How To Find the Right Chicago Video Production Company

Whether you're producing an ad campaign or a training video, you should always have someone reliable behind the camera. Working with an experienced Chicago video production company guarantees you get the best-quality video possible. 

You shouldn't select a production team based on a single review or demo reel. You must first understand your needs, research available crews, and review your budget — among other crucial factors. 

Why Partnering With the Right Video Production Company Is Crucial

Even without film experience, you can typically tell the difference between a high-quality video and a bad one. Poor audio, lighting, video resolution, and framing can all detract from the audience's viewing experience. Meanwhile, a high-end video can pull people in and establish a positive idea of your brand. 

A creative video agency or production team can help you prepare and create the best video content for your marketing strategy. Still, it's not enough to partner with just any random video crew. You should prioritize production companies with plenty of experience, access to equipment, and solid portfolios and demo reels.

Additional tools and experience let video teams achieve more behind the camera. Plus, skilled videographers know to look for frequent production mistakes — such as shadows, inconsistencies, and poor audio — and can plan accordingly. 

How To Understand Your Video Production Needs

Every company offers different video production services, and many specialize in particular practices. For example, some production teams may have better drone cameras, while many studios specialize in animation and visual effects (VFX). So, consider what you need for your specific corporate video project. 

Define Your Project Goals and Objectives

First, outline your project ideas and goals. This doesn't need to follow a specific structure — you could write out the rough concepts you have so far, such as the video format, duration, final message, or product you're spotlighting. 

You should also notate any particular quotes, visuals, or graphics you'd like to capture. This can help you identify the production services you'll actually need. You can then add more details as you remember or think of them to guarantee you don't miss anything later. 

The most common types of videos for businesses include:

• Commercials: Ad campaigns must have decent video resolution and sound quality, especially if you plan to air them on TV or streaming services. Most commercials are only 30 or 60 seconds, giving you limited time to highlight your products or services. 
• Social media videos: Social media content often varies in format, depending on your platform. The most successful social media videos are brief and attention-grabbing, giving viewers clear ideas about your brand.
• Explainer videos: Explainer video projects combine voiceovers, interviews, demonstrations, and motion graphics to provide relevant information. They often rely on VFX to highlight important details, draw attention to transitions, and bring schematics to life. 
• Business-to-business (B2B) video: B2B marketing highlights how your products and services can benefit other businesses. B2B videos are usually more detail-oriented, perfect for websites, LinkedIn, and YouTube. 
• Training videos: These projects are only seen by those within your company, such as new hires and operations teams. Though they can follow almost any format, training videos must clearly communicate your message while maintaining the viewer's attention. 

Estimate Costs for Different Types of Videos

Before getting too deep into pre-production, you must establish your budget. Video marketing for businesses can get pricy, especially if you need specific equipment, multiple cameras, and complex VFX. 

Knowing your budget and what you want to achieve can help you gauge which production teams work best for your goals. If you communicate these details upfront, a producer can find the best options within your budget.

Many variables can increase your production budget, including:

• Camera and equipment
• Electricity, especially when filming outdoors
• Wages for crew and talent
• Location fees
• Food and water
• Gas and transportation
• Graphics, animation, and other VFX
• Distribution and marketing costs
• Tight deadlines

How To Research Potential Video Production Companies

With so many options available, comparing various factors across different Chicago video production companies is helpful. Researching each company and reviewing their services can help you make an informed decision.

Use Online Directories and Reviews

Local organizations, such as the Chicago Creative Directory and the Independent Film Alliance (IFA), let video production companies register their information. These online directories can help you find dependable production teams with local connections. Plus, some directories even sort your options by category and location, such as post-production houses in Chicago. 

Still, not all production crews register their information in official directories, especially if they require fees. So, you should also conduct independent research online to find various companies that meet your needs. Look for each team's reviews and testimonials beyond their websites as part of your search.

Ask for Recommendations and Referrals

You'll likely find many of Chicago's best production and animation studios through word of mouth. Consider any impressive commercials or social media videos you've seen from businesses in your network. Your connections may point you to the production teams they worked with — or sometimes point you away. 

Production companies may also recommend you to other high-quality videography teams that meet your needs. For example, if you need live event videos, a production company that doesn't offer live streams may refer you to a company that does. Film is a relatively tight-knit industry, so asking for referrals is often the best way to find specific video production services. 

Look for Key Elements in Video Portfolios

Most video production companies include portfolios and "demo reels" on their websites and social media pages. These can be excellent references for each company's skills and abilities, especially if you're looking for particular services. For example, if you want a specific motion graphics style, check to see if the company has any animation reels. 

That said, always remember that demo reels are usually just the best-looking parts of much longer videos. These shorter clips may hide genuine flaws, such as poor focus, grainy audio quality, and other variables that do not meet clients' goals.

Demo reels should cover various aspects of a production team's abilities rather than just their camera and editing skills. Look for the following elements in each portfolio:

• Camera focus and framing
• Color
• Cuts and edits
• VFX and special effects (SFX)
• Transitions
• Variety of shots across different projects

Understand the Range of Services Offered

Research the video production services offered by each company. Many studios have multiple in-house teams covering everything from pre-production to post-production. However, many others specialize in individual services, such as audio, VFX, and multi-camera video crews.

Compare each company's services with the type of video you want to make. Unless you're looking for something wildly complex, you can usually find a single Chicago videography team that meets all of your expectations.

 Plus, if the in-house teams can't achieve something, they can usually pass the project back and forth with other companies in their networks. This is much easier than working with each individual company yourself. 

Charter & Co.'s range of services includes:

• Business video strategy and research
• Creative treatments, scripts, and storyboards
• Pre-production and preparation
• Full-service filming days
• Video editing and color grading
• Sound design and voiceovers
• Licensed music
• VFX and motion graphics
• Video marketing strategy and support

How To Compare Proposals and Make a Decision

After determining your needs and researching each company, it's time to review your cost estimates. Your project's budget can drastically change depending on who you work with and what you want to achieve. So, you may need to consult with multiple production companies to find your best options.

To make your final decision, compare your cost estimates with the scope of your work. Consider your project's intent and how much is actually worth dedicating to this cause. For example, a local TV commercial typically has higher production demands than a new-hire training video. If you're marketing a specific product or service, how much do you aim to earn from its success? 

Another important factor is your video's reusability. Business videos and ads you can replay seasonally or year-round are typically more worthwhile than one-time-use videos. So, you may budget more for a general ad about your business than for an ad promoting a one-time holiday sale. 

Of course, tight deadlines can increase your project's cost even more, especially if the production company is already working on other videos. So, don't leave the company waiting too long for your decision; consult them as early in the process as possible. 

Partner With the Right Chicago Video Production Company

There are plenty of videography companies in Chicago, but only a few will provide the services and quality you need. Charter & Co. is dedicated to empowering businesses and storytellers across all stages of production. 

Contact us today to learn more about our Chicago video production services.