The Cuillin Collective Ltd

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Scientific Director of Systems Biology Laboratory

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Advanced DNA-based Microbiome testing for Urinary tract and Vaginal infections. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire The Cuillin Collective Ltd to accomplish?

• Produce a new explainer video

SOLUTION

How did you find The Cuillin Collective Ltd?

Online Search

Why did you select The Cuillin Collective Ltd over others?

• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Company values aligned
• Highly creative

How many teammates from The Cuillin Collective Ltd were assigned to this project?

1 Employee

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

To produce a new 1 minute long explainer video to showcase the method that we use in a relatable form that customers can underatsnd and appreciate. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The final explainer video met all of the requirements and more. We had previously used Cuillin to produce an explainer video and the new one matched the thematics beautifully. Both of these videos now sit wonderfully on our website.

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

Marc managed the project brilliantly with just the right level of information sent to me to keep me aware of the progress without swamping me. He also brought a lot of creative ideas to the process which I really appreciated. 

What was your primary form of communication with The Cuillin Collective Ltd?

Email or Messaging App

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

Personal service by Marc is incredible. He really understood the brief and added huge value to it. 

Are there any areas for improvement or something The Cuillin Collective Ltd could have done differently?

None. It was brilliant and I hope to work with him again.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Digital Communications Manager of Cairngorms National Park Authority.

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

The Cairngorms National Park Authority works to conserve and enhance the natural and cultural heritage of the area, promote sustainable use of the natural resources of the area, promote understanding and enjoyment (including enjoyment in the form of recreation) of the special qualities of the area by the public and promote sustainable economic and social development of the area’s communities.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire The Cuillin Collective Ltd to accomplish?

• Create a suite of videos for social media encouraging people to stand and vote in our Board elections
• Create a suite of videos showcasing different perspectives on the reintroduction of beavers to the National Park

SOLUTION

How did you find The Cuillin Collective Ltd?

Online Search

Why did you select The Cuillin Collective Ltd over others?

• Close to my geographic location
• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from The Cuillin Collective Ltd were assigned to this project?

1 Employee

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

Filming and production of two suites of accessible and engaging videos edited for social media.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Though some of our videos are yet to be published, the initial election suite saw greater numbers stand for election than before and a more diverse range of candidates and successfully showcased varied perspectives from across the National Park.

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

They were a pleasure to work with and demonstrated absolute professionalism, skill, and enthusiasm for the project. He was extremely flexible in meeting our needs and worked hard to deliver.

What was your primary form of communication with The Cuillin Collective Ltd?

• In-Person Meeting
• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Marc's personal approach, interest, and willingness to really be a part of the project and get to know the subject matter really enhanced the experience, but overall, Marc's flexibility and willingness to refine and make edits were really helpful.

Are there any areas for improvement or something The Cuillin Collective Ltd could have done differently?

No

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am co-founder and director of a Scottish start-up that invented a communication tool for deep space exploration that also enables inclusive meetings on Earth.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire The Cuillin Collective Ltd, and what were your goals?

Our objective was to create a short explainer video that communicated the problem with traditional face-to-face (in-person and video) meetings and how our technology solves it.

SOLUTION

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

We reviewed a number of providers, zeroed in on the Cuillin Collective through examples of the company's work and then choose them based on an initial meeting with Marc. Given our journey as a startup, we also liked Marc is a highly creative and independent thinker based on the Isle of Skye in Scotland.

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

We started with a discovery meeting that led to the drafting of a script that we co-edited. Marc then shared a range of styles for us to express a preference. Next he developed a storyboard linking the script to the animation. We chose from a range of voice over artists. Marc produced initial versions of the video and worked closely with us to make edits until we felt it was perfect.

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

Marc Smith completed all aspects of the project directly. He was excellent at listening to our feedback and implementing it precisely and rapidly. That is how we went from an end result that was really good to one that is perfect for us.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have had resoundingly positive reactions from everyone we have shared the explainer vid with. It helps us develop commercial partnerships.

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

Marc was dextrous in his use of short videos to screen share and explain certain elements of the work and what is involved. He was also quick to jump on a call when needed. Day to day comms was primarily through Slack. I found to be extremely responsive.

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

I was highly impressed that Marc managed to so succinctly tell the story of our technology, the problems that it solves, in such an impactful short video.

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

No areas for improvement. It was a thoroughly positive experience, we have a tremendously valuable asset as a result and I recommend Marc to others in the highest possible terms.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are a non-profit organisation, run completely by volunteers, supporting genealogists and family historians across the world who are engaged in one-name studies. I am the production manager and on the marketing team. We produce materials to interest our members and to encourage others to join us.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire The Cuillin Collective Ltd, and what were your goals?

We wanted something to explain what a 'one-name study' is in an attractive way. Part of our remit is education. We also wanted to encourage people to contact us, visit our website etc. The video was to be aimed mainly at the US and N. America market in the first instance, although we will produce other versions. We were on a very limited budget and wanted something short but informative and fun to watch.

SOLUTION

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

We considered a number of options. We ruled out the very cheap 'out of a box' suppliers. Some suppliers were well above our budget. We narrowed it down to three possibilities and spoke to them. I felt the Cuillin Collective would be the most inventive and responsive to our needs. The fact that they offered a discount for non-profits was also very helpful.

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

The initial stage was to agree a script and a general 'look and feel' for the video. Most of the script was written by us, as we know best what we do, but the look and feel came from Marc of Cuillin. We then went on to agree images, choose a voiceover artist, and agree the animation. Generally Marc came up with suggestions, which I then agreed or modified. I asked for lots of changes until I was happy with the whole thing and he was very willing to incorporate what I wanted into the final product.

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

I worked with Marc Smith. I found him to be easy to contact and to work with. On some occasions I sent images to illustrate what I wanted in addition to using the project management software he gave me access to. We also had video calls a couple of times to clarify what I wanted.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The video is only just going live on our website and will be used in social media and for virtual and live events. It is too soon to report on its success in getting our message out but it has been very well received by all the members who have seen it so far.

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

The tools provided for communication were very good and I always got a timely response to my emails and comments.

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

I felt I was dealing with someone who took a real interest in delivering a good product, rather than an employee just going through the motions. Marc was very patient with all the changes I asked for.

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

I think it would be useful to have known at the outset it could take lots of iterations and small tweaks to get the script right. Apart from that, I cannot think of anything that could be improved.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a Senior Development Officer with Paths for All (PFA). We are a small third sector organisation based in Stirling. Our vision is for a happier, healthier Scotland where physical activity improves quality of life and wellbeing for all. PFA’s aim is to significantly increase the number of people who choose to walk for leisure or travel, to create better environments for walking, wheeling and cycling and to influence policy at all levels to have an increased focus on physical activity.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire The Cuillin Collective Ltd, and what were your goals?

We wanted to create a suite of animations demonstrating simple exercises and stretches to help people move more during the working day. Our target audience is employees working from home during the Covid-19 pandemic.

SOLUTION

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

We had a tight turnaround time for this project and we wanted to work with someone experienced in video explainers and aminations who could bring a creative approach to the animations.

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

We provided the team with a brief of what we were looking for and some basic instructions for the exercises themselves. Cuillin Collective took this and created a set of characters to illustrate them with a subtle background that could represent either a home office set up or a workplace. Once we agreed these, Cuillin Collective then animated the characters demonstrating the exercises and we went through a process of alts to produce the finished film.

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

We primarily worked with Marc and the whole process was very easy and straight forward. Marc had a good understanding of what we were looking for from the brief and there was excellent communication throughout.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have shared the videos with our audience through blogs and social media and they have been well received.

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

We communicated through email and also through the project management platform Cuillin Collective uses. Draft illustrations and videos were shared using this tool and it was all very straight forward. Responses from Marc were always prompt.

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

They really were easy to work with, they understood the brief from the off which really helps!

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

No, not really, everything was straight forward and there were no issues at all with this project.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the co-founder and owner of a video production and animation studio located in Denver, Colorado.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire The Cuillin Collective Ltd?

I've worked with The Cuillin Collective both as a business owner and as a marketing consultant for nearly six years now. As a consultant, I hired Cuillin to help produce some animated explainer videos for several technology clients. As a business, we partner with The Cuillin Collective to assist us with the production of 2D animation when our internal animation capabilities are either fully scheduled with work and/or if we need some more complex animations done.

What were your goals for this project?

Our goals for every project we collectively work on together is to deliver the highest quality animation content to our customers.

SOLUTION

How did you select The Cuillin Collective Ltd?

I was introduced to The Cuillin Collective while working as a marketing consultant. I was always happy with the content they delivered so when I started my own video production company I knew I wanted to continue using them as a trusted resource.

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

We have produced well over 20 videos with The Cuillin Collective. These videos range from simple animated explainers used to help promote new products and services to more in-depth technical animations to help explain complex technologies and systems to prospective customers.

What was your vendors' project management or feedback process?

Because we've worked on so many projects together it's hard to say what our feedback process is. They essentially work as an extension of our company. As for project management systems, they use Mavenlink which makes the collaboration and asset organization process extremely easy.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Every project we've worked on with The Cuillin Collective has been well received by our customers. The work they produce always either meets or exceeds our expectations which is extremely important since they are operating as an extension of our brand when we work collectively.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow has been extremely effective. They are able to deliver quickly, within reasonable expectations, if needed. We are also based in the USA and they are not, so even with the time difference they are still always able to deliver on-time and make themselves available.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Everything they do is impressive. Whether it's creating illustrations, animating, or making revisions, they're always willing to go the extra mile.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Scientific Director of Systems Biology Laboratory

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Advanced DNA based microbiology profiling to identify infections.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire The Cuillin Collective Ltd to accomplish?

• Produce an explainer video to showcase our unique method

SOLUTION

How did you find The Cuillin Collective Ltd?

Online Search

Why did you select The Cuillin Collective Ltd over others?

• High ratings
• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from The Cuillin Collective Ltd were assigned to this project?

1 Employee

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

To provide a fully animatedand narrated  1.5 min explainer video based on a provided script/draft story board and using thematics carried over from a previous project

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Customer satistaction is very high. 

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

Marc was excellent at communicating progress and when there were decisions to be made. Marc was also very responsive to comminucation from me. 

No formal deadline was set but the final project was completed well within any expected timeframes. 

What was your primary form of communication with The Cuillin Collective Ltd?

Email or Messaging App

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

Marc has a fansatic ability to 'get' what is required as the end product and has a brilliant work philospohy to reach the goal. 

Are there any areas for improvement or something The Cuillin Collective Ltd could have done differently?

No, he is generally excellent !