You probably don't factor in the cost of what it takes to make a rich and gooey chocolate chip cookie when you sit down with a plate of cookies and a tall cold glass of milk. You just enjoy the delightful experience of eating those cookies.
Enjoying video is a lot like enjoying your chocolate chip cookies and milk. You watch and enjoy, and you probably don't think to much about the ingredients that went into creating the video production. And while cookies are most always round, a video production should never be cookie cutter.
Of course, when it comes to your business, you are concerned with the ingredients, as it is the ingredients that help to determine cost.
So what are the ingredients (cost factors) that go into a MarketingOC Studios Orange County video production?
Here's a peak at what cost drivers we consider for each new video production and marketing production.
1. Project and production management: The overall planning and execution of the video production. While our video productions services are cutting edge, our client services are decidedly simple - you can call or email us at anytime with your ideas, needs and concerns, and we are ready to address.
2. Script Development: Every video must have a script. Often clients will write a basic outline, and we turn that outline into an engaging story. Even if it is just a 30 second commercial spot, there is a need for a story to engage viewers and motivate them to action.
3. Storyboard Development: Pairing the script to visuals is key to a smooth video production. It helps in preproduction planning, on set and in post production.
4. Talent: Getting the right talent is essential for connecting the on screen talent with the audience. So, we need to consider:
Casting
On-screen Actor(s)
Voice over artist
Extras
Customers (Release form required)
5. Video Assets: A video production is often made of both custom and stock assets. Sometimes, it is less expensive to use stock footage, but that often comes with some trade offs such as the stock photo not being exactly how you may have envisioned, but yet, it is good enough.
Images needed
Stock photos (Royalty free)
Licensed photos
Custom photography
Video
Stock video (Royalty free)
Licensed video
Illustrations/3d elements
6. Special Effects/Animations: Motion graphics and special effects can help to create more impact by presenting text and concepts in an intriguing manner.
7. Location: The decision to shoot in our Orange County green screen video production studio or our Los Angeles video production studio or on location depends on the goals of the video production. But the basics we consider are:
Studio rental
Fees and permits
Local or travel
Building rental
Sets
Props
8. Music: Music adds a lot to any video and there are lots of options from stock to custom music that we consider:
Stock music (Royalty free)
Custom score
9. Crew: Having a strong team to executes your vision is essential. The video producition crew MarketingOC Studios may bring to your production can include:
Director
Director of Photography
Camera operator(s)
Lighting
Sound
Grip
Production Assistants
10. Video Editing and Output: Bringing all the elements of the production together happens in post production where the final video is assembled.
11. Overhead: It is important to keep the lights on at MarketingOC Studios. So, we need to ensure that we provide the best equipment and operational management to serve our clients. These factors include:
12. Distribution and Marketing: A video will only begin to serve its purpose if it is viewed by your target audience. MarketingOC Studios helps you to reach your audience.
video distribution
video marketing
video seo
video sem
This should give you some idea of the script to screen video production costs and services that goes into the final number you receive in a video production and marketing proposal from MarketingOC Studios.
An upcoming post will take a more streamlined approach to video production if your needs are more simple.
I can tell you - if there is any band that could motivate me to do anything - it's U2. Even after watching this commercial, I was left wondering: Is the Blackberry cool? Is it for me?
I assure you it is not - I just love my Iphone, but what I can tell you is that I watched the ad. Not only that, I am sharing it with you here. So, while U2 won't convert me to a Blackberry, I will give Blackberry kudos for grabbing my attention and capturing my time to write this post to share it with you.
According to a tongue and cheek FeDex ad, there are 10 items needed to include in your Super Bowl ad if you hope to finish on top:
Watch the video:
To summarize they feel a Super Bowl ad should include:
Celebrity
Animal
Dancing animal
Cute kid
Groin kick
Talking animal
Attractive females
Product message (optional)
Famous pop song
Bonus ending
Your busines likely doesn't have the budget for a Super Bowl ad, and fortunately - your business doesn't need a Super Bowl ad. You need an anti-Super Bowl ad!What's that? Well, first off, I am a big fan of the Super Bowl - I love the game and as an ad guy - I love the ads. However, I am fairly certain that my destiny is not to produce a Super Bowl bowl ad, rather, to help my clients reach their customers with an anti-Super Bowl ad. An Anti Super Bowl ad is a video ad that:
Tells a story
Targeted
Relevant
Informational
Engaging / Entertaining (as appropriate)
Produced well, but not overproduced
Worth sharing
Achieves the goals of the viewer - while helping your business reach its goals.
Of course, your Anti Super Bowl ad may also contain some items in the FedEx list, but only the elements that allow you to achieve your goals - without the need to spend the $3 million for your 30 second spot.
Lately, I have increasingly found myself consulting with our clients about not overproducing their video. There was a time, ecspecially when we added video production to our agency's service offering, that we would only promote the highest level of video production - tight script, high quality HD, superior lighting and impeccable sound. After all, you don't want a substandard representation of your brand on video right? This was an honest sell too -- it was what I truly believed.
But recently, I have altered my pitch to many of our prospects and clients. The fact is, our clients are increasingly interested in using online video to promote their business, products or services. And, every client wants a viral video. They want to use the power of social media to enable their customers, resellers and the blogosphere to become an extension of their marketing efforts and not only watch the video, but want to share that video with others. This goal, is quickly becoming the highest demanded service we have offer, and quite possibly, the hardest goal to fulfill. Hard to fulfill, because I have to convince our clients, that the video has to be focused on something remarkable. Remarkable not in production quality, but in content. It is the story that engages, intrigues, instills emotions, laugther or even pity. It is not. "We are the industry leader...." Our challenge becomes in identifying the "viral" factor, and then creating the storyline to deliver on that factor.
Let's take a look at the Nike video to promote the Hyperdunk basketball shoe. In the video, basketball great Kobe Bryant leaps over a speeding Aston Martin. We all know that Nike has plenty of money to produce a stellar high end commercial to advertise this show, however, they took an approach that leads the viewer to believe that is was filmed by one of Kobe's buddies as they were goofing off. The video quickly spread not only because of the star value, but because Kobe performs a remarkably stunt. Viewers shared the video wondering if Kobe would actually perform such a stunt. After all, it looks so real and not so polished...it couldn't be a Nike advertisement could it?
In this example, the money wasn't spend on the typical high end video production bells and whistles, but on the:
1. Concept (agency) 2. The talent (Kobe) 3. The props (even renting an Aston Martin for the day isn't cheap!) 4. Distribution (services and strategic placement and tagging on key distribution channels (YouTube, of course!)
So while not all of our clients can leverage superstar talent, they can leverage a super story or message that people want to share. Defining that message - that's where the real value is and where the real challenge is.
I will explore these viral video challenges in future posts.
This viral video is nothing short of incredible. No, this is not something we edited in house at MarketingOC Studios, it is a viral video that anybody can personalize and add their own name, but even more fun (and the point of this video), can add their friend's name and send them this personalized viral video.
Also, I assure you - I already voted!
[Update] Oops...! Here's a mistake with the video...when embedding in this blog, it stripped my name from the video - so you will see that instead of my name appearing in the video, you will see "Undefined." My suggestion, go here and check it out for a hopefully error free experience.
Video is not just something consumers watch like it was when video was locked into the TV set. Today, video is not only engaging people in new places and in new ways, it is also giving consumers more power to have an impact on people:
Love a product?: Create a video, post to YouTube
Hate a product?: Create a video, post to YouTube
Experienced bad customer service?: Create a video, post to YouTube
Have a cause to promote?: Create a viral video and let it spread like wildfire.
Think you're funny?: Create a video, post to YouTube, and see how many comments you receive.
Want to look cool?: Do something stupid, film it, post to YouTube
Don't like what's on TV?: Watch a YouTube video on your own time
Need to show someone how to do something?: Create a how to video, post to YouTube
Want better search engine ratings?: Create a video, upload to YouTube, Tag It
There are countless ways that video is empowering consumers, and they are taking advantage of that.
Businesses need to consider this growing trend as they look to create their own video production to market and promote their business.
Viral video is an effective marketing tool for business, but there are many different ideas on how many viewers the video needs to reach to result in a successful viral video marketing campaign. According to a survey of ad agencies conducted by The Feed Company, Hollywood, Calif, the poll found 28% of ad agencies believe 1 million views to be the benchmark for success, while about 22% each named 500,000, 250,000 or 100,000 views as their target figures. Adweek
MarketingOC Studios did not participate in the study, but if we did, we would have liked to have our response calculated not just on views, but on action. There are plenty of videos that are viewed, but result in no action. So, in a poll directed to ad agencies, which are paid to advertise and ultimately help sell their client's products, the question should really be: How many views are needed to result in a measurable action that brings value to the advertiser?
