The age old dilemma pay for quality versus DIY ( Do it Yourself )?
You’re on a budget and hey it looks easy enough from what you’ve seen on TV or YouTube… or anywhere on the internet. Keep this in mind, who shot and edited that video? Technology has brought the very best technology to the DSLR camera and cellphones. But it comes down to workmanship. Ever see those folks who blow glass for a living? Huh, they just hold a tube up against their mouth , blow and presto a vase just forms out of molten sand… go ahead it’s that easy. That’s what separates amateur from professional and that’s what we’ll look a closer in this blog.
Shooting and editing a video are pretty self-explanatory, but what does the producer do exactly? The producer is the one that sits with you or your team on the onset of the project and listens to your vision and helps take what’s in your head and put in on digital file. The producer will remove the obstacles that can create a roadblock in an many cases keep the project alive when it seems there’s no way to get this project off the ground. The producer will shape your ideas while alerting you of options in shooting and editing as well as helping you through the hard decisions that comes with experience of hundreds of projects.
View your producer as a resource, not an order taker
If you knew exactly what you want for a video and how to get there, why are you hiring a video production agency? Sure, you need to get the job done, but I hope you’re also hiring them to get the job done right.
It’s a creative producer’s job to help you make the best video possible, and through their industry experience, they have a much greater sense of what video treatment is going to have the most impact, and what’s not going to work. Think of it this way – you wouldn’t go to a restaurant, order from the menu and then go back into the kitchen to tell the cook how to make it – would you? My guess is that you would trust that the chef knows how to prepare the dish he’s made hundreds of times.
When it comes to the creative vision and stylistic treatment for your video, we encourage you to lean on your producer for creative insight. Your ideas are probably great! But producers are going to know the best way to execute that vision. Trust is hugely important in the production process, and synergy with the creative producer from that very first pre-production call will go a long way in your final video. That’s not to say we have too much pride in ownership, either. We can be flexible, too. We aren’t here to create roadblocks, we’re here to help you!
I love when clients start the conversation with, “Here’s what we had in mind. What do you think is best?”
Sending a link – “this is what we want”
Sometimes it’s not as easy as sending a link to a producer and say “this is what we want”. You’d be surprised how often we get a link for a multi – million dollar commercial and think that “hey you can produce that for $4000 right?”
That withstanding, links are great to convey ideas and approaches, but not for identical matches. Setting expectations for both parties is the key to a happy project.
It’s important to be able to identify what can be immolated and what is not possible either because of the producer’s talent and experience or budgetary restraints with the client. Setting expectations gives a clear and reliable platform for everyone to work under.
Producers bring a carload of experience 
Producers are problem-solvers and if you’ve got your heart set on something, we’ll do our best to make it happen. That being said, not every answer is going to be “yes.”
If your producer advises an alternative its because there may be a continuity issue with the message or cost more than the budget allowed, they keep the project honest and on course. The producer is looking out for you and they want to save you time on unnecessary revisions. Believe it or not, producers hate “I told ya’ so” moments. It creates more work for us and eats into your budget.
If you’re looking for a little bit of help with getting your next project of the ground we can help. Contact us and let chat a bit.