Starlog

How Hiring a Video Ad Agency Should Be Frictionless

In this blog you’ll learn about:

• Discovery

• Presentation of Options

• The Creative Brief Video

• First Draft of Script & Storyboard

• Second Draft of Script & Storyboard

• Final Pre-Production Meeting Production

• Post Production, Editing, Music, & Rough Cut of Video

• Revisions Addressed & Final Draft of Video

Companies hire outside video agency resources for several reasons. Obviously, the given is they have video agency needs. But the reasons behind this given are numerous. Sometimes, a company’s in-house marketing department is simply not accustomed to or equipped to handle video needs. Other times, there is no in-house marketing department. Still, other times, companies wisely decide they want to bring in the objective viewpoint of people who write and produce videos and do nothing else.

One of the nicest repeated compliments we get at Hybrid Moon is that we’re “frictionless.” Over the past 30 years, we’ve become well versed at stepping into a company’s culture or marketing department and positioning ourselves as a helpful extension of the team instead of interlopers.

We do this by following nine simple steps, and all of them are prefaced by one underlying objective: We want your video experience with us to be your best video experience ever.

Step 1: Discovery

This is the Who, What, When, Where and Why of your video. If the assignment is a series of testimonials, or a product demonstration, or covering a corporate event, the Discovery process is pretty straight forward and short. But if it’s a new product or division launch, then the information gathering might take a little longer and be broken down into a series of meetings.

Step 2: Presentation of Options

Once we understand your needs, the next step is a presentation of options. We usually present 3 options of a low, medium, and higher price point. The thinking behind each option are fully explained. Like, use of graphics and stock photography versus live photography or animation, the number of locations to be used, the number of script revisions, and so on. We may even provide some reference creative samples. If we do, we’re not trying to “sell” clients on a particular idea, but rather, we’re providing a standard of our creative vision.

Step 3: The Creative Brief

Once an option is selected, we then will prepare a more detailed Creative Brief that encompasses the scope of work.  When clients sign off on a brief, it clearly sets expectations and helps eliminate surprises.

Step 4: First Draft of Script & Storyboard

One of the things that separates Hybrid Moon from other video production resources is that we’re storytellers. That means we prefer to write the script for maximum emotional impact. Clients certainly know their product and audience better than us. But we know what separates impact from clutter in the marketplace, and the three tier story arch, and emotionally compelling words as opposed to sales language, and economy of words, and scene timings, and–well–you get the idea. Although we prefer to write the script, that doesn’t mean you won’t have input, you certainly will! This is a partnership.

Step 5: Second Draft of Script & Storyboard

After your valuable input has been incorporated, then we lock down the script. It’s important that all compliance and legal needs are known at this step.

Step 6: Final Pre-Production Meeting

This is the final meeting before production. Not all clients want to go through the details of things we’ve already discussed. But we still offer it, and if multiple locations are involved, a final pre-pro is important.

Step 7: Production

This is the “Lights, camera, action” part of the process. If we’re on location, sometimes clients want to be with us during shooting. Sometimes not. But you’re always welcome.

Step 8: Post Production, Editing, Music, & Rough Cut of Video

The post production process could be just as long as writing and shooting your video depending on the the option you chose. If, for instance, animation is involved, or special effects, or an original music score is desired, it could add weeks to the production schedule. It usually doesn’t. But it “could” depending upon the complexity. When everything is pretty much done, then you’ll have the opportunity to see a rough cut and make any final adjustments. Your final adjustments should be small tweaks. Not major scene changes or rewrites.

Step 9: Revisions Addressed & Final Draft of Video

Once the revisions are addressed, now you have a video you’re proud to share with the world. To make this nine step process even easier, here’s a few things to keep in mind:

• Everybody’s input on your team is valuable, important, and wanted. We live to serve you! But multiple voices at every step can tend to get be confusing, so it’s helpful if opinions are, as much as possible, filtered through a Director of Marketing.
• Ask specific questions to avoid confusion in the pipeline. Like: “Is a three sentence addition to the script between the rough cut and final draft of the video considered a minor tweak? Or, a revision that’s beyond the scope of work?” The answer is: It depends on how easily the revision can be addressed, but it’s good to ask specific questions. 
• Please know when you hire Hybrid Moon, it’s very possible we’re going to suggest some disruptive ideas. That is to say, “not the norm.” There is SO much video clutter out there. We want your video to get noticed. Earlier, we talked about the advantage of bringing in the objective viewpoint. That’s one of the most important things we bring to the table.

Once again, for more straight forward video needs–like shooting a corporate event, or obtaining testimonials, or a short product demo video–these steps go by pretty fast. But us being through and you having no surprises is how we maintain our “frictionless” reputation. Give us a call for for next project. Big or small. It’s always right to shoot for the Moon!