One of the best ways to assess the talent of a potential videographer you are thinking of hiring is to take a look at their documentary work. Check out this video on the Dharma Rain Zen Center in NE Portland, part one of my series on environmental issues affecting Portland and the surrounding area.
Both Commercial And Creative Experience
One tip I give businesses when looking to hire a video production vendor is that you want someone with a good balance of both commercial work as well as their own creative work. Whether their previous films are documentary or narrative in nature, it's often this work that will tell you the most about how talented they are.
Why? First of all, when I'm producing commercial videos for businesses, my goal is to support their brand and highlight what's special about their company. That creative shot I think will be really cool may not be appropriate for a real estate promo or law office. I know plenty of businesses that have been burnt by talented directors who weren't interested in putting their client first and used the project as an excuse to do whatever they wanted.
At the same time, taking a look at their personal film work is a great way to gain insight into what type of filmmaker they are and where their talent lies. You'll be well-served by finding a creator whose vision and style matches with your brand aesthetic.
Compelling Video Starts With Good Storytelling
You probably already know that an important key to marketing is conveying what's unique and special about your business. Video is one of the best ways to reach potential customers in a meaningful way, because of its ability to directly connect with the viewer. Looking at a filmmaker's documentary work will tell you everything you need to know about their ability to tell a story in a visual manner.
Whether you're looking to produce a landing page video highlighting the best attributes of your business, a series of client testimonials, or a product demo, effective storytelling should always be at the core.
Visual Fluency
Depending on the type of clients they've had, you may not get a real idea of a video production team's ability to create great visuals based solely on their commercial work. That's why you should always ask to see some of their personal or creative films as well. I'm sure it won't be hard to get them talking about past projects.
Key things to look at are camera movement, drone footage, color and style, and lighting. With a talented filmmaker, you may even find that something in their work inspires you to take an unforeseen direction with your company project. But no matter what, seeing that they have the talent to pull off impressive visuals, even if it's not suitable for your brand, means that you can rest easy knowing they can get the job done.
Work With A Professional
That all being said, it's also important to find a videographer with plenty of commercial experience as well. You'll want to see a number of examples of professional video work they've done for other clients, either in the same industry, or one that will easily translate to your field.
For example, if you're in the tourism industry, and your potential hire has a lot of examples from the real estate industry, including great drone footage, then you can be pretty sure their experience will translate. But if you're a retail company whose videos will require lots of in-studio, close-up product shots, it probably doesn't matter how beautiful their drone reel is.
Dharma Rain Zen Center Documentary
I'm extremely passionate about the environment, and that's why I've started working on a series of mini-documentaries on environmental issues that effect the Portland area. The first one is on the Dharma Rain Zen Center, and the work they've done in the past five years to restore their property in NE Portland, which used to be a landfill. It's now become a beautiful retreat for the community, providing trails, open space, and a sanctuary for wildlife. Not to mention the produce from their organic garden which they have been donating to a local food shelter.
I hope you'll take the time to check out this video, and if you like it, please keep me in mind for future projects, whether they are commercial or creative in nature. I'm a capable one-man crew, able to do video, sound, drone, lighting, editing, and graphic design. But I also have talented professionals I work with on larger projects, so I'm able to scale up to whatever size video or event you have in mind.
PDX Videographer Is Your Video Production Solution
In the end, you want someone who's talent and experience match the vision you have for your video project. Don't be afraid to keep looking until you discover the right person. But if you chose me, you'll find I have a lot of experience across many different industries, and am easy to work with. Feel free to reach out with any questions and I'll be happy to discuss your project, no matter the scope or budget.
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