Signs It’s Time to Find a New Video Production Agency

Not all videographers and production teams are created equal.

Just because someone has a camera doesn't make them a professional - even with the most expensive camera. It takes understanding story structure, strategic marketing, and even a little bit of brain science to take your ideas for videos and your brand story, and bring them to life. Not everyone is capable of doing that - at least not in the ways that you need. That's why if you're not happy with your current video team, here are the signs to confirm you should start looking for a new one.

Sign #1: Your Videos are Boring

On the surface, this one might seem a bit obvious. If your videos aren’t getting the engagement you need, you should definitely switch things up with a new videographer. But this also requires an amount of perspective, too.

A key part of a video maker's job is taking your idea and translating it from the script to the screen in the most compelling way possible. We call this making videos with soul. You don’t just need a videographer. You need a storytelling partner; someone who can get to the heart of your brand.

Maybe they don't understand your business or industry. Maybe they're just not creative enough to present things in a fun and exciting way visually. Regardless of the reason, this is the number one sign that it's time to make a change.

Sign #2: Your Videos Look... Off

Storytelling is key, but the tech does still matter. Have you ever watched a video where things just didn't look quite right? Maybe the lighting was a bit too dim, making it hard to see what was going on. Maybe the sound was muddy and muffled. It's very easy to actually get behind a camera and make a video. We all have a video camera in our pocket more powerful than many films were shot on only a few years ago. 

Making a professional-looking video is another matter altogether. The quality of your video ultimately reflects on your brand directly. If it looks inexpensive and low quality, people start to think that way about your products and services, too. 

There’s a time and place for lower quality video. In fact, it can be a feature, not a bug. Live streaming from a phone, behind the scenes tours and Instagram Stories are examples where these videos work well. These types of videos are an option to create a timely and intimate connection with an audience and convey authenticity due to the off the cuff nature of the production. 

It’s not the same for forwarding facing brand videos. You want the best production quality possible. Great lighting, correct sound levels, and scoring all meshing to create an experience, not just a video. So if your videographer is constantly turning in work that looks like you could have paid a first-year film student to create, they're probably not the best fit for you. 

Sign #3: You Hear a Lot of "That's Just How It Is"

Finally, filmmaking is all about collaboration. It's about many people coming together, doing their best, and creating a stellar finished product. If your video maker is trying to cram you into a "one size fits all" box, they're not a collaborator. They're just someone who wants to get paid for doing the same basic thing, over and over again. Templates and formats are great to a point, but not when your videos are robotic and ineffective. 

Your video team should sit down and learn about your business, what your goals are, and what success would be for this particular project. They should have a basic understanding of your industry and be able to build a relationship with you to find out all about what makes you unique. They must be able to identify, leverage, and amplify your differentiator. That will let them take those special qualities and make sure that they show them off on screen for all to see. If they're not capable of that, you may end up with videos at the end of the process - but they're not going to be particularly unique or memorable. We call that a soulless video.

The Tell Studios Approach

In the end, your relationship with your video production team should be a partnership. Whether you need someone to just show up and shoot what you need or need someone to take the lead while collaborating and drawing the best stories out of your business, or somewhere in between, you should be on the same page. Determining that partnership in the beginning and along the way shouldn’t be hard.

At Tell Studios, we create videos with soul to help businesses connect with their audience in a meaningful way and inspire others with their message. We strive to become an extension of your team - so working together seems effortless.

If you'd like to find out more information or have questions that you'd like to go over with someone in a bit more detail, let’s chat!