It’s fairly well-known by our clients and partners that we’re pretty fanatical about video production done well. To us, that’s as much about getting the expectations in line from the off as it is about a well-produced finished video because we want a smooth experience for our clients from start to end. We’ve been part of some outstanding campaigns for a wide range of clients and whilst their objectives and challenges may all be very different depending on the industry, their questions before kicking off a project are all pretty much the same.
So, we wanted to provide greater clarity on a number of frequently asked questions, giving the official Turps Film line on these matters, so when you contact us to discuss a project, you’re already informed on the ways we work and what we can do for your business.
This isn’t an exhaustive list, so if there’s something you’d like to know that we’ve not covered here, do get in touch so we can provide you with a response to your question(s).
Without further ado, let’s get stuck into it!
Video Production: The need-to-knows
Ideation & Planning (Pre-production)
It all starts with an idea. A client will come to us with an idea for a video project they have, usually as part of their wider communications strategy, and we’ll help them connect the dots to bring that idea to life, telling their organisation’s story in a way only well-executed video can.
Right now, we’re doing video meetings to discuss their business and its objectives, budget, timelines, target audience, methods of output and goals of the video, so we can go away and produce a storyboard or shot list (the structure of what we envision the video looking and sounding like) and the script that will form the foundation of the video.
We’re used to working with internal comms teams to get the wording part right and provide guidance when things get a little off-piste (usually meaning too long!) so it doesn’t impact the end result.
We guide clients through the process, ensuring that the right people are involved, the message stays on track (these things have a tendency to shift once more and more opinions are added to the mix!) and the project runs on time, resulting in a finished product that does what it’s supposed to, within brief and budget.
At Turps Film, we always say that whether we’re working with a seasoned video marketer or someone brand new to the process, we adapt our approach to suit their needs and expectations, so the ideation and creative process is actually enjoyable for all involved.
Cost
A very common question, to absolutely nobody’s surprise, is “how much will it cost?” and that’s not a question that’s easy to answer without more info on what it is you’re trying to achieve. There are so many variables, from production methods to staffing to location, which can impact the cost of your video.
One thing we always commit to, however, is having the budget conversation very early on, so we can get an idea of what’s possible before we pitch any ideas to you. That way, we’re always on the same page and there are no shocks when it comes to cost!
We cover a lot of this during ideation, anyway, so clients are always informed from the very beginning. Some additional services, such as drone footage or illustration would come from a partner, so we’d outline those costs from the start if this was something a client wants to explore as part of the project.
Throughout our time in the industry, we’ve worked with large multinationals to small charities and a load in between, so when it comes to cost, we are adaptable and understand that one company’s budget could be a huge outlay for another, so there’s no fixed pricing from us, only a bespoke solution so that any business that comes to us can enjoy the benefits of adding video into their marketing mix.
Making it happen (Production, Post-production)
In line with what we all agree on in the pre-production phase of the journey, our crew will capture the necessary footage (and then some!) to ensure we have everything we need to produce your video. Depending on the video, this could be at your premises or on location, or even at your customer’s premises – it really depends on the scope of the video.
Whilst it might seem daunting starting a project in a pandemic and having cameramen etc. on-site, we’ve outlined the ways we’re adapting our video production for the pandemic in this post, so you can be further informed.
Once we have all the footage, we’ll edit this together, incorporating any branded items such as animated logos or product footage and – where appropriate – voiceovers and music. Again, we’ll have already decided this with you in pre-production. We give our clients one round of amends to the video so any slight changes can be made, if applicable
We’ll then package up your video assets and send via our secure WeTransfer page, so you can access everything easily, from both desktop and mobile devices.
Ownership
So who owns the finished video?
You do!
We no longer have ownership rights for the edited/finished video once the invoice has been paid. We retain ownership over the raw footage and we will store these files for safekeeping for a period of 6 months for marketing purposes.
After this point, we’ll get in touch to discuss whether or not you’d like us to archive the data or send it to you on a hard drive for a small fee.
In the event that we’d like to use your video as an example of a job well done, whether that be a case study or for an award entry, we’ll get in touch with you to ask first.
Accessibility
One common thing we’re asked for more often is subtitling for our videos, and we can provide this at your request. We can either have these on the video itself, or a separate version entirely, or provide a subtitle file which you can add to any YouTube upload and allow the user to toggle subtitles on or off.
We’ve also worked on a number of international projects, specifically for our larger multinational customers, and can, therefore, provide videos in multiple languages at an additional cost.
In the past, we’ve had plenty of complex video projects in terms of accessibility and have a number of experts both in the team and through our partners, to make whatever your challenge is fixable.
Love this breakdown, and looking to write one myself for my own site. I’m a fellow videographer. My production house is pretty small, just me and one other employee and I’m trying to figure out how common that is. Do you all have a lot of in-house staff or a do you keep a solid network of freelancers?
Hi Chris! Thanks for the kind words, I’m glad the post was of some use to you. In regards to crew, I think both approaches can work. In my time I’ve been part of agencies where there is a huge team of freelancers as well as a core team of one or two with freelance support and they both work well! I think it just depends on the nature of the business and the pricing model as to would be right for you! We operate with a small core team but have a wonderful strong network of freelancers who we’ve built up rapport with over the years. I can call in any one of these and I know they’ll do a brilliant job because they know how we work and if anything goes wrong, I’m always there on set to sort things out! Hope this helps mate, thanks again for your comment.