Casual

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the vice president of brand and communications for a large material manufacturing company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Casual Films?

Different business units within the enterprise have engaged Casual Films, meaning there have been a variety of different needs such as brand building, sustainability messaging, and down to specific product film.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Casual Films has provided full-service production on numerous projects. Their team has produced a film with us on our community giving project. They filmed with us in New York to showcase our company’s work with The Pajama Program—a charitable program that gives storybooks and pajamas based on the premise that kids don’t get a good bedtime experience. Their team captured the event and the history behind the cause. Their team has worked with us to use the product. Mostly, the video’s been leveraged internally.

Their team has also done a film with us to discuss the work done behind our materials. We’re a large manufacturing company that makes products, which can sound quite boring. However, our materials can be anything. As part of the innovation behind our products, we have tests occurring constantly. For example, we have drums in the North Sea with labels on them and materials in the Sahara to see what heat does to them. Casual Films was able to help us pick through and come up with a story about our innovations. They helped to discover what makes our material scientists passionate about what they do and bring that character into the film.

What is the team composition?

Mainly, we have one account manager. We know a lot of people at Casual Films, but he has been our point of contact. We’ve worked with him on designing films, but he has a team behind him. As needed, we get in contact with them.  

How did you come to work with Casual Films?

We found Casual Films at a conference. They had a stall with a Lego-building competition, which my colleague and I participated in. We talked with our now former account manager as well as the people who set up the stall. We liked the size of the company, the foundation, and ethos.

How much have you invested with them?

As a corporation, we’ve spent probably $150,000–$200,000 a year on Casual Films' services.

What is the status of this engagement?

They’ve been our film partner for about five years now. We’ve kept them on retainer each year.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

In the past, we’ve worked with multiple different agencies, but they didn’t take the time to understand us. The key advantage for us in working with Casual Films has been that they've spent a lot of time learning our business and its story. Their team has helped us to articulate that in a way that would work well on film. The levels of partnership, honesty, and respect have been massively beneficial to us, which has been visible in the films. They're a lot more authentic now because our personality comes through.

How did Casual Films perform from a project management standpoint?

It has always been superb. If anything, it has been our team that has caused delays. It’s a personal relationship. Casual Films isn’t a big company, which makes their team incredibly flexible. If we’ve had to pause a project, they’ve paused it. Their team has hit every deadline we’ve given them. To be honest, it has been a pretty perfect service.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Casual Films has become a part of our extended team. With them, we’re not dealing with another agency. They'll give us feedback, saying: you don’t need to do that or don’t spend money on this. We’ve had open dialogs with them and it's created a mutually respectful partnership. They’ve taken the time to understand exactly what we’re trying to achieve, contributing to our messaging. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there aren’t any negative qualities.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Bring them in on your overall communication strategy. Use their knowledge and experience to help build a storyline and film. Give them what you’re trying to achieve and let them come back with a pitch because that’s what has produced authentic content for us.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the director of communications for the Americas for a global luxury retail brand.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Casual Films?

Every year we make a holiday video and in the past, we tried to kill too many birds with one stone with the video. It was often too lengthy and not as engaging as we’d like, including business messages alongside employee messages. For 2019, we decided to split it into two videos, a business-facing one and an employee-facing one.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Casual Films produced out employee-facing holiday video for 2019. Their team helped us narrow down the focus and created three different concepts, all of which were incredibly on target. After we selected one of the concepts, we were able to move forward with the project.

The Casual Films team was willing to put in the effort to truly understand the DNA of our brand, the heart of who we are, and what our employees expect. We went from creative brief to storyboards to guidance on each frame. It was a complex endeavor that involved a lot of merchandising, as well as figuring out the right employees to feature in five shoots in five different locations. 

Their team filmed our employees and showcased both the beauty of our jewelry and the diversity of our team. They created a piece that celebrates our employees and managed all of the shoots.

What is the team composition?

We worked with five members of the Casual Films team. My point person was Lexi (Executive Producer, Casual Films), but we also worked with a writer, a producer, a film person, and an audio person. 

How did you come to work with Casual Films?

We have a member of our company who sources video production companies. I brought this project to her and she looked for companies that met our needs. After interviewing two firms, we decided to work with Casual Films.

Their initial proposal and portfolio of work stood out. There was a polish and quality to their work that was quite excellent. Additionally, they seem to solely focus on internal-facing employee communications videos, which gave them a leg up. 

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement ran from July–November 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have received tremendous feedback from the team, they were highly impressed with the caliber and quality of the video. Engagement with the video was 34% higher than last year. Casual Films did a beautiful job on every aspect of the video. Their tactical engineering of everything was on point and they delivered a beautiful project. 

Every member of their team approached the project with a great sense of professionalism and point of view. They all brought a lot to the table and it was lovely working with them. 

How did Casual Films perform from a project management standpoint?

Lexi was absolutely excellent. She provided schedules and budgets, which they stuck to. Before anything might go over budget, she always reviewed with me to ensure we were on the same page. There was a very clear process in place for shoots, which were run almost to the minute. The whole engagement was well managed. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Casual Films is committed to quality. They’re a great partner to have.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, overall they were really great. The longer we work with a company, they greater understanding they have of all of our collections, but I wouldn’t expect them to have that yet. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I am a very process-oriented person and they’re a process-oriented company. Invest the time in bringing them up to speed n your brand, it will pay great dividends.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a senior video producer at a large corporation. I work in the marketing department, and we make videos to support our products. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Casual Films?

My team creates content year-round, and Casual Films helps us come up with story ideas that are outside of our immediate geographic area, whether that’s in London, Senegal, or Canada.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

I look to Casual Films, particularly their London office, to generate story leads for different artists around the world that we can then pitch to my boss. For example, we recently worked with Casual Films on a story lead for an illustrator. They pitched it to me in a polished presentation with visuals and story points. They gave me an easy sell to then pitch it to the creative director and get it greenlit so we could shoot it. 

They help through the production process, from the ideation phase all the way through completion. In between, they help with interviews, logistics for every shoot location, and editing. They’re a full-service turnkey on a lot of levels.

What is the team composition?

My point of contact is usually Oliver (MD London & Executive Producer, Casual Films). I also work with other producers. For the last project, I worked with Dan (Producer, Casual Films). 

How did you come to work with Casual Films?

Casual Films was already working with my company, and I’d heard good things about their divisions in London, New York, and Los Angeles. I met with them in person and then contacted Oliver for story ideas, and he sent them. 

How much have you invested with them?

My company has probably spent $100,000 amongst the various projects we’ve done with them, but it’s hard to say because they’ve done projects for other producers. The last project scope was roughly $30,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together about two years ago, and it’s ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The last piece that they did for me was lovely, and it’s still featured in our magazine. A lot of the stories they create go in our magazine.

How did Casual Films perform from a project management standpoint?

They do a fantastic job taking care of all the fine details, communicating challenges, and creatively problem solving.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Casual Film provides a lot of value. They’re great at communicating, and they’ll go the extra distance to get more shots that other providers would charge you for. They have a high level of wanting to do the best work and not necessarily taking it out of your pocket.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, not really. It’s hard when you work with different producers.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a client partnerships director for an interactive video technology company called WIREWAX.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Casual Films?

Since we’re a video tech company, we often have clients who need video production services. Our goal with Casual Films was to provide an easy, one-stop-shop solution to our clients by recommending a preferred partner that could deliver high-quality outputs.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

As our recommended video production partner, we’ve developed a terrific workflow with Casual Films. Their team works with our clients directly, providing live-action production shoots. They also help script and cast the videos.

Usually, we’re involved in helping scope a project with the clients. We own the pre-sale part of the conversation. Once the project goes into execution, my creative team and I help flesh out the interactive technology needed for the video production, ensuring we’re thinking as one cohesive unit.

What is the team composition?

Typically, they assign one point of contact who's usually the executive producer. The point of contact changes based on the product. I'm usually working with one point of contact because it's easy to have all the details with one person.

How did you come to work with Casual Films?

The co-founder of WIREWAX has a relationship with the founder of Casual Films.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve driven about $200,000 worth of video production to Casual Films. We work in two ways. One way is when WIREWAX hands over clients to Casual Films. Sometimes Casual Films will make a video production interactive, bringing business to WIREWAX. We have a symbiotic relationship.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in March 2018 and the relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

So far, all of our clients have been happy with the video production.

How did Casual Films perform from a project management standpoint?

Most of the time, we communicate over the phone or by email. They’ve been very good at delivering quality outputs no matter the budget. Project management has been one of their greatest qualities.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their ability to interface with clients directly has made them stand out. We’ve also been impressed with their response time and thoughtfulness.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, they’ve been terrific. Sometimes we have to work on our billing terms with one another but overall, everything has been great.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Work with Casual Films from the ground floor of an idea because the team excels when they’re able to own the creative process from start to finish.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I work for a digital marketing agency and lead client partnerships with one of our largest accounts. We specialize in B2B marketing.    I oversee all the work we do with a large technology consulting organization.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Casual Films?

We’ve got a lot of in-house video production capabilities, but Casual Films works with us to bolster the internal team.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They help us with outsourced video production. This includes internal and external corporate videos for marketing campaigns or internal training/communications. They work as a white-label service, executing creative ideas that we’ve developed through a scoping process with our clients. Their support adds to the production and execution of those videos.

On some projects, we’ve come to them with a client challenge. They’ve developed a concept and we’ve worked hand-in-hand with them to finish and present it to our client. Whether it’s live-action filming or animation, they do all the storyboarding, production, and post-production up to final delivery.

What is the team composition?

We work with 4–5 people, typically account managers. They then work with their internal team.

How did you come to work with Casual Films?

They were an existing vendor with us when I came on board. It was through word-of-mouth—some colleagues recommended working with them. I reviewed a portfolio of their work and reached out to one of their account managers. Then I decided to start working with them.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested around $500,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The engagement started in July 2015 and is still ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The quality of their work is very high. It’s always completed with very high standards. We get a lot of positive feedback from our clients on videos that they’ve produced, both in terms of the quality of the work and the turnaround time.

How did Casual Films perform from a project management standpoint?

Project management is pretty good. They’ve got a consistent process and are great at communicating timelines, milestones, and scope of work. The initial scope of work is very comprehensive in terms of budgeting and finances. Project managers are good at keeping track of elements they can influence—they do a good job.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I think it’s the level of trust we have; they’re very dependable and consistent.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could improve the level of creativity. Sometimes when they receive concepts, they could push boundaries further. The confidence of the account managers to talk about the conceptual work could be stronger, but it’s not overly problematic.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be very clear about the business objectives that you want to achieve with the project you’re engaging them on. Have success measures and define the purpose upfront. You should also be open and receptive to their ideas; they have some great thinkers.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

My company is a Fortune500 global hospitality company, with 30 brands and 7000+ locations around the world. I am the Director of Content Marketing (employment side, not consumer side).

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

Over the years, we've hired Casual Films to produce a range of audio visual content to support our talent acquisition, retention and engagement strategy. From podcast to animated films, from 1-video segments to a 10-part episodic series, Casual Films has supported us in all of these projects.

What were your goals for this project?

No matter the deliverables, our goals for the multiple projects we've hired Casual Films to do is to create content that is marketable through a variety of internal and external digital channels, scalable, and delivers the emotional punch that we know will attract, engage, and inspire our global workforce (and potential employees).

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Word of mouth/reference from other points-of-contact within our organization.

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

• Strategy
• creative solutions
• scripting & storyboarding
• filming > animation (as needed)
• production
• delivery

Because Casual Films has successfully completed the variety of podcast and video deliverables mentioned above, the details vary. I can confirm that we have worked with them directly on both 'on-site' video shoots with both our employees and hired talent, as well as videos developed with existing or licensed assets. My role included partnering on creative execution (based on their creative vision), sharing assets, guidelines and brand voice/style, and feedback. In other words, I was the client with a vision for what we were partnering to develop.

What was your vendors' project management or feedback process?

The team did work with me on several rounds of feedback for each project/deliverable. Typically there were 1-2 people from the vendor's side that managed the feedback process, and those two were also the project lead and manager on the jobs.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Feedback from internal stakeholders has been very positive across the board, and over the years we have worked with Casual Films. RE: value or impact of the video content we produced with them, our metrics data tells us we are developing and pushing out content that is engaging and inspiring (per video views, likes, shares). Our metrics typically far-surpass our annual metric goals (and we do have a small investment in media channels that help to boost visibility and distribution of content)

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Their project management processes work very well for us. Their communication, attention to detail, scheduling and managing expectations is exceptional. And we always look forward to working with the Casual team on our next video project. RE: workflow, they deliver a detailed timeline upfront and we work together to manage the project to meet the various milestone/deadlines and processes in between.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

We value Casual Films for their creativity, innovative thinking, partnering skills, and for having our backs. Whenever we work with them it feels like they are employees of our company, they understand our brand and there is mutual respect. For us, Casual Films stands out as authentic, attentive, responsive, and able to really partner with us - opposed to other vendors that operate in a vendor/client way that feels like we're held at arms' length.

We truly appreciate the communication and relationship, even in those rare occasions where a project has 'derailed'. They are always willing to work together to get it back on track and deliver a successful outcome. Other vendors we've worked with don't operate this way.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I work at a professional services and accounting firm. I’m the film and animation lead in the sales and marketing team.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Casual Films?

About seven years ago, we went from an in-house production team to an outsourced model based on commissioning video production companies.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They produce a range of films and animations for us. This ranges from basic camera/interview films to complex brand films, animations, dramas, and documentaries. Their team works from the initial briefing point through to delivery. Casual Films helps to develop creative concepts and messaging for the videos.

They then provide a detailed budget and schedule before embarking on storyboarding, animating, and editing. Finally, they encode the videos in a file format that’s accessible for us. We produce over 400 films per year, meaning they work on about 16 films at any given time.

What is the team composition?

We work with an account team. On average, there are three people working on a given project, but the number depends on how complex the project is.

How did you come to work with Casual Films?

We sent out an RFP to a number of agencies we’d identified as being appropriate for the work. Then we had a shortlist of companies that we brought in for a presentation. We made a decision to partner with Casual Films.

How much have you invested with them?

Somewhere around $600,000–$700,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The engagement started five years ago in 2014. The work is still ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

It’s difficult to track ROI, but they’ve made creative, high-quality work. One film they made for us won a Silver Medal in the New York Festival’s Best TV and Film category.

How did Casual Films perform from a project management standpoint?

They're excellent with project management; they’ve also got very creative people. We communicate via email, G Suite, and weekly calls. There’s also a quarterly review meeting.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their in-house animation team is really good. Typically agencies will freelance animation work, but Casual Films doesn’t. They also have an in-house creative team, which is also not the norm.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I can’t think of anything to say.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure you come with a strong brief in the initial briefing process. Maybe have a face-to-face meeting because they’re a very nice group of people. It’s always good to meet people in-person.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We're an independent design consultancy specialising in B2B brands, campaigns and content. I am partner and head of strategy.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We had developed an ambitious concept for an immersive in-browser experience that would feature live action 360 video content. We chose Casual for the video production element.

What were your goals for this project?

To give audiences a taste of a specific business offer by immersing them in the environment and encouraging them to interact with hotspots for further information and engagement opportunities.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We have used Casual Films before. We knew we could rely on them.

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

Location shoot in San Francisco over three staged scenes in a coworking space. A combination of actors and real workers. Shot using specialist 360 equipment.

What was your vendors' project management or feedback process?

Regular updates and ongoing engagement from a single producer from scripting and pre-production right through to post. Casual also supported us through some occasionally challenging engagement with a third-party vendor who we used for the necessary interactive elements.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The experience is part of a broader campaign that has delivered both financially and achieved multiple award recognition.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Great.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Professionalism and calm-headness.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Nothing obvious.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am Head of Employer Branding for Rolls-Royce Holdings.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

Diversity and inclusion are key focuses for us at Rolls-Royce and we wanted to celebrate and promote the work of our Employee Resource Groups in helping us to create an environment where everyone can be themselves and be their best. We hired Casual Films to produce a series of videos that tell the story of some of our key employee networks, and also to produce a hero video that spans all of the groups and celebrates our people.

What were your goals for this project?

To produce compelling and inspiring videos that showcase our people and our employee networks and raise awareness of the work we're doing to make our environment welcoming to all.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I inherited this project from my predecessor, so I was not involved in the appointment of the vendor, although I was aware of Casual Films as a well-respected partner in this field.

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

5 videos: 4 individual stories, each featuring a representative from a different employee resource group, and one over-arching hero video. Having not been engaged from the start of the programme, I can't describe the full process in detail. However, I found Casual Films to be responsive, well-organised and very in tune with our brand and requirements during my involvement with them.

What was your vendors' project management or feedback process?

Very professional and thorough.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The videos were launched online a few weeks ago (we actually concluded the programme in August, but the drop-down calendar menu wouldn't allow me to select that month) and they have created a positive buzz internally and externally, with good traction on social media. We have also referenced a couple of the videos for a Stonewall Award submission (results not yet announced.)

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Very positive and effective.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Casual Films are great storytellers who bring a wide range of technical and creative expertise to bring stories to life. I love the videos and I've had a very positive experience working with them.

Are there any areas for improvement?

None that I've identified.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the global inclusion and diversity lead for Vodafone, a telecommunications company. We employ 100,000 employees globally and are active in 25 markets.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Casual Films?

We needed help with video campaigns and hired Casual Films for the task.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We've worked on various pieces of content together for video campaigns on the topic of diversity, including a global initiative that we did for LGBT Plus. We also produced a campaign with Casual Films regarding how a sense of belonging makes our employees feel. We did some other initiatives as well, all within the context of employee diversity.

For every project, we start out with a meeting and state what our initial ideas and challenges are as well as what we’d like to convey. Then, Casual Films comes back with a draft and recommendations for how it can be brought to life. Each video is in live-action, so viewers will actually see real people in the campaign.

We’ve had different approaches to filming. For one campaign, Casual Films brought everyone outside and did shots on the streets in the city. There was another campaign where they brought everybody to a different spot and we had a whole production day in a different location. They’ve also done some in our offices.

What is the team composition?

I’ve been involved with 5–10 people, however, I do have a main point of contact.

How did you come to work with Casual Films?

They worked with my colleague in the past, and since she was really happy with them, she recommended them to me.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $50,000–$90,000 on their services so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in 2014 and the collaboration is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Casual Films brings a personal touch into each project, making people feel connected when they’re being interviewed or by just conveying messages and images in the right way.

We get positive feedback on every video. I believe this is because people can really relate to the content. We share these videos with our colleagues, communities, and customers, as well as our co-partners and on our social media channels, including YouTube.

How did Casual Films perform from a project management standpoint?

Project management is strong. Casual Films listens to our needs and comes up with innovative and creative ideas while sticking to the project plan. If there’s something really urgent, they understand we have a tight timeline and will act accordingly. For starting off projects, we’ll have an in-person meeting. Outside of that, we only use phone or email to communicate.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Casual Films is a reliable and responsive company that listens carefully and offers innovative and creative ideas. Their team is very approachable, so if I need something urgent, they reply quickly.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. We’re really happy with Casual Films and while the cost could always be improved, their team is fantastic. They understand our needs and are really creative in terms of solutions.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Clients need to be honest and transparent with what they want to achieve and as well as with any potential challenges and concerns. They should speak openly about everything.