{"id":210580,"date":"2020-01-22T14:53:22","date_gmt":"2020-01-22T14:53:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.iansandall.co.uk\/?p=210580"},"modified":"2020-01-29T16:17:38","modified_gmt":"2020-01-29T16:17:38","slug":"comparing-apples-with-apples","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.iansandall.co.uk\/?p=210580","title":{"rendered":"Comparing Apples with Apples"},"content":{"rendered":"\n[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.2.2″][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.2.2″][et_pb_column _builder_version=”4.2.2″ type=”4_4″][et_pb_image src=”http:\/\/www.iansandall.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/dreamstimefree_16466278-1024×683-1.jpg” _builder_version=”4.2.2″ hover_enabled=”0″][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.22″][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ make_equal=”on” _builder_version=”3.25″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” min_height=”407px” custom_margin=”-37px|auto|-77px|auto||”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.2.2″ text_font=”Raleway||||” text_text_color=”#3d3d3d” header_font=”Montserrat||||” header_text_color=”#333333″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” text_orientation=”justified” module_alignment=”justified” min_height=”466px” custom_margin=”1px|||||” custom_padding=”48px|||||”]

Before the Revolution<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span>(that is to say the revolution in film-making that allowed anyone with a DSLR camera to set themselves up as a film company) most companies that wanted a video putting together either used Ad Agencies or they had someone \u2018in house\u2019 who knew about these things.\u00a0 Often both.<\/p>\n

When the powers that be decided a new film was needed, they\u2019d prepare a fairly detailed brief and ask production companies to quote on it. Generally, briefings took place face-to-face and any producer worth her\/his salt would ask a series of probing questions allowing them to go away and prepare an accurate quote and often a director\u2019s \u2018treatment\u2019.\u00a0<\/p>\n

A week or two later, it was pretty easy for the specifier to compare quotes against cost breakdowns and award the job to the company who offered the best value \u2026 or sometimes, the best creative treatment.\u00a0 Often these were the same. Sometimes they differed and the client\/specifier\/agency was sufficiently well-informed to be able to judge why some quotes were higher than others for a specific creative treatment of a brief.<\/p>\n

As I said, that was before the Revolution.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Now with many young film-makers having only a rudimentary understanding of marketing \u2013 or indeed the amount of work that needs to be done to make a well-crafted sales film or commercial, many experienced specifiers of films are finding that they actually\u00a0<\/span>don\u2019t speak the same<\/em>\u00a0<\/span>language<\/em>\u00a0<\/span>as many of the potential suppliers they\u2019re briefing.<\/p>\n

Equally, many filmmakers have found that people specifying films (less experienced types, perhaps) have very little understanding of what things cost, how long it takes and how many people you need to make a truly effective film.<\/p>\n

These two disconnects often cause friction and misunderstandings \u2013 even whilst filming and post-production are still running. Inevitably, they also lead to far less effective films.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Which means someone\u2019s money is going to be wasted.<\/p>\n

So how can you avoid this? How can you ensure that you are really comparing apples with apples and getting quotes that (put simply) cover your arse\u00a0<\/span>and<\/u>\u00a0<\/span>make a great film?<\/p>\n

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 <\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/portfolio.webbook.website\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/melinda-pack-233281.jpg” align_tablet=”center” align_phone=”” align_last_edited=”on|desktop” _builder_version=”3.23″][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/portfolio.webbook.website\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/teresa-kluge-250309.jpg” align_tablet=”center” align_phone=”” align_last_edited=”on|desktop” _builder_version=”3.23″ custom_margin=”6px|||||”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.2.2″ text_font=”Raleway||||” text_text_color=”#3d3d3d” header_font=”Montserrat||||” header_text_color=”#333333″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” text_orientation=”justified” module_alignment=”justified” min_height=”147px” custom_margin=”37px|||||” custom_padding=”0px|||||”]

The glib answer is for me to say: \u2018Use us.\u2019 But the more reasoned response is less obvious and requires you to do a bit of work.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Because if you lack the experience and knowledge of filmmaking to put together a comprehensive brief that covers all the bases and specifies exactly what producers need to quote for, there\u2019s still a way to make sure you commission the right production company. It\u2019s all about the questions you ask.<\/p>\n

First you must be a bit of a Jonah. Expect stuff to go wrong and ask your potential producer what their Plan B is. And for that matter, their Plan C. Then ask about their insurance. Here, we have all the normal cover as well as a \u00a3100K Producer\u2019s Indemnity.\u00a0 Not everyone does.<\/p>\n

Next, you need to be a bit of a (Doubting) Thomas. It\u2019s not unknown for people to put stuff on their reels that they weren\u2019t involved with. Or equally (and more prevalent recently) include tests, pitches and student films purporting to be for major brands. Most of these never went any further than some film tutor\u2019s laptop. Do your homework and check people out; both from a reputational point of view as well as the normal financial route.<\/p>\n

Financial route?\u00a0 Yes really. A filmmaker shouldn\u2019t choose between \u2018God and Mammon\u2019 so to speak. Art and \u2018dirty money\u2019 are one when it comes to making films in a commercial context. So anyone who\u2019s vague about budgets or money isn\u2019t going to be careful with yours.<\/p>\n

Here, we say every filmmaker should have their eye on the ROI. At all times.<\/p>\n

Because otherwise they won\u2019t be asked back.\u00a0 They shouldn\u2019t be either!<\/p>\n

Asking lots of questions, including these three should start to allow you to see who\u2019s going to be the right production company for your project.<\/p>\n

So, if you have a new film project and are not sure who to speak to\u2026. if you have questions about (say) what is possible for what sort of money \u2026 or how much can be shot in a day with what size of crew \u2026 or even \u2018Did you really get sent to Chernobyl by a client?\u2019\u2026 I\u2019ll be happy to answer as many as you like!<\/p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.2.2″ custom_margin=”|auto|13px|auto||”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.2.2″][et_pb_divider color=”#6b6b6b” _builder_version=”4.2.2″ min_height=”7px”][\/et_pb_divider][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.2.2″][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.2.2″][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.2.2″][et_pb_video src=”https:\/\/vimeo.com\/17863518″ _builder_version=”4.2.2″][\/et_pb_video][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.2.2″][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.2.2″][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.2.2″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.2.2″]

Vintage stuff (from 2010) here from Philip Bloom. Believe it or not, this was cutting edge!\u00a0 Much of the technology has moved on. But some attitudes haven’t …<\/p>\n

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Before the Revolution\u00a0(that is to say the revolution in film-making that allowed anyone with a DSLR camera to set themselves up as a film company) most companies that wanted a video putting together either used Ad Agencies or they had someone \u2018in house\u2019 who knew about these things.\u00a0 Often both. When the powers that be […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":210568,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[73,69],"tags":[78,82,81,80,79],"class_list":["post-210580","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-miscellaneous-posts","category-productions","tag-apples","tag-comparasion","tag-comparative","tag-fruits","tag-oranges"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.iansandall.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/210580","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.iansandall.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.iansandall.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.iansandall.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.iansandall.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=210580"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"http:\/\/www.iansandall.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/210580\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":211005,"href":"http:\/\/www.iansandall.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/210580\/revisions\/211005"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.iansandall.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/210568"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.iansandall.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=210580"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.iansandall.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=210580"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.iansandall.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=210580"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}