Definition

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the senior communications manager at Xero, an accounting software company. We have nearly two million subscribers.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with TopLine Film?

We hired them to create case study videos that we could use for marketing and PR purposes.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

TopLine Film did a lot of the preliminary interviews, scripting, and organization of the shoot. They did some onsite interviews during the shoot, which my team couldn’t attend because we’re in the UK.

What is the team composition?

My main point of contact was Jamie (Managing Director, TopLine Film).

How did you come to work with TopLine Film?

We initially hired TopLine Film for their PR services, and they were really efficient. When we needed to create video content, I got in touch with the team lead we’d worked with. She introduced me to Jamie (Managing Director, TopLine Film). After I looked at some of their previous video work, we agreed on a budget and made the videos.

How much have you invested with them?

My company spent $20,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from 2016–2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We got really good feedback from our marketing team and other team members. The videos were well-received on social media and at some of our roadshows, which are huge events that host around 1,000 accounting partners.

How did TopLine Film perform from a project management standpoint?

Project management was really good, and we didn’t have any issues. The team was very efficient and helpful, and they delivered promptly. It felt like a relatively easy relationship from the start. My company doesn’t typically outsource video production because we have a really strong in-house video team, but I had confidence in TopLine Film. We communicated via phone and email.

What did you find most impressive about them?

TopLine Film understood our style. Their general communication wasn’t too much; they didn’t email me about every single thing, and they only contacted me when they needed my feedback, input, or signoff. The project was very efficient and clean.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I liked that they were independent and didn't burden me. This worked really well for me, but I suppose some clients would want more engagement.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure whatever you’re investing in has interesting and compelling content. Think about what you want to capture before you engage TopLine Film. They’re really good, and they will deliver.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the marketing, communications, and event manager at Pacific Life Re, a life reinsurance company that insures life insurance companies. We have offices located all over the world, mainly in London, Asia, Australia, and North America.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with TopLine Film?

We wanted to create a global recruitment video to promote our company. We wanted to showcase the fact that we employ people all over the world, as well as promote our company as a great place to work.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

TopLine Film created a global recruitment video, helping with the storyline and scheduling. At the start, we gave their team a brief about our vision and what we wanted to create. They came back with suggestions about who we should be interviewing and feedback on our ideas.

Since we wanted the video to be personalized, we flew their team out to our offices to film some of our staff. TopLine Film gave us guidance on interviewee questions. We sent them the questions beforehand, so they had a rough idea of the areas we wanted to cover. We didn’t want the interviews to seem scripted, so we figured out ways to structure what was asked. Their team also figured out where in the offices we should shoot, determining what locations had the best light. They also filmed a few generic shots of the offices and key city landmarks.

Their team has done a recap of that video, editing a few people out and adding clips in. Additionally, we hosted the first Women In Protection conference at our office last year. We had their team come along and film the event, putting together a promotional video that focused on the conference and committee behind it.

What is the team composition?

Sian (Senior Producer, TopLine Film) was our main point of contact. There were three or four people working on our projects.

How did you come to work with TopLine Film?

A few years ago, I saw TopLine Film at a conference and was impressed with their presentation. We really liked the content that they showed. When we went up to their stand, we saw a few of their videos. After taking a look at their website, we decided that TopLine Film would be a good fit for us in terms of their previous work. I got in touch with them and found them easy to work with. They were also responsive.

How much have you invested in them?

We spent between $50,000–$200,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with TopLine Film sometime in 2017, and the engagement ended in November 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve been pleased with how everything has turned out. Internally, the global recruitment video was shown to our staff, and we received positive feedback from various members, including our CEO. Our Head of Legal and Chief Writing Officer enjoyed it as well. We also received great feedback from our parent company. The Women In Protection committee and event attendees were happy with the conference video as well.

How did TopLine Film perform from a project management standpoint?

TopLine Film’s responsive team was helpful in every stage. I really enjoyed working with TopLine Film. We’re looking at them to assist with more videos in the near future. For communication, we used phone and email. We had a few face-to-face meetings when they came to our office.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their attitude was impressive. They were quick to come back, always friendly and approachable. Their team took the time to provide guidance on what would work best. We tended to give them a fairly vague brief and let them run with it. Our team was always impressed with the final product.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We do find them a tad on the pricy side. Historically, we’ve always have been happy with it because of their work, but it’s something I struggle with when it comes to working with their team on future projects.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I’ve always been pleased working with them. They’ve always been happy to run with whatever brief we gave them.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the project officer at Confucius Institute, part of the Institute of Education that is at University College London (UCL). Our main aim is to encourage students in the UK to learn Mandarin Chinese in school. We also teaching of Chinese educators and operate the Mandarin Excellence Program, which is trying to have 5,000 more students learning Mandarin across five years.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with TopLine Film?

Many teachers don’t have access to in-person student teaching to prepare them for the job. Particularly, if we have teachers coming from China to work in the UK, they’re often not able to practice their skills in a UK classroom before starting. We wanted to provide a resource for Mandarin teachers that gives a real-life insight into the experience of teaching in a classroom.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Starting out, they'd visit our office to discuss our plans for the project. Once we were confident in our ideas, we recruited teachers for a live-action lesson. TopLine Film explained the process and production of the film before going into schools and filming teachers educating in the classroom.

Following the shoot, they did all the editing and post-production for us. Their team hosted it on Wistia and helped us to put it on our website as well. They also gave us plenty of advice about hosting on our website. We had some issues running Wistia on our site, but TopLine Film worked very closely with Wistia to overcome all those challenges.

What is the team composition?

Our first point of contact was Jamie (Managing Director, TopLine Film). Him and Sian (Senior Producer, TopLine Film) helped us visualize and plan the project, Jamie handled the financial aspects of the project and the Sian took over the production of the project. Jamie was copied into all the emails, so I could contact him if Sian was away. On the days of the shoot, five crew members were present.

How did you come to work with TopLine Film?

We created a brief of what we wanted for the project and invited six production companies to tender for the project. After meeting each of them, we narrowed it down to three companies and went further with our questions. In the end, TopLine Film understood what we needed and fell within our budget.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together between February 2018–July 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve received great feedback on the videos from teachers. The live-action videos allowed them to get a sense of what it’s like to teach a UK classroom, despite never having been in one.

How did TopLine Film perform from a project management standpoint?

TopLine Film performed really well, meeting all deadlines. We usually communicated via email, but we initially had more in-person meetings in the ideation phase. When we needed to be in contact immediately, we used the phone.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re really well organized and great to work with.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I haven’t had any negative experiences with them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Sit down with them and tell them what you’re looking for.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am Content Manager at Goflbidder who are Europe's biggest buyer and seller of used golf clubs.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire TopLine Film?

Due to various aspects of the business changing over time our previous version of our service videos were no longer valid. TopLine was hired to re-produce these from start to finish.

What were your goals for this project?

• Increase brand awareness as new golfers are entering the market all the time.
• Reduce call volume by addressing FAQs
• Demonstrate how selling process work in a simple manner.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Invited TopLine and two other agencies to come in and pitch to us. They were the standout candidate.

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

TopLine managed the process form start (outline and scripting) to the conclusion (voice overs and delivery). One branding and awareness video in 9 languages and one selling process video in 8 lanugages.

What was your vendors' project management or feedback process?

Full feedback and review after each stage of the project to check we were entirely happy before moving on. Single point of contact made this very easy.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Strong initial engagement on all videos in particular the european selling one which were the main focus of our measurment.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Communication was regular and timely which made the process very easy. Clearly, they're a professional operation.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

TopLine Film is the definition of 'doing one thing well'. From start to finish I knew is was in the hands of the best and my project was going to be as important to them as the next, even if the budget wasn't.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I cannot find fault and hope to work with TopLine again soon.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Funding Options is the free marketplace for business finance, helping businesses find the right funding for their situation across the whole spectrum of business finance from 70+ lenders. I'm a marketing manager with a background in TV production, so ended up being the point of contact working with TopLine on a few video projects in 2017 and 2018.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire TopLine Film?

We had entered Nesta's "Open Up Challenge", a competition created to encourage innovation in financial services. With big-name competition in the running and six-figure prizes up for grabs, it was a big opportunity for us to cement our status as a leading fintech in the business finance space. A key part of the application process was a five-minute video which we hired TopLine to produce for us.

What were your goals for this project?

The key goal was to win one of the prizes, which amounted to grant funding worth £200,000. For the film specifically we had lots of dense material to get across, because the application to the prize focused on a user journey on our website. This meant lots of scrolling screens and moving cursors for TopLine to animate, and it was also really important to capture engaging narration from the bid team. In a nutshell, we hired TopLine to make a boring niche subject exciting and relevant to the judges!

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We've worked with a handful of video production companies before and TopLine were the clear standout, so we decided to work with them again.

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

Before filming day we shared some rough scripts and static images of the mocked up webpages that would need animating, and discussed potential narrative structures as well as the rough running order on the day. On the filming day the TopLine team arrived four-strong with lights and cameras to set up in one of our meeting rooms. We used a teleprompter for down-the-lens narration which doubled as voiceover for the animated screens. The first edit we received was almost spot on, and after some basic tweaks to the webpage animation sections we were done!

What was your vendors' project management or feedback process?

Our producer/director Sian has a knack for understanding the most important 2 or 3 points and weaving them into a coherent film — even if it's pretty dry material with lots of jargon — so we had a lot of help from her here to get things together. Down-the-lens narration isn't an easy thing to do if you haven't had practice, but the TopLine crew do a great job of coaching you through the initial awkwardness to get the takes they need for a good edit. Three of the four narrators had no experience of being on camera, but watching the final film you'd never know it! Overall a very easy and straightforward process with minimal feedback rounds needed to get the result.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We won the prize worth £200,000, and were one of only three companies to win both phases of the Open Up Challenge. TopLine produced the films for both of these winning entries and I believe the films played a large part in making our quite dense concepts easy to understand and appreciate.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

I have always found TopLine to be very responsive and eager to help, and in the editing phase they get things right first-time. This not only makes it easier to stick to the deadline, it also means less back-and-forth. Other companies I've worked with have needed 4 or 5 edits to get it right — TopLine normally only need one round of feedback and you've got a final cut.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The team is reliable, always on schedule, fairly priced and most importantly always delivering to the brief. I also think they do an amazing job of figuring out what you want — even if you're struggling to vocalise it or not sure what route is best. In the real world there often isn't time for detailed scripts or clear briefs, and TopLine have helped me figure it out three or four times now. Even when I feel like I don't know what's going on, we somehow end up with a film that makes perfect sense for the project.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I'm nitpicking here because I genuinely think TopLine get all the important things spot-on. The only downside has been availability — I suppose they're in demand!

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Marcom Manager of Teledyne e2v Semiconductors

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We offer high-performance, high-reliability semiconductor solutions, which help solve the most demanding problems of the complete signal chain. With a range of electronics and packaging solutions, we cater to applications in the space, military, civil avionics, industrial, medical and scientific markets.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Definition to accomplish?

• Promote a new product

SOLUTION

How did you find Definition?

Partner for several years

Why did you select Definition over others?

• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost

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

Definition created for us an animated video about our brand new product. Based on one hour discussion and first elements of script, Sian's team created the perfect video for us. They delivered the script, the styleframes for us to chose, the storyboard, and the animated video. They even provided social media images from the video.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

It's soon to have measurable metrics but our team is very happy with the video. We're sure it will be a great success!

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

Sian's team and herself are very organized. At the fist project call she described perfectly the following steps of the projects and everything went smoothly, as usual when working with Definition!

What was your primary form of communication with Definition?

Email or Messaging App

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

Their creativity and the fact that they're able to create an appealing video based on very technical details we provided stood out. We're always impressed by how Sian understands quickly our needs, even when the products we're working on is very technical.

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

I don't see any.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

 I am the Environmental Specialist of a Railway Company

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We run a railway service in London and the SouthEast

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Definition to accomplish?

• Create a video to concisely communicate our sustainability goals

SOLUTION

How did you find Definition?

Online Search

Why did you select Definition over others?

• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Referred to me

How many teammates from Definition were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

We wanted to create a short and captivating video which showcases our sustainability goals and gives and overview of what we are doing in this space.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Quick turn around and good response from key stakeholders

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

Delivered everything on time and even before the delivery date in some cases. Every request was seen to and our video producer (Grace D.) was amazing at getting our requests brought to life. Grace was really helpful and always available to talk through any queries we had.

What was your primary form of communication with Definition?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

The helpfulness and creativity of the employees

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

No! The whole process was really smooth.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Sharegain is a well-established Fintech company with unique technology. We are quickly democratizing the $2.5 trillion-a-day Securities Lending market and enabling all beneficial owners to lend their stocks, bonds, and ETFs (just like the global giants have been doing for 60 years). My role is Marketing Manager.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire TopLine Film?

Video production.

What were your goals for this project?

Increase brand awareness and present a complicated concept in a digestible format.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Ask for various quotes and proposals. TopLine Firm gave the best proposal. 

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

They reviewed the script and decided on storyboards, the video style, and voiceovers for the video. 

What was your vendors' project management or feedback process?

They were very receptive to feedback and quick to implement. The reviewal stages provided the opportunity for feedback at every stage.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We received good feedback on the video and it quickly gained the most engagements we ever had on a post. Our company page grew significantly following the video.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Working with TopLine Firm was very productive, as they were very easy to work with and very punctual. The quality of the work speaks for itself.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their listening abilities. They were extremely good at taking onboard and implementing feedback.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No. We couldn't be happier with the process or the end product.