How to Pick a Video Production Company in the Dallas Fort Worth Area

Video or film production varies dramatically within the Metroplex. Picking the right Dallas/Fort Worth production company for training films, HD corporate videos, training videos, commercials or even direct response TV spots all require a lot of video/film experience, a sizable staff of producers, directors, editors, animators and broadcast engineers, as well as tremendous talent.

By CRM Studios, DFW/Texas

Look at the Video Production Company's Demo Reel

A video company's demo tape or demo reel is the best judge of their work. Typically only the company’s greatest projects show up on the reel.  Those spots can be a national toy commercial, local doctor's office or regional lawyers TV spots, Dallas Oil Company’s industrial video or a Fortune 500 corporate video.  The content will vary widely depending on the company’s experience in the area.

Some big companies may not show you a lower budget web video or even a 3D/4D ride film that costs millions to produce, if you are looking for a simple marketing project for your regional meeting next quarter.  And while big and beautiful is nice a more relevant example may be needed.

So ask for certain things if you want to know the highest and lowest production levels a company can produce within.  Why?  Because a lot of clients will drop their consideration of a certain company because they think that a certain production company will be too expensive based on the demo they see.   If you’re looking for a specific example, ask for it.   You may be surprised at the value you get out of a high profile production company.

Determine the Size of the Video/Film Production Company
Size in production means success!  Companies with a large staff and impressive studio space have to keep business coming in to sustain.  So it is almost impossible for a company with 25,000 sq/ft of stages and post facilities to be unimpressive because if they had poor work bills would not get paid.  

Whether it is a top ten production or film company, a production company who does just commercials to those who create training videos, corporate marketing videos and web videos, you will find that size of the companies vary.  Some production companies are made up of one producer with a camera and a garage.   Others have billings in the millions and equipment of every kind.

Why are a Large Stable of Production and Post-Production Equipment and Soundstages Important for a DFW Video/Film Production Company?

When a company has a lot of video and film equipment at their disposal, they most likely do a lot of work to justify the cost of buying that equipment. If that company has a sound stage (shooting stage) with green screen capabilities they also probably do a fair amount of daily work in order to keep the cost down on their real estate purchase or lease.

The logic is simple really – Size means success and success means value. If a DFW production company has a large bevy of equipment and personnel it means they have learned the art of production and know how to pack value into any project.  Everything is streamlined: They know how to evaluate and bid a project; they know how to look for the potential problems before they happen; and most of all they know how to communicate with clients.  

So often, a client will have a vision and some knowledge on how to produce a particular training video for example.  So they begin communications with their local Dallas production company.  However, in many cases clients are asking for more than they need to acquire the vision they’ve communicated to the producer.  In a smaller company’s case, they will let the client spend the money without counsel.  A larger more reputable production company will tell the client how to accomplish the vision for less because a larger production company understands the importance of relationship with a client.  They are not simply trying to pay this month’s lease.  It has already been paid.

And in the end when a problem occurs and a small company has spent all their budget lines on freelancers and equipment they are much more hesitant to fix the problem without a change order.  A larger production company will usually fix the problem because they are interested in the larger picture…the relationship.

It almost seems counter-intuitive to think big in our society.  At the end of the day however, at least in production, a bigger company means a lot more value and fewer budget failures.

 
The Right Dallas/Fort Worth Production Company Selection

So the bottom line is ask questions.   Ask for the company’s demo reel.  Ask about the variance in work they do.  Ask to see an example of lower budget items they’ve produced.
Then find out about the production company.  Is it large?  Is it big? Do I feel like they are after my money or my interests?

Bids should be the last thing you ask for.  Don’t just go out and get 3 competing bids and then select the lowest bid.  The old adage is an old adage for a reason.  "You get what you pay for!"

So ask the right questions and make the best selection based on all the information.  And in the end you will very happy for WHAT you have paid for.

Marco Ausich is a Sr. Producer for CRM Studios in Irving Texas