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Here are some of the most commonly asked questions we field about our productions, our methodology, and the technical aspects of video production. We'd still like you to contact us with your questions, so don't hesitate to reach out to us to get additional information!
What will my video cost?
No two projects are the same for us, and each production requires time and resources that are tailored to the results you want to achieve, so it's difficult to provide a solid answer to questions like this without understanding what your needs are. In general, however, we find that most of our productions run between $1,000 and $1,500 for budget-conscious clients. Factors that drive production cost are the number of locations where filming will be done, the challenges at those locations, the amount of raw video we have to shoot, what sort of graphics and animations you need, and the length of the final productions. Sometimes simple productions run a bit less than this range, and sometimes they can be a lot higher. The critical consideration for you should be the value you need from the production, since if you really need video production it's worth it to get what you really need, rather than the cheapest you can get.
Do you do wedding videos?
Generally, no. There are a lot of wedding videographers out there and we feel they do a great job at what they do. Our specialties are different, and the results of our methodology are best delivered when we're not constrained by the schedules and locations that usually attend wedding events. In some circumstances we might be open to these sorts of projects, but only when the production desired departs from what is typically done for a wedding. If you think your project is different than having a cameraman follow a wedding party around for two days to produce a music video featuring two people and their friends and family, feel free to contact us and we can discuss your project.
What equipment do you use?
We have a pretty extensive inventory of cameras, lighting and sound equipment, and other production equipment we use to shoot footage, edit that footage, and if needed, to broadcast that footage. Our production inventory includes Canon and Sony cameras, Shure, Behringer, Roland, Rode and Audix audio equipment, Adobe CS4 software augmented with plugins from Red Giant and Neat Video, Stock music and graphics libraries from Digital Juice, SmartSound and RoyaltyFreeMusic.com, and loads of other production gear from more manufacturers than we can name. We even craft some of our own prodution gear such as camera dollies, and heavily customize other things like camera jibs and cranes to meet our needs. That inventory is augmented as necessary with rental equipment in those cases we need more with strong relationships with some of the nation's leading providers of video and audio equipment to ensure we have exactly what we need for your production.
How is your approach different than other providers?
We focus on intimately understanding, documenting, and bringing to your intended viewers the unique story you have to tell. It's not something we have to craft so much as understand and reveal. It's easy for a videographer to walk into a project wondering how he's going to take another relatively boring engagement and turn it into something "cool" and "sexy", or for him to go through the mundane, mechanical process of documenting no more than the client directs him to and slicing that together into an uninspiring and low-interest production with decent technical production quality.
We, on the other hand, want to discover the narrative that is (often not) plainly visible, or more likely somewhat beneath the surface, and bring that emotional, inspiring, and engaging story out. Sometimes it is the hidden qualities of the people within an organization, other times it is the organization's values and vision. Every project is different in this regard, but always we find there's something the public doesn't know about what you're doing that is a big reason behind the success you've had so far or the momentum you're currently experiencing. That approach produces video that engages outsiders, rather than bore them with the same content you're already providing them through other means such as print.
We are storytellers, not forensic specialists. Our approach to planning and executing sets us apart from the legions of forensic specialists out there who masquerade as video production professionals.
Who is your ideal client?
People should ask this question more when selecting a videographer, but people often they focus on little more than cost or technical production questions that don't directly relate to the received value of their time and expense.
Our ideal client is someone who is perhaps somewhat misunderstood by their potential audience, who wants to introduce that audience to something unique or special, and who has faced challenges in getting the understanding they seek effectively communicated by more traditional means. Our ideal project is to have the opportunity to reveal to an audience something they never would have otherwise discovered, whether that be information about the value of a service or product, the results that an organization has achieved, or the special characteristics of some activity or event.
We've worked extensively with political candidates and causes, non-profit organizations, and some seemingly unlikely industries and small businesses who absolutely have a compelling story to tell that otherwise would have remained the hidden gems of understanding shared with all too few people. All of them had something very special happening and the only way that uniqueness could be shown was through the incredible power unique to video.
Here's a case in point: what industry at first glance might seem to be the least appealing industry to tell a story for? Might that be the funeral industry? Quite possibly. Many people may have a distinct aversion to engaging in this venue, but despite the terrible treatment delivered on them by hollywood and the media, these are some of the finest people you might ever meet and they have incredible stories to tell about the service they provide. Working with some of these professionals has been one of the most personally rewarding experiences for our staff and given us some of the most emotionally engaging and interesting video production projects we've ever worked on.