Promo Video
I’ve been running the London video production company PROMO VIDEO for the past eight years and have dealt with many enquiries from people wanting to commission a corporate video. This article is an attempt to demystify the video production process and outline the steps for you in commissioning promo videos and corporate videos. I’ll also discuss some budget considerations in order for you to see how you might cut costs in a corporate video production. Overall, video is about communication and I’ll start by discussing what is meant by the terms promo video and corporate video.
What is a Promo Video?
The term promo video is short for promotional video and usually refers to a video production used to promote a product or service. It is also commonly used in the music industry to denote a music video designed to promote a band or musical act. With the advent of online video and the massive success of video sharing sites such as YouTube, promo videos have gained massive importance in the way marketing and business is conducted. An online promo video has gone from being a luxury item to an indispensable part of many marketing campaigns to the point where the absence of an online video presence is sometimes treated with suspicion by the public. Promo videos are typically short, usually between one and four minutes. Sometimes they are similar to traditional adverts with a clear call to action and sometimes the message is more subtle and implied with brand awareness being the main goal.
What is a corporate video London?
Corporate video is a more generic term usually applied to any type of video production intended for business rather than entertainment. It’s more of an umbrella term that can include the promotional video though encompasses many other forms of video production. Sometimes corporate videos are never seen outside the company that commissioned them. They can include training videos, documentary style informational videos, videos of discussions and conferences and many other forms of communication and distribution.
How to start the video production process
This usually begins by identifying the need for a corporate video. The process of making it happen often then comes down to the marketing Department of a company. You may have a clear idea of how you’d like the final video production to look and sound and some idea of budget or you may be just trying to find out the costs in order to ascertain whether it’s a feasible strategy for you. I receive many enquiries about these matters and often advise on what is possible and how a corporate video can benefit you. If you’re still at the research phase feel free to email me with any questions: promovideo.co.uk/contact. When you contact a video production company in your area, try to give as much information as possible as to what you’re hoping for and who is your target audience. The pre shoot production and arrangements can be done by email and over the phone or you may like to meet up in person as well to go through ideas and possibilities. We are a London video production company though often take on productions elsewhere in the UK.
Information to include when contacting a video production company
Corporate Videos can vary hugely and we as video production companies need as much information as possible to work out costs and what might be the best course of action for you to take. The intended audience of any promo video or corporate video is important to know in determining the best approach and tone of the video. It’s also good to have clear and measurable objectives for the video. It’s also good to know what elements you would like to include in the video production so as to estimate shooting time and costs associated with the editing and graphics. Also, considerations such as how the information is to be communicated: eg/ by voice-over, interview or on-screen text and graphics. If you can source any similar videos on other sites or YouTube this can be very useful for us in understanding your objectives and what you’re looking for.
What is the cost for a promo video or corporate video
This is understandably one of the most common enquiries I receive. Corporate videos can vary hugely in their cost and it can be difficult for video production companies to give even a ballpark figure without knowing the details suggested above. The main costs are associated with shooting time and editing time. If you know how many days filming you wish to dedicate to the project this can help us work out costs. If not, information about the elements you wish to include such as interviews and locations can help us work out how much shooting time will be involved. Production values is a term used to describe the overall quality of a video production. How polished a final product you require affects the cost of the edit. Sometimes a short and simple video is sufficient though a high end company may require a video with production values that match its high status. If you require motion graphics and animation this can also add to the cost and it’s important to describe exactly what you’re looking for to ascertain the costs of this. At promo video we have low overheads so are able to produce videos starting at £1000 or below though elaborate productions can go well into the tens of thousands of pounds.
How to write a video production brief
You may have already established a brief before contacting a video production company and from this we’d be able to produce an accurate quote. If not, just stating all the information about the intended production will usually be enough for a video production company to give you a ballpark figure. It’s still important to write a detailed brief so there is clear understanding what you and the video production company expect from the agreement. Determine within the brief for example whether you wish to include music, titles, graphics, voiceover. How many phases of revision are included in the price. At promo video, we usually submit a rough edit to the client and often find that one round of revisions is sufficient to produce a final edit that everybody is happy with. As customer satisfaction is paramount with us though, we often offer unlimited revisions until the client is completely happy with the final edit.
The video production process
The shoot may last only half a day for some simple promo videos though can be many days for more elaborate corporate videos. On simple videos this can be conducted by a single videographer though with more complex shoots a small crew may be used. We usually aim to supply a rough edit to the client within a week after the end of the shoot. You would then view the edit and suggest any changes or additions that you require. We will then make a final edit and again submit to you for sign off. I will elaborate more on the video production process in another post.
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