What are the costs and how can you control your video production budget?
Video production is a great way to promote your business or share your message with the world. However, many people are unaware of the costs involved in producing high-quality video content. In this blog post, we'll explore the different video costs involved in video production, from pre-production to post-production.
Pre-Production video costs
The first stage of video production is pre-production, which includes planning, scripting, and storyboarding. Pre-production costs can vary widely depending on the complexity of the project. Some of the pre-production video costs may include:
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- Scriptwriting
- Storyboarding
- Location scouting
- Talent scouting
- Project management
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Production video costs
The production stage is when the actual filming takes place. Production costs can be one of the most significant expenses in video production. Some of the production video costs may include:
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- Crew salaries
- Equipment rental (camera, lighting, sound)
- Set design and construction
- Location rental
- Travel and food expenses (known as per diem)
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Post-Production video costs
After filming is complete, post-production takes place, which involves editing, sound design, and visual effects. Post-production costs can be just as significant as production costs. Some of the post-production video costs may include:
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- Video editing
- Sound design
- Colour grading
- Visual effects
- Music licensing
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How can customers control their budget working with video production agencies?
Controlling budget creep when working with a video production company requires clear communication, thorough planning, and effective project management. Here's how customers can ensure that their video production stays within budget:
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- Set Clear Objectives and Expectations: Clearly communicate your goals, vision, and budget constraints to the video production company from the outset. Make sure everyone is on the same page about what is achievable within the given budget.
- Detailed Scope of Work: Create a detailed scope of work that outlines all the elements of the project, from pre-production to post-production. Include specific deliverables, shooting schedules, locations, and any additional requirements.
- Limit Revisions: Specify the number of revisions or edits included in the project. Additional revisions beyond the agreed-upon number may incur extra charges.
- Review and Approve Scripts/Storyboards: Review and approve the script, storyboard, and any creative elements before production begins. This helps prevent costly changes later in the process.
- Collaborative Approach: Maintain an open and collaborative relationship with the video production team. Encourage them to suggest cost-effective solutions without compromising quality.
- Avoid Rushed Deadlines: Rushing production can lead to mistakes and additional costs. Plan a reasonable timeline that allows for thorough work without last-minute expenses. By implementing these strategies and maintaining effective communication with the video production company throughout the project, you can significantly reduce the risk of budget creep and ensure a successful video production that meets your goals and financial constraints.
Conclusion:
Video production can be a significant investment, but it's important to remember that the costs can vary widely depending on the complexity of the project. When planning your video production, it's essential to have a clear idea of your goals, timeline, and budget. By working with a professional video production company, you can create high-quality video content that meets your needs and stays within your budget.
What kind of video will work for you?
What makes video king? Part 2 of 3
In B2B (business-to-business) marketing, the content you create should be informative, educational, and tailored to the specific needs and challenges of your target audience. Here we look at what kind of video tends to work well in B2B marketing:
- Educational Tutorials and How-To Videos: These videos demonstrate how to use your products or services effectively. They can help businesses understand the value your offering brings and how it can solve their problems.
- Product Demonstrations: Showcasing your products in action can help potential clients understand their features and benefits. Highlight how your solution addresses specific pain points.
- Customer Testimonials and Case Studies: Real-world success stories from your existing customers can establish credibility and demonstrate the positive impact your product or service has had on their businesses.
- Thought Leadership and Industry Insights: Sharing your expertise through videos discussing industry trends, challenges, and solutions can position your brand as a trusted authority in your field.
- Webinars and Workshops: Hosting webinars or workshops on relevant topics can help establish your brand as a source of valuable information. Participants can engage with your experts and learn about your offerings in-depth.
- Explainer Videos: These concise videos explain complex concepts, processes, or solutions in a clear and engaging manner. They're particularly useful for introducing new technologies or ideas.
- Behind-the-Scenes Content: Offer a glimpse into your company culture, team, and processes. This humanizes your brand and fosters a sense of connection with potential clients.
- Comparison and Solution Comparison Videos: Compare your solution with others in the market, showcasing your unique selling points and explaining why your product or service is the better choice.
- Event Coverage: If you attend or host industry events, conferences, or seminars, creating videos that capture key moments can provide value to your audience and establish your presence in the industry.
- FAQ Videos: Address frequently asked questions and concerns in video format. This can help potential clients find quick answers and reduce barriers to engagement.
Remember, B2B audiences are typically looking for solutions that can streamline their operations, increase efficiency, and solve specific challenges. Your videos should focus on providing the kind of video that delivers value and builds trust by addressing these needs in a clear and relevant manner. Always tailor your content to the unique pain points and goals of your B2B audience.
Catch up on the whole series: Video in Marketing
Part 1: How-does-video-marketing-compare-with-other-mediums
Part 3: Where to host your video
Where to host video
Video in marketing series Part 3 of 3
Catch up on the whole series: Video in Marketing
Part 1: How-does-video-marketing-compare-with-other-mediums
Part 2: What kind of video will work for you?
How does video marketing compare with other mediums?
Video in Marketing Series Part 1 of 3
We produce video. We concept, storyboard, produce, film, edit and deliver video. Happily for us, it’s a growing media. According to Cisco: 82% of Global Internet Traffic in 2022 Came From Video* But just saying it doesn't make it real, so we've put together a series of guides on how does video marketing compare, why, how and what video you should be considering.
Video marketing has shown significant effectiveness compared to other mediums in terms of engagement, reach, and conversion rates. Here's a general overview of the advantages of video marketing compared to other mediums:
Higher Engagement Rates: Videos tend to capture and maintain audience attention better than text or images. According to various studies, videos have higher engagement rates on social media platforms and websites.
- Videos typically receive higher engagement rates than text or image-based content on social media platforms.
- Viewers retain 95% of a message when they watch it in a video, compared to 10% when reading it in text.
- Social media posts with videos have 48% more views.
Improved Conversion Rates: Video content can lead to higher conversion rates. Research has shown that including a video on a landing page can increase conversion rates by a significant percentage.
- Adding a product video to a landing page can increase conversions by 80% or more.
- Video can lead to a 200-300% increase in click-through rates in email marketing campaigns.
- 64% of consumers are more likely to buy a product online after watching a video about it.
Better Information Retention: People tend to remember visual content more effectively than text-based content. This means that your messaging is more likely to stick with your audience when presented in video format.
- Video content generates 1,200% more shares than text and images combined.
- 80% of users can recall a video ad they viewed in the past 30 days.
- Social video generates 1,200% more shares than text and images combined.
Enhanced SEO: Video content can positively impact your website's search engine optimization (SEO). Google and other search engines often prioritize video content in search results.
- Video content is 50 times more likely to drive organic search results compared to plain text.
Increased Social Sharing: Videos are highly shareable on social media platforms. Engaging and informative videos can quickly go viral, leading to increased brand exposure.
- YouTube is the second-largest search engine after Google, making it a valuable platform for search visibility.
- Facebook users watch over 8 billion videos daily.
- LinkedIn users are 20 times more likely to share a video on the platform than other types of posts.
Personal Connection: Videos can create a stronger emotional connection with your audience. Seeing and hearing people, products, and services can lead to a deeper sense of connection and trust.
- Live streaming offers a sense of authenticity and immediacy, allowing businesses to showcase their expertise and connect with their audience on a personal level.
Mobile-Friendly: With the rise of mobile device usage, videos are easily consumable on smartphones and tablets. Mobile users are more likely to engage with video content while on the go.
- Mobile video consumption rises by 100% every year.
- 92% of mobile video consumers share videos with others.
Global Reach: Video content has the potential to reach a global audience, making it an effective tool for businesses looking to expand their market presence.
- 92% of B2B customers watch videos online, and 43% of B2B buyers watch video content while researching products and services for their business.
- 83% of marketers say video content is becoming more important.
Live Interaction: Live streaming and interactive videos allow for real-time engagement with your audience, fostering a sense of community and immediacy.
- 80% of audiences prefer watching live video content from a brand over reading a blog.
- 67% of viewers who watched a live stream purchased a ticket to a similar event the next time it occurred.
Analytics and Insights: Many video hosting platforms provide detailed analytics, allowing you to track viewer behaviour, engagement rates, and other valuable metrics.
So, looking at how does video marketing compare there's a lot going for it and it can have a positive impact on marketing, social, websites and your business in general. Decide which factors mean the most to you and set your online presence and processes up ready to make the most of your video. It's important to note that the effectiveness of video marketing can depend on factors such as your target audience, industry, and the quality of your content.
Catch up on the whole series: Video in Marketing
Part 2: What kind of video will work for you?
Part 3: Where to host your video
AR Media's A to Z of video production terminology
Goobledegook… It's all very well using industry terminology between ourselves but we realise that sometimes we may use terms that our clients may not understand. So here's our A to Z of things you might hear us say when you commission us for a video project.
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Aspect Ratio: The proportional relationship between the width and height of a video frame. Modern videos tend to use 16:9, pre-2000s you might have used 4:3. (also included in the A to Z as its what the AR of AR Media stands for |
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B-roll: Additional footage used to support the main content of a video. It is often used to provide visual context or cover transitions. We often capture manufacturing processes, buildings, people at work for this. Bokeh: A favourite of cinematographers, bokeh is the blur effect seen predominantly on lights that are out-of-focus. |
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Colour Grading: The process of adjusting and enhancing the colours of a video during post-production to achieve a desired look or mood. The footage we capture in its raw format has a very flat/grey look, but this allows us to tweak the colours to make them as realistic as possible. |
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Depth of Field: The range of distance in a shot that appears in focus. A shallow depth of field has a narrow focal range, while a deep depth of field has a wider focal range. Filming an interview for example you would use a shallow depth of field to keep the subject in focus but the background intentionally blurry. |
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Exposure: The amount of light that reaches the camera's image sensor, determining the brightness or darkness of a video. A correctly exposed shot will display depths of black without blowing out any highlights such as clouds in the sky. |
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Frame Rate: The number of individual frames captured or displayed per second. Common frame rates include 24, 30, and 60 frames per second (fps). This has an effect on quality and also file size. |
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Grip: A member of the production crew responsible for setting up and maintaining equipment such as lighting fixtures, tripods, and camera rigs. We're a tight-knit team so every one of us gets involved in setup and breakdown. Gimbal: A device that holds the camera and allows us to turn in any direction freely and smoothly. |
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High Definition (HD): A video format with a higher resolution than standard definition, typically 720p or 1080p. But of course these days we record even higher in 4K. |
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ISO: The sensitivity of a camera's image sensor to light. A higher ISO allows for better low-light performance but may introduce more noise into the image. A low ISO makes for a finer picture but needs little movement in the frame. |
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Jump Cut: A jarring transition between two shots that are nearly identical, often used for stylistic effect or to compress time. J-cut: When the image of a scene is preceded by its sound or audio content. |
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Key Light: The primary light source used to illuminate the subject in a video. We'll often have a 3 light setup to balance the subject. |
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Lens: A must-have of every A to Z, the optical device that focuses light onto the camera's image sensor. Different lenses have various focal lengths and characteristics, affecting the perspective and field of view. Lavalier: A microphone that clips to the presenter's clothing |
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Montage: A sequence of rapidly edited shots, often used to condense time, convey a series of events, or evoke emotions. |
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Non-linear Editing: The process of assembling and manipulating video clips out of chronological order using computer-based editing software. |
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Overexposure: When a video is too bright due to excessive light, causing details in the highlights to be lost. |
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Pan: The horizontal movement of the camera while it remains in a fixed position. We often use rails to slide the camera smoothly for this. Prime lens: a lens that uses a fixed focal length. These tend to be very high quality, very expensive and offer wide apertures. |
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QuickTime: A multimedia container file format developed by Apple, commonly used for video editing and playback. |
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Rack Focus: The technique of changing the focus from one subject to another within the same shot to shift the viewer's attention. |
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Storyboard: A visual representation of a video's planned shots or scenes, typically consisting of illustrations or images with accompanying descriptions. We can help you create these. Shotgun mic: Often used for broadcasting, TV and film production, sports and other applications where it is impractical or undesirable for the subject to wear or hold a microphone. |
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Tracking Shot: A shot in which the camera moves alongside or follows a subject, often achieved using a dolly or a stabilized gimbal. |
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Underexposure: When a video is too dark due to insufficient light, causing details in the shadows to be lost. |
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Voiceover: A recorded narration or commentary added to a video during post-production, typically synchronized with on-screen visuals. We have a full recording studio in our building for this. |
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White Balance: The adjustment of a camera's settings to ensure accurate color reproduction under different lighting conditions. |
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XLR: A type of professional audio connector commonly used for balanced audio signals in video production. |
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YouTube: We couldn't have an A to Z without mentioning a certain popular online video-sharing platform where users can upload, view, and share videos. Alternatives include Vimeo and Wistia. |
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Zoom: The change in focal length of a camera lens to make the subject appear closer or further away without physically moving the camera. Zoom shot: The illusion of moving closer or away from a subject, making them appear bigger or smaller. |
So there you have a brief A to Z of video terminology, enjoy and we hope you find it useful.
Corrections - what we can and can't do in post
When editing a video, there are certain corrections that can be made, as well as limitations on what can be achieved.
Here are some common corrections that can be made during video editing:
- Trimming and cutting: We can remove unwanted sections from the video, such as mistakes, pauses, or unnecessary footage. We can also cut between cameras or screen footage to improve interest and switch between takes if there's a stumble in delivery.
- Colour correction: Adjusting the colour and contrast of the video can enhance its overall look and feel. We can fix issues like white balance, exposure, saturation, and tint. We intentionally film in a flat colour format which means the 'rushes' might appear a little washed out. But, this gives us the biggest dynamic range to adjust colours in post.
- Audio adjustments: We can modify the audio levels, reduce background noise, and apply filters or effects to enhance the sound quality. But, the better the audio at the point of record, thee better the final output will be, too many cuts between takes starts to look jarring to the viewer.
- Stabilization: If the footage is shaky or unstable, we can use video stabilization techniques to smooth out the motion. We often use equipment with a built-in gimbal for stabilisation.
- Transitions and effects: Video editing software provides a variety of transitions and effects to enhance the visual appeal and flow of the video.
- Text and titles: We can add text overlays, titles, subtitles, or captions to provide information or improve the viewer's understanding. We often call these 'Lower-thirds'
- Speed adjustments: Video editing allows us to change the playback speed of clips, creating slow-motion or time-lapse effects. For super slo-mo effects these require specialist cameras operating at incredibly high frame rates.
- Cropping and resizing: We can crop or resize the video frame to focus on specific areas or adjust the aspect ratio for different platforms. By filming in 4k resolution we can crop into areas and the end result will likely remain as HD, but to avoid pixelation, the higher resolution the better at the start.
However, there are certain limitations to what can be achieved during video editing:
- Resolution limitations: The quality of the original footage sets the upper limit for the final video quality. Editing cannot magically improve the resolution beyond what is captured initially. There are methods to up-res footage but these should be used as a last resort as the quality will decrease.
- Overexposed or underexposed footage: While some adjustments can be made to correct exposure issues, severely overexposed or underexposed footage may be challenging to salvage.
- Focus issues: If the footage is out of focus, it is difficult to recover sharpness during editing. We can make slight improvements, but it may not fully restore the intended focus.
- Missing or distorted footage: If the video is missing essential parts or suffers from severe distortion, editing can only do limited corrective measures. In such cases, re-shooting or using alternative footage may be necessary.
- Audio quality: Editing can improve audio to some extent, but if the original recording has significant background noise or distortion, complete restoration may be difficult.
Overall, video editing offers a wide range of corrections, but it's important to have high-quality source material to achieve the best results. Aim to get the best footage at the start to avoid noticeable jumps in sequence, colour mismatches between scenes and to avoid extending costly editing time.
Video or Animation: who wins?
You have a product, value proposition and a plan to share your message far and wide… but do you share it with video or animation? Both have their own merits but is one better than the other?
Here's 5 considerations that might help you make up your mind
1 Budget
As you'd expect the devil is in the detail. There's a misconception that animation is cheaper than video, and it can be, but it depends heavily on the style of animation and how much complexity is involved (Pixar animations don't come cheap after all). The more detail in the models, movements, textures and length of animation can mean it takes a lot more time, people and computer power to produce. Having said that, simpler animations can be very cost effective and like for like come in around the same cost as video.
2 Audience Engagement
At a base level, video is a more personal. People like to see people, particularly for testimonial videos where seeing the person you're listening to has weight and encourages truest. A really well scripted and sympathetically designed animation can still achieve that (think about some of the Christmas adverts retail stores use) but it's likely to take a lot more time and cost.
3 Your product
What you're selling can often lend itself to one medium over the other. Physical products, places, people often benefit from video so your audience can see the reality of what you're selling. Services and processes (intangibles) are hard to show in video so animation may be the winner here. That's not to say both can't still be effective for either situation though.
4 Speed
Video can be quicker. If it's not majorly reliant on special effects or large amounts of editing, video is the preferred option. Storyboards and pre-production are usually noticeably quicker and once you're shooting you've got content whereas animation often requires creating everything from scratch.
5 Future proof
3 months later and you want to repurpose your campaign? Depending on the change, it's generally a lot easier with animation. Changing a scene in animation means reopening the file and changing a segment of what's already there, whereas with video it may mean sourcing locations, actors and re-shooting a new scene.
Conclusion
The budget, message and product often influence the media you use, even what your competition are doing, but don't forget your audience. If you know where to advertise in front of them that might be your deciding vote too. But the ultimate decision is up to you.
Need help deciding which media works best for you? Talk to us about your next campaign
How much does video cost?
You know what we're going to say, don't you? How long is a piece of… videotape.
Well, videotape is long gone and so have some of the prohibitive cost of making videos. Kit is smaller, lighter and you can move quickly but as you can imagine, costs can still vary wildly depending on the project specifics and it's all about the detail.
The below costs are ballpark figures, actual projects can vary wildly in complexity and procedures.
Video testimonial costs
Ideally, you'd be looking at a 2 person team (director and a skilled lighting camera operator) and at least 2 cameras. Setup time will be around 2 hours, filming will probably take around 1 - 2 hours and acquiring some strong B-roll footage would likely take another couple of hours. You could expect to get a first draft around 3 working days later and with up to 2 rounds of amends your finished article could be available 7 working days later.
Cost: in the region of £4,000
The cost of Animation
With a bespoke animation, a lot of the cost is in the pre-production and design stages. You're aiming really to get the script and storyboard as close to the final thing before production starts so the animators are only making assets and movements once. With a good brief and responsive sign-off procedure, a script and storyboard could take a minimum of 3 working days. Depending on the complexity and if assets need creating or not, the first draft animation could take a further 5 days. Amends and voiceovers might take another 2 days and a final animation could be ready within 10 working days from start to finish.
Cost: in the region of £6,000
Corporate video cost
This can be a very open brief, but if we take the 2 routes a corporate video often takes we can put some guesswork in. The cheaper route might involve writing the script, storyboarding and arranging voiceovers, product demos and stock footage. From a good brief, this could take 10 working days and have a cost of around £5,000 (not including stock footage costs). The more creatively crafted and professional route might mean filming which means crew, travel. If we consider additional motion graphics, maybe some drone capture and a lot of creative editing.
This could easily take 20 working days and have a cost of around £15,000
Product launch or commercial
If you want to get really creative this is where it's at. It could involve a lot more project management, shooting footage in multiple locations, building sets, arranging actors and props, recording voice overs, applying visual effects all with some incredible attention to detail. The result will be unique, highly polished and have creative flair, but this takes time.
You could expect to take 30 working days and require a budget of around £35,000.
These are all finger-in-the-air costs and timescales, but we hope they at least give you some sort of idea of how affordable or expensive video can be in general.
Want to get in touch?
Be prepared for a film day
Be prepared for a film day. You want a 2-minute testimonial or product explainer video and you've arranged the presenter, got sign-off on the script and agreed on a location but don't actually know what happens during the shoot?
Here's a rough guide to what you can expect and how to prepare.
Time to be prepared
The end product might only be 2 minutes (and that's because people's attention spans watching online videos can be short) but to get that 2 minutes will likely take an hour of actual filming, 2 hours of setup, an hour of breakdown and potentially a few interruptions along the way. So whilst you may not need to be there for the whole time, expect a camera crew to take a minimum of 4 hours and add an additional hour for each additional presentation you might be doing. If you can let the camera crew in early they'll appreciate it.
Space
Both in terms of area for filming and for equipment, camera crews do not travel lightly. A 3-man crew are likely to bring 2 or 3 cameras, sliders, 4 or 5 heavy-duty tripods, big lights and a load of additional kit for them to do their job. It's like the Kardashians arriving at Heathrow terminal 2. So space to unpack and store all their kit is highly useful (although they can be flexible, it just takes more time). Then you need the filming area. Your Director should be able to maximise the space available, but work with them to find a spot that is clean, has plenty of electrical sockets, is clear of clutter, as light as possible and… quiet. One of the biggest interruptions in filming is noise from other people walking, on phone calls or making their Double Frappuccino.
Clothing
This might all depend on the industry you're in and the environment filming is taking place but a good rule of thumb is to ask anyone on camera not to wear thin stripes as it causes strange patterns called moire on cameras. Ideally, solid colours work best and ideally avoid green and bright white. It's also worth having a change of clothes available (if possible) in case of spills, creases etc. And try to avoid logos or anything that could be considered offensive to others. Let your camera crew know if your presenter wears glasses in advance and a rough height, so they can position lights and tripods accordingly.
Audio
Your camera crew should provide the best options for your environment, occasionally this might be a boom mic held out of shot over the presenter or a directional mic on the camera itself but if the location is suitable they'll use lapel mics. These attach to the speaker's clothing close to their face to pick up the best audio. Attaching these is fairly straightforward but often an awkward moment as the battery pack usually clips onto their belt or pocket out of view and the mic itself should go inside clothing to keep wires hidden. More often than not, the presenter can do this themselves but on occasion be prepared to help or find an appropriate colleague that can help position the mic and maintain the speaker's dignity and composure.
Autocue and retakes
Talking to camera comes more easily to some people than others and it's not necessarily the normally confidant presenters that are naturals. Take time to make your presenter feel comfortable, explain what the video is for perhaps and who everyone is and preferably help them be prepared by providing the script in advance. Make them feel like everyone is on their side and critically, not rush. It's likely if they're reading from an autocue that they'll trip over a word or two, maybe say a word that wasn't in the script or run out of breath on a really long sentence. Depending on their experience they might panic over the slightest mistake and it's everyone's job on the shoot to assure them that a) everyone does it b) they might well make the same mistake a number of times (in these cases it's often handy to skip that section and come back to it) and c) there's no rush. Take a deep breath and try again.
It's also quite likely that you'll capture short sections at a time instead of the whole script. Maybe even capture different styles of presenting the same information. And, have someone tracking the script as the presenter narrates it to ensure they stick to the script or the change they may have made still makes sense.
Be prepared for B-roll
Often, additional footage of the surrounding area (b-roll) makes a video more engaging to watch. If you're a manufacturer they might capture some of the products being built or meetings for service-based companies. For this either the same camera crew will need permission to explore the area after the presentation (and may need accompanying and safety gear) or an additional camera crew can capture these shots whilst the presentation is being filmed.
Every shoot is different but with these tips in mind you can Be prepared, make the most of everyone's time and you and your presenters will have some knowledge of what to expect.
Want to get in touch?
When to use low tech and when to go professional
Technology is constantly evolving and the cameras we now carry around on our phones can be amazing, so do you need to go professional, or can you film your next case study video or product demo on your phone?
Here's 6 reasons to work with a video agency
Go professional for Quality
Phones cameras can be very good but as they've evolved so have professional cameras. So as computers, TVs and projectors are able to display at 4 and 8k resolutions, your picture quality needs to be pin-sharp and colour rich. Not only that, but having multiple cameras using different lenses gives your video the professional feel and interest that your audience are expecting. Look for camera operators that have proper, sturdy tripods, professional video cameras or SLRs and not anything you can find at your local electronic retail store.
Lights
Selfie lights and ring lights are all good for a video call or posting to social media but when it comes to looking professional on your website, at events or even on broadcasts, professional lighting is a must. Look for a multi-light setup, often 3 to perfectly light your subject and fill in the background and from multiple sides.
Go professional on Audio
You may be surprised to know that audio is the backbone of your video. Not only capturing spoken audio in full clarity but also soundtracks and any other supplementary audio. Professional mics, fitted correctly can allow you to pick up every nuance being said and avoid the surrounding background noise. If your audience can't hear you properly they'll lose attention fast. Look for suppliers that can be flexible using lapel mics and boom arms and not the camera's own audio. Plus ensure an audio technician is listening with headphones to what the camera is actually picking up, nobody wants to finish the shoot and realise the audio was too quiet or an airplane drowned out your speaker.
Direction
Lights, camera, action? Maybe, but you may be surprised how difficult it can be to deliver once the camera is rolling. This is where an experienced, calm and friendly director comes in. It's their job to ensure you look natural on screen, deliver confidently, get the message across that you intend (you'd be surprised how often what we read and what we say can be different) and that everything that should be in shot is and anything else isn't. For better cost effectiveness look for directors that double up as camera or autocue operators or sound technicians.
Set dressing
What's going on around and behind your presenter can be hugely impactful and depends on the kind of video you want to produce. Most of the time, clean and clear works best so viewers concentrate on your presenter. So look for solid colour, well lit walls, move excessive furniture out of shot and include simple decoration. But on occasion you might want the opposite, a Christmas video might need an entire set built including fireplace, Christmas tree and snow. Either way, look for an agency that pays attention to detail and is happy to shoot on location, in an office or even build sets specific to your needs.
Go professional for motion graphics
Adding text and graphics in post is a great way to highlight key points of your message. They may include title animations to introduce your speaker and their job title, you might pick out key statistics or a process diagram. Remember to keep graphics simple, suit your brand guidelines and compliment rather than detract from the speaker. Look for agencies that use professional animation software such as Adobe After Effects rather than clip art animations.
And there's your 6 key areas to consider when deciding whether to capture a quick low tech video or to work with a professional video agency.