your video :

  1)  What type of video production company are you?

  2)   What experience does your company have?

  3)  What is the cost of the type of video I need?

   4) How long does it take to film and edit the video?

    5) Do you have additional insight into this type of video?

   6) Can you help if it’s my first time making videos?

    7) Do you have a video contract?

    8) What do I need to provide for the video production?

    9) What does your quotation include?

    10) What are your available dates?

  1. What type of video production company are you?

This question is the most fundamental one, and should be asked first.

Before you can ask this question though you need to know what type of video you will be needing. Will you need a training video, a long marketing video, a documentary, social media content, TV show, broadcast advert, company profile video or product videos?

An additional question you need to ask yourself is if the video you want made is the right one. Can the video production company guide you on this question?

Generally speaking, if you know for sure that the type of video you want to make is correct then finding a matching video production company is easier.  It is important to understand, that when video production companies claim to do all types of videos that there may be other implications to consider.

It may seem basic, but the saying goes : “A Jack of All Trades…” Just like any other form or business or service the more types  of videos they provide the less specialized they are.

Also choosing a video production company who is willing to do the work but it is not what they specialize in can lead to a major flop. A wedding videogrpaher may be able to make a company video but will it be done correctly? A broadcast production company may have the expertise to do a corporate video but will the price fit the work needed?

  1. What experience does your company have?

Identify what type of experience the company has in it’s field. This goes hand in hand with what type of video production company they are.

The two ways to check experience is to ask :

  •     How long has the video company been in business?

This is simplest and most obvious question. A company that is new is unlikely to have the amount of experience of an older company.

  •     What specific experience does the video company have?

Having experience in video does not mean that a company has experience in the type of video you need. As with any business service, having specific experience in the exact service you need matters more that many years of experience in a service you don’t need.

The simplest way to check this is to ask to see examples of work they have done in the field you need.

It is important that you are able to see full video production examples of your specific type. Having sample demo videos with cherry picked clips is not a good example of work experience. It is best to see the video companies’ videos from beginning to end that are similar to what you are needing done.

  1. What is the cost of the type of video I need?

Before asking this questions you need to know what kind of  budget you have to work with.

Unless you are simply researching before you go into looking for a company to use, knowing your own budget is important. It makes no sense to to talk to video production companies about all the additional benefits of working with that company if their price is way out of your budget range.

Also the price will depend on the type of video you need so simply asking what the price of a video is would be like asking how much a house costs.

If you can exactly describe the video you need, chances of getting a more precise quote is greatly improved.

Also the video production company would need to know at what stage you are in your production.

Are you at the concept stage? Do you have examples of other peoples videos that you like? Or have you had the concept stage completed and simply need to move ahead with the filming?

  1. How long does it take to film and edit the video?

If you are needing to start a marketing campaign with your videos in a very short time then having a long waiting period for your video won’t work.

It is also important to have the right expectations. If you need a video production company to film and edit a video in24 Hrs you may struggle to find any company at all.

On the other hand some video companies take on too much work and have extended periods which you will have to wait to get your final video.

Absolutely AV Video Productions on average is able to film, edit and deliver a video within 2 weeks.

  1. Do you have additional insight into this type of video?

Often it is not just the video that matters but how it will be used. Having insight into the best implementation of the video’s use matters just as much. Often a video production company with the experience in a certain type of video will also have experience in how the video is used.

While it can be unreasonable to expect all video companies to provide the additional services, having insight into the use of the video to best suit your needs can help.

This is also often more proof of experience in that specific field of video.

  1. Can you help if it’s my first time making videos?

As video is a reasonable new field for many, you may have little to no experience yourself. Can the video company help you when you have little to no idea of where to start?

Will the company chat with you about your needs before signing up with them?

Often newcomers to video for their business have much much higher “hands on” needs than others. Can the video company provide this additional support and insight?

  1. Do you have a video contract?

A video contract is a sign of a professional company. Any video production company who operates without a contract is one which should be dealt with with caution.

A contract is not only for the video companies needs but it often protection for you should the deal go wrong. A contract is also a clear description about what can be expected from the company. Along with the quote a videography contract helps to make sure there are no misunderstandings.

  1. What do I need to provide for the video production?

This knowledge often comes with your experience with video. If you have done a video for your company before, you may know that there are additional elements that you need to provide. These can include a venue, actors or staff and sometimes additional content like a script or images.

As part of the quote it must be clear what the video production company will be providing and what you will need to provide.

It is often wrongly assumed that a video quote includes everything from script writing to actors, venues and all filming and post production requirements.

The optional extras can make a very big difference to price.

  1. What does your quotation include?

This follows up on question 8. The quote must have itemized billing showing what exactly is included in the quote.

Is the filming and editing included? Are actors and voice artists included? Is the filming venue included?

Also does the quote specify how many people, cameras and final products are included?

In the same way that any product or service can vary in price because of what is included, knowing what the total quote price covers is important.

You should compare quotes with the knowledge that they include the same or similar services and products.

  1. What are your available dates?

This in conjunction with question 4 can make or break your productions and affect which video production company to choose. It does not matter if a video company can offer you the best price with the best benefits if they are not available in the time frame you need.

It does also help you to have a wider range of companies to choose from by giving yourself enough time for the production.

This knowledge often comes with experience in having videos made for you. Often newcomers to video rush in and don’t know or understand the time it takes to produce a video. This can result is only having a few inexperienced or over priced companies to choose from.

Final Thoughts

It is important to do your homework before asking for a quote from video production companies. As as many questions as you can from the ten listed above as well as ones you have.

While the list of top ten questions to ask video production companies will make a huge difference to your choice, making sure you have clarity is important. If there are gaps in your information you need filled, add those questions to your list

If you’re looking for an experienced and creative team to solve your business video challenge with state-of-the-art computer software and filming equipment, drop us a line at info@abav.co.za