Finding the Right Videographer

A video is a video, right?

Wrong. If you’re looking for a video that truly reflects the vibe of your company, your bog-standard guy with DSLR video filming services won’t cut the metaphorical mustard.

The golden rule to abide by when your company needs a video made is finding a videographer who seamlessly adopts your company’s tone and vision. These days, everyone has a camera, so how do you sort the amateurs from the pros?

Step 1: Browse their previous work.

You’ve narrowed down a list of videographers in your area. Now it’s time for some scrolling.

Looking through previous much work can be pretty daunting. We’ve got a few tips, but the most important one is obvious: can you envisage this videographer doing an awesome job of celebrating your product, service or event? Will they capture the kind of passion you feel for the company that you have developed throughout your time there? If so, chances are they’ll create the kind of video you want.

Here are some more questions to ask yourself as you browse:

Do they have a full and varied portfolio?

If a videographer doesn’t have many examples, they may just be starting out and could be a great bargain at a lower price. However, if their portfolio lacks full-length videos, fails to demonstrate breadth or just doesn’t seem proud of the work they’ve done, they may not be your best bet.

Have they done videos that match the style of your brand?

If you’re a high-octane sports company, you can’t guarantee that a videographer who has only captured weddings will have the necessary skills to cover your brand. There are always exceptions, but one of the best ways of choosing video filming services is to look at competitors or similar companies’ videos, and then approach similar filmmakers to go one step further than what they’ve made before.

Is the videographer selling themselves?

It’s a tell-tale sign. If a videographer is unable to edit together a portfolio that shows off their own work, they cannot be expected to show off your brand. Remember to separate the quality of the website from the actual videos, but if the montages or edits used to advertise the videographer are sub-par, you’re probably better off elsewhere.

Step 2: Check out their prices

It’s important to remember that even the most expensive videographers may not be the best quality one for you. Similarly, cheaper video filming services can be excellent quality, owing to a lack of experience but passion and drive to learn and improve.

Think about how you want to use your budget, and what will give you the biggest payoff. Are you looking for the highest quality video possible, more views, innovation, a super-quick turnaround, or something completely unique? All of these have different pricing structures. For instance:

  1. Remember that a shiny new video is nothing without excellent marketing to get your media in front of the people who need to see it.
  2. Prices often represent expertise. This includes not only the ability to handle a camera and edit footage, but professional planning, consultation and project management skills which grow over time. Opting for more expensive video filming services who can handle the whole project can be a good idea if you’re particularly busy or keen to have a fresh new vision on the project.
  3. A fast turnaround is more do-able for experienced videographers, but beware: if their prices are particularly high, showing they’re in-demand, other clients could get in the way of that super-quick turnaround.

Step 3: Chat to the videographer

Never hire a videographer without chatting to them. Face to face is best.

If you’re stuck, here are some questions to ask about their video filming services:

  • Which projects do you think have been your most successful?
  • What equipment do you use, and what would you recommend for our video?
  • Where do you get your music from?
  • Do you know how to adapt video for different social media platforms?
  • How long is your typical turnaround?
  • Do you have any innovative, exciting ideas for this project?

It’s best to prepare questions in advance to ensure you get all the information you need. A final tip is seeing whether the videographer is able to take the reigns; if they’re offering their own ideas, as well as listening to yours, you’re onto a winner.

Here at Sharp Films, we’d love to do exactly that – to sit down and chat about your vision for a project, and what we can bring to the table with our collection of video filming services. Give us a call, send an email, or fill in the message box on the contact page and we’ll be in touch in a flash.