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

“New York Talk,” which was broadcast by PBS on April 4th 2009, is a brilliant and kinetic slice of the city featuring an uncommon look at the New York lifestyle. The film perfectly captures the energy of Manhattan with a fast-paced mosaic of images and people — narrated by a street-smart, bitingly satirical, and distinctly New York guide.

“New York Talk” has been touring film festivals worldwide. It has been officially selected by the Berlin International Short Film Festival, the Los Angeles International Short Film Festival, the Tribeca Underground Film Festival, the Miami Short Film Festival, Exground FilmFest, the Festival International du Court Metrage, the Long Island International Short Film Expo, the Cabbagetown Short Film Festival, the Zeitgeist Short Film Festival, the Hardacre Film Festival, the Billyburg Short Film Festival, the Fort Myers Beach Film Festival, and the Coney Island Film Festival.

Michael was born and raised in Slovakia and spent his high school years in Germany. In 1996, he moved to the US to start his college education and four years later graduated summa cum laude from the NJCU’s Media Arts program. By then he already had his first festival win in his pocket.

In 2006 Michael joined Indigo, a full-service video and multimedia production company based in New York City. Michael’s European background and multiple language skills turned out to be a big advantage for us since many of our corporate video projects deal with international clients and are used worldwide.

Over the past 17 years, Indigo has earned an international reputation by winning top industry awards and providing clients with a one-stop shopping solution for all their video production and video editing needs. In addition to its videography and corporate video services, Indigo also offers a full range of legal video production services.

Many other examples of Indigo’s work and Michael’s video editing can be seen at www.indigoprod.com.

Indigo Productions, a New York video and multimedia production company, can be reached at 212-765-5224.

Prospective clients often ask, “How much does it cost to make a video?” It’s a good question – and every producer wishes there were a simple answer.  But the truth is, this question is a lot like asking an architect, “How much does it cost to build a house?”

An architect’s answer would probably be:  It depends.  Do you want a 50-room mansion on a remote island?  Or a prefab cookie-cutter at the lowest possible price?  More likely something in between – but what, exactly?  Before giving you a quick quote, an experienced architect will ask a lot of questions – including what budget range you are considering.

It would be great if there were a simple formula stating X minutes of video = Y dollars.  But video production, just like home construction, involves far too many variables for that.  And we need a lot more information before we can give you a meaningful estimate.

We need to consider factors like who your audience is, the level of production value they are expecting to see, the potential value of a truly great video to you or your company, and most importantly, a ballpark figure reflecting what you can actually spend.

After all, the requirements and expectations for a quickie “talking head” for one-time use are completely different from those of a global product launch video for a Fortune 500 company.  There’s no point in receiving an estimate for one if you’re really in the market for the other.

The best thing to do is talk to us. With 17 years worth of award-winning video and multimedia experience, we can help you define your goals, advise you on how to achieve your vision within your budget, and help you maximize every dollar you spend so it shows up on the screen in a quality production.

When we do talk we can explore a range of video production choices and explain how they influence the budget.  Here are some factors we need to consider:

• Do you already have a concept, or are we developing one for you?
• If your concept is more expensive to produce than you thought, are you open to a different concept that achieves your goals within your budget?
• What exactly needs to be shot?  This is an all-important question, because it determines which equipment we need…
• … how large a crew we need…
• … and how many days of shooting will be required.
• Where are we shooting the video?  Are there location expenses?
• Do we need to hire actors or models or voice-over talent?  Or are we using your own people?  (There are pros and cons to each.)
• How complex is the editing?
• Will there be sophisticated graphics or special effects?
• Will we need an original music score, or stock music, or no music at all?
• How long will the finished video be?  (Helpful hint: Shorter is better)
• Do we need to shoot in HD or standard definition? (HD looks great, but is more expensive. Standard-def  is often more practical, especially for web commercials)

The fact is, there are literally hundreds of factors that affect the cost of video production.  And you can’t simply choose a company based on price, because a lower price – while attractive in this economy – will rarely yield the best result.

The bottom line?  Let us know YOUR bottom line – or at least give us a range.  Whether your ballpark is $2,500 or $50,000 or $250,000 (and we’ve produced plenty of videos at each of those levels) it’s best to communicate that up front so we can help you create a concept and a production plan that suits your needs and achieves your goals in the most cost-effective way possible.

And here’s the Indigo Productions promise:  Whatever the size or scope of your project, we’ll deliver a video that you’ll love and that we’ll all be proud of. 

Did we mention that you should talk to us?

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