Questions to Ask Your Producer

What kind of experience does the producer have?

The experience of the producer relates directly to the quality of the finished product. Be sure to see examples of video work that the producer has personally produced.

What is your videographer's style?

Artsy, documentary, or direct (interviews with wedding guests)? (Then ask yourself: Does this jibe with what you're going for?)

What will you need from me?

You, or a representative from your company, will need to have an accessible contact person to help coordinate approvals, schedule shoots, and answer questions to help make the production process as smooth as possible. Speaking of approvals, it will be essential to have you, or designate, responsible for approving each aspect of the production process, including scriptwriting, shooting and editing. Once approvals are given, you can expect any changes made thereafter will be additionally billed.

During the shoot, you should be able to stand and watch every shot in the monitor to be sure it represents your company the right way. That is your opportunity to be sure the director is getting what you want. However, please be aware that you did hire a professional crew to produce your project. This is a team effort, let them do their job while making sure you convey what you want in your production.

Are there any extra charges?

Ask up front if there will be any extra charges. Some common extra charges: taxes, tape costs, mileage, travel expenses and duplications. It’s important to understand that if you, as a client, make changes to the project that require additional work from the production company not originally agreed upon in the proposal, expect extra charges to apply.

What can I do to keep my costs down?

A good producer will help you keep the project within your budget. Some of the more common ways to save money are:

·         shorten the length of the program,

·         use fewer professional actors, and

·         keep the shoot days to a minimum.

Holding a pre-production meeting to coordinate the project could save hundreds of dollars. If the shoot is scheduled at your company’s location, try to do everything possible to facilitate the shooting process. For example, if you are creating a marketing or training video for your widget, let your manufacturing line take direction from the video producers and allow disruption of their work.

Questions Your Producer Should Ask You

1. What do you like and dislike about other videos?

2. What do you want to achieve with this video?

3. Who is the target audience?

4. What do you want the audience to do after watching the video?

5. How will the tape be shown?

6. How many shoot locations are there?

7. Will we be shooting during business hours?

8. If we are shooting during business hours, are there any logistical concerns?

9. How long does the video need to be?

10. Will a company executive need to be on camera?

11. Do you need a professional on-camera talent or voice-over?

12. Who will write the script?

13. Will you need extra graphics or animations in the video?

14. Are there any other materials that need to be included in the video, such as photographs?