6 Questions To Ask a Production Company BEFORE Hiring Them

What Should You Ask a Video Production Company?

There are several questions you should ask a production company before proceeding and these are important because not all corporate video production companies are created equally. Sounds cliché, but when you hire someone to create a professional video, you expect high-quality output…and you should get it. Here are some questions to ask before deciding on whom to hire:

1. Can you show me a sample (or 4)?  If you’re shooting a corporate video, whether for a website or for television, you’ll want to see samples of their work. In fact, you should ask to see a portfolio of their work so you can get a feeling for their style and skill level.
2. Would you describe the personality of our business? Because your company has a personality and culture, you’ll want to find a production company that fits into that culture and personality. In fact, they should be able to identify and describe the culture and personality of your company during your first meeting. If they can’t, they are not paying attention to the details, and will not when you hire them.
3. What ideas can you provide for this video? When meeting with them, they should be able to give you a couple of creative thoughts of what they visualize in the video they want to shoot for you. Additionally, if you have some ideas of what you want the video to look and feel like, that can be both a help and a hindrance. This can be a dream or a nightmare for the producer. Regardless of whether the vision is right or not, a good producer should provide some insightful feedback about why the vision will work, will not work, and how to improve it.
4. Do you stay in budget? And, what happens if it goes over budget? If you are focused on the budget prior to calling the meeting, you may be considering the wrong factor. Budget should be a factor, but not the deciding factor. Because a poorly planned and executed shoot creates a subpar video; therefore, a little bit extra can make a big difference. Weigh and balance the budget accordingly.
5. Can you deliver on quality that matches my expectations? Remember the creative is always subjective, but the quality of the video should be in line with your expectations. Quality also means having the proper sound equipment, the proper lighting, the proper framing, and an attention to detail (such as the background) can all make an impact on the final product. Look at the samples to determine if they have what it takes.
6. What happens if you miss the deadline? A good producer can describe the timeline associated with the shoot. If he or she cannot map this out for you, your follow up question should be, ‘how many deadlines do you miss?’ A good producer can miss a few, but a great producer rarely misses. When you ask this question, look for their reaction. You’ll know if they can hit a deadline by their answer.

These six questions are a good start to helping you decide on the proper corporate or web video production company. By asking these questions, you’ll begin to get a feel for the quality of their work and their ability to perform.

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