Corporate video packages are something we get asked about a lot. And we understand why.
As a business owner or someone working in the marketing department, you want to know exactly what you’re getting and how much budget you’ll be forking out right from the start.
It almost makes you feel safe when you see a list of standardised video services with a price tag next to each one.
And you might think this makes it easier when creating your management report and justifying your spending to senior members of staff.
However, at Canny, video packages are not something we offer. And we never will.
The reason being is that ‘packages’ are a set list of services. Companies can choose which package suits them best, and usually agencies will offer 3 or 4 different options, each with an increasing price tag.
However, the services included in the package are standard, and are not tailored to your individual requirements.
For example, you might need a product launch video, but you don’t require a professional voiceover or actor. Therefore it wouldn’t make sense to choose a package which included both of these services, as you’re paying for something you don’t need.
That’s why we provide bespoke corporate video services.
We know that your business is different from every other business on the market, so why would you want to choose the same package as everyone else? At Canny, we put you in the driving seat and give you creative control. By working in partnership, we can work out exactly what you need from us, and provide you with the relevant deliverables.
With that said, let’s take a look at some companies who offer a very different approach; the ‘package’ approach. We’ll keep the sites anonymous, because we don’t want to start an argument here!
Just a friendly discussion.
Video Package Provider: Number One
Site number one offers three different video packages.
These are categorised as their simple, creative, and bespoke video packages, and each offer a list of similar services.
Let’s take a look at what their middle-weight, creative video package has to offer.
Video duration up to 3 minutes
OK, great. But what if you need a video which is 5 minutes long?
A 3 minute video might be sufficient if you’re shooting an advertising campaign or a testimonial video, but what if you want an event video or a location tour?
These types of videos would need to be longer in order to fully cover what was going on. If you’ve moved into a new office building for example, like one of our recent clients, Aspire, then you would need a location video which effectively shows off the office space.
You want to show off your new surroundings to customers and clients to provide them with a real window into office life.
Similarly, if you were covering a launch event, 3 minutes of shooting just wouldn’t do the job. Consider how much goes on at a launch event that you will want to capture on video. From guest speakers, to interviews, to presentations and performances, each of these segments will eat up valuable time.
Setting such a specific time in this scenario is very limiting and will restrict what you can and can’t do. This is not the best recipe for creative output.
Again, that’s why packages don’t work as they don’t take your needs into account. This timeframe will be based on a very generic estimation of how long videos should be. However, the agency hasn’t even asked you any questions at this point, yet they’re already assuming they know how long your video needs to be.
If you worked with an agency who offered tailored deliverables, then you could explain your project in depth and they would work out how long the video should be to effectively communicate your message.
3 days filming on location/ in a studio
I don’t really see why this is outlined as a separate service.
Essentially all this tells you is that you can choose whether or not to film on location or in a studio, which I think is pretty obvious?
Regardless of which agency you partner with, you will always have to decide where to film. This particular agency isn’t offering you anything different by positioning this as a service. It’s a given that you will need to choose between a location set up or a studio set up.
Again, I don’t like the time restrictions included in this package, as they don’t know enough about the project to start making assumptions.
If you’ve got a healthy budget, then you might decide to shoot a lavish launch video from a tropical location. As such, filming over 3 days might not be long enough as you might need to capture several different scenes in places spread out over the Island.
Furthermore this service is quite vague as it doesn’t tell you whether the allotted 3 days take travel and set up time into account.
If not, these factors will also heavily eat into your ‘allowed’ timeframe.
At the other end of the spectrum, what if you only need a half day filming? You’re essentially paying for the full 3 days even though 2 and a half of those days aren’t necessary.
Wouldn’t it be good if you control these variables and choose the services that are actually required?
With bespoke video production services you can!
7 days post production
Without sounding like a broken record, why are there time restrictions on every service?
If you’ve only shot a 1-2 minute showreel then 7 days post production is very excessive. It’s also important to note that not every video includes the same elements, and therefore some videos are much quicker to edit than others.
For example, in the case of a showreel video, you might not have used a voiceover as it could just be a compilation of previous work. This applies to the Canny showreel which sits proudly on our homepage.
The showreel is 1 minute in length and features a collage of our previous work to show new clients what we’re capable of producing. This type of video only took a day or two to edit as it’s much more simplistic than a training video for example.
The post production process, and the time it takes to complete, is totally dependent on the type of video you have created and what is required to turn it into a cohesive story.
In some cases 7 days won’t be long enough, especially if you’re got multiple interviews to edit. Maybe your interviewees weren’t great on camera and there’s lots of pauses in their speech. As such, this might take several rounds of edits to create a good flow which would run over your 7 day timeline.
Basic motion graphics/ animation
This is only applicable to people who have chosen an animation video or a live video. Therefore if you’re featuring real people in real settings, then there isn’t a need to include motion graphics and animations.
Yet, you’re still paying for this service as it’s part of the set package.
Are you starting to see a trend?
You’re paying for something you don’t actually need; something which isn’t relevant or beneficial to your brand.
Also, graphics and animations are part of the post-production process so I’m a little confused as to why this is listed separately. If you have included motion graphics of animations in your creative development, then the post production process brings these elements to life.
Is this agency assigning more time to animation, or will this be included in the allotted 7 days?
Who knows!
Single music track
Again, adding music is part and parcel of post production, so this doesn’t need to be listed out separately.
When video production agencies are editing your video together, they will add music and different sound effects. Also, you might need more than a single music track depending on the type of video you’re creating.
If you have a longer video such as a location tour, you might want to switch the music up half way through to match the mood.
If you’re only able to have a single music track then this limits the creativity of the video as you’ll have to choose one sound which is relevant all the way through.
Video Package Provider: Number Two
The second video provider offers 3 different packages which are categorised as Bulk, Custom, and Full Video Package.
However, their custom package isn’t very customisable – which is slightly confusing.
For the purpose of the blog, we’re going to explore their Bulk video package.
Half day shoot
A half day shoot is quite ambitious if you’re shooting a longer video.
You need to get everyone in position, the camera angle right, the lighting the way you need it, and most importantly make sure everyone knows what they’re supposed to say.
As we touched on earlier, people can be very awkward on camera and it might take several attempts to capture a single piece of footage. If you’re only recording a simple video such as an interview with one person behind their desk, then half a day might be absolutely fine.
However, if you’ve got multiple interviews to record, as well as cut away shots of the office or people out on location, then this all takes time. Also if you’re using different locations in your filming then this will also eat into the half day shoot.
Organising the logistics of a big shoot can be very time consuming, and unfortunately this might not fit into a half day slot.
The time it takes to shoot your video boils down to your project requirements which should be discussed with your chosen video agency before they set a price.
1-2 minute video
Similar to my criticism of agency number 1, a 2 minute video might not be long enough depending on the message you’re trying to convey.
Promotional videos on social media are fine if they’re only 2 minutes long. In fact, it is recommended that they are only 2 minutes long as audiences on this platform have a short attention span.
However, what happens if you’re creating an investor relations video?
Take the below video by Aviva as an example:
This video runs for 1 hour, and rightly so. It would be impossible for Aviva to cover all the ground they needed to in 60 seconds.
Professional videographer
So you’re paying for professional corporate video services and you’re getting a professional videographer.
Is that not expected?
You don’t just want anyone managing your project as it requires a certain set of skills and expertise. I’m confused as to why agency number 2 has decided to list this out as a service, as if it is an added benefit that you will get a professional videographer as part of the package.
I’d be worried if you didn’t…
You’re trusting these guys to produce something which represents your brand. You’re handing over a great deal of responsibility and you’re trusting them to produce something that you can be proud of.
If you don’t have access to a professional videographer who can offer ideas, suggestions, and bring your vision to life, then you shouldn’t be investing your money. After all, I’d be questioning what you are actually paying for.
Professional audio recording
I’m not sure what the alternative to this would be? Unprofessional audio recording perhaps?
Also you need to consider whether this is something you even need.
Professional audio recording might just be a ‘nice to have’ rather than a must have if you’ve got someone in-house who is capable of speaking on camera.
If you don’t need to hire a professional actor or a professional voiceover then this is one area where you can save money. Your CEO might be great on camera and as such, you’re going to use them across your corporate video.
As they know so much about the business, they would be the best person to do this as they will be able to convey the messaging clearly.
Therefore, professional audio recording should not be a standardised service as some businesses will require this, whereas others will have no need for it.
HD camera
Any professional videographer should be using a HD camera.
If they’re using anything less then this will compromise the quality of your video. A HD camera will ensure footage captured is at a high resolution, instead of it being blurred or pixelated.
Regardless of what your video is being used for, the quality of the content is key.
Otherwise you could have wasted a great deal of time, effort, and money shooting something which is unusable.
Before partnering with a video production company, make sure you find out what camera equipment they have and what they will be using to record your footage. At Canny, we shoot in 4K which is even higher quality than a HD camera. This is because it’s much higher resolution meaning it can pick up on greater details. Essentially 4K means 4 times the quality of HD.
Professional editing and revisions
Again, this should be part and parcel of your relationship with your chosen corporate video production company.
If they’re creating your video, then edits and revisions are to be expected as it’s extremely rare that things will be perfect the first time round! And this is totally natural. Sometimes a piece of footage might sound like a good idea, but in practice it just didn’t work.
Or perhaps an interviewee is stumbling on a certain section and you’d prefer to remove that scene all together.
Whatever the edits, this isn’t a bonus of working with an agency, it’s the norm. Of course, you can’t have an unlimited amount of edits as this would take forever, but this certainly shouldn’t be positioned as an added service.
Another reason why corporate video packages don’t work.
Video Package Provider: Number Three
Next up on the list of corporate video packages is provider number 3.
This agency offers 3 packages which are called Discovery, Insight, and Amplify.
For the purpose of the blog, we’ll be looking at their Discovery package which comes in at just below £5000.
Let’s see what you’re getting for your cash…
5 hours of shooting
Again, why put a time limit on it?
What if you need 6 hours of shooting or a whole day in fact? This is a very generic assumption to make, and could totally limit your video project.
You might find yourself trying to squeeze everything into your allotted time frame, and as a result, missing out some really good ideas. This doesn’t lead to the best creative output as essentially your ideas are time bound.
Instead, the time it takes to shoot your video should depend on the needs of your video. If it only takes 2 hours to shoot then happy days. Equally if it takes 8 hours to get it right, then so be it.
Time restrictions are one of the worst things about video packages as the agency is treating your business like everyone else. You could have an entirely different criteria than company X, but because you choose the same package, you’re receiving the same set of services.
A totally backwards way of doing things.
Q&A session
Surely the Q&A session should have happened before the agency took on your video project?
If not, then how do they know they are even capable of delivering what you need?
They might not have the tools and resources to create the type of video you have in mind, yet by not asking any questions from the get-go, they have already agreed to it.
At Canny, we have an initial telephone consultation with each and every one of our clients to determine exactly what they need from us. At this stage we can then make sure we are the right fit for their business, otherwise the partnership isn’t going to work.
It’s important you choose the right corporate video production company to avoid experiencing any issues later in the process.
By outlining a Q&A session as part of the video package really alarms me. The thought of an agency taking on your project and letting you invest your time and money, without asking any questions, should be a red flag.
1 interview
An interview?
With who?
What if your corporate video has absolutely nothing to do with interviews and is an event video instead? Maybe you’ve just hosted your annual conference and you want to capture the event on video to share with those who couldn’t attend?
Why in this scenario, would you need an interview to be included?
Again this is very presumptuous, as the agency is giving you something you don’t actually require.
If it’s not going to benefit your business then it’s pointless paying for it. This is one of my greatest bug bearers when it comes to video packages as the services are not tailored towards your individual needs.
Colour correction
OK so this might be required, especially if some of your footage doesn’t look the way you had intended it to.
However, surely colour correction is part of the editing process which is listed below as a separate service?
I can’t help but feel as though this has been included to bulk up quite an empty package. If the agency isn’t carrying out this process as part of their editing then this is even more worrying. You could end up with colours which are out of balance or inconsistent with one another which will affect the overall quality of your video.
They shouldn’t just be listing out every part of the editing process for the sake of it as where do you stop? To us, colour correction, sequencing clips, adding transitions, and cutting segments is just part and parcel of what we do. It’s all part of the final edit and it should be standard that these services are included.
If you want to partner with a professional corporate video production company who manages your project from start to finish, then get in touch with our team.
1 round of edits
1 round of edits might be enough depending on the type of video you’re creating and what’s involved. If it only features one person in one location then you might not have many amends as the concept is pretty straight forward.
However, if you’ve got multiple videos across several locations and you’re using a mix of animations and graphics, then there’s a lot more going on. As a result, a lot more can go wrong meaning the editing process can take longer.
You’ll also need different sound tracks and a range of transitions to join all of these clips together to form a cohesive story. The more work involved, the more time you can expect this to take.
Putting a set time for edits isn’t ideal as it already makes you feel restricted. Their main priority should be creating the very best final product that represents you and your brand in the right way.
However, I do agree that there needs to be some sort of time limit on this process otherwise your corporate video will never be finished! And that’s not a great result for you or your chosen corporate video production company.
I do think this needs to be more flexible though, and it is probably a better idea to have a conversation with your agency in the beginning about the number of editing rounds that are allowed.
The Three Key Issues With Video Packages
At Canny, we never advocate video packages and we never will.
Hopefully by reading the above examples you can see why, but if you’re still unsure, then let’s take a look at three key issues.
One Size Fits All Doesn’t Work
Your business is unique and so are your project requirements.
Therefore offering you the same list of services as another company really doesn’t make much sense.
You will probably require a totally different set of services to make your video campaign work.
There Are Too Many Restrictions
As we’ve seen with the packages above, lots of the services listed are too restrictive.
For example, only allotting 5 hours to a video shoot might not be long enough for every client yet that’s what the package is giving you.
The services you receive should be flexible and tailored towards what you need.
You End Up Paying for Things You Don’t Need
When looking at the above packages, you end up paying for a lot of services that you don’t actually need!
Do you really need a professional voiceover or 7 days post production?
Or would it be more important to have a crystal clear understanding of what your video is all about before that?
Say no to paying for things you don’t need and choose a video agency which offers bespoke video services.
Video Packages Suck, Here’s Why!
The bottom line is, video packages suck.
And here’s why:
A video package treats your business like any other. It’s a blanket approach that fails to take your wants and needs into consideration.
This can result in you paying more money, and even worse, getting services which are irrelevant for your business.
A better approach?
Partner with a corporate video production company who tailors their deliverables to your project requirements. Any good agency should start by working out exactly what you need rather than giving you a set of standardised services which might not bring any real value.
This also allows for much more flexibility. Things change, people change, and project requirements definitely change. However, if you’ve invested in a set menu of video services, then there’ll be very little room for adjustment.
Save yourself time, effort, and stress by partnering with an agency who understands you.
At Canny, we’ll provide you with tailored deliverables that enhance your chance of success. To find out more and to speak to a member of our friendly team, then get in touch.
You can either approach us with your video ideas directly, or fill out our video brief template and send it to us.
The choice is yours!
