Eye-catching corporate videos don’t grow on trees. Even if you have a rough idea of the angle you’re going for, it takes an entire team to create a truly compelling explainer video.
This is especially the case if you don’t have any experience with animation and video-crafting as your deadlines draw closer. But finding the right creative studio in Singapore requires more than securing three quotes for form’s sake.
Here’s how we recommend you go about doing it.
View their portfolio
As with most things in life, it’s not about what you said, but about what you’ve done.
It isn’t enough to hear about their accomplishments – remember to also look at their works and ask about their level of involvement before making your decision.
Think critically about your brand and how well it would be represented by their style. Do their works resonate with you? Do they have an eye for design? Are they good with concepts? If you ask the right questions, you’ll be able to draw the right conclusions about their capabilities.
Check out their customer ratings and testimonials
Now that you’ve gotten a better idea of the quality of their work, it’s time to suss out how they fare on the customer servicing side of things. The inspirational posters are spot-on when they say that attitude is a small thing that makes a big difference.
Look at past client testimonials – they give you a better idea of how the company treats its clients. Look out for how they overcame challenges faced and whether there were additional unforeseen issues down the line. And the more detailed the testimonial, the better.
Explore their offered services
Whether its 2D animation or augmented reality, take your time to see what additional value the studio can offer in the form of tried and tested services.
A studio that is equally well-versed in explainer videos in multiple formats – such as 2D & 3D animated styles can provide a better perspective on your video than a studio that specialises in one alone. After all, you can probably return to them if additional changes, modifications and project extensions are required in future – safe in the knowledge that your studio is versatile across different mediums.
Stick to the budget
Budget can be a massive sticking point. Take a good, long look at the budget you’ve been given and ask your shortlisted vendors if this works for them. If you don’t get this out of the way early, the project isn’t going to get off the ground. Don’t be afraid to negotiate – most creative studios would be happy to meet you in the middle; or suggest possible workarounds that fit nicely into your ballpark.
Above all, remember to read their quote carefully and remove items that aren’t required – this also helps protect you from nasty surprises down the line when the time comes to pay up.
Fix a deadline
Your working timeline shouldn’t consist entirely of the time it’ll take for the studio to produce the project. Remember to cater for a couple of days per round of revision so you can look through their drafts carefully and get back to them with helpful feedback- this way, you can guide the studio on the creation of the video. It also ensures that both parties are on the same page through the course of the project. Ideally, deviations from your initial vision should be caught almost immediately. Expecting massive changes to be made after the final cut has been delivered often results in additional charges.
Consider their ability to measure the success of the project
The creative studio that you are working with should be familiar with metrics and be able to recommend tools which will tell you everything you need to know in a blink of an eye. These include conversion rate, bounce rate and unique visitors. Do note, though, that most studios tend to charge extra for these services and you’re going to have to be upfront about your requirements from the start.
Conclusion:
You determine the ultimate success of your video by selecting the right creative partner. Doing your due diligence is part of the process. To jump in blindly is to expose yourself to unnecessary risk.
It might be a protracted and tiring process, but we guarantee that doing your legwork has an immediate payoff.
