So, what is a video agency?

A video agency, or video production company, is a term for teams of people that come together to offer a visual product(s) typically used by businesses marketing in the digital, social, OOH or TV spaces. The terms for the companies are fairly interchangeable and there’s no huge difference between the two (it’s often just personal preference). But the internal makeup, skillsets and equipment belonging to each company can be very different. So here’s a little more about us…

We call ourselves a video production agency because we follow the entire process from idea/ concept, through production to final delivery using in-house crew, creative talent and specialist equipment. This means you can come to us with a pre-defined brief that just needs the technical and creative expertise to deliver, or test us with an entirely blank page and let us do the ideation leg work.

As with the majority of our clients, we probably don’t need to sell you on the idea of video. If you’re a brand/marketing manager or an advertising agency looking to collaborate, it’s highly likely that a series of videos is part of your strategy. What you may be unsure of is why you need a video production agency to help, what they actually do and what the processes of bringing a video to life are?

It all starts with…

An initial conversation.

After dropping us an email or a DM, we like to get you on the phone (or in the office for a coffee) and have a proper one-to-one conversation to gain an understanding of your requirements. We give you an insight into our business, our skill sets and how we work to decide if we’ll be a good fit. Delivering the content to a high standard is a given, but we like to stress the importance of service that you’ll get - the journey of creating video content is and should always be really fun and so we want to make sure all parties involved enjoy the experience (questionable Spotify playlists included).

We need to gain an understanding of your audience, the purpose of the video content and where it’ll be displayed. You’ll be surprised at how different a TV commercial is to a Youtube pre-roll ad for instance.

We also discuss ballpark figures/budgets as this reflects the final production value. For example, knowing if we need (and can afford) a huge crane, race track or a selection of models early on, really helps streamline the whole process and avoids surprises. Knowing exactly what parameters we have to work with also allows us to be more efficient with our creative ideas and treatment.

Pre-production.

Pre-production defines everything and anything before pressing the record button. For us, that includes concept development, storyboarding, casting, location scouting, booking studios, prop sourcing, organising crew, risk assessments, call sheets and more. The role is usually handled by a producer or project manager (these titles are fairly interchangeable depending on your industry).

This process can take anywhere from a day up to a few months. Proper planning and all that…

Production.

The big day (s) or week has finally arrived. We’ve done all the planning and preparation ahead of filming and now it’s time to bring it all to life. We usually start early with an 8am call time and a nice hot coffee as standard. Productions can vary from one person shooting an event, all the way up to a team of 15 highly-skilled and experienced professionals putting together a complicated TV spot. We could be on location in the hills of Snowdonia, Wales or in a custom-built studio setup in sunny Manchester.

We tend not to work beyond commercials and branded content. There’s huge scope for dramas, documentaries, weddings, live sports etc that all need video cameras. These aren’t areas we focus on. This is just a personal preference as we found that working on faster-paced commercial projects was more in tune with our lifestyles, skills and passions.

The shoot

A typical shoot day runs 8am-5pm with 30-60mins allocated for lunch. We’ll be working from a pre-defined shot list/storyboard that clearly explains the next setup and any special technical requirements needed. We like to run a tight ship and stay on schedule. We prefer working hard and efficient to overrunning. There’s nothing worse than looking around the room at everyone’s downtrodden faces at 9pm because the schedule’s gone out of the window.

We own all of our own cameras, lighting and grip equipment - this includes a selection of wireless transmitters and monitors that allow our clients to get a first-hand view of the footage without having to lean over someone’s shoulder.

Once all of the shots are boxed off and we get multiple copies backed up onto hard drives, we pack up all the kit and head on home excited for the edit.

Post-Production.

Post-production includes editing, sound design, graphics, colour grading and animation. We typically take the signed off storyboards and begin constructing the story on screen. It doesn’t matter if the video is 10 seconds or 10 minutes long, it needs a clear purpose with a message and an audience that’s going to be entertained, engaged or informed. We usually work in drafts and like to deliver the first draft to a client within 1-2 weeks of the shoot.

The client has the opportunity to add any notes or amends they feel will strengthen the video content. We’ll then discuss and action those amends delivering a polished product that everyone is happy with.

Delivery.

Over to you. Whether you’re running the video as a YouTube pre-roll ad, on a social campaign or a wider Sky Adsmart strategy you can be assured the content will be fit for purpose. All assets are supplied at the correct ratios, dimensions and specs to get the best out of every intended screen size (e.g. vertical 9:16 for Instagram Stories to platform-specific codecs for broadcast).

But don’t just take our word for it…

Dead Pixel Films are my go to video company. I can't recommend them enough. They not only push boundaries and innovation, coming up with unique and engaging video content, but they are also great fun to work with. We had fish tanks and £100k cameras to play with, and the results are insane!

They are truly passionate about what they do and that really shines through everything.

- Emma Maloney - Citypress PR