Corporate Video: Working with a Videographer Video Series - Wylie.Video

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How do you choose a video production partner for your business? What size crew does your project require? What kind of experience should your video production partner have? That's what we'll talk about today.

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Hi, I'm Eric Wylie, a freelance corporate video producer and editor.

Every business has unique video production needs. Some projects demand a large crew. Think about commercial shoots for cars and trucks and complex motion shots, or high-end productions that require multiple cameras and angles, lighting setups, and on-site directors.

These are productions that often involve specialists handling sound, lighting, hair, and makeup, and many other production trades, ensuring a polished, cinematic result.

If your production needs a crew of that size for a commercial production, you're likely already working with an agency who's going to hire that crew, working with people they know and trust.

Another situation in which a large crew would be needed is the audio-visual support for a large presentation event. Lighting, staging, sound systems, cameras, projection screens—that important type of work takes quite a few people.

But for most corporate and business videos, things like executive interviews, customer testimonials, and capturing events, a one- or two-person crew is often all that's needed.

This approach is not only cost-effective, but also efficient, providing a streamlined production process without sacrificing quality.

And that's the type of work I do. I specialize in delivering high-quality video productions as a one-person band.

That means I take on multiple roles—director, writer, camera operator, sound engineer, and editor—so that my clients get professional results without the overhead of a large production team.

Working with a one-person production partner offers several advantages. There are minimal disruptions to your business when I come on site to record. It keeps costs down while still delivering polished professional videos. And it ensures consistency because you're working with the same person from planning to final delivery.

That consistency can be extended when you work with a single videographer and invite them to travel to your multiple business locations.

Having the same person set up the camera and lighting who has been working with you on all of the planning and will have eventually been present for several of your interviews maintains consistency for the entire production or series of videos.

However, during the planning phase of your project—what we call pre-production—if there are signs and signals that multiple people will be needed for a project, then I'll discuss building a crew, if we only need a few people, or subcontracting the production to a larger production company.

Another thing to consider when choosing a videographer is their reputation. Ask around to others you know who have had a video produced recently, and ask them for a recommendation. Be sure to ask a few questions about how easy it was to work together and how the videographer presented themselves. Did they show up in a t-shirt and jeans to an executive awards ceremony, or were they dressed appropriately?

What about experience? There are many young videographers fresh out of school who will be willing to bid on your job. If you are a retail store or restaurant with a smaller budget and basic needs, a fresh videographer just starting out may be a good fit.

If you are a larger, more established business or corporation, you are more likely to be in a position where you'll do some research to see what kind of work a potential videography partner has done in the past, and review their samples and finished productions to know if what they do fits what you're looking for.

One note about experience, though. If there's one thing us video professionals become pretty good at, it's adapting to situations as they present themselves. For example, being told that the interview recordings will take place in a certain room, but then arriving on site and being told that the planned room is no longer available, and a new location needs to be selected, and the lighting plan reworked...or that the timetable for the day has changed due to an executive schedule.

Video professionals have to be fairly flexible and adaptable in this line of work, and we're pretty experienced at that.

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Which leads me to say, just because an experienced videographer hasn't worked in your specific industry, or hasn't previously recorded something in a specific location you've picked out, doesn't mean that the videographer couldn't do the work. A large part of the work a videographer does relates to their camera gear, lighting equipment, and sound equipment. We know how it works, and its limitations. So if you have a situation you need covered, but the videographer you're working with hasn't done that exact thing before, don't just assume that they can't do it. Talk with them about it, and see if they believe their experience and equipment would allow them to take on the situation.

Here's an example:

I've recorded video and captured audio in operating rooms and hospitals, dental clinics, elevator shafts from the top of tall buildings, from the basements of buildings, on farms, in churches, hotels, event centers, many office buildings, a nuclear facility, a breakfast cereal plant, several industrial manufacturing facilities, and a variety of places outdoors.

I've interviewed and recorded video with CEOs, politicians, construction workers, truck drivers, business owners, retail clerks, people from every walk of life.

But occasionally, I'll get a question from someone looking for a videographer who says something like, "Well, I've been on your website, and I didn't find that you've done a video like the one I need. Have you done a video about the accounting and inventory practices of pest removal contractors as it relates to state regulations?"

And I'll respond, "No, I haven't made a video on that particular topic, but here are some similar things I've worked on that I think would relate to that, and I think I could work with you."

And a couple of times, the person has replied with, "Sorry, I'm looking for someone with experience in this particular topic."

Of course, while some video professionals are generalists, there are also specialties that people have become known for over time, and they seek out that type of work and stay busy within one industry.

So when choosing a video production partner, consider your specific needs and interview potential videographers to see if you sense that the person or company would be a good fit.

Do you require a full production crew, or would a streamlined, single-person approach be the best fit for your business, or somewhere in between?

And remember that a person's work experience can be translated to a variety of topics.

Of course, pricing will be an area you'll need to discuss with a potential production partner. I've covered that topic in a separate video, and I invite you to check it out.

If you found this information useful, please be sure to like and share this video, and subscribe to my YouTube channel, and turn on notifications so that you know when the next video is available. And please add your comments and questions to the discussion. Thanks for watching. We'll see you next time.