Category Archives: Big Tips

Video marketing is becoming an increasingly important part of any successful marketing strategy. It is one of the most effective ways to communicate with your customers and convey your message clearly and concisely. Video can be used to explain your products or services, showcase your company’s culture, or promote a special offer. It is a very visual medium that can capture the attention of your audience and hold their attention longer than text or static images. Additionally, videos can be shared easily on social media platforms, where they can reach a large number of potential customers.

There are many different types of videos you can create for your business. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

1. Demo Videos

As a business owner, it can be difficult to convey the value of your products and services in a clear and concise manner. This is where demo videos come in. By showing potential customers exactly how your product or service works, you remove any confusion or uncertainty they may have. Demo videos also give you the opportunity to highlight the unique features and benefits of what you’re offering. And, with the rise of online shopping, having a demo video can give customers the same level of confidence that they would get from trying out a product in person. In addition to appealing to customers, demo videos can also be valuable for employee training purposes. So whether you’re trying to attract new customers or improve efficiency within your company, investing in demo videos can be a worthwhile investment for your business.

2. How-To Videos

As a business owner, it’s important to understand the value of instructional videos. They help demonstrate the use of products or services, and they can also increase customer satisfaction and even boost sales. By creating how-to videos, businesses are able to provide easily accessible information to their customers at any time. This not only saves them from having to call customer service or find an employee for assistance, but it also eliminates potential confusion or misunderstandings about product usage. Additionally, instructional videos can serve as a valuable marketing tool for businesses. They can be shared online, reaching new potential customers and providing them with an in-depth look at the product or service in action. Overall, investing in how-to videos is a smart decision for any business looking to improve its customer experience and enhance its brand image.

 

3. Customer testimonial videos

A customer testimonial video from a Small Films client, Rex London

No matter how much effort a company puts into advertising its products or services, potential customers will always turn to others for recommendations. In today’s digital age, video testimonials from happy customers can be one of the most effective methods of promotion for a business. These authentic voices and experiences provide social proof to potential buyers and can also help humanise a brand and build trust with consumers. Additionally, customer testimonial videos are more likely to be shared and liked on social media, leading to even greater reach and potential conversions. Investing in creating customer testimonial videos can lead to increased sales, higher levels of customer satisfaction, and overall success for your business.

 

4. Explainer videos

For businesses, one of the best ways to improve customer satisfaction and retention is through clear communication. Explainer videos provide a unique opportunity to explain products, services, and processes in a visually engaging way. These videos can also increase accessibility for individuals with different learning styles or language needs. In addition, explainer videos have a high potential for going viral and reaching larger audience groups. Overall, incorporating explainer videos into your business strategy can greatly benefit both current and potential customers, in turn increasing profit and improving overall brand image. However, it’s important to ensure the video is well-researched and professionally produced in order to truly make a positive impact. By investing in quality explanation videos, your business has the potential to see long-term success.

 

5. Animated videos

When it comes to advertising and promoting your business, traditional methods such as commercials and print ads can only do so much. One solution that has been gaining popularity is the use of animated videos. Not only are they visually appealing and attention-grabbing, but they can also increase brand recognition and engagement with your audience. Animated videos can also easily convey complex information in a clear and understandable way, making them perfect for tutorials or demonstrations. With the added benefits of being cost-effective and able to be shared across multiple platforms, incorporating animated videos into your marketing strategy is a smart move for any business looking to stand out from the crowd.

 

6. Talking Head videos

Are you looking for a way to reach your target audience in a clear and engaging way? Look no further than talking head videos! These videos feature an on-screen presenter, typically someone within the company, discussing a given topic in an informative or promotional manner. One benefit of talking head videos is that they offer a personal touch, helping potential customers connect with the brand on a human level. They also provide the opportunity for thorough explanations and expert demonstrations, resulting in increased trust from viewers. Overall, talking head videos can be a highly effective tool for boosting the brand image and converting leads into customers. So why not give them a try? Your business won’t regret it.

 

7. Event videos

If you’ve ever attended a conference or attended a company event, chances are there was some sort of video recording happening in the background. But why invest time and resources into recording events? Event videos are more than just a keepsake – they can also be valuable marketing tools for your business. Recording conferences and meetings allow you to capture important discussions, announcements, and presentations for future reference. In addition, sharing event videos on social media or your website helps to educate potential customers about your company’s offerings and values. By investing in event videos, you’ll not only have documentation of important milestones but also a valuable asset for promoting your business. So the next time you plan an event, don’t forget to hit record!

 

8. Behind-the-scenes videos

When it comes to marketing, many businesses focus solely on their product or service and how it can benefit their customers. However, providing an inside look at the people and processes behind the scenes can add a whole new level of interest and value to your brand. Behind-the-scenes videos give viewers a deeper understanding and appreciation of the work that goes into creating a successful product or delivering exceptional service. These types of videos also humanize your brand, showing potential customers that there are real people working hard to make your business successful. In addition, behind-the-scenes videos offer unique content for your social media channels, keeping followers engaged and potentially attracting new followers as well. So why not show off all the hard work and dedication that goes into running a successful business by sharing some behind-the-scenes footage? It just might be the boost your brand needs.

 

9. Product launch videos

When it comes to introducing a new product or service, a well-executed video can be worth its weight in gold. A launch video allows a business to showcase its offering in a visually engaging way, giving potential customers a taste of what the product or service has to offer. Customers are also able to immediately see how the product or service might fit into their lives, increasing the likelihood of purchase. In addition, a launch video offers businesses the chance to highlight any unique features or benefits and can be easily shared across multiple online platforms for maximum exposure. Overall, investing in a high-quality product launch video can pay off for your business in terms of increased sales and customer engagement.

 

10. Case study videos

In today’s digitally-driven world, it can be tough to stand out among the competition. One solution? Case study videos. These short films showcase real-life successes and victories your business has experienced, allowing potential clients and customers to see the value of working with you firsthand. In addition to providing social proof, case study videos can also provide an in-depth look at your products or services, illustrating their effectiveness in a way that traditional advertising or texting alone cannot match. And because these videos can easily be shared on a variety of online platforms, they offer a cost-efficient way to reach current and future customers. So if you’re looking for a way to boost your business, don’t underestimate the power of case study videos.

When it comes to video content, there are endless possibilities. The key is finding the right video type for your business and your audience. With so many different types of video content available, there’s sure to be something that’s a perfect fit for you. So get creative and start brainstorming ideas for your next video project. Your audience will thank you.

Small Films is a video production company in London. Our team of videographers, editors and animators create all sorts of videos, including awesome product videos, testimonial videos, explainer videos and animations that can help bring your brand to life. Do get in touch; we’d love to hear from you!

There are a lot of great brand films out there. From tech companies highlighting their sustainability to fashion brands showcasing their playful side. Here are the Small Films HQ, we’ve compiled a list of some of our favourite brand film examples. But to start off, what is a brand film?

What is a brand film?

A brand film is a type of marketing video that tells the story of a brand. It can be used to introduce a new brand or to remind people of an existing one. They typically have a strong focus on the values and mission of the brand rather than simply selling products or services. While they can be created by big businesses, brand films are also increasingly being made by smaller companies and even individuals. In a world where consumers are bombarded with advertising messages, a well-made brand film can help a company to stand out from the crowd. It’s a versatile video that can get used everywhere, from the company website and social media channels to ad campaigns. It’s like your shop window into what your brand is all about – helping your audience to know your story and understand what makes you tick. 

Watch our Founder, George Hughes, discuss what a brand film is

>> Read more about our brand film offering. 

Rex London

In this Rex London film from the Small Films team, we bring to life their playful products. The team at Rex London wanted a brand film that would celebrate its story and highlight its brand personality whilst showcasing its products. They wanted to use the film to build brand awareness on social media whilst also using it as an advert on YouTube to help drive pre-Christmas sales. We, therefore, created a brand film that highlighted their unique illustrated products whilst also bringing their playful personality to life. The products were filmed in a home-style setting to help make the products more relatable. Our expert animator then brought the products to life with creative animations. The brand film was so successful it helped Rex London generate sales figures 40% higher than the previous year’s revenue for the same 12-week period.

>> Watch the brand film 

>> Read our blog: Behind the scenes of our Rex London creative animation

Mailchimp

In this piece of content from Mailchimp, they follow Aishwarya Iyer’s journey from working in tech to creating nourishing olive oils and vinegar. The film covers how Aishwarya started, what her challenges have been and what her advice is for those looking to get into a product business. Using a more traditional style of videography with animations, the brand film perfectly encapsulates in 4 minutes the types of businesses that are using Mailchimp. 

>> Watch the video 

Sock shop

This brand film from the Small Films team plays on Sock Shop’s ethos of ‘feeling good from the feet up’. This fun and upbeat piece of content gives each sock a different type of personality whilst showcasing all the different styles of socks the brand has to offer. From plain white socks to hearts, stripes or polka dots, the brand film really effectively shows that not only will the socks make you feel good from the feet up, but there’s a style for everyone. 

>> Watch the brand film 

Notonthehightstreet

This award-winning film highlights why there are 365 reasons to say Happy Mother’s Day. A humorous and emotive piece of content, the film uses footage of real mums instead of actors to showcase all the reasons mothers should be celebrated. Warning… you might need tissues at the ready. Shortlisted at the Brand Film Awards 2022, it’s a winner in our eyes. 

>> Watch the brand film 

Genesis Europe

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GyxcEKM79Y

A short one minute brand film, this piece of content from Genesis captures you with beautiful cinematography and a haunting soundtrack. Playing on the idea of ‘what is time well spent’ it follows a free diver as they slowly submerge themselves in the sea. Released during the pandemic, Free Diver has been designed to offer a moment for reflection, which is represented in the Genesis brand ethos of respecting their customers’ time.

> Watch the brand film 

Simba

This cheeky video is a beautifully filmed piece of content to highlight how tough the Simba mattresses are. Despite the film only being 40 seconds long, it effectively gets across its message in just a few seconds. With a perfectly chosen voiceover as well, it’s a brand film that’s bound to get engagement. 

>> Watch the brand film 

Everhot

In this brand film example from the Small Films team, Everhot wanted to tell the story of their heritage brand and commitment to British manufacturing in a modern feeling film. The Small Films pulled together a creative approach after digging deep into Everhot’s ethos and DNA. An approach that we felt reflected that Everhot have one toe in the past and another in the 21st century.

Everhot’s brand film captures the essence of this trusty brand, showing off the old water mill where the brand was born, its local workforce and its commitment to becoming carbon neutral. 

> Watch the brand film 

Tilda – The World Food Programme

Tilda, the rice brand, wanted to highlight their collaboration with the World Food Programme to get nutritious meals to mothers in developing countries through an animation. The Small Films team were briefed to create a film that was emotive and striking and would communicate the information with a strong narrative and CTA. The Small Films team chose a style of film that included photo imagery, animation and motion graphics to help bring this story to life. The brand film was extremely well received by key stakeholders. Since its launch, the content has been used in marketing campaigns, including some TV advertising. 

> Watch the brand film 

So, there you have it, a few of the best brand film examples out there. Whether you’re in the mood for laughter, adventure, or inspiration, there’s definitely a film on this list that will provide inspiration for your brand. 

Looking for a brand film for your company? At Small Films, we’re well-versed in creating brand films for a wide range of companies. If you’d like to chat with the team about how we can help you then do get in touch. 

About Small Films

Small Films is a video production company in London, specialising in brand films, food and drink videography and product videos. We’re made up of strategists, creatives, filmmakers and digital marketers who are passionate about helping brands harness the power of video. 

Congratulations. You’ve decided to embark on a filming project for your brand, business, event, music video, short film, granny’s birthday or maybe something I haven’t thought of. Either way, I’m excited for you and best of luck with whatever you are planning.

Quite rightly, you’ve decided to hire a videographer to work on “said project” but you don’t know where to start. Well, never fear, I’m here to help. Here’s my essential guide to hiring a videographer and everything you need to know to make sure you get the best person for your project. 

What does a videographer do? 

It’s a funny term “videographer” isn’t it? It sounds like a photographer but for film rather than photography. And you might be fooled into thinking that this is someone who will turn up with a camera and just grab you some footage. But in reality, a videographer does so much more than this. A videographer goes by that moniker rather than “camera person” or “director of photography” as the more artsy camera operators like to call themselves because they are usually offering services that go far beyond just picking up a film camera and shooting stuff. 

A videographer is usually someone who offers a more rounded, end-to-end service. They’ll often work with you on your creative ideas and then make all the arrangements for the shoot. They may play the part of the director on set, directing the action. They will then often take all that footage and edit it together into a finished film using software like Adobe Premiere. They can be a one-stop shop for all your filming and video production needs. 

>> Check out our blog: Videographer vs Video Production Company, which is best. 

Now, as a founder of a UK video production company, it would be remiss of me not to point out the advantages and disadvantages of working with a videographer over working with a video production company like ours… 

The advantages are firstly that a videographer is a lot more affordable. And that’s a big selling point for many people. You are going to be paying a freelance rate and cutting out the middleman by working directly with the person who’s actually doing the work. If you find someone who’s really skilled at their work, then you’ve hit the jackpot, and they will undoubtedly do a great job for you. Also, working with a videographer means that you can be heavily involved in the project and have full creative control over what’s happening. This is an advantage if you know what you want. 

The drawbacks can be that videographers are sometimes jack of all trades and masters of none, so you don’t get specialist film skills. Flying solo, they won’t be supported by a team to do all the nitty gritty of organising a filming project, so they may be slower to complete the work and make mistakes. And finally, you are reliant on their availability and working at their own pace. So if a bigger client comes along, you may find yourself taking a back seat to higher-paid offers of work. 

If you want to find out more about the merits of hiring a videographer vs a video production company, then read this article. Setting aside the pros and cons, let’s just say that for the purposes of this article, a videographer is what you’re looking for. Now let’s work out how you hire the best videographer for your specific needs. 

Creating a brief for a videographer

Before you start on your mission to hire a videographer, it’s absolutely essential that you have a good briefing document. Whatever you do, do NOT start without this. You’ll waste both yours and the videographer’s time without it. You can be as detailed as you like, but I prefer briefs that are kept to just a few pages. The more complex and detailed they are, the higher the likelihood that you are asking for something that is too advanced for a videographer to handle and also probably out of budget. 

Here are some of the key things to include in your briefing document for your videographer: 

• Your details 
• A summary of your project
• Your audience
• Deliverables (the videos you need and length)
• The timeline including filming days and finished film final delivery date. 
• Creative ideas and reference examples
• Budget 

By creating a good brief, you will be able to compare apples with apples when it comes to comparing different quotes from videographers. This will be essential when it comes to hiring the right person. As you take this brief out to different video professionals, you will undoubtedly get some feedback and new ideas to include in your brief. And that’s fine. But if you do decide to run with any of those ideas, then make sure you update your briefing document and then re-share it with the candidates. 

How to find a videographer

The best way to find a good videographer to work with is by reaching out to your existing network for referrals. Finding someone tried and tested that has been recommended by your peers will help you avoid any of the nasty pitfalls associated with hiring the wrong person. Make sure you find out what they worked on, look at the results they delivered and check about the rate they were paid for the job. This will give you a starting point to negotiate a fixed fee for your project. For more information about fees, read this article. 

You might find you get a good recommendation, but that person is not available. In this instance, ask them if they can refer you to anyone else they know. The video production industry is a very closed and cliquey world where everyone knows each other. Referrals amongst peers will usually be made to people they rate as being good enough.  

If these methods come up with nothing, then your next, best bet is to extend the net more widely. Look for examples of video work that are similar to what you want to do and reach out to those people to find out which video supplier they used. For example, if you are looking for a videographer to film your corporate event, then cast around for epic event videos you’ve seen by people within your industry. Reach out to the marketing manager to find out who did it and would they make a referral? If you are looking to create some social media video content for your brand, look at other great examples of work you admire and see if you can find out who made it. If you are looking for a videographer for your wedding then reach out to friends or friends of friends who recently had a good wedding video made. You get where I’m going with this. 

Finally, you might have to just get stuck into a good, old-fashioned Google search. Literally type into the search bar “Videographer near me”, “Videographer UK” or maybe someone more specific to your town like “Videographer in London” or “Videographer Brighton, Bristol or Manchester”. You will find that some videographers have really compelling websites that will show up in a Google search. 

>> Read our Blog: How to Hire the Best Video Production Company for your Business

Check their credentials

Don’t be afraid to interrogate a videographer’s experience and work. It’s easy to get bamboozled by a videographer’s claims that they are “experts in their field” but often, when you look under the surface, you’ll find they don’t have the level of experience that they claim. Many people will have very flashy showreels which showcase their best work and a wonderful website that makes them look very professional, but very few will actually have a CV that identifies their experience level and track record. This drives me mad when we are looking to hire people for our video production company in London.

Your first step is to find them on LinkedIn and look at how many years of experience they have. Are they fresh out of uni, or do they have skin in the game? Do they have any formal training, like doing a university degree at a top film, video or television production school? What have they actually worked on, and what does their profile say? If they aren’t a fan of LinkedIn and haven’t done much on their profile (quite likely), then ask for a creds list. This is a list of top productions they’ve worked on. 

Next, ask them to send specific examples of work that matches the project you are trying to do. If you plan to shoot a short film, have they worked on productions like this? If you plan to film a talking head video with a corporate client, have they lit a scene like this before? If you are shooting a fast-paced sports action film, have they done this before? There are so many specialisms in the video production world that it’s good to find someone who’s done something similar to your project. So they’ll know the drill and how to get you the best footage. 

Ask about equipment

I’m not expecting you to know the ins and outs of this camera vs that camera and whether you should be using a Sony A7Siii, Sony Fs7 or a Sony Venice. Nor would you know what lighting you might need, sound recording equipment or rigging equipment like a gimbal or dolly track. But if you clearly explain your project and what you are hoping to achieve, then they should be able to provide you with a kit list that they own (or have access to) that can do the job. Ask them to explain this to you. If they can’t, then that should send off alarm bells. 

Negotiate their rate

Most Videographers will have a day rate, and they should (hopefully) be able to share that with you. Depending on what part of the country you are in, the experience level of the individual, and the equipment they come with, that rate can vary tremendously. I’m afraid there’s no simple way to break this down for you. They may also charge one rate for planning, another for filming and another for editing.  How much does it cost to hire a videographer? These numbers could range from £100 per day for a student filmmaker to well over £1000 for someone who is very experienced. Your best bet is to work out your budget, share that with the videographer you are talking to and see if it fits. They will often be happy to do a deal (called a “buy-out” in the industry) for the project as a whole. And sometimes, you may be able to negotiate a lower rate if you are happy to be flexible on project length and videographer availability. 

When it comes to starting your project, expect to pay a deposit with the videographer you have hired and to pay the remaining balance in stages as you move through the project. Freelancers are terrified of not getting paid at the end of a piece of work, particularly when they don’t have a relationship with you already. So do the honourable thing and pay them promptly if you think they’ve done a good job. 

Keep on top of them

Working with a videographer rather than a video production company means that you will need to project manage them directly. You need to keep on top of them to make sure they are delivering to your expectations. Provide constant feedback and constructive criticism if needed to ensure you get what you want. Try to be considerate of their feelings also. Creative types can take it quite personally if you are too critical of their work. And remember, if someone is not working out, you can always choose to end the contract with them and find someone else. But unless there has been a major service level failure, you still need to pay them for work completed to date. 

So that’s it. A comprehensive guide on how to hire a videographer. And I must mention that getting the right person is no mean feat. And the good ones are almost never available. So if you are struggling to find the right person, then you may need to allocate a little more budget and work with a professional video production company like ours. Best of luck. 

About Small Films

Small Films is a video production company based in East London. We produce films for some of the world’s leading brands, including Aldi, Tilda Rice and Nextbase Dashcams. If you’d like to get a quote for a project, do drop us a line. 

 

Established in 1856, the world-famous annual Boat Race between Oxford and Cambridge universities had to be cancelled in 2020 due to the pandemic, leaving a void in the traditional sporting calendar. 

Having been approached by the charity Power2Inspire and advertising agency MCH.London with a rough concept, we accepted the challenge to bring their idea to life by creating an innovative first-ever virtual Boat Race event. The objective was to drive engagement for Power2Inspire – a charity that promotes inclusivity in sport, founded by former Cambridge cox, John Willis, who was born without fully-formed limbs. By raising the profile of such a worthy cause through this pioneering initiative, we sought to generate £10,000 of much-needed funds to help the charity in its operations so it could continue to deliver activities including its weekly virtual sporting programmes.

A total budget of £3,000 was agreed upon, reflecting our desire to offer a reduced, pro-bono project fee – the work would have otherwise cost £15,000. Production costs accounted for all of this, while George Hughes, Small Films Creative Director, donated his time and expertise to the campaign for free.

Our ultimate aim was to create an authentic, impactful video that closely simulated the actual race, and appealed to a broad target audience of sports enthusiasts and participants.

The strategy was to create an inspiring film that included live footage of real-life rowers from Oxford and Cambridge to simulate the actual Boat Race. We wanted to capture their individual rowing efforts, then combine them to produce a head-to-head race.

As an integral team within the wider project management that comprised advertising agency MCH.London, GingerMay PR (press outreach) and Underdog Sports Marketing (social media), we set out a clear strategy for maximising the campaign’s performance.

To reach a wide audience of sports fans and participants from all communities and of all ages, we planned to release a film live on both Power2Inspire’s website and on Facebook. We also partnered with Give As You Live to have the video broadcast on their popular fundraising website to an ever-growing user base, which enabled us to raise funds for free.

As well as aiming to have a national reach by seeding the story with the most influential media outlets, it was important for the campaign to get traction in both Oxford and Cambridge as these areas have a vested interest in the race’s outcome.

We also planned to target Power2Inspire’s social media channels with content creation in the build-up and aftermath of the race itself by, for example, introducing each rower, and providing fundraising updates.

To create an innovative film that would entertain, get viewers involved and gain interactions, we devised a creative solution:

• Concept2 rowing machines were the chosen pieces of equipment, allowing participants to compete using a very similar technique when compared to rowing on water.
  
• Due to restrictions around travel and social distancing, each rower was able to complete their effort from home – or a nearby location – making it possible for all 16 competitors to record an individual ‘homemade’ video on their smartphones to showcase their performance. To ensure the final footage was of the best possible standard, we coached each rower individually on how to record their own videos.
• Their combined distance made up the length of the BBC Boat Race course on the River Thames.
• We then recorded commentary via Zoom with the two regular BBC Boat Race commentators – and former Olympic rowing gold medalists – Garry Herbert MBE and Martin Cross, to recreate the ‘live’ look and feel of a major sporting event.
• To complement the individual ‘virtual’ race clips and commentary, sections of historic footage were weaved into the film together with motion graphics, a virtual river and moving boats.
• To illustrate the fantastic work that Power2Inspire does, we showcased examples of their community projects and included a clear fundraising call-to-action. 

The end result was a thoroughly emotive eight-minute video content piece that captured the imagination and successfully achieved our initial objectives.

Following the completion of our Virtual Boat Race – which included three-time Olympic gold medalist Pete Reed, and Paralympic Champion Grace Clough – we were delighted with the results achieved, confirming this campaign as a resounding success for all stakeholders involved:

• We went considerably over and above our objective of raising £10,000 for Power2Inspire, by hitting 250% of this target with total donations exceeding £25,000 – this has enabled the charity to take on a Deputy CEO, and continue to run its weekly virtual sporting programmes. They now have the resources to engage with a total of 2,250 children through the delivery of 30 ‘PowerHouseGames’.
• Working with Power2Inspire and MCH.London helped secure 22 pieces of digital and print coverage, including features in The Times, Metro, Time Out, Evening Standard, and BBC Sport, who reported the result as it came in.
• Television interviews were facilitated with BBC local news.
• The event attracted a superb uptake of 505,000 views on the Give As You Live website, and MCH.London calculated a potential reach of as many as 700 million people online.
• Radio proved to be a major source of PR, with national support from BBC Radio 5 Live, Radio 2, Radio 4 plus interviews on a whole host of local and independent stations including those around Oxford and Cambridge.
• There were 954 social media shares, while the overall campaign had an excellent average domain authority of 74 (out of 100) – illustrating that high quality, trusted sites were covering the story.

Small Films is a video production company in London. Our team of videographers, editors and animators create all sorts of videos, including awesome product videos, testimonial videos, explainer videos and animations that can help bring your brand to life. Do get in touch; we’d love to hear from you!

Interested in learning film and video production in London but not sure where to start your search? London is one of the top places in the world to learn film skills, and there are a wide variety of courses to choose from – from screenwriting to cinematography, directing to motion graphics. We know it can feel a bit of a minefield trying to choose the one that’s right for you, so the Small Films team has whittled down the list so you don’t have to. So if you’re looking for a top school for film and video production in London – look no further.  

London Metropolitan University

Course: Film & Television Production – BA Hons

Touted as a production-focused course for budding filmmakers, the London Met’s course will give the chance for students to produce a wide variety of film and television productions. Ranked second in London for overall student satisfaction (according to the National Student Survey), they also have award-winning lecturers with a wealth of experience under their belt. Alongside practice and production modules, the course also includes the topics ‘Holywood and Politics and ‘Scripting performance for screen’. 

Course duration: 3 years
Cost of course: £9,250 per year
Course location: Holloway Road, London 

Read more about the course >

 

Kingston University, London

Course: Filmmaking BA Hons

The Kingston University course is a solid option to set you up in the creative industry. Both individually and in groups, you’ll learn the practical side of filmmaking, taught through a range of approaches, including workshops, field trips and guest lectures.  Students will learn across both digital and analogue, and learn to shoot, process and scan 8mm and 16mm film whilst also having access to the animation facilities. The course is split into six filmmaking practice modules, with modules also on critical issues and independent film. 

Course duration: 3 years
Course location: Kingston School of Art, Knights Park, Grange Road, Surrey KT1 2QJ
Cost of course: Home, £9,250 per year, International: £50,000

Read more about the course >

 

University of East London

Course: Film, BA Hons

This University of East London course prides itself in teaching both practical modules and theory, helping students with all aspects of film, from screenwriting to cinematic history. The foundation year covers elements such as learning how to create visual, oral and written narratives for all kinds of media. The following years touch on European and World Cinemas and Film History topics. In each year of the course, students will make their own films, ranging from documentaries to fiction. To round off their learnings, in their final year, students’ final work will be screened at a special cinema in London. 

 
Course duration: 3 years
Course location: Docklands Campus, London, E16 2RD
Cost of course: £9,250 per year

Read more about the course >

Greenwich University

Animation, BA Hons

Covering both 2D animation and 3D animation through to storytelling and technical computing skills, this course sets up its students for careers in games, VFX, film and television. Across the three years, modules cover animation principles, experimental studio practices and design and modelling. The course can also be taken in sandwich mode, meaning that students can go and work in the industry between their second and final years. 

Course duration: 3 years
Course location: 10 Stockwell Street, Greenwich, London SE10 9BD
Course cost: TBC for 2023

Read more about the course >

 

London Film School

MA Filmmaking

The MA in Filmmaking is an intensive course across two years that will train students professionally. Students will hone their skills in a variety of filmmaking techniques across cinematography, directing, production design, editing, producing and sound credits. Each term, students will make a new film, with these films often showcased at key film festivals. The quality of their teaching is so high that Sam Mendes stated that “LFS is a true original – a place full of invention and passion and love of film”.

Course duration: Six terms
Course location: 24 Shelton Street, London, WC2H 9UB
Course Cost: £30, 417

Read more about the course >

 

London Film Academy

BA Hons Filmmaking

The London Film Academy  BA Hons in Filmmaking is a two-year course that will give students an understanding of techniques from script to screen. The film school has small class sizes to encourage an excellent staff-to-student ratio. The training is highly hands-on, teaching across disciples including Screenwriting, Directing, Cinematography, Production (including Production Design), Sound, Editing and 1st Assistant Directing

Course duration: 2 years
Course location: London Film Academy. 52a Walham Grove, Fulham, London, SW6 1QR
Cost of course: £21,000 per year

Read more about the course >

 

Raindance Film School

HND Level 5 in Filmmaking

This higher national diploma in filmmaking gives students the opportunity to progress to a top-up BA or to go straight into the film industry. The course is split into year one foundation and year 2 specialisation. Year one includes modules such as Professional Practice, Light & Sound and Film & Television Practices. Year two gives a chance for students to develop their skills further and tackle projects around Drama, Documentary and Audio Techniques.  

Course duration: 2 years
Course location: Raindance Film Centre, 10a Craven Street, London, WC2N 5PE

Read more about the course >

 

University of Westminster

Film, BA Hons

Based on the Harrow campus in London, this course places an emphasis on group work. So well renowned is the course that students have regularly won awards, including Student Academy Award, Royal Television Society Awards and a Grierson Best Student Documentary Award. Students will learn about creativity, collaboration, visual effects, and animation during their first year. Year two covers  Contemporary Television Drama and Camera and Lighting Skills. There is also an option to take a year-long placement between their 2nd and final year. 

Course duration: 3 – 4 years
Course location: Watford Road, Northwick Park, HA1 3TP
Cost of course: £9,250 per academic year

Read more about the course >

 

Goldsmiths, University of London

MA, Film & Screen Studies

The Goldsmiths MA in Film & Screen Studies offers two pathways to their students. A Moving Image Studies Pathway and a Media Arts Pathway. Made up of two compulsory modules, an optional module and a dissertation, students will learn about the Archaeology of the Moving Image, Experimental Media and Politics of the Audiovisual.  

Course duration: 1 year full-time or 2 years part-time
Course location: Goldsmiths, University of London, New Cross, London, SE14 6NW
Cost of course: Full-time: £9,260, Part-time: £4,630, International – full-time: £18,290

 

Central Film School

Practical Filmmaking (BA Hons)

 

This course focuses on the fundamental skills required for a film’s pre-production, production and post-production and takes the form of a two-year accelerated degree. This is a really hands-on course, as students get to grips with areas including editing and continuity, camera operating and production design. One of the modules even supports students with how to direct experienced screen actors. 

Course duration: 2 years full time
Course location: Central Film School, 72 Landor Road, SW9 9PH
Cost of course: £22,200 degree, £41,500 international students

Read more about the course >

City Academy Film School

Filmmaking Foundation

The City Academy is another great option for those looking for a less theoretical and more hands-on practical film course. Spread across ten weeks, the course kicks off with camera operating and lighting and moves through video editing and pre-production to publishing and screening. Perfect for those looking for a part-time schedule, the course takes the format of 2.5-hour weekly sessions. 

Course duration: 10 weeks
Course location: City Academy, 38 Rosebery Avenue, London, EC1R 4RN

Read more about the course >

London Screen Academy (Sixth Form Academy)

Film & Television

Geared towards students aged 16 – 18, this course is equivalent to three A Levels. In their first year, students will choose whether they go into technical, post-production or craft. In year 2, students can refine their specialism within their chosen pathway. 

Course location: LSA, Ladbroke House, 62-66 Highbury Grove, Islington, London, N5 2AD
Course duration: Dependent on the course

Read more about the course >

Ravensbourne University London

BA (Hons) Motion Graphics

This three-year course is ideal for designers that want to work across animation, video production and graphic design. Students will learn across techniques including 2D, 3D and experiential design, as well as the history, context and future of motion design. Students will be taught in software such as After Effects and Cinema 4D

Course duration: 3 years
Course cost: UK: £9,250, International: £16,500
Course location: Ravensbourne University London, 6 Penrose Way, Greenwich Peninsula, London, SE10 0EW

Read more about the course >

 

National Film and Television School: NFTS

Cinematography

The only specialist MA in cinematography in London and the UK, the course combines both creative expression and technical expertise. Working together as groups, students will shoot a range of live-action and animation films. The school has some super-talented alumni, with films from previous students shortlisted for Oscars, and BAFTA-winning, as well as featured on Sky, Channel 4 and Granada. 

Course duration: 2 years
Course cost: Home £14,800, International £26,000
Course location: NFTS London, Film and TV Charity, 22 Golden Square, West End, London, W1F 9JW

Read more about the course >

 

MetFilm School 

BA (Hons) Content, Media & Film Production

In this course, students will learn to deliver a wide range of types of content, from viral videos to branded content and fictional TV series to social impact filmmaking. As a hugely well-renowned course, students will benefit from the practical hands-on approach, the expertise of the teachers (professionals active in the media industry) and working to a real-life brief from an industry partner. 

Course duration: 3 years
Course cost: £9,250 per year
Course location: MetFilm School London, Ealing Studios, Ealing Green, London, W5 5EP

 

About Small Films

Small Films is a video production company in London specialising in product videos, brand films, testimonial videos and more. We work with some of the best brands in the UK and are always looking for the best talent in the industry. If you’d like to speak with one of the team, do get in touch. 

Rex London is an online gift shop selling uniquely designed gifts at attractive prices. As an online retailer, their primary route to customers is via their website, so the marketing team are always looking for innovative ways to make their business stand out in the online space. Creating video content had been something they’d wanted to explore, and so they began searching for video production companies to support them with a new project. The marketing team chose to work with Small Films because they loved our creative approach to video production and our creative ideas for their brand. 

The Brief:

Rex London wanted a brand film that would celebrate its story and highlight its brand personality whilst showcasing its products. They knew their brand identity was unique, and they wanted a video that would reflect it. The main objective for the brand film was to drive awareness of the brand on social media as well as sit on their website to increase inbound traffic. Head of Marketing Rachel McCarty also wanted to run this film as a paid advert on YouTube to drive sales for their Christmas campaign, so it needed to be engaging and impactful so viewers wouldn’t hit the “skip” button. 

Sometimes clients have a detailed creative brief, and other times, they look for a video production company to come up with the creative vision. In this case, it was the latter, and that’s great news for us. It meant we were given the opportunity to put our best creative foot forward and bring our best ideas to the table. Rex wanted Small Films to come up with the concept for the film and advise them on the best way to bring their story to life. 

So what did we do?

The Homework

We did everything we could to understand the brand, so we weren’t just plucking ideas out of thin air. Firstly we conducted research into who exactly Rex London are and where they sit among its competitors. We wanted to understand their USP and the message they wanted to communicate to new and existing customers. It became clear that Rex London should highlight their uniquely illustrated products as well as share the story of its brand and their journey to becoming an online gift designer and brand. It also became clear through our research that the brand has an identifiably playful personality, and we decided this should direct the tone of the brand film. 

The concept

The core concept we presented to Rex was to do live filming with their products but then to bring the illustrations on the products to life with animation. We felt this would create a fun, magical film that was reflective of their brand.  

Final shot with an array of products

The scripting

The first stage was to write the script for the voiceover with some Rex London personality thrown in. A familiar and warm-sounding voiceover was used to underpin the brand identity. We used storyboards to conceptualise the ideas and shared these with the team at Rex London so that it was clear what the video would look like. We also did some animation tests to show them how the videos would look. 

The filming

We chose to film the products in a home-style setting to create multiple small scenes that helped relate the products to the real world. We used a specialist filming location that created the perfect backdrop for the products, and our camera team made the products look exceptional with advanced lighting setups.

Team member Brendon pulling a toy dog across screen for camera operator Scott

The editing

Using advanced motion graphic techniques, we were able to “paint out” the original designs from the products, leaving a blank canvas for our animator to work with. By working with the original design files on Adobe Illustrator, our animator was then able to bring the characters to life using Adobe After Effects. The right music track and professional voiceover then bring this film together. 

The Outcome

Rex London was delighted with the video content. They felt it reflected the playful tone of their brand and concisely told their story while celebrating the products. They were able to use the content across social and on their website, which has helped to increase awareness of the brand and boost sales. And the YouTube advertising campaign they ran was a huge success. The advert they ran was a skippable ad; however, around 20% of people watched to 100% of the video length, which is extremely high against the typical benchmark for ads of this kind.

Shooting a spinning top!

The film was part of an overall campaign in the run-up to Christmas and helped them to generate sales figures that were 40% higher than the previous year’s revenue for the same 12-week period. Apart from the general success of this film from these metrics, it was also incredibly well received by other stakeholders in the company. The in-house illustrators were particularly excited to see their designs brought to life with animated animals moving across the screen.

Rachel McCarty from Rex at Rex London has also been kind enough to share her thoughts about working with us in a testimonial. See the video here

About Small Films

Small Films is a video production company in London specialising in brand films, product videos and video campaigns. If you’d like a taste of the success Rex London achieved with their video, then do get in touch. 

It’s not hard to see why video marketing is so effective. A rich, visually stimulating medium, video has long been used by businesses to forge a connection with their audience and encourage prospects to interact further with their brand.

The results that video marketing campaigns have achieved speak for themselves: 93% of marketers report that video content has helped them increase brand awareness, with 87% saying that video has achieved a good overall return on investment. It isn’t surprising, then, that the overwhelming majority (92%) of marketers see video as a critical part of their marketing strategy. Whilst this is the case; however, a non-trivial number of marketing teams would struggle to delineate a wider, overarching video content strategy that informs their output.

The difference between a good and a great video content team lies in their ability to create high-quality content on a consistent basis, and putting together a video marketing strategy can make this much easier to accomplish.

 

Identify your key objectives

Start by outlining in writing what it is that you hope to achieve with your video marketing campaign. Are you looking to drive more likes on Facebook, increase traffic to your blog pages or generate more leads? Where to put it in the sort of language used by marketers ad nauseam, do you want your video content to fall in the marketing funnel?

Answering this question may not be as simple as choosing one of the three stages (Awareness, Consideration and Conversion) of the funnel and creating content that is geared to one of these objectives. Most effective video content strategies aim to guide prospects down the funnel with videos that initially focus on brand awareness before educating viewers about what the brand has to offer (through the medium of product demo videos, for example) and encouraging them to make a purchase.

Having a good understanding of what you wish to achieve should give you some idea of how long your videos will need to be. As a rule, video content centred around raising awareness tends to be fairly short, i.e. in the 15-30 second range. 

Consideration-stage videos, which are more geared towards educating and entertaining their audience, often need to be a little longer, i.e. between 30 seconds and two minutes, in order to be effective. Bud Light’s Special Delivery video ad is a wonderful example of how brands can educate their viewers with respect to what sets them apart from their competitors in a comedic fashion.

 

Get to grips with your target audience

No video marketing strategy can hope to succeed without first understanding what it is that your target audience really wants. What makes them tick? What are their pain points? What sorts of things would actively repel them? 

Asking these questions will help you build an accurate picture of your target audience. With a bit of luck, you’ll avoid making the sorts of blunders that have been made in the past by brands like Pepsi, with their infamous Live for Now commercial.

Devise a series of buyer personas, and keep them firmly in mind when producing your video content. Buyer personas are detailed profiles of your target customer that encompass their demographics, i.e. age, gender, income bracket, marital status, etc. in addition to their psychographic attributes, i.e. their goals, motivations and the obstacles that they face.

Let’s imagine that your buyer persona is a Gen Z shopper by the name of Delilah. Delilah has a keen interest in social justice, is a self-professed digital native and has an attention span that would make even the most easily distracted goldfish blush.

The sort of content that will play well with Delilah generally takes the form of 6-15 second TikTok videos that avoid cringe-inducing attempts at social commentary and take into account the sorts of factors that would inform her purchase decisions, i.e. the use of sustainable fabrics, the ability to buy online, etc.

If, on the other hand, your buyer persona is Brad, a middle-aged real-estate professional, you would be well-advised to steer clear of TikTok, with its much younger user base, and instead run Facebook video ads, given Facebook’s popularity amongst older users.

If your aim is to target businesses, as opposed to consumers, your target audience will almost certainly be much smaller and more niche – but you should think carefully about the sorts of challenges that your target companies face if you decide to create videos for B2B marketing.

 

Create a video content calendar

Once you’ve decided upon your key objectives and target audience, you should produce a content calendar that outlines your video briefs, formats, placements and publishing dates.

Be honest with yourself when creating your posting schedule. If it isn’t realistic for you to post a new video every week, consider committing to posting a video every fortnight or once a month. There’s no point in devising a timeline that you won’t be able to deliver on, or prioritising quantity over quality. 

Ensure that everybody on your team has access to your calendar, as this will provide them with the visibility that they need and help them stay disciplined with regard to deadlines. Such an approach helped us stay on schedule and successfully deliver three separate video ads for Upbeat over the course of six weeks.

 

It’s time to put together your video content strategy

Whilst sitting down to create a video marketing strategy may not sound like much fun, you would struggle to find many marketers who have regretted taking the time to plan ahead.

Keen to find out more about Small Films? Take a look at our latest work on our YouTube channel.

Small Films is a video production company in London. Our team of videographers, editors and animators create all sorts of videos, including awesome product videos, testimonial videos, explainer videos and animations that can help bring your brand to life. Do get in touch; we’d love to hear from you!

 

Pentire is the non-alcoholic spirit currently making waves in the drinks industry. Born out of its Founder Alistair Frost’s love for the sea and its surroundings, Pentire is designed to bring flavours of green, citrussy and salty notes. Whilst they’re getting rave reviews of their product, how well are they doing on the marketing front? Well, pretty damn good. In this article, we look at what’s making them stand out and how they’re using video marketing to tell their story.  

Their Cornish roots are embedded into everything they do

One look at the brand, and you can instantly gauge their Cornish heritage. With a vision to bottle the experience of surfing, camping on clifftops and foraging in hedgerows, they’ve cleverly woven these roots into every piece of marketing. Their social video content is filled with imagery of their non-alcoholic spirit being enjoyed on the beach – surfboards in the background, sand between the toes and coastal views. 

Sustainability is a core part of the business

As a brand that captures the taste of flora and fauna, sustainability is a pivotal part of its business strategy. Operating plastic-free packaging and waterless printing, Pentire is passionately working to raise the bar of environmental standards. Impressively the business is also a B Corp, a certification requiring a rigorous and comprehensive process. Living and breathing their passion for sustainability, On World Ocean Day, the team even shut up shop and dived into the ocean. 

Their videos educate on the best way to enjoy their spirits

As a non-alcoholic spirit brand, consumers might not know how best to enjoy their product. But does Pentire Sea Spritz take your fancy? Or how about a Pentire Americano? Peppering their feed with cocktail recipes, their videos give a glimpse into the best ways to enjoy this non-alcoholic spirit. We’ll take a rhubarb gimlet if you’re asking!

They’ve gone big on video ads

Pentire has tested a whole range of Facebook and Instagram ad formats for their campaigns, and video is very much front and centre. Highlighting their love of the outdoor lifestyle, their video ads feature beach BBQs, hiking, biking and surfing, amongst many other activities. Creating video ads for every stage of the funnel, they not only have hero-style films, they also have cocktail recipe content and videos highlighting their discount bundles. 

They align their values with brand collaborations

Since its origin, Pentire has collaborated with a number of key brands and influencers. And they’ve always kept these brands in line with their values. They’ve interviewed Jess Morgan, the top cyclist, featured at Rock Oyster Festival and Soho House Festival and collaborated with the online florist Bloom & Wild 

They showcase their values through curated brand films

Pentire has curated a range of cinematic films designed to show its brand values. From following a surfer around the south coast of Cornwall to capturing ocean advocate Dan Crockett, these films all have a purpose – to highlight local businesses or celebrate the ocean and the great outdoors. 

Images via pentiredrinks.com

About Small Films

Small Films is a video production company in London, specialising in food and drinks video content. Our films have helped big brands, from Aldi to Mackie’s ice cream, tell their story, sell more products and build brand awareness. If you’d like support with your video marketing strategy, then do get in touch – we’d love to help.  

 

  

 

Hi there, reader. I’m George, the founder of Small Films. We’re a video production company based right here in London. Well, Hackney, to be precise (that’s East London if you don’t know it), a vibrant, creative area that has a huge amount of creative businesses and, unsurprisingly, more than a few video production companies. I’ve also worked in the media industry for over 20 years, formerly as a director in the TV business, so I have a fairly good insight into the video production landscape. This article is designed to help inform you about the video production industry in London so you can get a better understanding of how it all works, what sorts of companies are out there, the way they work and other insights that will help you to either get a job with, sell to, hire a London video production company or even set up your own business. 

A team shot with cameraman Scott Craig and Producer Anthony Coyne on the set of a shoot with Rex London. 

So let’s get into this…

A cursory search using LinkedIn reveals over three and a half thousand companies that include “video production company” as a description in their search results. That’s quite an intimidating number and frankly staggering in terms of the level of competition for a business like ours. But it also shows a thriving industry that is clearly in demand. However, when you break down that general term into its different categories and components, a different picture emerges, one that is full of specialisms, nuances and overall differences. These are the sorts of companies that describe themselves as offering video production services. 

• Video Production for commercial work such as adverts, explainer videos and branded content.
• Production for music videos. 
• Videography companies shooting weddings and other events. 
• Animation companies and specialist motion graphics houses. 
• Film agencies producing narrative work like short films. 
• Advertising, Social Media agencies and other agencies that offer video production as a component of what they do. 
• Individual videographers who have set up a company in order to bill other companies in the most tax-effective way. 
• Media agencies with native content platforms that also offer video production. 
• Specialist content production agencies like Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality. 

 

Refining it further to London video production companies that have at least one employee and are categorised under either Media Production or Advertising Services and that number ends up at around 1.5 thousand. Refine it even further to companies with over 10 employees and that number crashes to just 254 video production companies listed in London. 

So what does this tell us about the video production industry in London? Firstly, there are a lot of people trying to set up video production companies but struggling to get past the 10 employee mark. Secondly, that 254 is still an awful lot of choice for anyone trying to choose a video agency to work with. 

Choosing a London video production company to work with

So if you are looking for a video production company to work with, then what are a few insider tricks to picking the right supplier? 

Understand the company structure

To begin with, it’s important to understand that a video agency may have just a few in-house staff but will invariably have a big freelance talent pool to call on for any project. So don’t be put off by size or who is listed as the in-house team members. The entire industry is very freelance in its nature, and most of the best talent will work as freelancers. So make sure to ask about the video agency’s capabilities and which freelancers they can bring to bear on a project. However, it’s also true that many companies focus on only recruiting an in-house team of videographers, editors and other staff, so make sure to consider what is most important to you; a reliable in-house team or a set of expert freelancers. 

Understand the variation in expertise and specialisms

Next, understand that there are a huge number of variations in the capabilities and specialism of the different video production companies in London. As discussed above, some agencies do commercial work like our company, Small Films, creating corporate videos, explainer videos, YouTube content and social media adverts.

We also work with a range of company sectors and sizes. However, many companies will be extremely niche, focusing on music videos or on providing specialist motion graphics work for the television industry. So make sure you do due diligence in truly understanding if that agency is the right fit for your business and your objectives. Are you trying to grow your YouTube channel or explain how a product or service works? Or are you looking for an event filming agency or someone who does specialist animation? Some will be used to working with small businesses on modest budgets, others will be more used to working on expensive commercials for big brands. 

 

Look past the website

Finally, try to see past the flashy websites or sexy showreels on the home page and actually drill down into their client work, the case studies they have on their website and their profile on social media. Because there are SO many video agencies in London, from fresh-faced Uni grads to massive global companies, you need to try and cut through the first impression and get under the skin of who they are and what they can offer. Don’t be hoodwinked into thinking you are working with a big team when it’s a one-man band, or equally don’t get a quote from a 50-person agency if you are on a shoestring budget. 

Getting a job with a video production company in London

If you are a budding content creator, then you’ve probably considered trying to get a job in the video production industry. And good on you. I can highly recommend it as a fantastic career that’s fun, creative and hugely rewarding. There are a whole range of jobs available, from director, videographer, cameraman, editor and animator to behind-the-scenes roles like Production Manager and Production Coordinator. So here are a few pointers on how to get a job with one of our businesses. 

Craft your CV properly. 

I get sent hundreds of CVs, and very few of them are easy to read. Make sure it tells the right story about yourself and your experience level. Design it well and ensure there are no spelling mistakes. Try where possible to keep it to one page and, at the most 2 pages.  If you are a Videographer / Editor, then put that in bold under your name. If you are a Production Coordinator, then include that job title. We want to get a full picture of what you are all about and your experience within 10 seconds of looking at your CV.

Send speculative CVs. 

I know it’s a pain, and it’s very time-consuming, but this is one of the best routes to getting a job in the video production industry. Email the company’s general email address, or even better –  find the email address of a senior person at the company and contact them. Also, consider connecting with them on LinkedIn. You’ll get lots of “no’s”, but eventually, you’ll make a few connections that could go somewhere. You might not get a job straight away, but if you keep those connections alive, then at some point, they will remember you when a job comes up. Create a spreadsheet with all the people you’ve ever talked to and update them regularly on the projects you are working on and what you are up to. 

“Working in the video production industry can be great fun. Here’s a behind-the-scenes shot from a recent shoot with Spar supermarket”

Apply for jobs. Properly.

If you see a job posted and want to apply, don’t do a half-arsed job of it. Do your research on the video production company and the job role, then craft a proper cover letter to show you are really interested in the role. There will be hundreds of other applicants, so you need to make yourself stand out. If you make the effort and show willingness, it will put you head and shoulders above the crowd. Also, make sure that the CV lands in the relevant person’s inbox. Follow up on email, LinkedIn and any other way you can reach them. And on that note, if you are looking for work, we are always recruiting, so please reach out to us: https://smallfilms.com/contact/

 

Selling to a video production company in London

If you offer services from accounting to business development, translation services to outsourced animation services, then you need to truly understand the industry you are trying to access. The video production industry in London is fast-paced, and intense and most of the senior management don’t have a lot of time on their hands to look at new opportunities and partnerships. 

Personalise your Emails

My inbox is constantly flooded with cold, automated emails from suppliers trying to sell to me. In 99 out of 100 times, they haven’t researched our business to understand who we are and why they think they are a good fit. So make sure you personalise your emails and clearly articulate the value you could bring to our business. If you truly think you can help our video production company, then it’s likely that I will get back to you. 

Understand the company structure

Very few of the video production companies in London are big enough to sustain a conventional corporate structure with C-Suite and departments. Likely you are dealing with the founder or MD, middle management or people on the ground. We make decisions emotionally, quickly and based on the size of our wallets, so consider that when initiating a conversation. 

Don’t Waste our time

Time is the most precious commodity we have in the video production industry. And we guard it fiercely. So be efficient in how you deal with us. Articulate your value quickly, create a proposal, follow up, and then move on. Don’t labour it. We’ll respond well to efficiency. 

The Small Films team out shooting with Charlie Bigham and his delicious meals. 

How to set up a video production company

There are so many talented content creators out there, and many of them have had the drive to go it alone and set up their own video production company. This is evidenced by the huge number of very small video production agencies in London. Here are a few tips and tricks for starting your own agency. 

Go after a niche

One of the best ways to get traction in the early days is to embrace a particular niche that you want to focus on. By being a specialist, you are going to stand out and get a lot more offers of work. Consider a particular sector like fashion, sport or finance and then position yourself as an expert in that area. Learn everything there is to know about your customers and how you can help them with video. At our video agency, we specialise in a couple of areas, one of which is food. This has enabled us to win big clients like Aldi and Tilda rice. 

This was an animation project we completed for Tilda Rice and the World Food Programme

 

Build case studies

Create proper case studies of your work and leverage your customers to get testimonials and other assets that will support those case studies. Use those to go after new opportunities and to drive interest in your business. The best video production companies in London all have very compelling case studies. 

Filming with our client Nextbase, the world’s leading manufacturer of dashcams. 

Don’t forget sales

Sales are the lifeblood of any video agency. If you forget about sales, you will be dead in the water. For most content creators, the focus is always to create the best work and chase the most interesting creative opportunities. But don’t forget that you also need some of the more pedestrian projects just to keep the office lights on. 

So that’s it, an insider’s guide to the London video production industry. Hopefully, this has helped you to find more insights about our world and will enable you to get a better handle on things. Of course, if you are looking for a video production company in London to give you a quote, then please feel free to reach out to us

With its vast user base and impressive range of targeting options, it’s hardly surprising that brands turn to Facebook when looking to promote their products and services. As of June 30, 2022, Facebook received 2.93 billion monthly active users, making it the world’s most frequently visited social media platform, followed by YouTube, WhatsApp and Instagram.

There are a number of ad formats that you can use on Facebook, from image ads and instant experience ads to carousel ads and video ads. Facebook video ads are a fun, cost-effective way to inspire action from your prospects: a study conducted by Databox has shown that video ads outperform image ads in terms of driving engagement and conversions on Facebook.

Let’s take a look at how to create video ads for Facebook that attract leads and add a little buzz to your brand.

Identify an appropriate objective

There are 11 ad campaign objectives that you can choose from for your video ads; these include app installs (selected below), catalogue sales and store visits.

Facebook recommends that you use the Brand Awareness objective if you would like to show your video to the people who are most likely to remember it, and that you use the Video Views objective if you want to show your video to as many people as possible.

Start the process of creating your Facebook video ad by thinking carefully about what you want your video to accomplish. Bear in mind that your choice of objective will determine the placements that will be available for your video ad. 

We recommend that you start by using Facebook’s automatic placement setting; this will display your video across all of the available placements. Once you have sufficient data, you may decide to make a manual adjustment based on which placements, i.e. the News Feed, In-stream video, Instant Articles, etc. are driving the best results.

Optimise your Facebook video ads for mobile

You’d be mad not to make video ads with the mighty mobile in mind. 98.5% of users choose to access Facebook via mobile, and critically, 81.8% only access Facebook via their mobile devices. Unfortunately, this makes things a little trickier: Facebook data has revealed that people spend, on average, just 1.7 seconds with a piece of content that appears on their news feeds on mobile, compared to 2.5 seconds on desktop. 

It is recommended, therefore, that you aim for a video length of 15 seconds or less. Video ads of this duration are more likely to hold people’s attention, and they are also eligible to appear in Facebook in-stream placements and Instagram Stories.

Include the most compelling part of your video within the first three seconds, and try to showcase either your brand or product within the first five. This may sound like a tall order, but you’d be surprised by just how much information you can convey to your viewers if you put your mind to it.

We also advise that you opt for a vertical (4:5) or square (1:1) aspect ratio, given that people tend to hold their phones vertically. The 4:5 vertical video ad format is the sweet spot here, as it works well on both Facebook and Instagram.

Our FB ads for Mackies are a good example of how eye-catching imagery and prominent branding (delivered in a square format, no less) can help increase brand awareness.

Finally, convey the key pieces of dialogue with subtitles; mobile users often choose to watch video with the sound off, and they prefer to watch videos that include captions.

Use Facebook’s hyper-specific targeting tools

Facebook aims to display ads that are relevant to its users, as they benefit from receiving content that is tailored to their hobbies and interests. Advertisers also stand to benefit enormously by using Facebook’s ad targeting settings.

Before you start creating target audiences, put together some buyer personas based on what you already know about your existing customers. How old are they? Are they predominantly male or female? What do they enjoy doing in their free time?

You can then start to identify your audience segments. Whilst age and gender are important, you will achieve the best results if you target users based on interests that are relevant to your brand. And there are thousands of interests to choose from!

The targeting strategy that you adopt should relate to the objective that you identified at the outset. Displaying your videos to a broad audience often works best for brand awareness campaigns, as opposed to conversion-oriented ads. 

You should be more specific, however, if you wish to drive conversions. With layered targeting, you can direct your video ads at specific demographic, e.g. male, aged 45-65, married with children, etc. and psychographic segments, e.g. enjoys classical music, watches Test cricket and supports the monarchy.

Opting for granular targeting will mean that your Facebook video ads are shown to the sorts of people who will be most interested in what you have to offer – which means better results and lower costs.

Remember to include a CTA button

As a final word of advice, always include a call-to-action button alongside your Facebook video ad. 

The call-to-action that you choose should align with the objective of your campaign, whether it is to encourage people to learn more or shop now.

You’re now ready to create Facebook video ads

We hope that this has provided you with plenty of inspiration – or at the very least, food for thought – with regard to making effective Facebook video ads.

Find out more about eCommerce video ads and how you can use video in your social media ads today.

Small Films is a video production company in London. Our team of videographers, editors and animators create all sorts of videos, including awesome product videos, testimonial videos, explainer videos and animations that can help bring your brand to life. Do get in touch; we’d love to hear from you!