The Dos & Don’ts of Hiring a Video-Making Company

In the modern business world and this era of digital media, almost all businesses around the globe are turning towards newer and better ways to market their brand, products and services. The importance of video marketing or creative videography, as we’ve mentioned in a lot of our articles before, has proven to be one of the most effective marketing and branding tools.

While every other business is allotting a fair amount of their marketing budget to videos, most of them make a mess of it when hiring the right video production partner. So, what are the essential factors to be considered before hiring a video-making company?

How to choose a video production company

Here’s what we think are the essential dos and don’ts when it comes to getting a great video-making company on board.

DON’TS

• Hiring the lowest bidder

Price is one of the most important points to consider when choosing a video-making company, but it is absolute foolishness to say yes to the lowest bidder. Businesses that offer their services at an unbelievably low cost are often known to compromise on quality. However, it is not advisable to go right ahead with the highest bidder, either. Just because a company is extravagantly expensive doesn’t mean that it is bound to offer the best quality.

• Hiring a company that does not have a full-fledged setup

Another mistake that people often make is saying yes to small studios or production companies that are not equipped with the prerequisite setup for video making. For instance, imagine you wish to shoot high-quality customer video testimonials for your website or advertising campaign. Hiring a video production studio that doesn’t have the tools, equipment or expertise to shoot a live-action video is a waste of your time and money! Ask your prospective partner what sort of equipment, cameras and gear they use for shooting videos (and what are the parts that need to be further outsourced).

• Hiring a generalist as opposed to a specialist

As is the case with any facet of business, specialisation matters when it comes to highly focused jobs like creating a specific kind of video for marketing or branding purposes. Whether you need a corporate film, TV/web commercial or an explainer video, hiring a generalist is never going to deliver the optimum results. When you initiate a discussion with a prospective vendor, make sure they have a strong understanding of your needs and ample experience in creating the type of video you have in mind.

DOS

• Data privacy is of utmost importance

Your data is yours. In an era where data security is perhaps the biggest threat to businesses (and individuals), it is imperative that your video creation vendor delivers on their promise of keeping your data confidential and safe. A good way to gauge the data privacy readiness of a video production company is by checking if they are ISO certified and adhere to MPAA guidelines.

• Take all costs into consideration

When striking a deal with a video-making studio, ensure that you know exactly how much it is going to cost you. There have been cases where vendors have only stated the basic costs in order to bag a project, and subsequently billed the client for things that were never taken into consideration during the initial discussions. Make sure you have it all in writing – how much the project is going to cost you, what the additional costs incurred during production might be, and whether the vendor has given you a full breakdown of every aspect of the video production process. Sometimes, things like music licensing, editing, hiring actors, location rent, etc. are not mentioned in the project cost mentioned to you upfront.

• Consider the expertise

As mentioned earlier, finding a partner who has experience in the right niche. For example, if you are looking for a vendor who can help you with producing a television commercial that is essentially animated, make sure you talk to their team about their expertise in animation, the software they use, etc. and also take a look at their past work or showreel.

There are several other factors that you will need to look at while choosing a video production company for your needs – like time-efficiency and the experience of the crew – but the aforementioned dos and don’ts should be a good starting point for you!

At Toolbox Studio, we take pride in being acknowledged as the premier video production company in India. With a bouquet of video services including the production of Explainer Videos, TV/Web Commercials, Corporate Films and Animated Videos, we are the go-to partners for businesses, brands and agencies around the globe. Get in touch with us for more information!

Jijin P K

Last updated: October 4, 2024

Jijin has 2 years of experience in the film industry as an Assistant Cinematographer and has worked as a still photographer in two movies in Malayalam. He was part of many other short films and documentaries as director and cinematographer.