The Purpose of Creativity in Video Production [Judging where your creativity is necessary]

In the business of video production everything is based on the uniqueness of the client. You've heard the saying "the customer is always right" well just like in customer service, in video production the "client" is always right. However, when it comes to the technical aspect you as a Videographer are the professional and they are paying you for your knowledge and expertise. So it is in your best judgment to give your educated opinion on such matters.




Organization & Pre-Production

When going into a project the first thing that you want to do is schedule a production meeting to get down on paper what everybody's vision is. You want to ask them what it is they see as far as the final product is concerned. Then you process all of that information and convey in vivid detail your take on what it is they want you to produce. After all of that is settled you deal with the pricing aspect etc. The next part is crucial, you want to negotiate the contract. Never do any ounce of work until the contract is taken care of and everything is agreed upon by both parties.

Time Management & The Client

During production it is wise to have the client involved if you think you need some clarification on some factors that could potentially affect the project. In the editing process this becomes very important because there is a lot of time involved. You have to take into account capturing the footage, cutting it up, putting in all of the effects, titles, sound, and then the big monster ... compression! All of these things play a major role in the time it takes to complete a project. However if you let your client in at some point during your editing process you will save a lot of time.


Know Your Client

There are also different types of clients that you will come in contact with in this business. There are the small businesses and corporate clients - this includes marketers, motivational speakers, and mom and pop stores - whom for the purpose of this explanation we will deem as our "conservative" clients. Then there's the musicians, live bands, live shows, vocalists etc. who tend to be more relaxed when it comes to allowing you to utilize your creativity. We'll deem these type of clients as "modern." Now if you're new to this and you don't recognize the difference between producing a project for a "conservative" client and a "modern" client then I guarantee you will run into some problems. The fact is there will either be a problem with too much of this or not enough of that when it comes to "Conservative" Clients. The more "modern" client will for the most part be concerned with quality but since they already work in an environment where they have to utilize their creativity they're going to want a product that reflects just that. So the best advice I can give is that you just study and get to know your client. Then you will be able to gage whether or not to put all of your creativity into the project or back off and just do the bare minimum with the best quality.


Conclusion

These are all tips and things that I've learned in my experience while working with different clients lately. It is a very good idea to keep a log of your clients and create a list of what went good and what could have been done better. That way in the future you can look back when you come to similar situations and be able to come to a better conclusion. I do hope that this helps some of my Videographers out there. It is a tough business but when you think about it what does that say about us? You got it! We are tough and better for our effort and all that we invest into our business.

As always remember to be "REEL" and stay on the MOVE!

"Purple Reels The Go Getter"
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