News

What to Ask When Starting A Video Project

Tue, 30 Apr 2024 09:26:00 Z

Today, we’re digging into a few of the essential questions to ask when starting a video project — because laying the right foundation is key to success. Our team is here to guide you, but it's helpful for us if you have started thinking about a few things before we jump on our initial call.

So, grab your notepads, and let’s dive in.

What Are Your Goals And Objectives?

Every great video project starts with a clear sense of purpose. What do you hope to achieve with your video? Are you aiming to increase brand awareness? Drive engagement? Educate your audience? Defining your goals upfront will guide every other decision you make throughout the creative process.

Where Will You Showcase Your Video?

Gone are the days of one video platform. Today, the possibilities are endless. Will your video live on social media, your website or maybe both? Are you considering traditional television, streaming services or even a live event? Understanding where you’ll showcase your video will help shape the style and format that will make the most impact.

What Style Of Video Do You Want to Make?

Once you’ve nailed down your objectives and video placement, it’s time to consider the style you want to pursue. Video storytelling offers a variety of options. Do you picture it as narrative-driven? Interview-based? Maybe it's animated. Each style has strengths and purposes. PEG is here to work with your team to determine the perfect video style that aligns with your project and brand.

Where Do You Need Help?

No one can do it alone — and why would you want to? At PEG, we’re here to lend a hand every step of the way. From brainstorming to bringing ideas to life, we can handle any type of project! But there might be areas where you also feel comfortable and confident with - like scripting. Identifying areas where you’re looking for help will ensure a smoother and more successful production process.

Here are a few times a vendor like PEG might be helpful:

Concepting
(Our team will craft a plan to tell your story in a creative way.)

Scripting
(Our team will collaborate with your team to create a well-thought-out script for your video.)

Video Shoots
(Our team will recommend the best crew and gear to meet your needs.)

Finding Talent
(Our team can help find voiceover talent, on-camera talent, makeup artists, food artists and more.)

Video Creation
(Our team will edit your video from start to finish.)

Do you have Inspiration Or Examples?

Creative inspiration can be drawn from lots of sources. Before diving headfirst into your video project, take the time to explore what’s already out there. Are there videos that represent the style you’re looking to achieve? Share them with us! Even if just a particular element that ignites a spark of inspiration, it’s worth noting. From there, our team can collaborate with you to craft a concept tailored to your specific brand and objectives.

What’s Your Budget?

We know this part is hard! While it may not be the most glamorous aspect of the creative process, it’s certainly one of the most important. Knowing this upfront, even a rough estimate, helps us recommend a solution that will work within the scope of your project. At PEG, we have a wide range of gear at various price points to ensure you get exactly what you need to create the best possible video while staying within your budget.

Well, we’ve reached the end of this post, but hopefully, it's the start of a fun and exciting video project! While starting a new project can feel daunting, we hope you feel a little more prepared. And remember you don’t have to answer all of these on your own. Our team is here to be a partner for you and help you along the way!

Account Management Conference Takeaways

Mon, 27 Mar 2023 10:23:00 Z

At PEG, no matter how big or small the project, we always have a dedicated Account Manager leading our clients throughout their entire project from start to finish, which is why it’s important for our account management team to continue to learn how to improve our process and skills for our clients and internal team.

While there are hundreds of film and video related conferences teaching about the newest gear and video trends in this ever-evolving and dynamic industry, there aren’t many conferences geared specifically towards account management, so I was excited to hear that a seminar was going to be held in Atlanta, Georgia. (At a super cool, trendy brewery, which I would highly recommend visiting if you’re ever in the area.)

The two-day seminar was led by Author, Speaker, and Advisor, David Baker, who is an expert in advising creative and digital firms, like Pritt Entertainment Group, to make sustainable and scalable business decisions that complement the quality of their work.

In addition, David flew in Jenny Plant, owner of Account Management Skills, from London as a keynote speaker to talk on essential account management skills and best practices.

It was reassuring to learn many tips and strategies that both David and Jenny shared during the conference were ones that we already put into practice at PEG, however there was a lot of new great information that I was excited to take back to the office and share with our team.

DiSC Profile Assessment

Prior to leaving for the seminar, David requested all of the participants to complete his DiSC Workplace Profile, which is essentially a behavioral self-assessment designed to make sense of our personal work style personalities and how understanding ourselves better helps us as account managers learn how to be more effective when working with our team and clients.

While I could write an entire blog post about DiSC profiles, my key takeaway from taking this assessment and learning how this tool is helpful for not only the account management role, but for all roles within an organization, especially within a small business with few employees. David talked about the importance of learning your co-workers' tendencies and preferred work environment. Knowing this will not only align each individual to their designated roles, but also help understand how to adapt to one's tendencies when needed. It would be interesting to do this experiment with our team and see how it could benefit PEG’s processes long term.

Managing Client Expectations

Jenny Plant has 30 years of experience in account management. So, I was excited to hear her speak, specifically how to manage client expectations. As a creative agency, we know that managing client expectations is crucial to delivering high-quality videos that satisfies our clients' needs. Trust me, we get just as excited as our clients when we get the opportunity to collaborate on a new project, so understanding how we can learn to continue managing expectations to get the most out of our collaboration with our clients in a realistic, but thoughtful way.

Communicating with Clients

Jenny talked a lot about the importance of communication and how setting expectations during the kick-off meeting makes for a smoother project all around.

We work hard to communicate every step of the process to our clients. When we deliver a project timeline, we make sure to include all of the important dates of the project to ensure nothing is misinterpreted and everyone is on the same page at the very beginning of the project. Obviously, we are always flexible when we need to be, which we discuss on a case by case basis.

Multiple Touch Points

In addition to managing expectations through project timelines and communicated deadlines, Jenny also stressed the importance of having multiple client touch points throughout the project. While we are always communicating with the client throughout each step of the process, we find time to connect for quick project status updates to ensure we’re all on the same page and are always excited to meet our clients for lunch or coffee when we can.

Our clients are extremely important to us, so it was extremely important to me to learn how to best communicate with our clients moving forward and how to make them feel comfortable throughout the entire process and happy with the end result.

Connecting with Other Account Managers

Another highlight of the conference is the networking opportunities it provides. Attendees come from various industries, including advertising, marketing and website development to name a few. It was amazing having the opportunity to connect with other Account Managers, like myself, that work in creative industries and different industries all together.

I was able to have a really great conversation during a small group exercise towards the end of the conference with a video production agency out of Nashville, Tennessee. We talked through their approach to their organizational processes and I was able to share some insight on our process and the types of software we utilize to keep things running smoothly.

I really enjoyed getting these other perspectives into how we can continue to enhance what we do to make each project run efficiently and effectively for our clients.

Myth Busting: Account Management Myths

Tue, 21 Jun 2022 11:02:00 Z

I believe my colleagues and clients would agree that the most exciting part of every project is seeing the final product we’ve all worked so hard to create together. While this may be true, there are many steps that are essential to bringing any video to life. In today’s segment of “Myth Busting,” I am going to be busting common misconceptions about account management and pre-production that I hear most often. And why each step of the process is vital to planning and creating a successful project.

Account Management Myth 1:
“We don’t need to discuss budget.”

When you reach out to work with us, we’ll schedule time to get to know you and your brand and the project you are looking to create! Once we have a grasp on your project, we always like to ask your preferred budget. Knowing your budget up front not only sets realistic expectations for the project, but also helps us determine what type of gear to include for potential video shoots, amount of production hours to assist with concepting, scripting, storyboarding, video edit and, of course, the overall quality that you’re looking to achieve.

If you don’t have a budget in mind, that’s okay too! We’ll put together a proposal based on our discussion of what you’re looking for and our professional recommendations to create a successful project!

Myth 2:
“I don’t need an Account Manager. I can manage the project myself.”

As an Account Manager, I am here to make sure your entire project from start to finish stays on track and is delivered to you on time! We want the entire process to be smooth and organized for you, so whether it’s your first time or your tenth time working with us, I make it a priority to keep communication and feedback organized, so you don’t have to!

Just consider my role the liaison between you and our team. Our production team wears a lot of hats, so it's important to keep communication streamlined, so they have all of the information they need to know to bring your vision to life.

Not only is communication the most important part in our process, but scheduling video shoots (we’ll talk about this a little later), sourcing talent, gathering props, and requesting assets take time to coordinate and keep organized as well. But don’t worry, while it’s my job to keep everything on track, we make sure to include you and your team in every step of the process.

Myth 3:
“I’m stuck with this project timeline and it can’t be changed.”

One of the most important tasks I handle for all of our client’s projects is to create a project timeline. Based on all of the information we’ve gathered from you and your team during our initial meeting, we’ll create a timeline that meets those needs. Not only do project timelines keep our internal team on task, but they also point out important deadlines and timeframes on when you will expect things to review during each phase of the process.

While project timelines are built to keep your project moving to meet your deadline, any portion of the timeline can certainly be changed as long as your deadlines are flexible and expectations are discussed beforehand. The most common reasons our clients need to adjust timeline dates is because they either need additional time to review things with their team or the final delivery date for the project has changed. If this happens with your project, we’ll discuss the best way to meet your request, while making sure our team has sufficient time to complete the project.

Myth 4:
“We can wing it on shoot day.”

Remember in Myth Two when I said we’d get back to this? Well, you’ve made it. So, can we wing it on shoot day? Well I'm here to bust this myth, because the most successful video shoots are planned!

There is a lot of prep work that goes into video shoots, especially if there are multiple shoot locations, large amounts of gear and talent involved. Prior to scheduling any video shoot, in the beginning phases of the project, we’ll discuss where you’d like to film, whether our crew will be capturing interviews, scripted content and/or b-roll at your filming location. Knowing these key details will help our production team prepare for what they will be capturing on shoot day and the type of gear that will need included.

To be even more prepared, we’ll schedule a location scout where myself and the lead producer on your project will meet you at the filming location to scope out perfect interview locations, areas where we would need to capture b-roll, and any other important areas of the filming location that we would need to capture footage to include in the video.

Once the video shoot has been scheduled, I will create a shoot outline detailing everything that you and our team needs to know on shoot day. These details would include specific dates, times and locations for each part of the shoot, checklist of gear that will be brought, list of questions or script for on-camera talent, storyboards if applicable, and client and onsite crew contact information.

Now we’re ready to shoot!

Don’t worry, we’ll be here every step of the way to make sure we have everything we need to make this video shoot a success

What I've Learned So Far... Emily Richmond

Thu, 03 Jun 2021 11:09:18 Z

Has it been six months already?! I guess it’s true, time sure does fly by when you’re having fun! While my first six months may not have been a “traditional” onboarding experience due to the crazy year we’ve had, there’s no doubt that the entire PEG team has been by my side every step of the way.

Working Remotely

During this time at home, I have managed to learn how to work remotely, learn my new role as an Account Manager in a new-to-me industry and build new relationships with a group of exceptionally creative people I have the pleasure of working with on a daily basis. Although I have been working from home the past six months, I have had the opportunity to (safely) attend some of my clients’ video shoots. This has allowed me to not only get to know our clients but also see firsthand how our team works and the awesome gear they use, such as cameras, lighting, and so much more. It’s been really helpful for me to see these projects from start to finish so I can better communicate our processes to our clients and our internal team.

A Variety of Projects

One of my favorite parts about being an Account Manager is that I have the pleasure of getting to know so many wonderful clients from many VERY different industries. This has given me the opportunity to work on a variety of projects from video board animations for a professional sports team to stop motion animated LEGO videos for one of our corporate clients.

Working on different projects every day has taught me more than I ever thought I could learn in half a year. Just when I thought I’d experienced it all, another exciting project comes our way! I am truly inspired by our team’s passion and creativity, which makes me want to continue to learn and grow in my role every day.

Looking Forward to More

Now that our team is officially back in the new PEG office, I am looking forward to getting to know the team even better! While I appreciate the technology of Zoom, it has been so fun to meet up, talk food and collaborate in person. Oh, also, I can’t forget to mention that our team is in a volleyball league, which is one of my new favorite activities to do during the week. It has been a great way to unwind after a successful day at the office! Although I can’t believe how fast these six months have gone, I appreciate everything I have learned so far, and I look forward to all the future projects that bring our clients’ brands to life!

Getting To Know: Emily Richmond

Fri, 09 Apr 2021 12:25:31 Z

Hi everyone! My name is Emily and I am an Account Manager here at PEG. It's time to get to know a little bit about me! Learn more about what I bring to the team, my life as a Kent-ite and exactly how much I love Chick-fil-A sauce.

Video Transcript

Brianna Kelly: What is your name?

Emily Richmond: Emily Richmond

BK: And what do you do here at PEG, Emily?

ER: I am an Account Manager.

BK: What does that mean?

ER: As an account manager, I lead communication and coordination with our clients, as well as our internal creative team to make sure that all deliverables are executed and sent to the client on time.

BK: What do you add to the team here?

ER: So, I think that I add a positive attitude. And I really like that I have a lot of different experiences, and come from a lot of different industries that bring a different perspective to the whole team.

BK: What do you like best about your job?

ER: Everything! I didn't realize that as an account manager that I would be doing something different every single day. And I think that's what I love most about my job is that every day is different and we never know exactly what kind of projects we are going to get, so that's always the exciting part.

BK: What makes PEG different?

ER: Honestly, I don't think I've ever been a part of a team where everyone is passionate about what they do and everyone also loves food, which is one of my passions. I really think it transforms the quality of our work and I think that's why our clients continue to come back.

BK: Alright, Emily. We are going to get to learn a little bit more about you.

ER: Oh, boy.

BK: What is something quirky about you or a fun fact?

ER: I love home decor. Although, my bank account does not. And I'm also left-handed. I'm the only left-handed person in my family.

BK: Where did you grow up?

ER: Well, I was born in Kokomo, Indiana, and at age three moved to Kent, Ohio, where my mother is from, and lived there my whole life. And then ended up at Kent State University, so I guess you could say I'm a Kent-ite.

BK: Finish this sentence for me. "Please get me a cup of..."

ER: Chick-fil-a sauce thank you.

BK: The most important question we're gonna ask all day. Puppies or kitties?

ER: Puppies. 110 percent.

My Editing Playlist: Emily

Tue, 12 Jan 2021 10:47:01 Z

In rare moments when I am not interacting with our clients or internal team, I will look to music and podcasts to help inspire and motivate me throughout the day. If you’re looking for a new artist or podcast to listen to during your workday, here are few of my favorites to help you get started:

Music

I love a lot of different genres of music, but my favorite artists to listen to when I am working is Ed Sheeran, John Legend, and Ellie Goulding, to name a few. I find their voices very soothing, which keeps me in a positive headspace throughout the day. If I am craving a distraction-free environment, I will find any instrumental playlist to fill the silence while I work. While I gravitate more towards soft and soothing music during the workday, I am most likely listening to country music driving to and from the office on the radio or Spotify. My favorite country artists to listen to besides the country queen herself, Shania Twain, are Luke Combs, Russell Dickerson, and Kelsea Ballerini! They all have very different sounds, which I really enjoy.

Podcasts

Just like my taste in music, my taste in podcasts is also at opposite ends of the spectrum. I am a huge fan of The Office. I have watched the show from start to finish about 10 times! If you can relate, the Office Ladies podcast is for you. Jenna Fischer (Pam Beesly) and Angela Kinsley (Angela Martin) break down each episode of the series. And they include exclusive details of what it was like to be on the show. Another one of my favorites is Armchair Expert hosted by comedian, actor, and yes, Kristin Bell’s husband, Dax Shepard. Every Monday and Thursday he releases interviews with celebrities, authors, scientists, and many more to discuss a variety of honest and thoughtful topics. It’s truly is a podcast for everyone. Speaking of podcasts for everyone, TED Talks Daily, is my go-to when I want to listen to a podcast, but don’t have a lot of time. They are short, but very informative and inspirational. I would highly recommend listening to an episode before starting your day. It will exercise your brain and will give you the boost of motivation you need for a successful day of work!

Do you have playlists or podcasts that inspire or motivate you throughout your workday? If so, I want to know about them!