In its simplest sense, a freelancer or freelance videographer is usually an individual who is hired to perform a specific task such as recording with a camera.
A video production company provides its own equipment, planning, supervision, customer interface, scripting, the actual recording, editing, and anything else the client might need to successfully complete their project.
The price points for hiring an experienced production company and hiring a freelancer are different because of the functions and value-added a video production company provides.
Most video production companies have technicians on staff, but also hire freelancers to better deal with the peaks and valleys of demand.
Because video is becoming so common with inexpensive equipment available some clients might look only at price and think all they need is to hire freelancers to work equipment – or they may just buy equipment to do it themselves.
This doesn’t always work out well for the client because often they really need the expertise and resources of a full-service video production company. Frequently they don’t realize the difference when they hire and don’t find out what is lacking till later; often when it is too late.
Hopefully, this blog can provide more insight, define the differences between hiring freelance videographers and hiring a video production company, and help you decide for your video project.
Gathering Information, Pre-Production Planning
Here at Aardvark Video, we are a “video production company” in business for over 30 years fully licensed and insured, and well established in Las Vegas. Frequently, we are contacted to record presentations, seminars, live streaming and to produce highlight videos at trade shows and conventions.
Local companies call us to produce training videos, social media, commercials, and information video or a value proposition to differentiate and promote their business. Additionally, and critically important for corporate video projects, we will visit a shooting location prior to a shoot and determine the equipment and crew needed. An inexperienced freelancer when hired, may just show up with a camera to shoot, and without experience in interfacing with the client, many details can be left undone.
As an example of how the process works, frequently we are contacted with very cursory descriptions of the project; often because the caller doesn’t really understand what is needed and what has to be done.
For example, a caller may say, “I want to record a presentation I’m giving at such and such convention center on a certain date/time, can you record it?”
As an experienced video production company, we are going to find out if the client has permission for us to record from the show management, who the AV contact is so that we can connect to the sound system, and whether they want the PowerPoint part of it recorded also, what is the lighting setup and when and where can we set up on the floor, how do they want files delivered, do they want the presentation edited, what is the contact info for the client at the show, etc.?
And because a production company has the resources and expertise, they can adjust and be flexible to needed changes at the presentation even providing more equipment and crew if needed.
A freelancer may be limited in how they prepare and react to needed changes onsite.
A freelance videographer is likely to look to their client to do the planning and other functions that a production company provides.
When the freelancer is being hired by a production company, that is all that is needed.
A video production company, if they’ve got experience and credibility, should be able to ask the right questions and guide a client through the entire production process.
Sample Project Suitable for a Video Production Company
Let’s give an example of planning associated with conventions:
For this project we were hired to provide the crew and equipment to record (10 technicians) and live-switch (10 technicians) between speakers and PPT presentations in 10 rooms simultaneously for two days. The rooms were spread over a large area of a convention center so time was needed to move between rooms. Files needed to be uploaded to the client website the same day. So we also provided 2 editors and 3 supervisors. Of the 25-person crew, 22 were technicians and the 3 supervisors were needed to monitor the rooms and make the project work properly.
We started with:
- Developing written guides for all crew members specific to their role
- Tested all the equipment weeks prior to the show
- Numbered every piece of equipment to match the room it would be in and even had the cameras name the files on the memory sticks to match the room numbers.
- We had crew members come into our studio weeks in advance to become familiar and practice with the planned equipment and the guidelines.
- We had redundant and extra recording systems in place so that no files could be lost requiring extensive equipment.
In addition, prior to the show, there was a constant stream of emails and conference calls with the client to go over details.
At the show instead of only having what was needed: 10 cameras and 12 computers; we had 12 cameras and 14 computers plus backups of all other components in case something went wrong. We also had extra technicians standing by in case something happened to any of the scheduled crew (and in fact, it did the night before with a crew member having back problems).
The day before the show, the supervisors set up and adjusted the equipment custom to every room and during the show, supervision was there to help the technicians correct any problems and supervise the entire workflow.
The project went flawlessly and the client was very pleased. If the client had to deal with 22 “freelancers” without our “Video Production Company” planning and supervision, besides the communication and equipment headaches they would have, you can imagine what could go wrong.
If a video production company is hired for a corporate project such as training or marketing:
- It starts with learning about the client culture and who their audience is, and what they want the audience to do after watching the video.
- From there a script outline is started and adjusted with input from the client, often as more insights are gained. In its simplest form, a script lists audio and video elements and is “say it, show it”.
- During the actual shoot, someone on the crew will be taking notes to ensure continuity of the shots and also recording which are the best takes.
When to Use a Freelance Videographer
As mentioned earlier, in many cases, if someone else is providing most of the equipment, planning, and supervision, a freelance technician is all that is needed and the right choice.
However, if this isn’t available from the client, it is often the best choice to work with a video production company to have supervision that understands the client’s objectives, can assist with the planning and can interface with people rather than just knowing how to operate the equipment.
Is your company planning an event such as a trade show, a seminar, or a new product roll-out?
Do you want a perfectly correct, consistent, motivating video to explain how your product or service is better than others – the customer needs it satisfies/problems it solves?
Do you want to start a social media engagement video campaign so that you become the authority and go-to source?
Do you have employees that need to be trained with the same consistent message?
A video production company can help you with all of that and more.
Contact us here at Aardvark video for a free, no-obligation consultation. We’ll help you explore how you can create videos you will use into the future to promote, drive business to your company and educate.
Aardvark Video & Media Productions:
702-897-4477
AardvarkVideo@Gmail.com
Tags: freelance videographer, professional video company, video production company, video technician
thanks for the information