When to create a DIY (amateur) Video or Hire a Corporate Video Production Company ?

       Wait, you don't have a corporate or marketing video yet? Really ! But your competition does & you now realize the importance a successful video campaign can do for the bottom line.  Video production is no longer a luxury, but a necessity. And the democratizing of equipment means that before if you wanted to create your own video production for marketing, recording a live event or the dozens of other reasons, your options were limited.

        Not many years ago cameras cost tens of thousands of dollars and they needed a small convoy of support trucks to make the image professional. Now, a basic camera can replicate some pro's features, and it's important to know when it's kosher to use this for your business . "Why do I need to hire a professional video production company" is a question being asked by corporate management dealing with shrinking marketing budgets. Since we all have access to the basic tools of video production this myth has developed:  Point, Shoot & Upload,  anything = success. Is it that easy? " Well I've developed some questions to help you decide when you should hire a professional or when D.I.Y. will work.

In reality professionals aren't cheap; whether it's a lawyer, plumber or your friendly video production company, creating basic marketing/corporate videos typically start at $5,000 and more complex video production go up quickly.  But your company is savvy, high tech and not afraid of technology. So when is it OK to as an amateur to channel your inner Steven Spielberg for a corporate video? Lets Begin:

Who is your Audience?

If you are creating a video for internal use or having a simple Skype style vlog for your site, then low production suits this well. CNN does a lot of this style reporting with foreign correspondents so it invokes a news-interview feel, which is great for updating your customers or explaining a recent change but not successful for marketing or selling products.

What corporate image do you want to project?

Many many years ago I use to work in a restaurant and the managers would stress the projection of a clean bathroom. If the customer walks into dirty and unkempt conditions, they must only imagine the environment under which their food was just prepared. And who wants to eat food from a dirty kitchen ? This quirky ( but often applied) analogy applies to video production too. When you're creating a video your companies corporate image (maybe even it's bathroom too)  is publicly displayed for all to see and creates an association between your brand and the build perception & professionalism of your company quality/value. A well produce video can mean the difference between a sale or not. What does the video production you create say and reinforce to the public ? Does it add value to your company ? 

In part two, we'll explore the amount of time video productions take, Do's & Don'ts of filming your CEO and tips to help you take the plunge.  

Written by Tim Kay Films:   san francisco video production