Casual

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the global head of communications at a giant produce company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Casual?

We needed a company that could produce a corporate video that featured the global footprint of our company.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We hired Casual to produce a seven-minute-long corporate video for us. They were tasked with writing the script, shooting footage, and handling all pre- and post-production work. I provided them with a few staff from each region as well as our massive library of photo and video assets. We went on a field shoot with them for additional elements that we needed. They also provided us with six voiceover options to choose from based on the very specific voice that we needed for the video.

We’re using the video as a marketing asset and for high-level business meetings, events, and recruitment purposes. It’s also posted on our company website and LinkedIn profile.

What is the team composition?

I worked directly with three people from Casual.

How did you come to work with Casual?

I found Casual through Clutch.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around $50,000 on this project.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from August–November 2022.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The final video has been well-received. Every one of our regions wants us to translate the final video into their own language so they can use it for recruitment. I’m looking to continue working with Casual to transcribe and translate the video into multiple languages.

How did Casual perform from a project management standpoint?

Casual performed well in terms of project management. They were quick to implement edits and requests and were highly receptive to our feedback. We had a lot of edits and stylistic preferences, and they were incredibly patient with us throughout. They were also always on top of deadlines and stayed within budget. 

Above all, my favorite thing about working with Casual was their responsiveness. They always responded to all of my emails within an hour. They were also incredibly transparent with the changes in the budget and timeline. Overall, everything went smoothly, and it was very easy to work with them.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Casual did precisely what they said they would do, and they did everything right. We also appreciated their responsiveness and transparency. There was never any confusion with anything.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, they did a great job.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m an account manager at ReflexGroup, a marketing agency. We do different things, including branding, event production, and video and photo content creation for social media. In my position, I keep the flow of communication between vendors, clients, and our agency.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Casual?

We needed help with video production.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Casual helps us with our video production and photography needs. The first project we worked on with them was completely remote. Our agency is based in New York, but we had a project in Los Angeles, so Meghan (Producer) connected us with a team there. With their help, we produced some video content with two celebrity ambassadors for our client.

Initially, we came to Casual with a concept for the video and a mood board, and we talked with their videographers to discuss what was realistic and what wasn’t about it. We also talked about how they would shoot the video to achieve what was on our mood board. 

After that, we had an all-day video shoot, and Casual handled everything. They captured the raw footage with the brand ambassadors. Then, they were in charge of the entire postproduction process, which included editing and having several rounds of revisions. We iterated on how we wanted the video to look regarding its colors, lighting, and speed; we essentially gave them the overall creative direction.

The first project has led to a couple more video production projects with similar scope, also based in Los Angeles. These videos have been posted on Instagram. We finished some work recently, and we will work together again soon.

What is the team composition?

Although we’ve worked with a lot of people from Casual because their video production crew is big, Meghan is my main point of contact. I’ve also worked with Frank (Executive Producer), Efa (Producer), and another producer.

How did you come to work with Casual?

We found them on Google.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in March 2022, and our engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We measure our success in two ways. Firstly, our client is very happy with the videos and photos produced by Casual; secondly, we keep coming back to them for more projects. Both of those facts demonstrate that Casual does good work.

How did Casual perform from a project management standpoint?

Casual excels at pivoting on last-minute changes regarding budget, timeline, and scope. Their prices are very fair, and they deliver great work. Additionally, the remote project was really smooth, and their communication was excellent. We typically communicate via email and Google Meet, but we’ve also used WhatsApp.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Casual is very well-connected in many different cities across the US, which is impressive. Moreover, they’re really gracious about last-minute changes — they’re ready to change on the fly with us, which is very helpful.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything Casual could improve on.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Reach out to them and see if they can collaborate with you. Their team is great at sending pictures while they’re shooting so that you can keep track of how everything is going. Leverage that; it is a good way to engage with them.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

My name is Jasmine. I work for Quizrr, an ed-tech company as a Program Manager. Our product is a digital training tool used to educate on human rights, workers right, ethical recruitment among other topics. Our tools target factory workers and management in supply chains worldwide. The material is delivered by short engaging films followed by quiz questions to enhance learning.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Casual, and what were your goals?

We have worked with Casual Films to create 4 Films

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

After researching and interviewing production companies, we felt that Casual Films was a great choice. After working with them, we are beyond happy and would love to work with them for future projects.

Describe the video(s) and the process in detail, including the project steps and all stages of production.

Pre-Production:

• Communication skills: Clear communication, easy to collaborate with
• Listened to our needs: Several suggestions on locations and casting options until we found the right ones
• Hard to find people with American accent but you continued until we found the perfect ones
• Gave great input: While being able to listen to our needs, you have been great at giving us input. For example, when recommending us to choose some actors for casting, suggesting to change the scripts.
• Engaging: Felt like you were an extended part of the Quizrr Team
• Proactive: Reaching out when you thought that the wether would be bad and coming with multiple suggestions on how to solve it. Also, when the team gave us an example picture of how we could furnish the office space for Scene 1 to fit the setting. Production
• Communication skills: Easy, kind and clear communication
• Walking us through the scenes, setting and schedule for the day
• Solutions-oriented: The mindset was that nothing was a problem, and everything could be solved. For example, when one of the extras had only brought ripped jeans and you quickly found a pair of trousers that he could borrow as well as how we could fix the films, so it was not shown. Also, when the ambulance came for Ariels knee and we still were able to continue.

Post-Production:

• Cooperative: You have been very cooperative and open to implement feedback when we have had our feedback rounds. It has been such a great experience!
• Communication skills: The communication has been great – you have answered quickly, given updates, quick turnaround time etc.

Final Delivery & General Feedback:

• The films look so great and we are beyond happy with the results!
• We would love to work with you again
• If you ever need a client reference, you can always ask us!

Who did you work with and what was the feedback process like?

We worked mainly with David, Pablo, Emiliano, and Arianna. They were a dream team and I would love to work with all of them soon again!

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The films look wonderful!

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

I have gone into details under "Describe the video(s) and the process in detail, including the project steps and all stages of production."

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

- Their communication skills (proactive, kind, easy to collaborate with and wonderful people) - Skill set (the films look beyond amazing) - Quick turnaround

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

To be honest - I feel like everything has gone sooo smoothly! The process has been 10/10!

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Head of the Commercial,Media and Entertainment Practice Member of Marketing Committee

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Casual, and what were your goals?

We wished to create some compelling content to promote the firm and the people in it

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We shortlisted 2 prodiuction companies who were know to us and selected Casual/APV because it seemed to have the better experience and seemed to understand what we were looking to achieve

Describe the video(s) and the process in detail, including the project steps and all stages of production.

We were very clear about what we wanted and did not want We wanted -black and white content -not shot anywhere near the interior of a law office -which didn't talk about the law or our experise -short form (90 seconds or less) episodic

Who did you work with and what was the feedback process like?

In pre-production we worked with Mark Erder and Thomas Elliot On the shoot we worked with Thomas and a team of 3 on location Post-production and the content marketing strategy was all Thomas

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We received very positive feedback from everyone who watched the episodes, both direct and via social media platforms.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

Thomas was the project lead and was very repsonsive on both email and DM at every stage of the project

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

Thomas has a weatlh of experience to draw upon If there was a problem (and there were not many) he had thought about it and presented it and possible solutions

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

Some of the story lines for the episodes might have been better but it was difficult for some of the subjects who were reticent to share more Perhaps if we had a little more time,we could have made them more comfortable sharing more

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am Director, Global Retail Communications for a jewelry company

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Casual, and what were your goals?

We asked Casual Films to produce a series of films about a very special employee event we held in London to celebrate the winners of our Global Brilliance Competition.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

I had worked with Casual Films previously and I know how good they are. Incredibly bright, talented, creative and professional. And still deliver consistently on time and on budget. Their deep knowledge of filming in both London and New York (as well as other cities!) are a particular asset.

Describe the video(s) and the process in detail, including the project steps and all stages of production.

It was a four part video project that included creating sizzle reels for internal use and social assets that attendees could post on external social media.

Who did you work with and what was the feedback process like?

I worked with Emily, Jo and other members of the Casual Films team. They were super easy to work with. They shared incredible insights that helped me deliver a better product and were flexible and professional throughout the many round the clock shoots.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We received tremendous social media coverage and extremely positive feedback from our internal audience.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

Their communication style is excellence. They provide very clear documents throughout, so you know exactly what to expect in terms of process, timing, budget and delivery. They also communicated excellently onsite with all stakeholders as we navigated a dozen shoots in different locations throughout the week.

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

They are truly excellent across the board. They are a very skilled strategic partner who brings great content and creativity to the project, and this is complemented by their outstanding project management and execution.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

Working with them was a truly enjoyable experience AND delivered an excellent creative product. I thought they did an incredible job and wouldn't ask them to change anything.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the Marketing Manager for a SaaS product that helps connect millions of volunteers to events and causes they're passionate about through our workforce management technology.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Casual Films, and what were your goals?

Our latest product is a first of its kind, which we felt needed a animated video to help support our messaging and effectively convey how our product helps our stakeholders. Our goal was for anyone to be able to watch this video, and understand the 'big picture thinking' of our product and how it differentiates from our other products in market.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We did some online research regarding a suitable animation company and were impressed by Casual Films previous work. We felt that their style suited our brand and were impressed when we connected with them in person.

Describe the video(s) and the process in detail, including the project steps and all stages of production.

We started the process with a discovery call. Once we agreed on what the project would look like and the timeframes, Casual Films commenced work on the script, visual mock ups, voice overs and final edits. We really liked as we progressed through each step we were able to provide feedback and make changes.

Who did you work with and what was the feedback process like?

We had the pleasure of working with Lexi who was brilliant! She was extremely accommodating and worked with us on any amendments to ensure that we felt comfortable and happy with the end result.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

No - not live currently.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

As mentioned above, the Casual Films team was great to work with. From the outset she provided a project plan so that expectations with regards to milestones and deadlines were clear. Her communication was always quick and helpful!

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

There was nothing we weren't happy with.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

No

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

My company produce films for a range of charity, commercial and corporate clients in the UK. I am a producer, so I lead on all projects.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Casual Films, and what were your goals?

We are producing a film for one of our big corporate clients, that we work with a lot. The film requires international filming, and sending a UK team out for every shoot wasn't budget efficient or environmentally friendly, so I approached Casual Films, having knowledge of their existing postiive reputation in the UK.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

I knew of Casual Films from the UK, so I got in touch and Lexi set up a call for us to talk through the project. She obviously knew what she was talking about and understood fully the project I needed support with and was able to work within our budget.

Describe the video(s) and the process in detail, including the project steps and all stages of production.

The film was a corporate film, that required interviews and b-roll. Essentially a relatively simple production, but we required the team to follow a specific elevated creative style we had established for all shoots. It required them to source specific filming locations, props and kit to match the rest of the film.

Who did you work with and what was the feedback process like?

Lexi. She was extremely helpful and communicative and made me feel really confident the project was in safe hands.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The project isn't delivered yet as we have a few more international shoots to go, but the footage we got back from Syndey looks great. Matches the creative treatment we sent the team, so really pleased.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

This was predominantly Zoom meetings and emails. We had a couple of zoom calls to align on creative and logistics, and the rest was over email. Considering the time difference it was very smooth!

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

They just make everything easier! 

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

Nope.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the global employer branding manager for Friesland Campina, a dairy company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Casual Films?

We needed to create some movies for employer branding purposes. We were trying to sell a story about our company to attract talent around the world and create awareness through the eyes of our ambassadors. All in all, we wanted to address different markets and tell them to apply to our HR sales machine.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Casual Films created four 90-second movies, including three ambassador stories, which were shot in the Netherlands, Nigeria, and Malaysia. First, we asked them how they’d address this project. The team looked at the assignment, and their approach aligned with our thoughts. We did some research and pinpointed the right ambassadors within our organization. Then, we briefed Casual Films and drafted a storyline, and they took the project management from there.

We did the casting because we wanted to have real stories. Also, we arranged for some contact persons in the different countries to use their local film crews because we couldn’t travel. The crews did the shootings, and we managed everything.

Additionally, Casual Films helped us with other things. We had a concept we wanted to launch, which we also used to produce the films. We also created a game to increase engagement, but we needed creative minds to establish the storyline, and they helped us with that.

What is the team composition?

The core team was four people. We had an account manager, a copywriter, and two people doing the operation. Behind that, we had the local film crews.

How did you come to work with Casual Films?

We were looking for a new partner, so we had a tender process. We accidentally came in contact with Casual Films; they reached out to us, so they were in the right place at the right time. They were on a shortlist with four other agencies, and we asked them to do a pitch. Eventually, they won.

How much have you invested with them?

In total, we spent around €50,000 (approximately $57,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in August 2021, and they finished the project in December 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We look at some competing and social media metrics. For instance, we can see the length of time that people watched the video on platforms like LinkedIn. Our view rate is around 2%, which is right on the benchmark for LinkedIn. Also, we see that the people have responded positively. There’s a lot of engagement on different platforms, and people love the ambassadors’ stories — they put positive comments underneath the videos.

We use different forms to redirect people to the messages. We have a playlist on YouTube, where the videos are available. We also use them for our internal platforms for engagement among our employees and have posted them on our career site, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram. Overall, we’re very proud of them. We’ve presented the videos to the executive board, and they were astonished and engaged.

How did Casual Films perform from a project management standpoint?

They did well. The timelines were quite tight, but they had a clear thought about how to address the project, which we appreciated. They were pretty fast, and we were happy with how they collaborated and followed up on the timelines. Since we shot in three different countries, it was challenging at times.

However, we still managed to do three films in approximately six weeks. It was a parallel project — we started off with the first video and shot it while preparing the second one. Then, Casual Films followed up on the deadlines and sent over the first footage so we could review it and provide feedback.

We primarily communicated through email and had weekly meetings through Teams and Zoom. We worked with planning sheets, which we sent over and followed up.

What did you find most impressive about them?

From a creative perspective, they listened to our wishes and understood the concept to translate it into storylines. Also, they advised us on how to approach the project and reassured us that they’d manage it since it was quite stressful for us.

From a project management standpoint, they were able to work with local crews and shoot high-quality footage during the COVID-19 pandemic, which was quite a hassle to arrange, especially in Nigeria. Nonetheless, they ultimately delivered, and their speed and price-quality value were also distinctive factors.

Are there any areas they could improve?

During the project, there was a shift in their production crew. Someone arranged the first video, but he left after the second. As a client, we like to have a core team because we want to grab emotion on video, so it’s important that the person who’s responsible understands it.

In the end, they managed it well, and the first video was perfectly spot on. However, we didn’t like that someone responsible left the project.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

As with all partners, what made our engagement a success was that we were clear and had an excellent briefing. If you prepare well, Casual Films can take it even further and surprise you. They have people in their team to take you to the next step.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the employee experience manager for EMEAR at Cisco Meraki a cloud managed IT company products include wireless, switching, security, enterprise mobility management and security cameras, all centrally managed from the web.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Casual Films?

I wanted to do a global office tour with a twist, so make it fun with performances and entertainment whilst new starters can see the offices and we can introduce our new office in Chicago.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

My husband has worked with Olly and Casual Films previously and spoke very highly of them.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

We wanted a fun twist on a boring office tour. We would normally do a big summer party and because of COVID we we're allowed to, which is why we got some amazing acts globally to perform in our offices in between the tour. Small details like artistic shots, amazing camera work and ensuring we have the coolest looking video to show globally.

What was the team composition?

I trusted the creative minds at casual films. We did work closely together on the day and I was allowed my input on what worked best. I knew how I wanted the flow to go, but thought we worked well as a team and that everyone was very respectful of our ideas and input.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We got such amazing feedback from our leadership team, we've been able to use parts of it for promo videos, talent hire and to show our new hires.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

It was great, we had regular meetings to discuss details and any changes. I was kept in the loop on everything and if I was unsure of things was reassured immediately. The whole team was so great, had amazing energy, and was super helpful and accommodating.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their portfolio is amazing, and then meeting the team they were so eager to help and make my idea a reality. I felt they cared just as much as I did about making this a huge success. The team were all so creative and fun, and it was just a really positive, inspiring experience.

Is there any area for improvement or anything that could have been done differently?

I felt like that the day of filming went on too long. There was a lot of lighting issues which took hours to set up, when I felt it wasn't really needed. We had a whole day the day before our filming to set up the lighting but it seemed like on the day we spent a lot of time getting that right. I understand they wanted it to be perfect and that me as the client needed to be happy with the end result, but I did find it quite exhausting.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I head up the marketing team at BLANCO UK, a leading manufacturer of premium sinks, taps and kitchen products.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Casual Films, and what were your goals?

Silgranit, our market leading Granite composite sinks have many features and benefits that appeal to kitchen designers, installers and consumers alike. We wanted to create a video for our global business partners and UK customers that showcased the material and provided some 'real-world' sales techniques.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

I have been in discussion with Casual Films for some time on a variety of projects that were postponed during COVID-19. When this opportunity arose, Casual films were invited to pitch alongside two other agencies, their portfolio of work along with their speed of response and cost effectiveness put them firmly in first place.

Describe the video(s) and the process in detail, including the project steps and all stages of production.

This was a complex brief because the language and tone needed to remain UK-oriented, so as to let the natural pattern of the sales process and conversation flow. It also had to work for a global audience and adhere to a number of legal and product specific parameters. So after initial discussions, we drafted a 'script' and story-boarded the video with the team at Casual. They then developed the script into something more usable and everything fell nicely into place.

The two presenters are salespeople and not too comfortable in front of the camera, the whole Casual Films team helped to make them feel at ease and brought out the best of them, making sure we had all the shots and angles we needed. Post-production was smooth and streamlined and in no time we had a video that everyone was happy with.

Who did you work with and what was the feedback process like?

We worked with a project manager who arranged everything for the shoot, a producer, director, camera operators and assistants on the day, and the producer and post-production team afterward. Feedback through Vimeo was simple and easy. Everyone we dealt with at Casual Films was a pleasure to deal with and extremely helpful with a total focus on achieving a high-quality end result.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have showed the video to internal stakeholders and it was so well received that it has been scheduled to be aired at the Global Sales and Marketing meeting before release to customers.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

We had a very tight time-scale for this project, so from concept to completion I asked for the agency to run the agenda to ensure we got a quality result in a few short weeks. They did this without being pushy and were very flexible in achieving the deadlines, navigating our collective diaries and various Coronavirus restrictions.

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

The team simply understood what we were trying to achieve, understood the global parameters we had to work within. We really felt that they wanted the resulting video to be as good as it could possibly be.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

I can't think of any particular point where improvements could have been made.