Charles River Media, Inc.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the development director at Ceres, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. We are an advocacy organization that works to transform the global economy for a low carbon future. In other words, our group is a sustainability and climate advocacy organization. I am one of the three main directors and my terrain is handling major donors from the Western United States.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Charles River Media Group?

Our organization needed webcast production services. In line with the COVID-19 pandemic, our annual event, which generated a significant portion of our revenue, was forced to move from an in-person event to a virtual event at an acclaimed museum on the West Coast.

This task demanded a lot of work and had a number of challenges. One of which is working to retain our major sponsors while attracting new donors to our organization. We needed a team that could bring creativity to the table.

The 90-min webcast should also be a mix between a late-night television talk show and a telethon and include more than 20 different videos. The project required multiple video presentations and graphics as well as a live donation meter post, amongst other things. Another challenge was the production behind a live streaming broadcast between separate emcees from the West and East coast. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Charles River Media Group was the lead external agency for our live webcast. Their expert team led the planning stage and budgeting for the project. As the main leader, they were in charge of keeping track of the data and recording some talking-head videos via Zoom. The team delivered the live stream webcast which they hosted at their studio.

They collaborated with another creative agency for the collateral production design. Then their group worked with a film production company to produce half a dozen of the videos needed for the live event.

They hosted our main boss, the chief philanthropic officer, who was on hand to make a live request for donations, too

What is the team composition?

We had 4–5 direct contacts from their team. Don (Founder) was our main contact and he led the event’s production and also served as the director for the broadcast. There was a member who also oversaw the production, an employee who was in charge of the graphics, someone who operated the teleprompter, and a technical director.

How did you come to work with Charles River Media Group?

Our organization did a national search for a team that could work on our project, Since we initially decided that the event will take place in San Francisco, California, we talked to several production companies there. However, we ultimately decided to go with a Boston-based vendor because we’re also based here. 

Working with them was a good call because Charles River Media Group was also one of the lower-cost providers in our location. Our team could tell based on the reviews online that they were credible and had the right balance of experience for our project.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested a little under $20,000 for this project.

What is the status of this engagement?

The engagement ran from May–July 2020. Their team worked on the preproduction after jumping on board.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

In terms of metrics, Charles River Media Group helped the event become successful beyond our expectations. We measured the success based on the number of donations, the amount donated, the number of attendees, and the satisfaction of our key stakeholders. 

Upon doing multiple internal assessments across our departments, we didn’t have any negative comments for the webcast despite the challenges we faced.  They brought a lot of expertise and creativity to our end. 

How did Charles River Media Group perform from a project management standpoint?

Charles River Media Group was quite good in terms of the clarity and specificity of their planning. Their team worked well alongside ours and they guided us through our first event of this magnitude. They were uniformly professional, accommodating, and were incredibly responsive despite working from different states. The group was very nimble — they were able to adjust to make last-minute changes.

As for project management, Charles River Media Group provided us with clear inputs and resources that we used to create a master spreadsheet. Whenever there were tasks involving technical expertise, the team would engage with us directly and with other agencies. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Charles River Media Group had strong execution skills, good recommendations, clear communication, and a willingness to accommodate us.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We can’t say if this is a direct area of improvement for them but other competitors had more gloss and sheen to their works. But they came into our project with a very reasonable bid, so don’t hold that against them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Our advice is to be very serious about the planning stage. The live webcast was a success because both of our sides mutually prepared well for the complex event. When working with any productions, you should be clear on the outsets about the form and format for the roadmap.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I was the Technical Producer and Director of the LIVE fundraiser, hired via CBDMEDIC, a topical pharmaceutical brand that has created the first line of FDA Registered topical pain relief creams and ointments that infuse CBD along with other natural active ingredients.

ALL PRODUCTS are THC free, psychoactive. I have worked with CBDMEDIC as a producer, video director, photographer, copywriter, and voiceover artist. It is a unique relationship that has allowed me to wear many hats and demonstrate my value across multiple disciplines.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Charles River Media Group?

CBDMEDIC and the Arthritis Foundation (AF) formed an alliance shortly after the Covid-19 Pandemic became world wide in March 2020. AF had requested crisis funding in order to support the more than 54 million Americans living with arthritis. CBDMEDIC, utilizing their their current relationships, mobilized the majority of the company (now all working from home) to put together a fundraiser, a live "broadcasted" event, where celebrities would come together to challenge each other mentally, physically, and emotionally.

I called Charles River Media in need of a technical partner who would be able to help us navigate the new territory of online streaming, pre-recording, and understanding the do's and don'ts of creating content for this particular medium. We needed a technical partner who was professional, knowledgable, and flexible to help accommodate the fact that our teams were working across 10 time zones, with the run of show being adjusted up until the day of show.

Now, we didn't scope for the project to become this, but like with most projects, the best laid plans need to be adjusted on the fly, and Charles River was a champion for me and my team, as they didn't bat an eye in the face of challenges, they only offered solutions and a positive outlook. It was something that hadn't been done before, on a very condensed timeline with a hard deadline for us to go to air, and after coming out the other side, my team and I were beyond satisfied with the results and production value CRMG brought to the table. We wouldn't have been able to do it without them. Truly.

What were your goals for this project?

Our main goal was to create and present a top-level Celebrity Fundraiser that incorporated pre-recorded and live segments/challenges/conversations. That included coordination and create of a couple simple pre-record edits, graphics, as well being on the same page for the Run of Show.

Our target runtime was 2 hours. We achieved and surpassed this goal. Our fundraiser goals were separate from the production quality goals. We anticipated being able to produce and broadcast a professional production for Facebook LIVE and Youtube LIVE. This goal was met completely.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

CRMG was recommended to me by another Boston-based contact whom I have a lot of trust and respect for, and who owns their own production studio. After an initial conversation, I was sold on working with CRMG.

Describe the project in detail.

The scope and details of this project kept on changing and expanding almost on a daily basis. What started as an ask for a 4-6 person roundtable discussion hosted via Zoom conferences, turned into a 10 celebrity fundraiser event complete with ex-nfl players competing against each other in video conference challenges, interesting conversations with renowned Chef's and other celebrity personalities.

We wrote the script, and coordinated on logistics with CRMG, and we needed a partner that understood the nature of this unique event, and be a bit flexible with our team, and as those details changed, CRMG was flexible and accommodating!

What was the team composition?

Don, Jon, Mike, Ian..and ALL the other stars over at CRMG came together to help this production go off so well. When we first came in I was only working with Don, but quickly met and came to trust the others who were part of the team. Depending on what we were doing, wether it was going over the ROS or doing a pre-record session, or even on the night of the live event, CRMG built out their team to support whatever it was that was needed in the moment.

The pricing for the team expansion varied by activity, but it was always clear and concise when I needed an update from CRMG on how much of the scope was being used, and it was a quick and efficient process after the show to verify the hours and the final scope of the project.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our entire c-level team at CBDMEDIC, as well as our friends at the Arthritis Foundation were ecstatic with the quality and the flow of our production on Wednesday April 22nd, 2020. We did such a great job of making sure we had enough pre-recorded material, that the live elements we did have included were distinct and special to the broadcast.

Money was raised, the broadcast feed never faltered or went down due to technical difficulties, any production glitches on the part of CRMG were carefully, quietly, and quickly resolved without any external members of the production or planning team feeling the pressure on the night of the event. Like I said, we were incredibly lucky to have CRMG as our technical production partner in this fundraiser event.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

I would say that given the fact that CBDMEDIC had deployed much of their day-to-day workforce to help us produce this event, our lines of communication and workflow were as clear as they possibly could be given the amount of information flowing through our pipes. If anything it was bottlenecks on our end that actually made CRMG's job a bit more difficult (from a graphics perspective) that they handled beautifully and calmly, even though our graphics weren't finalized until hours prior to going live.

We communicated and shared documents via google drive which we found to be as efficient as possible give the short timeline. I am sure both sides would have loved to have MORE time to plan, schedule, and execute, however, that was not the situation, and we made the best of the time we did have to work.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I was really impressed with their fearless and accommodating nature in the face of a project that wasn't ideal. It was a beast, it was a challenge, I personally was concerned about a number of possible outcomes or technical snags that CRMG helped us circumvent and plan for.

They were a steady and trustworthy hand, and I knew that whenever I was on a call with Don or Jon or Mike, etc I would feel supported, on the same team, and reassured that no matter what was being asked or thrown at us, we had the team to see it through in a successful manner. Never a moment of panic! Despite many opportunities for such moments... : )

Are there any areas for improvement?

I couldn't have asked for more from this team. They gave it everything they had, they were flexible enough to understand the unique client and circumstances, and they did it all while safely physically distancing, keeping everyone in their studio clean and healthy, and they helped CBDMEDIC and myself look GREAT after this was all said in done. I hope we get another project like this JUST so that i can work with Don and the team again.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

My company, School of Motion, is an online school for Motion Designers. I am the founder and CEO.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Charles River Media Group?

We hired CRM to produce a 4-day shoot for us. We needed to capture a huge range of visual-effects and heavy shots, covering the gamut from green-screen elements to on-location narrative scenes.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to get a ton of production value from the shoot, and to get footage that was very specifically engineered to work for our visual effects goals.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

CRM was recommended to us by a friend of mine in the Boston production industry. She told us that Don and his company would be perfect for our needs.

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

CRM was involved in pre-production and production on the videos. We ended up shooting 6–7 completely unique setups and used multiple locations. They built sets, found locations, and made everything seamless.

What was your vendors' project management or feedback process?

They were unbelievably great to work with. Everything was kept on schedule and on budget.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We managed to shoot a very ambitious production in just 4 days. I'm not sure many production companies could have pulled this off.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow was smooth and easy. Don and his team are very responsive, and total pros.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The team was a blast to work with. At the end of the shoot, it felt like we'd been at summer camp and were sad to say goodbye. Their team is full of great people who are very talented.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Honestly, no. In this case, the production was 10/10.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the executive director of the Boston Groundwater Trust. We’re responsible for monitoring groundwater levels around woodpile-supported structures.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Charles River Media Group?

We needed resources to produce a video that explained what we did and why it was important.

What were your goals for this project?

Our objectives were twofold: first, we wanted the video to serve as an informational piece to educate the public about our service and the importance of monitoring groundwater levels; second, we wanted to illustrate the lengthy, expensive process of repairing a structure’s foundation if its woodpile becomes compromised.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I found them online and was impressed by their website and portfolio. After I reached out, they responded immediately.

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

What started out as an 11-minute video became three shorter pieces. Initially, they interviewed me and an engineer who specializes in repair work to gather background information. They then deployed a two-person team to capture the woodpile repair process for a building in Boston. It was a tough environment to work in, but they performed well and captured wonderful footage.

What was your vendors' project management or feedback process?

As I’ve mentioned, they interviewed us to educate themselves about the repair process and discuss our requirements. Once they captured the footage, they provided links for us to view the content and make comments.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

While we’ve yet to publish the videos, we’ve shown them to a limited audience and received enthusiastic feedback. We’re encouraged by the response and look forward to releasing the final videos in the coming weeks.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

They were very effective and maintained excellent communication throughout. Even when we decided to split the video into three parts, the team did a masterful job of rearranging the content. The new format flowed well and highlighted the importance of our work.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They were extremely knowledgeable and had a wonderful disposition. Additionally, they met all of our requests. Overall, it was a wonderful experience to work with such a skilled team.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No, nothing comes to mind. They’re a top-notch company all around.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m a program manager at a coaching and leadership development company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Charles River Media Group?

We hired them to produce high-quality recordings of our annual executive leadership event, including all dialogue between keynote speakers and our organization leaders.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to have a video of our event.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I found them by searching through local vendors.

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

They recorded several keynote talks and interviews as well as track learning and b-reel footage. The edited the video in post-production and delivered the final product to us.

What was your vendors' project management or feedback process?

They held open, honest communication and considered our needs and vision.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The entire experience, from project planning to execution, was flawless. The crew was highly skilled and good-natured. It was such a pleasure to work with them that we’ve hired them for this year’s event.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Their workflow was seamless, and we’re looking forward to working with them again.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I appreciated their ability to communicate. They were able to handle unexpected changes and situations in a professional yet personable way.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No, nothing comes to mind. They were always on top of things and responsive to our inquiries.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the multimedia manager for a global publisher of academic and research content. I overseeing marketing projects in video and other formats.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Charles River Media Group?

We needed to shoot a web ad that would promote a new service we are offering.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to raise awareness about our new service. We wanted to display it on our main services page and promote it through our social channels. We also wanted our customers to think about our company in a new way.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I have already worked with CRMG for over four years. They are one of my main go-to companies for sophisticated motion graphics and live-filming projects.

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

We provide CRMG with a basic concept and initial messages. They guide our ideas and show us how to translate them into a visual story. They're developing a script, which is going through many iterations to perfect our message. One of our biggest challenges is addressing our two different audiences in the same video. Their team asks the right questions to effectively manage this task. 

What was your vendors' project management or feedback process?

Project management and feedback are handled by their founder. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We do not yet have metrics and the project is still ongoing.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Our communication is good.  Their organization and management is top-notch but doesn't feel rigid and stressful. They maintain a nice balance that makes me feel good about choosing to work with them. All our communication is through emails and phone calls.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

CRMG offers high-end film production and consulting without the bloat and pretentiousness of working with an agency. They keep costs low by only bringing in the experts that are needed. I can always do a quick call with them to get my concerns addressed. Their founder takes a proactive approach with us; He takes the time to explain his reasoning and address our concerns.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I would prefer to work in a tool like Slack or Basecamp instead of just phone and email. However, I have already brought this point up with their founder.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Executive Director of TEDxCambridge. We produce an annual event for 2,500 guests that showcases the innovation, creativity, and inspiration found in Boston and beyond. We curate one of the largest independently organized TED events in the world.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Charles River Media Group?

We focused on incorporating additional camera shots and locations into our event. We hired Charles River Media Group to consult on the video pre-production and conduct video post-production.

What were your goals for this project?

We were aiming to capture more compelling and dramatic video footage of the TEDxCambridge speakers on stage, as well as the 2,500 guests seated in the audience.

SOLUTION

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

CRMG participated in several site tours, production meetings, and conference calls to evaluate video camera platform options and the optimal venue camera locations. They also worked with our team to review speaker scripts, ensuring that key moments were captured from all angles. Furthermore, they worked with our lighting design vendor to light the house properly so we could capture audience reaction shots. Finally, they provided on-site advice during the two-day event, as well as post-production services.

What was your vendors' project management or feedback process?

We worked closely with CRMG in all phases of the pre-production process, in collaboration with our audiovisual and lighting vendors, as well as the venue’s production director.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We captured and incorporated excellent audience reaction shots into the speaker videos. The quality of the video footage and the diversity of options we had during post-production were a direct result of CRMG's input. Their quick post-production enabled us to publish the videos the week after the event.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Our communication and workflow experience was outstanding. From participation in pre-production meetings and on-site consultations to sharing proactive feedback and insightful best-practices, which collectively saved us time and money, CRMG flat out delivers.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

CRMG has unparalleled video production expertise that positively impacts the quality of our events. We enthusiastically endorse their technical and creative capabilities in support of TED's mission: “Ideas Worth Spreading.” It's a pleasure working with such a talented group of video production professionals who share our passion for excellence.

Are there any areas for improvement?

We’re thrilled with our collaborative longstanding CRMG relationship. We highly encourage organizations to use their video production services.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

National Media Spots buys and sells media to our clients. We handle production and all aspects of media placement for TV, radio, digital, and mobile. I am the President, CEO, and owner.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Charles River Media Group?

We needed a company to work directly with our clients to produce TV spots, videos, and other forms of media in national, regional, and local networks.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We created a rate card that lists specifics for potential packages our clients can jump into. Once we determine what the client needs, CRMG looks over their existing media and decides whether to use that content or make recommendations for new commercials. Once we establish a budget and timeframe, they work with the client directly to produce whatever content they need. They’ve done a ton of videos and TV spots for us.

What is the team composition?

Don [Founder, Charles River Media Group] is the through-line in our relationship, but we work with everyone from producers to directors to editors, based on the needs of our clients. He provides whatever staff we need to get the job done.

How did you come to work with Charles River Media Group?

I either found them online or through a recommendation from a colleague. I’ve worked with them so long that I don’t remember anymore, but I’m so glad we found them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together about ten years ago, and we continue to use them for our projects.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our clients determine the quality, so it is subjective to each project. Generally speaking, CRMG produces a higher quality for lower cost, based on what we have seen. When we compare other scenarios from other production companies, we’re usually able to beat them. They’ve helped us work with some difficult personalities and rules with various clients, and are excellent at navigating their way through tough campaigns.

How did Charles River Media Group perform from a project management standpoint?

They do really well and are independent. We get a lot of challenging clients, and they’re very good at handling situations and satisfying the customers’ needs. Ten years is a long time in this industry, and they’ve done a great job managing the workflow throughout that time.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They save us a ton of time, eliminating most of our need to interact with the client on the production side. They’ve replaced our in-house production facility, and they’re good at working with our clients to meet their needs. They stay on schedule and within budget.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. We always talk about issues that crop up, and they make adjustments. The industry has changed a lot since we started working together, and they’re constantly able to come up with better rate programs and ways to market them. We have no major concerns or issues.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

It’s always important to know your needs and the client’s needs ahead of the process. Know the major points of the client’s products and services, and find out about their competition. Understanding the basic ins and outs of the industry will help determine the best media solutions for a given project. Preparation is key.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the Executive General Manager at Hasty Pudding Institute, which is an umbrella organization for several theatrical and historic organizations at Harvard. We also do arts philanthropy.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Charles River Media Group?

We had been filming our yearly student musical and celebrity events for a while, but our previous vendor was delivering a low-quality product. We were looking for a video production company to radically up the production value of our recordings and make them look more professional.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Our old videos were simplistic, shot with a single camera at the back of the theater. Charles River Media Group [CRMG] brought multiple cameras and came ahead of time to make sure the sound was working. When shot from different angles, our show looks much better. They edited the videos and within a week gave us the final version.

They've also made supercut videos of our award ceremonies, trailers, and commercials using the footage they had. They're skilled at finding compelling material and putting it together.

In addition, they digitized our back catalog, some of which was on DVD or VHS. They uploaded it on a Vimeo channel, which they also built for us, enabling quick access to the last 40-45 years of shows. We didn't realize that was even possible. 

Last year, on their initiative, we did a Q&A with celebrities – a public forum with the press– and had it live-streamed around the world. They gave us specific ideas about creating and managing our YouTube channel and other social media accounts.

What is the team dynamic? 

We worked closely with Don [Owner & Director, CRMG].

How did you come to work with them?

They worked with some other groups around Harvard and were looking for more clients. Since we wanted to leave our previous vendor, we reached out to CRMG.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent at least $50,000.

What is the status of this engagement? 

We started working with them in 2009, and it's an ongoing collaboration.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The quality of our videos went up dramatically since we hired them. Bringing the videos online helped us reach a much wider audience.

How did they perform from a project management standpoint?

We work collaboratively to make sure we get the best product. They're always on time and start planning things early. Don is available for phone calls when we need him and is good at responding to our emails. If there are any micro problems, Don calls me for clarification. They're straightforward, upfront, and honest about the cost - they discuss all of this prior to the event.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Our relationship is very casual and friendly, encouraging an open dialogue. They're invested and come up with new ideas that they think might work for us.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Come to them with an idea of what you want and some examples of videos that you've liked. They will explain what you can do on your budget and offer you the best thing. Have an open mind and you might get a better product and experience that you've anticipated.