A selection of failures when creating promotional videos . Never do this to avoid video production disputes and unplanned expenses!
The customer is always unhappy when the declared price of creating an advertising video suddenly rises in the process of working on a project. But, to be honest, the Performers do not like this either! Yes, for us extra cost is not a whim, but a necessary measure. We have collected seven main mistakes of the Client, which will certainly lead to an increase in the cost of the estimate.
All cases described in the material are real. The stories are drawn from our personal experiences. Company names have been changed.
Mistake # 1. Initially incorrect statement of the problem
The director of the company "Meridian" is launching a new service for Internet marketers - a set of deep analytics tools that simplifies the life of the marketing department. The product is complex and the Customer is not completely sure which type of video is best suited to attract the target audience, whether it will be an explainer, a video presentation or an image clip . But the video advertising agency has experience in solving such problems, and therefore we strongly recommend the Customer to stop at an explanatory video 120 seconds long.
The Customer himself insists that for the first time it is necessary to create an advertising video for 60 seconds. He does not feel much difference in the types of video, but he bends his line. The contractor acts in accordance with the approved TK. The customer enthusiastically coordinates all the small details: script, characters, voice of the announcer, music, etc.
When the Customer does not agree
And now, after three weeks, the rough version of the video is ready. The customer looks at what happened and changes rapidly in his face. “This is not at all what we need. We just advertise our product, but we do not explain how to use it and what is the benefit for a potential client! Everything needs to be redone. "
Forgive me, but didn't you insist that you need not an explanatory video, but a short advertising video, because it will turn out to be cheaper?
Of course, we can redo it, but this is an additional cost.
Conclusion : Work on the creation of an advertising video begins with clear answers to the questions “What is the purpose of the video?”, “What do we want from the viewer after watching?”. And to get these answers is the task of the CUSTOMER, not the Contractor. We will gladly recommend the optimal format. But if the Customer is determined to do everything his own way, then there is no need to blame the Contractor for spending a lot of money, but getting few leads and sales.
Our main competitive advantage is the effectiveness of our videos. Therefore, if the Client initially persists in his initially incorrect promotion strategy, most likely we will refuse him. Reputation is more valuable.
And if there are “problem areas” in the product itself or the marketing strategy of the company, then until they are worked out, it is better to temporarily postpone the creation of advertising videos.
Mistake # 2. Sloppy attitude to the choice of the style of the video
The development director of the IT company “Mask off” wanted to make an animated video for a new mobile application. A trendy trendy style of flat animation was chosen for the presentation of the product. Three weeks later, when most of the video is ready, the Client sends a reference, which he spied on from foreign competitors. And he strongly asks to include several similar elements in our video.
But how can this be, because this is a completely different - inline style ! And our flat design video does not even include such graphic elements and animation. We'll have to redo everything. And due to the fact that the project is inherently expensive, the Customer gets on a sickly additional cost.
Conclusion : It is no coincidence that the style of the video is coordinated in the first place. Even before the script was written. Stylistics is the basis for creating an advertising video. This is the motherboard on which all the working tools are located in the future. The script, objects in the frame and visual effects are adjusted to the style. Not the other way around.
After all, the technology of building a building in the Gothic architectural style or the Romanesque is two different technologies. Therefore, first of all, the Customer coordinates the style of the future video with the art director of the project. And if we have chosen some style, then we strictly adhere to it.
Creating promotional videos in different styles is when like this
Mistake number 3. Making edits to an approved script
The director of the construction company "White Elephant" decided to order the creation of a video for a new residential complex. We wrote a script in the spirit of “Imagine what your future apartment will be like”. And already at the stage of animation, the Customer unexpectedly demands “Insert an elephant into the video”.
Excuse me, but you yourself coordinated the script! The family was happy. There were children. Types of playground, secure parking and spacious kitchen were. There was no elephant.
Now insert an elephant in the middle of the roller!
Don't you think that in such a story the elephant will look a little strange?
If the Client is principled, we will insert at least an elephant or a whale into the script, but then we will have to rewrite the script and redo all subsequent completed stages. And you get to the extra cost. But the main thing is that in the end we will end up with nonsense, which we definitely won't add to our portfolio.
The designers even have a popular joke:
Designers joke
Conclusion : You cannot reshape a scenario that has already been agreed. Especially breaking storylines. Almost guaranteed, this means that the creation of a promotional video will start over. With all the ensuing financial implications. The client will also inevitably end up with a hefty overpayment if he agreed on the script for 30 seconds, and then decided to cram information into the video for all 60 seconds.
The client must be aware that he is satisfied with the logical structure of the narration, the main content of the narrator's text and the video sequence.
“Problem - problem amplification - solution - action” is a logical scenario.
“Problem - problem intensification - sudden elephant” is absurdity.
This requires changing entire building blocks and will cost a pretty penny.
Mistake # 4. Lack of responsibility for the filming process on the part of the Customer
The director of the SpetsTyazhProm plant from Volgodonsk ordered a corporate video in honor of the anniversary of the enterprise. Under the terms of the contract, our film crew will fly to the city for two days to film the plant, production and record a video interview with the director.
On the specified day, the group arrives at the plant, but the head of the security service of the enterprise says that he will not give permission for video filming in the workshop, since he does not have any instructions on this matter. Next comes the smiling secretary of the director, who reports that Ivan Petrovich had to urgently fly away and the shooting would have to be postponed. Sorry.
We all understand. Overlays happen. Top managers are busy people and their schedule often changes. We will enter the position and reschedule the shooting. But please be so kind as to pay the expenses that our team has already incurred and will bear. Air tickets, hotel, equipment rental result in additional cost that is painful for the Customer.
Conclusion : During the creation of an advertising video, on the part of the Customer there must be a separate competent person who oversees the shooting process and provides the film crew with access to the necessary objects and access to the hero's body in time. This will save all participants in the process from unnecessary nerves and unnecessary costs.
Mistake # 5. Lack of responsibility for the technical part of the product
The plant for the production of fuels and lubricants "Master Oil" requires technical visualization for a new line. On the part of the Customer, a PR-manager of the company works with us. An excellent specialist who understands advertising, PR social networks and printing, but cannot explain in detail how the chemical composition of the new line of oils differs from the previous series, how exactly the new additive affects the engine pistons, etc.
And so it will do! Vovka
In order to somehow help the creation of the video, she provided the agency's art director with branded booklets with incomprehensible formulas. When the video was almost completed, and all stages were coordinated, the chief engineer of the company wanted to look at the video with an opportunity. And I found in him such technical mistakes that competitors will certainly laugh at the company. It needs to be redone. And this is an additional cost. But it’s better than a ruined reputation.
Conclusion : Always involve savvy specialists in the creation of advertising videos, and especially in the development of 3d visualization of a complex product, and not just advertisers and PR specialists.
Not so long ago, we made a video for a well-known petrochemical company, and a girl PR-manager connected a whole project group to the creation of the video, from the chief engineer, commercial director and sales director. Our managers called each of them and each provided detailed information about the product and its properties. This allowed scriptwriters and motion designers to avoid fatal inaccuracies and not do wasted, but still paid work.
Mistake # 6. Delegating the creation of a video to a person not specified in the contract
Basketball club "Sparta" has ordered the creation of an advertising video. We signed a contract. Have made an advance payment. The sports director of the team, Viktor Petrovich Radchenko, was indicated in the contract as responsible for the project on the part of the Customer. But a sports director is a busy person, constantly traveling, at meetings, always busy.
Therefore, in practice, the project was supervised by the club's PR manager, Oleg Alexandrov. He corrected the script, made edits, chose the music, generally coordinated each stage. And now the X hour comes, the video is ready. The only thing left to do was to get the formal approval of the sports director, the person whose name is indicated in the contract. And suddenly a shock. Viktor Petrovich doesn't like anything. No script, no graphics, no music. Everything needs to be redone!
Creation of a promotional video for the whole office
We do not mind redoing, but for an additional fee. This is true, because the current work is done and agreed by your person. But the sports director is adamant. "Nobody forced you to accept edits from our PR-manager, read the contract, redo it at your own expense."
Yes, in this situation we got the money, not the Customer, but he didn’t receive the required product either. Well, the relationship with the Client has deteriorated, which we do our best to prevent.
Conclusion : Always indicate in the contract for the creation of an advertising video an employee who is responsible for the result not only formally, but also in fact. Otherwise, there will be an embarrassment and all parties will be on the losing side.
Mistake # 7. Customer misunderstanding of the production process of creating a video
A new project for training young entrepreneurs ordered a presentation video . The head of the company, Ivan Demyanov, is a control maniac. He is firmly convinced that he must personally participate in each stage of creating a promotional video together with the art director. Without his sensitive guidance, they will do not at all what is required, Ivan is sure. He explains to motion designers how the animation should change, how to adjust the camera's angle of view, and in general he is very active.
When the Customer asks to rotate the circle 17 degrees
But the problem is that Ivan has neither experience nor competence in creating promotional videos. To all the assurances of the art director that with such edits the video will turn out to be "eye-popping" at the output, Ivan turns on in the spirit of "Who pays, he orders the tune." I know better what I need.
The end, as they say, is a little predictable. Ivan is shown the final version of the video, he is terrified and asks to redo everything. Of course, we ask for an additional fee and advise the Customer to continue to trust professionals.
Another common Customer mistake is to make irrelevant edits. If at the stage of animatic (draft animation of the future video) we ask you to coordinate the camera spans and the movements of the main objects, then you need Video Production Company to coordinate the camera spans and the movements of the main objects. No background colors! Not model textures! Do not send your sudden ideas for sound design, but do exactly what is expected of you at this stage.
Conclusion : In design and any work related to creativity, the rule “The client is always right” is not recommended to be abused. Trust the professionals and let them do their job. Help the contractor with what is required of you, but do not interfere with the rest. And then the result will pleasantly surprise you, and the price tag will not grow due to endless rework.