TIPS FOR HIRING THE BEST VIDEOGRAPHERS FOR YOUR BUSINESS!

How to hire a videographer?

We’ll begin with the most simple but essential question. It’s also the one that’s MOST asked on the net.

Hiring a videographer is like contracting any other type of professional: you contact them, you communicate very clearly about the services you need, you ask for a quote and if it’s a match, you sign a contract and get your dream video filmed!

We simplified our answer of course, and there are a lot of steps in between that must be taken for an efficient and smooth running of the whole process. Our aim here was to say that a videographer operates just like any other freelancer and professional.

Where can I find a professional video production company?

There are a few ways to find a professional and reliable video production agency. The one we like most is a referral through word of mouth. If your colleague has already “worked with this amazing videographer”, chances are they’ll be an option worth looking into. The other way is googling and finding options online.

Do not trust Google ads blindly. Though we advertise our services on Google ourselves, we encourage you to prioritize organic search results. Go through blogs and other platforms too, like YELP and ThreeBestRated. Beware blogs that have been paid to list the agency services. There’s no sure way of knowing who’s not being honest of course, but make sure the listings make sense and follow your instincts.

How to identify the best video production company for YOU?

This question comes down to the simple and valid human need of getting the best quality out of what your money can buy. There are 3 steps you can take to optimize your search for a suitable videographer.

Step 1: begin with an online search and look at the Google Reviews quantity, review quality and overall score. This is not the only metric to look for, but one surely to help you identify 3 to 4 best video agencies in your city.

Step 2: browse the videographer’s or agency’s website and portfolio, then watch some of their videos. We recommend you go through one entire video at least from start to finish. A smooth run of a video from beginning to end says a lot about the quality you can expect for your own video. You must look at the framing of the scenes, the quality of the resolution, the sound and the lighting. Is everything well-lit? Are the subjects in focus? Are the colours of the scenes beautiful? Were you entertained and engaged and felt absorbed into the video’s universe? Filmmaking is an art, it’s not science. Different videographers have different styles, and they’re all valid. Follow your instincts and see what type of vibe fits your own company and brand, and take it from there.

Step 3: establish a connection with the agency and videographer, ask for a quote and evaluate the customer service quality, such as how fast they respond, how friendly and patient they are, and better yet, schedule a phone call and talk to someone directly! With luck, they’re the professionals you deserve, and if they’re not, follow the next lead.

What’s the difference between a freelancer and a video production agency?

A freelance videographer is someone you hire to film for you. Sometimes, that person owns the gear they’d need to accomplish the filming. At other occasions, they might need to rent the kit that will help achieve the services you seek, and this will add to your costs. For example, you might ask for a second camera, or an audio set-up for 4 people, etc. A freelance videographer can also be hired by a production agency, and be “sent out” by them to your location to fulfill a filming service.

In contrast to a freelancer, a video production company or agency is a bit more of an elaborate entity that has a larger team. Now, that agency might very well send just one videographer to a shoot, so it’s not about the number of staff on the shoot, but the ones that are available behind the scenes rather.

You might ask, what’s better – to hire an independent freelancer or an agency videographer? The truth is, it depends. An agency can be more expensive than a freelancer, but also more reliable as expectations must be met and there are more thorough checks and balances. But the opposite can also happen: an agency can be cheaper than a freelancer, but also less professional. Our advice? Don’t look at that aspect. Just evaluate the price, the quality of the work and the professionalism at hand,  whether it’s a freelancer or an agency.

Regardless of who’s providing the service, there are a few types of video productions you can create for your business:

1. The most standard promotional video features your company representative (interview and audio), your products and services (B-Roll also referred to as beauty shots) and has your branding elements like your logo, font and colours.
2. A video can also be just beauty shots with music and no one talks at all, and alternatively, it could be just an interview.
3. The video itself can have various styles: it could be a promotional documentary where it looks like a documentary of sort, but in reality its aim is to advertise commercially, pure and simple. It can also be a direct appeal, in that it’s not disguised as a documentary.
4. The video can be short or long, super classic and within the confines of tradition, or rather creative and fun!

Remember, there is no right or wrong. There is no “correct” style. It all depends on your brand, your audience and honestly, your own personal preferences. A suitable production agency can help you determine that style, and this is a service our agency always provides.

How do you work with a videographer overseas?

These days, a large portion of our clients are based abroad and communications gets established through virtual meetings. We communicate online, like by writing each other by e-mail or we meet on Zoom and Teams. These online meetings are as good as meeting in person, if not better even, as they save everyone the added trouble of having to travel.

Now, our advice when it comes to hiring a videographer overseas is very similar to our previous advice. Read the 3 steps we’ve written above to optimize your search for a suitable videographer.

The additional components that are at stake here are the cultural and linguistic differences. Clear communication is essential. Being polite and friendly go a long way. Also, ask them if they’ve worked with companies outside their own country before and make sure it’s in their comfort zone.

What are the benefits of recruiting a video production company?

If you’re reading this, you probably at least know the partial answer to these questions already. Investing in professionally-made videos leads to enriching your database of audiovisuals, which can be strategically used to enhance internal culture, staff confidence, your brand and ultimately and if done right, can generate sales and have a huge impact on how you’re perceived by the market. As they say, you have to spend money to make money.

Creating your promotional video also brings you the personal confidence and a much-welcome self-esteem boost, especially if you’re the entrepreneur behind the startup or the manager of a brand, product or service which you consider to be your baby.

How do video production companies make money?

Video production companies make money the old-fashioned way: they get paid by their clients. Bear in mind that there are a lot of costs they incur, like hiring the crew and technicians, paying for the needed kit rentals and purchases, and also covering their insurance costs, gas costs and time spent passionately working on your projects.

How much does it cost to hire a video production company?

You can find a videographer who’s just starting out, for as low as $15/h. In contrast, a professionally-made promotional video can cost you up to $2,000 or more. It all depends on your expectations and needs. These fees do not include actor costs for instance, or any other props or specific special requests.

How hard of a job is it to be a videographer?

Being a videographer is really hard, even for ones that are passionate about the craft such as we are.

First of all, it’s expensive like you wouldn’t believe. Buying or renting a camera can eat up half the incoming revenue per project. It takes a lot of physical energy to carry the kit back and forth, but also to prepare it in advance and to process the footage and re-organize it after the fact. It’s also an emotional, and dare we say, a spiritual investment, because a videographer daydreams a lot about their art, like the footage they’ve taken in the past and the images to be taken in the future.

So don’t take the videographer you hire for granted, truly! They have to be technically masterful to adapt along any challenge, they have to be customer service-oriented, professional and bring with them an artistic vision which will prove essential to the success of your project. It takes a lot of work to juggle successfully between these exigent realities.

What is the future of video production?

Is professional filmmaking going extinct?

While the rise of the smart phones and everyone on Earth having a camera in their pocket certainly made us ponder the question, we still believe that professional videography is relevant and won’t die out. Why? Because human beings, we believe, always want excellence and superiority. So, today, the only way brands can distinguish themselves and stay relevant is by displaying high quality productions. If you publish a video filmed on an iPhone, are you sure you’re standing out and worse, it not reflecting badly on your brand? The only way to keep up is to hire professionals.

Hence, we believe the future of video production is still alive and kicking, at least for the time being. Is there a chance a new unforeseen technology, like Artificial Intelligence (AI), becoming accessible to the mainstream, renders the industry obsolete? Yes, that’s a theoretical possibility which we haven’t gotten to yet.

Thanks to the democratization of the industry and the lowering of camera costs, there are more and more media producers, hence higher competition, undoubtedly. If a videographer is truly passionate and good at what they do though, they have nothing to fear. We personally embrace competition. It’s what keeps us wanting to improve and upgrade, skills and gear.

What is the latest trend in corporate video production?

The latest trends, for the last decade, have always been directly tied to social media trends. TikTok is an amazing social sharing platform that has allowed millions of people to express themselves. One type of expression comes through camera work and lighting. Looking directly at the iPhone camera in vertical mode and talking to the audience is a recent powerful trend. Remember “back in the day”, when YouTubers uploaded their videos horizontally, like a TV screen? On TikTok, this is no longer a true strategic possibility.