-=:| …“Pitching Your Idea…

Whether you are considering a video or a film for the first time, or you have had or turned many ideas into video or film, there are certain aspects of the production you should really consider before jumping into preparation and production.

If you are working closely with a professional production company, there are specifics of the production they should also require to clarify with you in order to provide a realistic quote if you are not purchasing a packaged deal. Therefore, this stage of your journey through the project may be considered as the pitch, as you are literally pitching the idea firstly to paper, maybe even to yourself, you may then be clearing the idea with a Manager or Supervisor before approaching an individual or a production company to express your requirements to.

A video or film production is more than just a wise business investment if executed well; it is a business in itself. You will begin with a concept or idea, which you will have to invest time and money into making it a reality and then you will expect some sort of return on the video, whether through interest and engagement or in actual sales or productivity. Rarely is a video or film made that is simply shelved after all.

Your idea or concept, which currently resides with you or your organisation, must be expressed and delivered in such a way that your vision is as clear as possible in every aspect of the process or projects life cycle so that everyone may function and do the best work they can in light of the resolution of your project. Although all ideas must begin somewhere, the considerations of a project always begin with you, the individual who collaborates with a production company to produce the video/film.

With this knowledge as a foundation of pitching, let’s get into the what’s what of producing a pitch.

If you are going to produce the pitch yourself, you will be prepared to go directly to a company to seek a competitive quote and seek the value and approached attached to their methods.

If however you have little idea of the process and require assistance with the entire build-up of your pitch you may require a consultation.

Either way this entire phase is what we at Methodworks consider the Engagement phase, the first transfer ofenergy between you as the Collaborator, and the production company;

https://www.methodworksproduction.com/pdfs/Methodworks-Project-Life-Cycle.pdf

You may produce your first pitch on sketchy paper, or formally presented under neat headings, the most important aspect of this exercise is to have thought about and considered all of the elements of the idea that will affect the project; whether it is the time taken to produce the entire project, the cost and so budget required, the level and extent of planning or resources needed, or the effect on your target market or audience and the message you intend them to receive, you must gain confidence and clarity in your own idea. Once you are confident with your answers to the following ten points, you will be one step closer to achieving a video or film to your specific requirements and therefore with a professional production company, receive a very high end service.

Note: The term video and film will be used loosely and generally throughout this blog post, please consider it to mean “your production” or the project you are currently working on.

The Personal Pitch

Please note this is organised in no specific order, just one that made sense to us in ten brief points to give you a head start and neither should this be confused with pitching an idea you are selling to someone this is the kind of pitch you produce for yourself which assists in working out the feasibility, logistics, cost and time of your entire project;

1. Your Details

At some stage, usually very early in the engagement, your details are required. Requested will usually include your full name and an address, a telephone number, an email address, and a website or social media links.

Generally in business these details will be required in order to communicate with you, set up an account, draw up quotes and contracts and issue invoices. The additional information is for research purposes.

A professional production company won’t simply provide you a service, they will ensure that service is impeccable, tailor made for you and in order to do so they will need to do their research on you, or your product or service, or organisation. This will allow for an understanding of your current branding and public relation models you are using so that the production company may either align themselves with that to ensure your branding remains familiar, or before they suggest to you a radical new idea. Your current audience will certainly expect consistency in your communications and therefore knowledge of your past or more precisely the content of your videos/films past is pivotal.

Check the Data Use Policy of the production company or individual you are preparing to engage with if you are unsure about giving your personal information to anyone.

2. Purpose Of Your Video

The first thing you need to get clear is why you feel a video is required. How many reasons can you attach to the idea of producing a video? We say this because a professional video will require commitment and will incur a considerable cost. This is therefore a serious affair for most. What is your vision and how clear have you got it?

More importantly what will the result of having a video produce, what is the outcome, the purpose? What is the message you are delivering, the story you are telling and how should your audience feel about it?

You should have an idea of how you will be delivering your video and how you will therefore distribute it. You may duplicate it on a DVD which you may sell; you may request a file to upload to YouTube or to place on your website. These factors consider the end of a projects life cycle in post-production with respect to formats and materials being used to be able to do as you so desire with the video/film. If you have an informed answer for this point, keep reading.

3. Type Of Video

Once you understand the purpose of your video/film you will have the foundation for the type of production you are approaching.

Maybe you are promoting yourself or your product or service, maybe you are a musician and want an interview to deliver some new information about your career to your fans, maybe you are documenting something like a speech or a presentation, or maybe you just want to express a story.

Whatever it may be, your video/film will have a “type” and therefore will have an approach. A promotional video for example may include a demonstration as well as an interview and key contact information. Whereas a demonstration video maybe purely instructional taking your audience step by step through the benefits of your product. A testimonial video may encapsulate the very best of your clients’ reviews, or a concept video maybe setting up something as a premise before going into a more serious production.

Whatever the type of video you are heading towards, you should have some idea of what it is, the production company will then assist you in developing the plan to its approach and assist you in developing the content to ensure the purpose of the video, the underlying message is received.

4. Duration Of The Video

How long will the output of the production be? Minutes, seconds and occasionally hours are the units required here. Are you making a short video or a feature length film? What do you need to consider here, well your audience for one and how they will be consuming the media you are presenting to them. Will they be watching it quickly in an email, or will they have time to review your video on your website? Will they be comfortably seated watching your film on a big screen at a festival or will they be flicking through YouTube and playing your music video as it caught their attention? Whatever the type of video you choose it will have a duration attached to it which suits its purpose.

The duration should first and foremost reflect the content – everyone wants to be stimulated, whether they are being entertained, informed or educated, they wish to enjoy whatever it is you are presenting to them and you should never give them enough, hence always leave them wanting more.

Now we can’t please everyone, but we should be targeting a general portion of our audience or market. A music video may well exceed 7 minutes but in general is between 3.5 and 4.5 minutes in duration. A promotional video can stand anywhere between 30 seconds to a couple of minutes, just enough to tease and engage your clients to seek further information. A seminar may be an entire hour.

The duration of the video/film will directly relate to the scheduling for the production, how long it will take to produce all the raw content and as such what cost will be incurred. A good idea of the duration of your video/film is therefore essential at this very early stage as well.

5. Your Target Audience

Your video/film is being produced for one purpose and one purpose only, and it is not to give the crew more experience. You will have an audience in mind who you wish to engage with the message within your video. Arguably your audience is more important than you or those you are working with as it is their opinion or feedback or actions which count and cause the result. Therefore regardless of what anyone else thinks, what will your audience think and feel and do as a result of watching your film/video and what effect and outcome will that have on you?

Now of course you cannot go out and ask your audience because they may be anywhere across the world and it could take you forever. All we are suggesting is that you consider this, have an idea about who they are, their demographic, what they need to know, what language they use, what they will want to see and how they will react because of the message you have provided. This element more than any other will contribute the greatest to your result. Understanding and accurately predicting your audience is king in this communication business.

Therefore a professional production company should have this in the forefront of every decision they make (in alignment with the time and cost limitations).

6. Description Of Your Video

The description is possibly the part of the pitch you have nailed, what is the video/film about and what is going to happen. Yet often it will need quite a bit of polishing or ‘development’ before it is ready to move into preproduction. Be wary of any outfit who moves directly into preproduction (the setting up of the production) without asking you any questions about your idea of your audience or the intentions of your video. The more everyone knows about your idea, the better they can realise it for you.

Within the description of the video you should be considering the packaging, how will it open and close, will there be any title animations or logos or title cards and if so what kind of fonts or style are you thinking of, what colours or mood are you going for, how should the pace of the video/film feel, will there be music and if so has it been sourced and permission granted, if not how should it sound and feel and contribute to the productions overall message? Will there be interviews or a specific set of questions being answered and if so have these been drafted up? Have you prepared a script or a storyboard or a treatment covering many aspects of the answers that will be sought?

The description of your video allows for many things to take place, whereas most other points are the business end of your production, this is the creative end and it will inform you and others of the perspective, direction and construction of the video/film. It will allow for the Producer to specify the requirements of the production including the equipment and number of crew, the time or days required and the overall package of the production. The description is usually the biggest part of your initial pitch as it is the clearest part of the idea you may have and will generally require the most detail when explaining to others.

7. Locations

Where is the video/film set, where will the filming of your video/film take place? What impression or feeling do you wish to provide for your audience or target market? Do you have access and permission to film there? Are there any time restrictions on using the locations? What is the transport links like? Can the requirements of the production (equipment and crew) and filming (everything in front of the camera) fit within the space? If outdoors have you considered the limitations of weather and lighting conditions? The recording of good quality sound will also require optimum conditions for the microphones being used so roads and train lines for example, must be considered. Will you incur any licensing costs or supervision hire?

Most videos/films are shot in familiar locations yet often a location scout will have to find a location suitable for this very reason so a clear idea of the locations purpose should be understood. Often a location recce and risk assessment will be required to take place prior to the shoot happening for suitability and to work out equipment required while maintaining a safe working environment, again another logistic which requires time and arrives at a cost. Have you considered every location within your intended video/film if only a written list at this stage?

8. Cast/Social Actors/Presenters

Who will be in your video/film? Will you be presenting it? Will you have a voice over? Have you inquired an individual’s interest and/or permission to include them within your production?

It is important to understand how the people within your video/film will affect the purpose and result of your video. If the video/film is about your business, we as the client or consumer want to see you and the people that work for you, we want to see and engage with the people who we could be dealing with.

If you are requiring demonstrations or are producing a commercial you may require actors. Your cast should reflect your target market, the audience you are attracting. They should in most cases be likeable and easily accessible to your audience. Their ability to act and deliver should therefore also be of a proficient standard and nature and if you have yet considered anyone, a casting may be required which will add time and incur a cost to your project.

If you are working with individuals within your own company or people you know, you may need to consult with them for their availability. Whatever comes to mind you should commit to this section of your pitching. People buy from people.

9. Additional Requirements

If you have read up to this point, you are serious about your video/film or your own craft and approach. You may have thought of something which will greatly affect the timescale or the cost of your project which we have yet taken into account. This is where additional requirements come into perspective.

Additional requirements in your pitching will consider a variety of seemingly miscellaneous items or categories which for most projects will not be applicable but for your project may well be fundamental. Such considerations therefore should include, but not be limited to; any special equipment that will be required, props for set dressing or your social actors to use, any special effects, animation or graphics, make-up and wardrobe. Literally anything that has yet to be covered which will affect the time and cost of your project should be mentioned by this stage.

10. Deadline

Finally your deadline, whether you require your video for a particular date or a timeframe, you should set a date for the video/films completion. This encourages realistic planning and goals to be set for moving between the various stages of the projects life cycle and it ensures you have the video when you require it;

https://www.methodworksproduction.com/pdfs/Methodworks-Project-Life-Cycle.pdf

Remember the deadline of the video will not be the deadline of the project, if planned well you should realistically have your video/film with your project signed off by the production company before your deadline arrives. We suggest you do your very best to stick to a deadline once set and to never provide flexibility unless absolutely required.

Conclusion

We hope you have found this short summary blog useful.

Our aim is to provide a successful and efficient method of getting you from one point to another as quickly and as smoothly as possible. The biggest factors of any video/film production are the budget and time-frame and what your pitch does is outline firstly the feasibility of your project and then allows for the construction of an organised and methodical approach to reach the resolution of your vision.

A professional production company will be very well organised taking into account the additional time and costs required for anything from carrying out location scouting, recces and risk assessments to casting the perfect actors and providing rehearsals, testing any radical concepts to exporting additional versions of the film. They should be prepared for you to give you an experience you’ll never forget for all the right reasons.

So if you are serious about your video/film, if you are serious about the outcome and purpose of your video/film… start thinking about all of these points today before seeking your quote, or if you are going to approach a company or an individual for a consultation and you will have other people manage these things for you, ensure they are considering all of these aspects, make yourself a checklist, ask questions and seek clarity, if it is your idea then ultimately it is your responsibility to ensure it is realised.

The stronger your pitch – the stronger your result.

If The Method Works, Why Change It.