You have decided you’re ready to make a professional video for your brand. You know what message or story you want to share. You have an understanding of your audience and most importantly, you are ready to connect with them through beautiful, impactful video! That’s a good place to be.
With clarity and hutzpah, you’re on a mission and you have one big decision to make: finding and hiring the right team that will take your sweet, sweet ideas and turn them into something tangible and on-brand that’s ready to go out into the world.
If you’re like… But Katie Ann, I’m not quite sure what I want to do!, you can always get in touch because our crew loves a good brainstorm sesh. You may have some questions to answer for yourself before you dive in with a film crew — and that’s a perfectly good place to be too.
Like you and your business, each cinematographer and film crew offers something a little different. To empower you to make this decision, we’ve compiled a few questions to help you along your way to finding the team that aligns with your vision. Without further ado, here are five initial questions to ask your film crew:
1. CAN I SEE A VARIETY OF SAMPLES OF YOUR WORK?
Just because a film crew killed at that corporate Christmas party under perfect shooting conditions doesn't necessarily mean you shouldn't dig a little deeper into their portfolio. Be sure to see examples of not only an assortment of their work (inside, outside, under studio lighting, windy on a beach, you name it), but of a sample with a similar look or location they’ve done that makes sense for your video.
For example, if you know you’ll want moody “talking head” footage, be sure to check out an indoor interview set up they’ve done. Or if you know you want action shots out on the trails, look for samples of their raddest adventure film. Shoots can be unpredictable, but you want your film crew to be dependable and capable of handling whatever the day throws at them; capturing clean audio and consistent lighting for that perfect look that represents your brand.
2. CAN WE CUSTOMIZE A PACKAGE BASED ON OUR NEEDS?
No two brands are the same, so why should two videos be? While some brands want the all-inclusive, cookie cutter, turn and burn package that comes with the two cameras, one shooter, yada yada, there are others looking to stand apart, who want a package that is uniquely built around them, their audience and their goals.
What coverage or style is important to you? Express your needs and if they can't be met, find someone who can meet them!
3. IS THE PERSON WE ARE TALKING WITH THE SAME PERSON WHO WE WILL BE SHOOTING WITH?
Most people aren't naturally comfortable in front of a camera. I know I'm not! The first step in feeling more comfortable and genuine on camera is by getting to know the person behind the camera ahead of time. If you don’t have the opportunity to meet with the person who will be interviewing you, rest assured a cinematographer worth her weight will have a knack for putting interview subjects at ease and getting the gold out of the questions and stories, so you’ll probably look and sound amazing even if you feel weird.
If you’re one of those people who can turn it on when the lights are hot and the cameras are rolling, kudos to you! Teach me your ways.
4. WHAT IS YOUR PROCESS LIKE?
Great brands know what’s at the core of their business, and so to keep production to the values and heart of the brand, it’s ideal to know what the video production process is going to look like… How long will the video take to create and share with the world? How will we make sure everyone is on the same page about what is being captured? Will I get to make revisions after getting the video? How many hours are in your day rate?
A lot of this may be answered in the contract and supporting documents like a Shot List or Treatment, so reading through them can answer many logistical questions, too.
5. WHAT TYPE OF EQUIPMENT DO YOU USE?
While I wholeheartedly believe that it’s the cinematographer and not the camera that makes amazing videos, it can be fun to do a little research into the gear!...or maybe not…maybe we’re just gear heads here at Plick’s Flicks.
I will say though that if there’s interview audio in your video, to make sure your videographer is working with Wireless LAVs and not in-camera or hot shoe mounted mics. It is shocking how important good, clean audio is to the overall quality of a video, don’t even get me started. Maybe that should be next week’s blog post: “What’s More Important To a Video? Beautiful Video or Clean Sound? [With Real Life Examples!]” We’ll workshop that title…
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So there you have it! I hope you’re feeling empowered to bring your creative ideas to life and to connect deeply with your audience through beautiful, intentional video marketing. Don't be afraid to ask your film crew questions. If they are passionate and knowledgeable, they should be happy to answer them honestly and fully. And if you get any sketchy feelings about their answers, run the other way and find someone you feel excited to work with. I’d wish you good luck but I have a feeling you’re a boss and you make your own luck.