How to Find a Production Company: 5 Mistakes to Avoid as a Client

For an organized event, capturing the heart and purpose through videography can highlight the best moments. It also serves as a reminder of the special day and tends to bring back waves of memories and evoke emotions felt at that time. 

Enlisting the service of a video production company will help in capturing breathtaking, memorable videos to help you share and relive experiences. Combined with their creative concepts and sophisticated professional equipment, they will produce a compelling video available to enjoy well into the future.

However, due to a lack of experience and knowledge about videographers and their services, most clients commit a few avoidable errors along the way. 

Here are some of the most common mistakes to avoid when choosing to work with a production company, and the most important qualities to prioritize when you’re ready to sign the contract.  

1. Blurred Lines of Communication 

Depending on the video’s goal, the videographer will need to capture specific moments of the event to create a video that matches your vision. For example, we may need to capture the attendees’ testimonials or shots of individual performances or presentations. If we are not at a specific area and at a particular time to record it, we will miss it.

Keep the lines of communication open and be sure to make any schedule changes known to the video team so that they can adjust their setups accordingly. It’s helpful to have someone from the company working with the video team on the event day to help foster that communication.

2. Forgetting to Align on Set Beforehand 

When you hire a video production company to record your event, you need to provide detailed information about the venue so that they can prepare the proper equipment. In most cases, the video team may visit the venue before the day of the event or arrive early enough on the day to scope out the area. This is crucial because it will provide the crew with audio and lighting information.

When informed at the earliest, all of these details can help make the process of filming your event run smoothly.

3. Failing to Discuss Realistic Expectations 

Since recording and editing is such a timely and delicate process, it’s important to set expectations and deadlines as early as possible in the process. Videographers are often capable of producing a fast turnaround if they are aware of it. Still, a quick turnaround usually means heavy workdays, so it’s best to set the deadlines ahead of time.

And, on that note, expect revisions. It’s unlikely that the production team will get the editing right on the first cut. Plan for enough time to review, provide revision and finalize the footage. 

4. Failing to Inform Your Audience of Filming

The video production company you work with should be able to provide waivers for filming. This will allow any images captured to be used in the film, including brand images and attendees. That said, it’s usually helpful to have a sign at the door to let people know the session is being recorded. 

Another useful tip for event planners, if there are some attendees who do not wish to be on film for any reason, designate a few seats that are guaranteed to be out of the video frame and label them with a sign that says “Sit here if you do not want to be recorded.”

5. Neglecting to Get a Copy of the Raw Footage 

Your video production team should provide you with the raw footage at the end of the production day. Clients are encouraged to bring a hard drive so the video team can dump the footage on-site. (We prefer a two terabyte hard drive, which can be purchased for less than $100.) 

This is helpful for two reasons:

1. You can use that footage and repurpose it as needed. 
2. You simply never know what might happen. 

Cameras can get stolen or damaged, so avoid the trouble and hold on to your own copy.

What Should I Look For in a Production Company?

A strong business partnership, especially in video production, always entails:

• Fluid, open lines of communication
• A clear understanding of the set and working environment
• A strong, realistic game plan that meets your expectations and hard deadlines 
• Backup strategies in the event of confusion, miscommunication or disruption of the project

When you find a production company that dots all of the i’s and crosses the t’s, you’ll be in the right hands. 

To avoid the previously listed mistakes, reach out to the experts at Transcendent Enterprise. We’ve been producing and crafting brilliant video content for clients for over two decades. We offer a full range of services that include corporate content creation, pre-production, 4k production, editing, live streaming, and photography and are capable of producing in various industries and fields of work.

For a complete list of our services, please click here. If you have any questions about videography, we’d love to hear from you. Please contact us here.