5 Problems With Video Production
So, you’re probably thinking,
‘Wait, aren’t you a video production company? Why would you publicly say that there’s anything wrong with video production?’
Well, since we set up in 2018 we’ve had the advantage of not coming from a video production background, allowing us to have a very unique perspective on how video production works as a service and as a business.
And whilst this article focuses on everything wrong with video production as we see it, we by no means fall outside that category. It’s taken us years to fully understand these problems and identify them within our own business. It’s also not something we’re completely removed from either, but being consciously aware of it has helped us massively with not only our own business but with our clients.
So,
Here are our 5 top picks for what video production currently gets wrong:
1. Who is going to see it?
So a big one is actually gaining value for money from the video production. We see so many promo videos uploaded up to Facebook or YouTube with no optimisation. No consideration for how it’s going to actually reach their audience or have an impact on their business. A video can be beautifully executed with fantastic shots and outstanding graphics but if it isn’t going to reach the right people then what’s the point in it existing. Video content is designed to compliment marketing, helping drive more engagement and interest. Not having an action plan for how the video is going to achieve this is one of the biggest failures we’ve seen for video production over the last few years.
2. Overcomplicating everything
Producing high-quality video content requires sharp and knowledgeable skills in technology and logistics. However, when a business wants a video they are far more concerned with what the result will look like and the creativity going into it. Too often video production is made to sound complicated to convince clients that there’s a high level of expertise that goes into it. Now, whilst there’s absolutely a lot of knowledge and experience that goes into producing great content, being able to convey this clearly and concisely is far more beneficial to everyone involved. Throwing in jargon and complex descriptions sends potential clients down a rabbit hole of confusion and uncertainty.
3. What actually happens?
Most businesses reaching out for video marketing are doing so because they don’t have in-house expertise. They don’t know the ins and outs of how a production works or what is required from them at each stage. This can lead to videos not looking as good as they could do because the client hasn’t prepared themselves in the right way. From awkward interviews to dodgy setups, clients need a full insight on what to expect and how the filming will work. That way, they aren’t thrown off guard by an unexpected request, which leads to enhancing the experience for themselves and the filming crew.
4. How much should it cost?
The most important outcome of any video marketing is in delivering results. Therefore it makes the most sense to charge based on the time it would take to do the job and video justice. It’s often easy to try and cut corners so that the client receives content at a cheaper price but this never works out. Overall it’s much more cost-effective in the long run not to cut corners and to charge standard rates. In this way, you will be producing the video to the standard your client envisions. As a result, you’re creating content that actually achieves its goals and ambitions whilst ensuring that the job is produced to a maintained high standard.
5. How involved should a client be?
This can often be a difficult task to navigate, where is a client’s involvement in the video creation process? It’s so important to establish a production process with your client from the beginning. Knowing exactly what is required from both sides so there’s no overlap saves everybody time and money. It’s often a point missed in the early stages as without clarity it is very easy for the production steps to be missed out or not planned in the greatest detail. This leads to overlap and confusion over the creative direction of the filming or editing process. Having a clear understanding of each other means that there are no issues and everyone knows exactly what part they’re playing in the grander scheme of things which enhances the final product.
So, there you have it.
Those are our top five problems with video production.
Having worked in the industry over the last few years we’ve made it one of our main priorities to continuously reflect on our past projects and experiences with clients. We take the time to look at how our industry operates and consider how we can improve the relationship we have with our clients. Listening to their thoughts on the process and how we can make their experience better with a few simple steps.
Video production should be straightforward. It’s something we strive to achieve with every job we deliver. If you’re looking to engage in video marketing with a simple but effective process, drop us an email. We’d love to discuss it further.