How to Lower the Cost of Corporate Video Production Without Conceding Quality?

Videos have replaced websites to convey first impression of a business and its offerings according to Robert Weiss, NYC based marketer. Hubspot 2020 global survey confirmed that 72% users want to learn about a product or service through explainer videos further reinforcing the unmatched user engagement created by video marketing. Moreover, the best feature of modern corporate videos is that it is an accessible tool to benefit organizations of all sizes. Content Marketing Guru, Joe Pulizzi shared in an interview way back in 2012 that, “The sheer cost of video production has come down to a point where there are no barriers to entry.”
Nevertheless, Trueline Media has noticed some common shortcomings that sabotage the craft of a typical video production process. The most inevitable side-effect of these operational flaws is that they create needless wastage of money. According to us, there are 2 removable causes of Cost Escalation in Corporate Video Production
  1. Lack of Time management – The video production process is randomly scheduled based on the availability of the interviewees or the production crew. Often, the filming team is not offered enough time to run an efficient pre-production course.
  2.  Lack of Interaction – The involvement of the stakeholders is required at every stage of the video production process to allow the crew to create their best work. The exchange of ideas usually tends to stop after the first brief.
Circumstances that trigger cost escalation in every stage of production
STAGE 1 – The Objective Be it a Product or Service Demo, a promo, explainer video, client testimonials or internal communication content – these are only some of the many popular video formats we can use to present the company message. What we expect from our client is to be certain about the message they want to demonstrate and the target audience they want to communicate it to. The clarity of the client’s motive will help us to select the most suitable video format right in the beginning. Altering the format in the middle of the production process is costly. Not to mention, it will weaken the impact of the message. Even worse idea would be to try and fit 2 to 3 different objectives targeting a diverse audience in one video message. That will require many reshoots and revisions guaranteed to crash any budget.
STAGE 2 –Video Pre-production: Script & Story Board A second-hand brief produces a weak script Every organization overcomes a unique set of problems to deliver value to their existing customers. The authenticity of its unique journey is best conveyed directly to the writer by the management. The message gets diluted with the involvement of every person the brief passes through before reaching the writer. The freedom to engage with the brief first hand and ask questions enables the writer to create a powerful script. It will pack the most compelling amount of information in the shortest amount of time. A persuasive script will further help us in turn to put together the most engaging storyboard.
STAGE 3 – Video Pre-production: Planning & Logistics The most important stage to ensure budget compliance Storyboarding helps identify possible production challenges. This is followed by logistical planning that will guide us towards solutions that conform to the budget. While scouting shoot locations, we identify the exact requirements for props, camera angles, sound & light equipment, and additional manpower to execute a cost-effective strategy. Our approach is also endorsed by multiple award-winning Australian company Good Eye Deer. They consider logistical planning to be the only process of video production that will successfully control expenses in all the other phases of the project.
STAGE 4 – Video production: On-set filming Our limited window to capture the client’s vision The day of the shoot is meant to manage the most conducive set-up for capturing good footage. The filming crew has to operate expensive equipment that preoccupies them with framing, composition, lighting, safety protocol and sound design. As such, they cannot fill their client’s shoes to coach the interviewees particularly if they show up late on set, unprepared and clueless. If the interviewees are not updated beforehand, they are likely to appear anxious and uncertain in front of the camera. Frequent retakes will prolong the shoot and further break the confidence of the respondents. This will create difficulty in producing high quality sound bites essential for a superior corporate video. The role of the hiring client is of utmost importance in this stage. The stakeholder needs to visit the set before the crew gets started to provide a first-hand brief to the entire team – including the DOP, cameraman, light and sound technicians. Just a few first-hand key indications to the technical crew can radically improve the quality of the video because all the technicians will know where to focus and highlight the most important parts of the client’s message.
STAGE 5 – Video Post-production: Editing Creating a gripping story out of raw data and random facts An editor will bring your organization’s personality to life in the finished video. When he is handed an overwhelming raw footage of 300 GB, he has to sift through it all to select the most relevant sound bites to log interviews, add graphics, mix sound, add motion graphics / animation, insert call outs etc. Without understanding the client’s intention, the editor still might be talented enough to create a final product that looks good on its own but it may not agree with the client’s business goal. Hence, the editor is also entitled to a direct conversation from the stakeholder to understand the bottom line of the video message. It will allow him to discover and actualize the message that will serve the client’s best interest.wp-image-644 The Solution: How to gain the most advantage from Corporate Video Production?
  1. Pre-planned schedules – From start to finish a good corporate video can be accomplished within 8, 12 or 16 weeks depending upon the complexity of the campaign.
The client can contain the expenses to a minimum if they regularly confer with the crew to decide mutually suitable dates and agree to submit to it as closely as possible.
  1. Consistent engagement with the production team – We cannot stress enough how many revisions, reshoots and overlapping effort by the technical team can be avoided completely by the simple gesture of thorough communication.
Even a few minutes of direct conversation with members of the production team right before they start their job will boost the impact of the final product. Our team at Trueline Media has facilitated several business leaders to access hard to reach prospects through relevant business videos.  We have successfully delivered end to end solutions to several organizations by creating fitting video content for every stage of the marketing funnel. We have also been helping various organizations across the globe develop compelling customer testimonials. In case you’re interested, we’ll be happy to help. Email us at info@truelinemedia.com To find out more about our work subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow us on Linkedin.