By Jason Joseph | Production Manager
That seems like a strange question, right? It really isn’t. We receive many requests for video projects, ranging from the very easy and well laid out to the complex, multilayered and detailed ideas that folks want to turn into a consumable and everlasting video message. Within this vast array of requests, we also see the entire spectrum of investment that is put forth by those who are asking us to help them. No, I’m not referring to investment from a financial standpoint. I’m talking about those who are and those who aren’t personally invested in the project itself. Being personally invested in the project that you are trying to create is probably the biggest “make it or break it” component of creating a successful and well received video. Why is that? That’s easy. We are production professionals and we are good at what we do. We know how to help generate and nurture ideas. We know how to pick a location and set the scene. We know how to light that scene and capture the imagery and sound. We know how to tell a story and supplement information with graphic elements. That’s a lot of know how! What we don’t know how to do is be the content experts of the project, especially when it comes to medical procedures, clinical practices and anything else that involves six syllable words that blow right over our heads.
This is the point in which we heavily rely on our customer partners to be the producer of the project. And seriously, who doesn’t want to have “Producer” on their resume? Right? We often think of that role as the person who sits back, watches everything happen, so they can slap their name on the credits, and ride the wave of success that the video (hopefully) brings. Well, that couldn’t be farther from the truth. The Producer’s role is one that is monumental to the overall success of the video, especially in our specific field as video creators in a medical environment. Our team is ready to work side by side with the producer so that everyone is on the same page and understands the goal. Communication is such a paramount element of creating a video, and the producer is the link between our team and the group that will be utilizing the video. No one person should, or could be the one and only brain behind a video concept, especially when that video is ultimately going to be one that is viewed by patients, colleagues, general public, or any entity that intends to gain something useful from watching.
Is a video best when it is a team effort? You bet! Can our team meet with your entire team and find out what everyone wants to see in your video? We wish! But we just can’t. That’s why we need our producer partners to be active in getting all of the very important and necessary information gathered in the early stages of planning the production. Additionally, many of the video projects that we help create take place in very specialized areas that our team doesn’t know nearly as much as the producer. We encourage the idea of paying a visit to the space so that we can get to know it, but we really need the producer to help guide us to the important aspects of the space, so we know what to focus on and what needs to be included in the video’s imagery. See? We need our producers and they do have responsibilities to the project that are pretty darn important! We even spent some time developing this infographic that helps convey the differences, and similarities, of the roles and responsibilities of both the client’s side and video team’s side of managing a video project. Yep, it’s THAT important! Click HERE to download the actual file. 
But what happens when the producer isn’t invested in the project? Unfortunately, that’s when things really go downhill. The creative rivers run dry and project comes to a halt. Storms of frustration overtake the bright, colorful horizon. Darkness falls on what was once a hopeful video future. Ok, maybe I’m being a little overly dramatic, but it is true that the project and those who are invested with it do suffer. We take a lot of pride in the work that we do and we want to make extra sure that you are proud of the work that you do too. We understand that sometimes the idea of creating a video comes from one place and is assigned to another to be overseen, which makes for a situation that is potentially unstable. Communications become sporadic and the amount of information shared is certainly less than it would be if the producer were interested and excited about working with the project. Because, without communication and information, our team’s hands are tied and we struggle to get through the project. We focus a lot of our attention, really as much as we can, on the pre-production aspects of planning and preparing for a video.
Even before we talk about the budget or where to shoot, we want to know as much as we can about the message you want the video to carry. We want to know about the audience who will be watching the video. We want to know where the audience is going to see the video. We want to know how long you want the video to exist and be accessible. We want to know as much as we can because it’s important information that helps us understand where the idea is coming from and where the video needs to end up to be successful. If we don’t know these things, we can certainly try and fill in the gaps with our own assumptions. But we’ll likely be wrong. We know this because we’ve been down that road a time or two and let me tell you, it’s not a good road. It’s really narrow and bumpy. We want to go down the road that that is wide enough for all of us to travel, side by side, sharing our expectations and needs so that, together, we can navigate the unexpected bumps, avoiding as many obstacles as we can.
So, with all of that talk about communication, idea sharing, and why we need so badly for our producer partners to be involved, we want to get started on your video project! Drop us a line and let’s see what we can make happen!