Video production is something that today goes in handy with all those marketing strategies and campaigns we see on social media and traditional media too. Many marketers think they can do that all by themselves, by buying editing software, which is a good investment, but a skilled editor is a crucial member of the team too. But, even when we hire a production, it may happen they don’t deliver the quality we want. If you read more, you will see that it’s important to hire a trusted company with a rich portfolio of previous projects, that can deliver quality video content and share your message through it.
Only a few years ago, short videos were so underrated, and people preferred text and images. But, even though these videos are usually short, and share a simple message, they take a few hours or up to a few days until completed. According to the recent world data, many marketers claim this type of content helped them promote some product or brand in a unique way, resulting in an increased number of sales, and engaging people to show more interest in what the company has to offer. Unfortunately, professionals can mess things up, and not release what you asked them to.
Usually, these things can be easily fixed with an additional meeting, but if they still don’t manage to do the project as you asked them to, it may be a sign you need another agency or production to work with, but also:
1. You need to tell them what to do, and they don’t have a clue where to start
Everything starts with a script. You can’t create a video without it, and they are the editing experts. You only need to give them some instructions on what to do, and how you want to get the video, the format, the color of the titles, and the layout – but they are always doing different things, assuring you it’s better like that. Also, if they don’t start on time, and don’t deliver the first examples as demanded, they will probably be late with the editing and post-production, and you really don’t need that stress in your life. You only need to provide the idea, and they will do the rest. Of course, it’s your obligation to control the process, so changes can be done on time. This leads us to the next sign:
2. They avoid regular communication
Editing a video is a seriously long and demanding process, but it’s easier to fix the mistakes earlier than when the final product is completed. And you surely want to see the progress and check if everything is good, but if they don’t respond to your emails, miss your calls on purpose, or tell they will call you back later, but never do that, maybe it’s a huge red flag to find another company that will have a more serious approach.
3. You aren’t happy with the outcome
You are sure you have excellent raw materials, but you don’t like the product? It’s normal until you get used to it. But, if it’s really bad, the resolution is lost during the exporting, and something that simply doesn’t work is added, you can ask them to fix the product the way you want. If they still ignore your requirements, or they try to assure you their ideas are better, just let them go. You don’t have anything to do with them, but your deadline is still active, and the campaign is waiting for you.
4. They don’t have a relevant portfolio
We all want to know who we are paying when hiring a video production service. If they don’t have a portfolio with previous work to provide, they are either inexperienced, or they are ashamed of their products. It’s another alert that it’s better to skip them this time. If you want to support startup businesses, you can do that with a smaller budget and not so urgent project, to see if they are worth it. But, when something is really important, it’s always better to go for proven companies with a great client testimonial database and relevant proof of previous work.
5. They don’t respect the standards and formats
If you are looking for a horizontal wide-screen video, then you have to get that. Maybe vertical videos are now a trend on social media and they will try to produce one like that, and even try to charge for it. But, if you really don’t need what they are offering, and you had a simple demand with a list of specifications they need to meet, and they don’t do that, you can at least try once again with them. If they still proceed to deliver work you didn’t ask for, fire them immediately.
6. They try to charge fees and additional expenses they didn’t plan
This is unacceptable, and you know that. You probably had plenty of meetings until you explained what you really want, and if they can do that. Probably they pitched their price, and you set for that, so you can meet the budget requirements. Sometimes, things don’t go as planned, and additional expenses appear through the process. But, in some cases, some production companies will try to ask for additional amounts of money, with some weak explanations that don’t really make sense.
Many marketers will pay for it, and get a short clip that costs a whole movie. Be careful with these “bribers”, because they are around us, trying to charge as much as they can. Compare their offer with other ones, so you can detect if they are trying to take your money without doing anything special for them.
Maybe this article sounds too pessimistic, but it’s on purpose – everyone should be aware of who they work with, and we can’t deny that some people are bad enough to try to cheat on others. Be careful, and if you see some of these red flags, then it’s the right time to go for another production company.
