Bus-Stop Productions

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the manager and also a performing artist of a small arts company called Artes Latinas. We are a consortium of various Latin American Ensembles, and in addition to being a performer, I handle the marketing and publicity for our organization.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Bus-Stop Productions?

We were interested in having a multi-camera livestream of one of our biggest productions last summer called Americas3. It’s a production in 8 languages so we wanted to have high-quality live streaming so that we could reach a larger audience around the country.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

I was in charge of the content, and they were in charge of all the camerawork that surrounded it. That included providing the equipment, determining the best shots, live editing as the stream was happening, and making sure that everything was streaming out smoothly.

They received a rough draft of a rehearsal in advance so that they would know what the show looked like, and that helped them decide where it was important to cut, where it was important to focus on one performer vs another, and any other technical decisions that they needed to make.

What was the team composition?

There have been 3–4 members of their team working with us at any given time.

How did you come to work with Bus-Stop Productions?

One of our performers works in the same city as them and introduced us about six years ago when we wanted to make some regular music videos. That’s how we began the relationship with them, and since then they’ve recorded and edited several performances, so we knew they would be a good option for our live-editing needs as well.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent a little over $5,000 on the project.

What is the status of this engagement?

The performance and all of the work surrounding it took place in July 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

I wasn’t as worried about audience numbers as I was that people who wanted to see it had the opportunity to. We ended up with about 150 people tuning in live, and then a lot more viewing the performance after the fact on our website.

How did Bus-Stop Productions perform from a project management standpoint?

Eric (Owner) is very quick to respond to any messages that you send them. When you’re dealing with artistic projects, half the battle is stress management, so just having someone who is always right there to give you a quick answer and get that stress off your list is a huge benefit.

They were delayed in getting to the venue but had planned for enough time that they were still able to set up and get everything ready well before it was needed. He kept me constantly updated that whole time, and that level of communication meant I was able to focus on what I had to do for the actual performance.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The quality of the video that they take is consistently excellent, whether edited after the fact or live. It seems to me that they know how to handle lighting very well and are able to shoot things even under variable conditions. Their level of quality in addition to their communication skills make them incredibly easy to work with.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I’m in no way dissatisfied at all. Since they have a little bit more experience filming corporate and conference events, I had to spend some time explaining what was important from an aesthetic standpoint, such as slow fades or a strategic pan.

Once I did that, however, they were quick to get a grasp of what I was aiming for and include it into the work, so I was totally pleased with their flexibility in that regard as well.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

The magic comes in a lot of detailed advance communication. Provide them with a script and notes ahead of time, have a visual rehearsal if you can, and make sure you state explicitly if there is anything specific that you are hoping to see in the final product.

That is true of any company that you might be working with, but Bus-Stop will really put in the effort to learning from the information that you give them so that they can make the final product as polished as it can possibly be.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am a former video production specialist at IDEX Corporation. I was the lead video person in our marketing department, so I handled all communication and creative projects involving video.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Bus-Stop Productions?

We hired Bus-Stop to help fill our needs with video, ranging from filming to editing on motion graphics and training videos.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

For most of the projects, we were able to give them a rough idea of what we wanted, and they handled the actual creation process. They helped plan shooting locations, film video, and produce final pieces in cases where I was too busy with other projects. We used the results of their work in a variety of ways, both internal and external to the company.

What was the team composition?

Eric was the lead on the majority of the projects, so most of my communications went through him. A few different times, I would email materials to somebody else who was working on that specific part of the project, but at most I was in touch with about 2–3 people from the company.

How did you come to work with Bus-Stop Productions?

I went to college with Eric (Owner) and knew that he was really good at what he did. When I came to IDEX we looked at a handful of local options for teams that could help us out, and they seemed like the best it for what we needed.

How much have you invested with them?

The total cost of all the work was around $20,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

At IDEX Corporation, we hired them just after I started working there, and the engagement lasted from around June 2015–January 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

With the training videos, we didn’t have as much in the way of metrics as we did anecdotal evidence from our onboarding team. In their words, these videos were basically the best and most effective videos they had ever worked with.

A lot of workplace education and safety videos can be really dry and tough to engage people on, but everything that Bus-Stop produced was emotional and helped connect the viewers to the work that they were doing in a powerful and effective way.

How did Bus-Stop Productions perform from a project management standpoint?

I was really pleased with their ability to manage our work together. It took a lot of stress off of me because they have the experience to anticipate any issues that might come up before they become significant problems.

Their team was very prompt and always completely transparent about progress and everything so that was very appreciated. Any time we needed to change course or add something to what we were doing, they were flexible in accommodating that. They really just made the engagement as easy as possible for us to navigate.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The level of professionalism that they exhibited was excellent. In the past we had worked with people who clearly didn’t have the same level of experience, and that ends up costing you money. Taking on Bus-Stop was great because they understood that the most important thing for both parties in any project is to get the best end product that we can, and they always delivered on that.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I honestly can’t think of anything specific that I wish they had done differently.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be as upfront as possible about what you want so that Bus-Stop is able to make accurate plans to deliver that for you. If you have big plans, just get that out there right away instead of trying to add things on top in the middle of the project, because that can cause a lot of budget problems and become a source of frustration for everyone.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a producer at Law & Crime Network. We have a website that live streams trials from across the country. We hire local film crews for each case that we stream.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenges were you trying to address with Bus-Stop Productions?

We hired Bus-Stop Productions to film a trial in Iowa.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Their team films all of the trials that we live stream in Iowa. 

For the first project, they set up one camera in the courtroom with two wireless microphones. Their crew panned from the witnesses who were testifying over to the attorneys and the defendant, capturing the key moments in the courtroom while we live streamed. Now, they’ve started to set up multiple cameras for their shoots. 

Our internal team does all of the editing, so they just shoot the raw footage. 

What is the team composition?

My main point of contact is Eric (Founder). 

How did you come to work with Bus-Stop Productions?

I found them online. I can’t pinpoint exactly what website I found them on because it’s been a couple of years since we started working together. 

How much have you invested in them?

We’ve spent somewhere between $10,000–$49,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

I think we started working together in December 2017, and our work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

Anecdotally, we love working with Eric and Bus-Stop Productions. They travel multiple hours to shoot trials in different parts of the state, whether they need to go to Sioux City or Des Moines. 

How did Bus-Stop Productions perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re willing to go above and beyond to make the project successful. There was a situation where the battery on one of our live streaming devices burned out. They jerry-rigged something and they were able to get a live stream up for us. That night, they drove back to Waterloo which was over two hours away, and then returned in time for us to shoot again in the morning with a replacement battery. 

Their team is flexible and accommodating when working with us on these projects because there is no set time frame because we’re at the will of the courts. We can’t always predict how long jury selection will take, or how long the jury is going to deliberate. However, they’re always willing to work with us. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their flexibility is impressive. They know what to expect from us since we’ve worked together several times, and it’s an easy collaboration. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything. Bus-Stop Productions is a model for the time of film production companies that I look for in different states across the country. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers? 

We try to give as much information upfront about the project as possible. We also share potential worst-case scenarios with them so they know what to expect.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the CEO of Cactus

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We are Advertising Service company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Bus-Stop Productions to accomplish?

• We needed assistance with video production.

SOLUTION

How did you find Bus-Stop Productions?

Clutch Site

Why did you select Bus-Stop Productions over others?

• Pricing fit our budget
• Good value for cost

How many teammates from Bus-Stop Productions were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

We've received a lot of animated videos from Bus-Stop Productions, including post-production work.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

They are problem solvers, and since they have performed well for us in post-production, we have invited them to be our preferred suppliers for the projects in the UK and Europe. Overall, we appreciate working with them since the team is dependable and does high-quality work throughout location shoots. In addition, even though their deliverables, postproduction work, and 3D animation are of the highest caliber and they have completed more than we anticipated, nothing is too much for them if we need to go back and make final tweaks.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

They deliver on time, respond quickly, and are clear with costs. We utilize Microsoft Teams, phone conversations, and email for communication.

What was your primary form of communication with Bus-Stop Productions?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

We've had such a strong working relationship. We are aware of one another's working methods and styles.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Bus-Stop Productions could have done differently?

Their team is great the way it is, and I don't see anything that might be improved. They work well with us.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Calle Sur redefines what is known and challenges stereotypes surrounding identity...with music. Latin America is represented in all of its beauty through this duo and their expansive repertoire of new, old and well-loved music.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Bus-Stop Productions?

Video production/streaming.

What were your goals for this project?

My goal was to provide a polished, creative, high quality video that would motivate viewers to appreciate and purchase our music or hire us to perform at venues around the globe.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I knew Eric Benson from previous experiences.

Describe the video(s) and the process in detail.

We selected an indoor location and chose to take video of Calle Sur walking to the venue, instruments in hand. After that we were magically in costume and onstage with all of the instruments and sound already in place. We proceeded with a performance of 3 or 4 musical pieces.

What was your vendors' project management or feedback process?

Bus Stop Productions had two crew members taking video from stationary and mobile cameras. One crew member worked in post production with me. The collaboration was very easy

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

The video received great reviews and a large number of cumulative hits. Our agency was very pleased with it, as it updated footage that was outdated.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We worked directly with Eric. He took care in listening and teatro get

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They avail themselves with some of the most modern and sophisticated equipment. They are very good at listening and reacting to the Nees and requests of the client.

Are there any areas for improvement?

They need a larger crew so that they are not limited in the number of clients they can serve at a given time.