Using a Professional Videography Team
I’ve got a confession for you all. I’ve been working in video production quite some time now and I’ve never held a camera; wouldn’t even know which way to point it. I know that there is a record button somewhere and that there is a whole science on how lenses work. But that’s about it.
Is that a bad thing as a managing partner of a company that promises to deliver cinematic professional videography? I would say no, because it is not my role or expertise.
We’ve got an extremely talented crew here that knows their way around a camera. They all know how to create the best lighting conditions, they know which lens is most appropriate for which shot and most important, they know how to capture an emotion on camera. However, every crew member has his or her own expertise. One of our producers is an expert in the integration of animated motion graphics while another continues to surprise us with amazing edits.
A Word About Talent
To me, the word ‘talent’ seems out of place. Talent implies some sort of uniqueness. =We are not talented. Instead, video marketing is a profession and we’re video marketing professionals. Let’s talk about that!
Everybody seems to like concept of the word ‘talent’. The Oxford dictionary define talent as a ‘natural aptitude or skill‘. It kind-of sounds like it’s something you’re born with. However, I’ve never seen a four year old child take up a RED camera and shoot an amazing homepage video. Let’s take a look at what talent actually is. Journalist and author Malcolm Gladwell wrote the brilliant book ‘Outliers‘. In this bestseller, Gladwell explores the circumstances that enabled great minds and athletes to thrive. One of the chapters in the book defines the 10.000 hour rule. It roughly says that you need 10.000 hours of practice to perfect a skill or, in other words, to become a professional. In his book, Gladwell describes the example of the Beatles. Each and every band member is a ‘talented’ musician, but the 1.200 shows they played in Hamburg, Germany, made them the stage professionals that earned the mark as one of the greatest bands in history.
The point I’m trying to make is that the word ‘Talent’ is a bit overused. I’d book a professional over a talent any day. A professional has honed their craft, has worked hard to become more skilled. To me, a talented person is a the start of a career. First do the 10.000 hours, then get back to me.
Getting Paid In Exposure
Below is a great piece of video marketing revolving around the familiar ‘getting paid in exposure’ principle. It illustrates something we see far too often in our industry. Clients ringing us, expecting to get a video on the cheap because it gets us exposure. They think that they are providing us a service by allowing us to work for free. I think that clients don’t always realise that creating engaging video content is a profession. We are professionals. We train, develop and hone our skills to be better every day. We are video production professionals.
The Original Craftsmen
When we think of craftsmen, an image of a carpenter, potter or painter comes to mind. A skilled individual that has trained to become a professional creator of goods. As such, these people are respected for their ability to create products. When we see a potter working on a wheel, we look in amazement. Everyone recognises the training that went into being able to mould clay into an vase, plate or cup. However, when we get to the so-called creative industries, it seems that the recognition suddenly flies out of the window.
But my cousin has an iPhone, he can film….
That is a phrase we’ve heard on countless occasions. And yes, those iPhones do have a pretty amazing camera considering. But you hardly ever hear someone saying that his cousin has a hammer so he could fix the plumbing in your house. When it comes to plumbing, you do rely on the expertise and craftsmanship of your contractor. Why wouldn’t you rely on a video production professional to help you market your products? When a plumber comes over and fixes a leak, you’ll obviously pay him, but when a video production professional delivers a marketing video, some think it’s fine to pay in exposure.
We need a change in perspective
I do know that much has been written on the ‘getting paid in exposure’ phenomenon. However, my goal with this blog is more to do with respect. I feel that it is time to recognise all these modern-day craftsmen working in the digital industry. Web Designers, Photographers, Video Production Professionals, all of them are masters of their craft. They create something out of nothing, they’ll help you sell, save or promote.
At Film Division, we try to lead by example. Although we are often at the receiving end of the exposure chain, we do pay our suppliers, crew or kit, their fair share and ON TIME. For us, there is no 90 days waiting for your money. If you deliver a service that is of value to us, we respect that and return the respect by paying. It seems obvious, doesn’t it?
Video Marketing Professionals
When I look at the team here at Film Division HQ, sure I see talented individuals. But more importantly, every single one of them is a professional. All of us here have practised, trained and most importantly, failed before. Let me just highlight how important failure is in the process of becoming a professional. It’s like that famous quote from the Dark Knight trilogy: “Why do we fall sir? So that we can learn to pick ourselves up.” You can be extremely talented, but there is no growth without failure. People learn from their mistakes and will go out of their way to avoid them in the future.
A professional reflects on his or her performance and tries to be better every time. That’s what we do here as well. With every new piece of kit, technique or trend, we’re on it to make it work for our clients. It’s not a case of sitting down and relying on our talent. No, our passion and dedication is much more important than that natural aptitude. Furthermore, it is not just about the individual, it is about the team.
My role is to discover, develop and design the story that is put to pixels. I’ll explore what makes your clients tick, I’ll find out what drives their ambition and how to reach them. When my job is done, I trust my crew to capture the image that engages the audience. They are masters of professional videography as I am master of mine.
This is why a multi-disciplinary team is important. We all bring different skills to the table that together create a synergy that is more than the sum of its parts. All of us are honest in the sense that we know what we can and – most importantly – can’t do. On a holistic level, our skills complement each other.
Personally, I’m quite reluctant to engage with what I call the one-man-band freelancers that claim to be able to do and know it all. A jack of all trades might appear cheaper but it can’t deliver the same quality as an assembly of masters.
An Apology
I do realise that this has been a bit of a whiny blog. Let’s change it. Even-though there are still many improvements needed in this industry, I wouldn’t want to change. I get up every day and go to the office with a smile on my face because I love what I do. I love how we use cine cameras to tell stories, stories that help businesses to grow, sell and evolve. I get to meet the people behind the brand, the people who deliver value to their customers every single day. And those passionate stories are amazing! They too are the craftsman in their industry!
So next time you’re looking for video production professionals, whether it’s us or another agency, for video marketing content, please think of them as the craftsmen the are.
Video marketing is all about creating a user experience to influencer a viewer to do something after watching the video that they wouldn’t have done normally . And as such, you want video marketing professionals that understand your focus and are cost effective. You’re not in it to be creative. You’re in it for s pecific strategic reason. That’s what makes us different. We’re the video marketing professionals that want to help you grow. Help you realise your dreams and create a better tomorrow.
