SME INFORMATION

Our job is to advise you on the best options for your needs and budget, then tailor a production package that will give you maximum impact for the money.

If you have never commissioned a professional film/video production, below is some helpful information.

THE EFFECTIVE LOW BUDGET PRODUCTION
For a low cost video production we streamline the workflow in order to offer you a stylish result within the limits of your budget. The procedure would approximate as follows:
• Initial meeting to discuss your video: what do you want to convey about your product/service?, what media do you want to broadcast on?, duration? etc. Also we would discuss the location for shooting, do we use existing staff? or professional models/actors/presenters?, to what extent do we make use of "lighting” & “grips”? Do we shoot only in available light? etc.
• Based on the first meeting we will forward (email or fax) you a cost estimate with a brief out-line of the scope of work.
• On accepting the costs we then require a 50% payment of the total cost to initiate the job.
• We then prepare a creative outline (“treatment”) and shot list. This will describe the sequence and execution of each shot E.g. Shot 3: “Interior medium wide shot of restaurant, waitress enters from left with entree” Shot 4: “Beauty close-up shot of exquisitely presented dish on white table cloth”….and so on.
• Once you have agreed on the content of the shot list we create a production schedule. Basically a schedule will give us specific dates that will include:
• PRE PRODUCTION (preparation)
• SHOOT (one or more days)
• EDIT & EDIT APPROVAL (the client must approve the “rough cut” edit before we progress to the next stages. On approval of EDIT we require a progress payment of 25% of the total cost.
• POST PRODUCTION (editing, titles, audio/music/voice, graphics, colour grade etc.)
• APPROVAL (a copy of finished product is given to the client).
• FINAL PAYMENT (When the total amount has been paid, all masters and remaining copies are delivered to the client.

More production value

A more complex production would entail more planning and detail. You may opt to have the idea or script “story boarded” which will provide a visual reference to how the final video will look. Usually we will require two to three meetings with you to finalise all details before the shoot.
Budget permitting, we would make use of more sophisticated shooting & post techniques. This may involve the services of additional specialist crew such as an “Art Director” for designing and building/providing a set and props or “Stand by props” for specific “rig” shots which may require very specialized talent and equipment for, say, pouring product shots, food shot in slow motion etc.
There are dozens of specialist options to use on a production (see the credits in any large feature film!), however, it all boils down to budget and the effectiveness of spending the extra money.

 Some additional production services that may be of value to a SME production would be:
• Aerial shots of facility or location. Two hours of helicopter hire would cover most needs (specialist camera mounts additional)
• Green screen studio shots where any kind of background or virtual environment can be added to a scene.
• Motion control: a specialized robotic camera control crane for extremely accurate and complex camera movements. Possibly used for shooting detail of industrial products etc.
• Camera cranes: for elevated shots and fluid camera moves.
• Steady-cam: requires specialist operator and body harness camera stabilization rig. Excellent for walk through building and follow talent shots etc.
• 3D animation: for complex product or architectural visualization.
• High-end graphics and visual effects post production. Adds the highly “polished” look to your production.
• Super slow motion shots of products or machines etc.
• Use of professional models/actors/presenters.