FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q: How long does it take to do a video production?
A: There’s no straight answer as every production is unique and has different requirements. For one person interviews, you can expect that for every 30-min of finished product, it takes about 45-min to an hour of raw footage. When there’s multiple people in the shot, it moves more towards twice the time of shooting for half the time of finished or more. This is not a hard and fast rule but should give you an idea. The more prepared the better for everyone and coaching is done in advanced to make sure everyone is comfortable and ready to participate when the cameras start to roll. If you have a time sensitive need where you want your presentation to be delivered by a certain date, you should contact us as early as possible to ensure there’s ample time to complete the job.
Q: How much does it cost?
A: Our pricing is reasonable. Everyone asks this question because they suspect its expensive but not always. It’s really a value discussion and depends on what is requested and the resources needed to accomplish the objective. Pricing is usually ‘project-based’ and the entire process is included in our initial quote, subject to changes which can (will) invariably happen. An outline of the project is agreed to in advance and significant changes to that outline correspond to changes in the price. Quotes are always flexible to some small degree and we include a 20% margin and won’t go beyond that number. So if you wanted to add something to the flow and we agree that it’s appropriate and would make the presentation better without adding to the complexity of doing it, then there’s no change to the price because small changes are already built-in. If things change to a greater degree than that then we negotiate an addendum to the scope of work or maybe a new agreement. We seriously try our best to respect budgetary constraints, especially for small businesses and municipalities that don’t really have a ‘marketing budget’. Often times, you tell us what you have for a budget and we’ll tell you what we can do within that budget. Everything is transparent so you can be sure that you’re not going to get some bill with an over-the-top number that upsets the relationship. For cities and municipalities that may have larger projects, we can do it the way we typically eat an elephant (a bite at a time or ‘a production at a time’) with mini-productions that can be used right away while keeping the overall scope in view for a later feature film.
Q: What is included in your video productions?
A: Every production gets an Opening (with opening credits if appropriate), a non-licensed music score, lower-thirds, image inserts where needed, ending credits, and some extras we may decide to put in if the production will benefit from having them (at our discretion and your approval of course). There’s a lot more behind the scenes in editing such as the cut-room, color correction, animations, audio editing, etc. The longer the production the more time spent perfecting it. The idea is to make it flow from beginning to end, be informative and entertaining, and have an appropriate length to its purpose. All while retaining the attention of the viewer. Thoughtful contemplation and maybe a smile or two at the end may be an after effect.
Q: What are the steps to getting started?
A: The first step is to contact us. Conversation is free and worth having even if you don’t know exactly what you want. Everything we do is on-location. Take a look at our services to determine which captures your interest. Next think of who you believe the participants would be. Ask yourself if what you want can be done in one place or requires multiple locations? Lastly, ask yourself how much you have budgeted for the project or can get someone to contribute to it. For example, our Family Treasures is designed for the working-class kids to pay for the privilege and experience of interviewing their parents, for the benefit of their kids and great grandkids down the line.