Frequently asked questions about video production for companies and industries and the Internet

Video production is an effective tool for producing more sales, training employees, and telling the world about products and services. Video presentations can be shown to large groups and viewed privately by one person. Television is the main source of information for most people in North America and Europe. Business and Industry has been using industrial film and video for years. As production costs have decreased, video production has become even more widely used by small businesses. Small businesses can use video to improve their bottom line, but before launching a video production, a little knowledge will go a long way in the overall process and help you achieve an effective and useful video presentation.

Here are some frequently asked questions about commercial/industrial video production. Good luck on your video project.

Q. Can we use people from our own company in the video to save talent fees?

A. Talent rates are the keywords here. Generally, professional actors are used for voice-overs and on-screen speaking. They do a great job. They learn their parts. They can cope with script changes and numerous scene takes. Best of all though, they look good on the TV screen. In short, they are talented. If you need to cut your budget, there are better ways. A good production company can work within most budgets without sacrificing the efficiency of a production. Using unprofessional talent is a risk.

Q. Can’t we have our people in the video?

A. Sure. The people in the company are excellent at video presentations. They are great at interacting with each other and with customers. Company people can be videotaped for voice-over comments and short sound bites.

Q. Our sales manager is used to giving presentations about our product all the time. It’s natural. He is friendly and people really like him and identify with him. In addition, he knows the product backwards and forwards. Shouldn’t he be the one talking about our product in our video?

A. Sometimes people in the company can do a good job, especially experts like yours, and we’ve used them in our video productions. However, a word of caution. We have seen video productions shelved shortly after they were produced because the spokesperson for the video decided to quit and work for the competition. You can’t let your spokesperson (especially if he’s well known) say good things about your product if he’s no longer part of your organization. The appearance is that they found a better product or a better company to work for. If companies continue to use a videotape with a layer change expert, it appears that the videotape is marketing the competitor’s product. That’s not good.

Q. What if our CEO or one of our top managers appears on camera? Is there anything you can do to appear as professional as possible?

A. Yes, CEOs and Senior Managers are great choices for corporate videos. They should be prepared for the session with various wardrobe options. They must also have their lines memorized. They should go through a list of tips and tricks to look good on camera.

Q. Can we shoot our own footage and then have a professional video production company edit the footage?

A. Yes, especially if you have competent people in your organization. However, we recommend that you read the book Making a World-Class Video for Your Business: Work with Professionals or Do It Yourself before you try it. We will be happy to consult with you and assist you in your production in any way. Our book is available in many fine bookstores in Canada and the United States. Especially if the bookstore has a Self-Counsel Press display. Check with your favorite library, too.

Q. We have some existing images of our product in the field. Looks great. It is on a video tape in VHS format. Can we use that in production?

A. We pride ourselves on our ability to incorporate many different types of media into our production. VHS video streams, although the lowest resolution format, can be digitized and edited. Results vary. Production companies using non-linear digital formats could also probably handle your request very well.

Q. How disruptive is a video production?

A. It is true that Hollywood-style production teams can be detrimental. We like to keep crews to a minimum. Sometimes we only use a crew of one or two people. Not only is this less disruptive, but it also saves money. With the new low-light cameras, the need for the bright lights of Hollywood has gone a bit by the wayside.

Q. How long does it take to produce a video?

A. It depends on the complexity, but usually around a month. Video production companies are used to working with deadlines. We’ve done a lot of quick introductions. We burn the midnight oil for our clients. Visit PNW’s video production site for a more detailed breakdown (week by week) of pre-production, production, and post-production needs.

Q. What is the cheapest video to produce?

A. A voiceover type is the least expensive. A good professional voice is essential for the locution. The most expensive type of video is interactive/acting in front of the camera. This type of production can sometimes double a budget, but it produces very effective presentations.

Q. How do we find actors?

A. Most production companies know the actors. We have a selection of professional and semi-professional actors to work with. Video tapes and audio tapes (or reels) are often available for review.

Q. Should we order a sample tape to look at?

A. Sure. Professional video production companies should have their own sales and marketing tape (they’re in business!) or copies of productions similar to your project.

What we like to do is talk about production and budget first. Below we show samples of productions within a selected budget. It doesn’t do our clients any good to show them a champagne budget video, if they’re going to be working on a beer budget. The opposite also is true.

Q. Professional video production companies would have to fly to our location. Wouldn’t it be cheaper for us to hire a local production company?

A. Sometimes. There are many good producers around the world. Even in small communities. However, there is a difference between video production and commercial/industrial video production. There is no magic in producing a good video. What is more difficult is to produce a video that sells a product, service or point of view.

Q. How much does a video cost?

A. There are many factors. The usual figure given in the industry is $1,000 to $1,500 hundred per finished minute for quality productions. Many Betacam-SP productions cost around $3,000 per finished minute.

Q. We only have a small budget. Is there anything we can do to help reduce costs?

A. Certainly. Please tell the video production company in advance what kind of budget you have in mind. Production can be tailored to your needs and requirements. There are many ways to make video productions cheaper. We are experts in cutting costs.

Q. What video format is used in industrial/commercial video production?

A. It depends on the budget. There is a wide variety of video formats used by industrial video production companies. VHS is the lowest resolution. Betacam-SP is one of the highest. There are many intermediate formats.

Sometimes we shoot in Betacam-SP, a high-resolution broadcast standard. However, most of the time these days, camcorders are recorded in a digital format, so the information can easily be transferred to editing computers.

Q. Can you put our entire production on DVD or CD-ROM for distribution and the Internet?

A. We like to know exactly how you intend to use your production. But no matter how you’re distributing, we’ll use the best format for your video.

Q. What is the first step? what do we do?

A. Take a few minutes to think about your project and your needs. To produce a video, a good industrial video production company will need to know a few things about your company and the presentation.

Here are some questions to ask yourself:

1. In what environment will the video be shown?

2. Who will watch the video?

3. What is the purpose of the video?

4. What do you want people to do when they finish watching the video?

5. What do you want people to remember about the video?

6. How many people are going to watch your video?

7. How are you going to distribute the video?

Write down your information and share it with others in your company to get their answers.