If you’re looking to commission a video for yourself or your client… then answering a few simple questions could make all the difference when trying to strike a balance between your budget and the creative approach you take.
We call it our 'Video Fact Find'. The more detail you can answer… the better understanding we'll have of your requirements and the better solution we can provide you with, in terms of ideas, approaches and expectations.
This really can help us to develop and get on quicker, with giving you some great ideas that are firmly grounded in the real world. From experience we have found that these few questions help our customers crystallise their own thoughts about what they want.
Who is your target audience?
Who are you aiming the video at, is vital for us to know. This helps us focus ideas and approaches to what is relevant to the viewer. Providing a breakdown of your target audience can be very useful.
How will the video be used?
It’s important to know its primary use. This helps to shape the structure and the type of the video and helps us to focus on the ideal length. Videos work best when produced with a key destination in mind.
What product or service are you promoting?
Knowing your business, product or service is vital, if we are going to do our job well. Give us the ‘elevator’ pitch and this should be enough to get us started. We are often on a sharp learning curve with a new business and this helps us to move along quicker.
If you had to title the video now, what would it be called?
Sounds simple and it is. This will help us both to focus on the video's objective.
What do you want the audience to do and feel after watching?
Essentially, what is the ‘call to action'? We need to engage an audience and inspire them to react… after watching your video what do we want your audience to do?
What are the top three key messages you want to communicate to your audience, in order of importance?
If I held 10 juggling balls in my hands and threw them at you in one go, it’s unlikely you’ll catch them all. Your audience is no different. Be focused at what you throw at them. By conveying these points one at a time, there is more chance they’ll get them all, and before you know it, they’ll be juggling!
So, let us know the top three messages. Then let’s make it relevant to your audience, so go on to explain why these points are important to them. Why would they want to know them?
Will this be a one-off video or the start of a series of videos?
This can really make a difference to our creative and budget approach. It’s no good us suggesting an idea if it’s not financially sustainable if you wish to do more. If there are more, how many videos in the series? When would you like to roll them all out? Knowing this means we can be smarter with the ideas.
What types of imagery/shots/processes/scenery, springs to your mind (when you think of those key messages)?
You may have some ideas yourself, you may not; it doesn’t matter either way. But knowing what is available to work with makes a huge different to what we can bring to your video creatively. It can have a big impact on budget too.
Do you have any initial thoughts to the creative style that you feel best suits the message?
Again, you may have some ideas yourself, you may not; it doesn’t matter either way, but knowing what you may be thinking can help us to see where you’re looking to pitch your video.
You may have a competitor video that you need to compete with. Knowing this can be a useful starting point for us. There are so many approaches, using different elements (live action, interviews, animation, drama etc) the more we know from you the better we can be to react.
If the video looks like it needs some interviews to help tell the story… who would they be?
How many people are key to talk to? Would they all cover the same points, or would they cover different aspects? Can they all be done on one day or are the interviewees spread over the UK?
Answering these questions helps us to anticipate the time required and investigate the best place for them to be interviewed. This can all make a difference to a budget.
Ideas on locations… where could the video be filmed?
Often with interview-based videos, the location can make all the difference to the video. Either how it looks in the finished video or how practical it may be on the day to shoot. Knowing any locations that you feel would be appropriate as a backdrop, helps to 'paint a picture' of what is available. (Why not send us a few photos and the sizes of the rooms/locations).
What are the timescales or deadlines?
Knowing this is vital. It can impact budget but more often the creative approach we can look to take.
Who are the key stakeholders?
Knowing who we need to 'keep happy' helps us to look at the work-flow of a production and it can also impact on schedule.
What are you looking to invest on the video?
There is no quick answer to how much will a video cost. Every one is different, although many follow similar patterns. Answering all the above helps us to answer that question, but we also need to have some understanding of what you realistically want to invest, and I say invest, as I assume you want some type of return from the video.
When we have and good idea of the objectives and the budget available… we can get to work on the ideas and then the magic happens!
Your responses will really help us to answer your question…
‘How much does a video cost?’, it’s just now, we’ll know how much that particular video costs.
I hope this helps, but if you wish to go one better, why not get in touch and let’s chat over a coffee.
