How to Hire a Video Production Company: 10 Tips to Screen Candidates

Published on February 20, 2019

You don’t have to be an award-winning director to make a great marketing video, but you do need to know how to hire a professional firm that will produce a great piece that meets your objectives and accommodates your video marketing strategy.

Conduct a thorough search and make sure the video production firm you hire has the experience to produce what you need. To that end, here are 10 tips and questions to consider when you’re exploring video production candidates:

1. Review finished products, not just sizzle reels. Highlight reels are fun to look at but they don’t tell the whole story. Ask prospective firms to show you fully produced pieces that are similar to what you’re producing.
2. Watch sample videos with an eye to what you need. For example, if your video is targeted at millennial consumers, make sure the firm has experience with that audience. Similarly, if you think your video provides some special challenges, like filming a promotional piece for a high-rise residential building, make sure the firm you hire has experience handling that challenge, like drone certification, experience and access to necessary equipment.
3. Make sure their sample videos are relatively current. If you’re looking at old work there’s a good chance the producer of that work is long gone. Ask! Make sure the producer assigned to your project created the work you like.
4. Going cheap is usually not the way to go. It’s tempting to take the lowest bid when comparing video production companies, but like most things in this world, you get what you pay for. To get a professional video, use a professional video production firm with great work examples and testimonials from previous clients.
5. Consider employing a video production firm that also specializes in digital marketing or video marketing strategy. If you’re going to spend the money, your product should not only be high quality, but relevant to your overall marketing plan. Video producers that specialize in video marketing strategy can offer valuable insights that can take your video from an aesthetic short to an acquisition tool.
6. Get rights to archival footage before the shoot. If your video will require footage from an existing video or film, you need to know ahead of time if you can obtain rights (and will that archival footage come with a cost).
7. Have a digital or video marketing strategy already in place. Be sure to communicate it clearly to your video production team so they understand how each video fits into the big picture. This can economize your process and allow you to collect valuable b-roll footage that can be applied to other videos within your overall content plan.
8. Know who you’re working with. Take some time before the shoot getting to know your new production team. You’re going to be together working some intense hours; it’s good to have a relationship in place before the shoot begins.
9. Have a firm timeline in place before filming begins. Yes, things can change, but you want to work with a firm that will do everything possible to stick to a production schedule. That goes for the edit, too. Have job deadlines in place or your video might never be completed.
10. Have your paperwork in order. If you haven’t produced many videos, you might not be familiar with the costs involved. Go through estimates line by line to make sure you know the total cost.

Video production can be daunting, but with the right team the process can be efficient and enjoyable. Do your research and select your team carefully so you don’t pay the consequences — time, money or otherwise — later. For more information on the types of videos you can utilize to support your video marketing strategy, download our ebook, Video Marketing for Social Media Platforms.