Creating a video might be a great idea, but before the production can begin you’ll need to justify the expense to the person responsible for budgeting at your organization. After all, every company is keenly interested in increasing the bottom line, so any potential video project will be judged by how well it contributes to this purpose. So before you can use a video as your sales tool, you first need to ‘sell’ the idea of making the video in the first place!

So how to best make the case?

When you get an idea for a video, don’t run to your boss right away asking for funding. Do your homework first. Think it through and anticipate the questions that might be asked. How much will it cost? How will it bring value to our organization? What are the alternatives? Who will oversee the project? A little bit of planning can provide the right answers to all those questions. You might also want to consider asking others for help. If you need help understanding what’s involved in the production of a video and the costs involved, please feel free to contact us so we can answer your questions and help you make your case.

What if there isn’t enough money in your department’s budget to sponsor your project? If shifting the already allocated resources is not an option, you should consider cooperating with other departments within your organization that might also benefit from your video production project. If you’re making a video for advertising, check with the team responsible for branding and see if they could use the video as well. Maybe it can also be used for training and other purposes. If that’s the case, you can ask other departments to join in on the project and contribute financially. If done right, this can increase your available budget substantially. And a bigger budget means better production values and a generally more effective video.

http://www.christies.com/features/jeff-koons-balloon-flower-blue-1094-3.aspx

Got a favorite Jeff Koons piece? Let us know:
http://twitter.com/indigoprod

Here is some selected press on this project:

http://www.marieclaire.com/world-reports/news/latest/salma-violence
http://www.examiner.com/hispanic-culture-in-orlando/salma-hayek-pinault-psa-on-domestic-violence-video
http://www.i-newswire.com/dozens-of-celebrities-are-joining/68060
http://www.kotatv.com/Global/story.asp?S=13356235
http://www.i-newswire.com/dozens-of-celebrities-are-joining/68060

For more info on domestic violence, go to: 
http://www.thehotline.org/15th-anniversary/public-service-announcements/

Congratulations to our 2010 winners!

1st prize: $1,000
Gina Casazza Hunter College
Film & Media Department
Gina’s PSA was a favorite with our panel for its raw emotional power. Gina became active in MADD when she was personally affected by a drunk driver.  She made this video to bring home the message that drunk driving affects many more people than just the crash victims.
Mothers Against Drunk Driving

2nd prize: $500
Casey Sandala Kent State University
School of Visual Communication Design
We love Casey’s creative visuals and storytelling style. She made this powerful PSA as part of a class assignment.  Her purpose was to bring attention to the international Stop the Traffik campaign against human slavery.
Stop the Traffik

Honorable Mentions
Check out these other student entries that we thought were really good.

Quinn Wilson DePaul University
Debt-O-Nator: Health Care Reform

Jennifer White Texas State University
Teen Accidental Death

Ross Baldisserotto School of Visual Arts
What’s Going On? Nutrition!

Naya Scarbrough Howard University
Suicide Bomber – Smoking

Thanks to everyone for participating!

For details on future Indigo video production scholarships, please visit http://www.indigoprod.com/VideoProductionScholarship

Check out one of his latest videos:

What’s YOUR favorite viral video?  http://twitter.com/indigoprod

Let us know what you think! http://twitter.com/indigoprod
And check out http://www.505w37.com/

Start with trust – knowing that your producer is capable of creating a corporate video that exceeds your expectations, and has done so for client after client. You want a producer who can answer all your questions… and who knows the right questions to ask you. You want a producer who can guide you through the entire video production, from developing the initial concept, all the way to your final presentation.

Here are some key tips to help you in your search!

Don’t assume your kid, or the intern, or a wedding videographer knows how to create a powerful corporate video or web commercial.

If you don’t get it right while shooting, it will be a costly waste of time and money to try to fix it in post. Most likely, you’ll have to start from scratch. Or, at best, settle for less than what you really need for your sales video or training film. And if you’re not satisfied with that video, do you really think that it can motivate your workforce, create brand awareness, or bring in clients?

Don’t assume the lowest price means a good value.

These days, anyone with $1000 can buy a video camera and call himself a video producer. This doesn’t mean they know how to tell a good story and captivate your audience. Chances are they lack creative, technical, logistical and marketing know-how, and have little or no experience collaborating with successful companies like yours.

Get real about the reel.

A video production company’s body of work represents experience – experience that assures that you will get the video you want. And watching the producer’s work may inspire ideas for what you want to accomplish in your video. A video production company’s website should offer plenty of samples of their work. An experienced producer can also show you other videos and provide client references.

Get real about the deal.

It’s a good idea to have a ballpark budget in mind when you talk to a video production company. A seasoned producer can give you a realistic sense of what you can accomplish within your budget. But, if you are still unsure, a good producer can ask good questions and help you determine how to spend your money most effectively to get the best possible corporate video. See our article How much does making a video cost?

Remember, successful promotional videos depend on good communication between the client and the producer. The only surprises you want are happy ones!

Indigo Productions, a Manhattan video and multimedia production company, can be reached at 212-765-5224.  Please be sure to visit our website at www.indigoprod.com