Five Pitfalls of Working with Video Production Studios
It’s safe to say that anyone commissioning a video project experiences stress comparable to buying real estate. The bigger and more ambitious the project, the scarier it feels: there’s responsibility, and agonizing choices to make. And it doesn’t matter what exactly the client needs — a short commercial, a presentation film, or a corporate training video — everyone always hopes the final product will be exceptional: creative, striking, stylish, and functional.
“Don’t wade into unknown waters”? Not quite — that old saying doesn’t apply here. In video production, you simply cannot quickly “learn the ropes” — to master the vast knowledge, skills, experience and hacks that studio professionals have amassed. No wonder this unsettles potential clients — after all, some unscrupulous contractors shamelessly take advantage of the fact that outsiders can’t possibly decipher what those long rows of zeroes in the “TOTAL” estimate actually mean.
In this article, we’ll try to help you — if not exactly find the “shallows” in the creative whirlpool of information and jargon — then at least avoid the biggest hidden rocks beneath the surface.
Rock ONE
The simplest way to win over a client is to promise the same thing for less money.
For example, you need a company service presentation based on 3D graphics. We study and analyze your business objective, write a synopsis, draft a script outline, prepare an estimate, and send you a commercial offer. You take time to “discuss it internally,” and a few days later announce that “Video Production Entertainment Incorporated Independent” has quoted you the same thing for three times less!
What can we say to that? Unfortunately — nothing.
Trying to explain the difference is as futile as guessing a song from a single note. All we can do is smile and say, “Go ahead and guess,” and wait for the disappointed client to return with stories of their ordeal.
The spell “same thing — but much cheaper” works flawlessly! But remember — a spell is not magic. If you want real magic, don’t settle for a magician’s beginner kit. You simply cannot produce a quality, original video with a custom script, high-detail 3D graphics and animation, and professional cinematography at the price of a clip thrown together from stolen stock footage and generic templates.
And no one will refund your money for unrealistic expectations: after all, technically all conditions were met. You wanted a video with 3D? You got a video with 3D. As for quality… well, you get what you pay for.
And that’s when we get those projects that make motion designers contemplate suicide: the disheartened client comes back to us, but this time with flaming blue deadlines. Sadly, by then the original task is impossible to fulfill, because time’s run out. In the end, there’s no satisfactory product, and the film budget is gone.
So what should you do? Before choosing a contractor, calmly study the market — who offers what, and at what price. But do so armed with a clear technical brief and references. Don’t just say “we need an atmospheric video with animated 3D graphics.” Say instead: “How much will a video in this style cost, with this level of detail — here’s a reference by another producer.” In just a few days you’ll already have a solid sense of the realistic price range for your presentation. If the cost is far above or below that range, chances are you’re being offered a product of entirely different quality — or even a completely different service.
Rock TWO
that has sunk the dreams of many companies: studios that cavalierly promise to boost your sales.
Some studios even flaunt exact percentages: “this video on your website will increase your conversion rate by 28.3% in the first month.” Nothing appeals to business owners like clear, measurable “before-and-after” numbers. And so they believe these “astrologers” of video production.
But to know how a video actually performs, you need extensive research, tests, focus groups, statistical analysis, comparisons, and iterations with different formats. That’s the realm of specialized companies and dedicated departments that make a living providing such services. If such services are not spelled out in your contract for video production — then all promises are just empty words. No more trustworthy than a druid horoscope in a tear-off calendar.
Rock THREE
that should make you question a studio’s competence — flaunting famous brands and other people’s achievements.
The video production market in any given region is actually quite small. Essentially, it’s the same professionals working in the field for years. Of course, there are new players: young, talented and ambitious — but they usually know their worth and rarely undercut the market.
So when we see a three-person team bragging a dazzling client list of international brands — we can’t help but smile. Because, if you dig just a little deeper, “we shot a video for Apple” turns out to mean their assistant once polished a screen for someone else’s iPhone commercial shoot. And “we worked with Adidas” actually means their secretary ran in a local promotional race. Technically not a lie — but hardly impressive in the end result.
How can you check if a studio really worked with the brands they claim? First: just because you once brought Steve Jobs coffee doesn’t make you Steve Jobs. Second: look into their portfolio and find the actual product they delivered for those companies. In general, their portfolio will tell you far more about the creators than any words, numbers, or star-studded logos.
Rock FOUR
on your path to quality video content — the “floating” estimate.
For example, after all the necessary preliminaries, you’re quoted a perfectly reasonable price. Everything seems fine — no impossible promises, no name-dropping of imaginary partners. But there’s one small caveat — like the fine print at the bottom of a credit agreement: “the estimate may change due to objective reasons or force majeure.”
Yes, of course, anything can happen — something breaks, the power goes out, there’s an accident, the weather turns, an actor falls ill, changes gender, gives birth, or dies…
But sometimes the process is deliberately dragged out. Especially if shifts are billed by the hour: the crew takes long smoke breaks, makeup inexplicably takes all night, and a scene reset that was scheduled for 40 minutes drags on for hours. Later, during editing, they discover a couple of essential shots were botched, and reshoots are needed.
To avoid paying several times more than expected, remember: the timeline and cost of each stage of work must be spelled out clearly in the contract, as well as the circumstances and events that can impede performance.
And finally — Rock FIVE
the last hidden reef that gives our copywriters hives just thinking about — the “free script included with your video order.”
To understand the catch behind this tempting offer, imagine someone offering you a free blueprint for your future home — complete with all the detailed plans for electricians, builders, installers, and finishers. You can imagine how massive, complex, and crucial that work is — how many measurements, calculations, drawings, sketches, and explanatory documents go into creating a solid, reliable, and beautiful house?
It’s exactly the same with a script. The script is the foundation of any audiovisual product — the thread on which all the pearls of production are strung.
A scriptwriter is a profession that takes years to master — including formal education. It’s painstaking, demanding work. And it must be paid for. A free script means one of three things: it’s sloppy and rushed; it’s someone else’s, crudely adapted for you, and no longer original; or it’s not even a script at all, but more like a synopsis — making it impossible to calculate an accurate estimate.
In conclusion:
In our age of blogging, many people have learned how to speak convincingly, explain persuasively, and promise boldly. But the old rule still holds: don’t trust words — trust actions.
If you want a truly high-quality product — study the studio’s portfolio, do your homework, find out about their reputation in the professional community. Don’t hesitate to ask questions and request documentary proof of their big claims.
And may only quality, creative, memorable, and clear video content be with you!