Form Films

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a senior account director of an Atlanta-based food and beverage marketing company servicing global brands that are mainly in a B2B context.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Form Films?

One of our clients asked us to put together a short film on e-food service in a global context to describe to key stakeholders at the organization who were unfamiliar with the term. They were preparing to do a presentation to the board asking for funding, so the film was to set the stage for the meeting purpose and not waste time describing the category.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We provided them with the script and they animated against it. They put together an explainer video based on that. They partnered with an illustrator that we’d been working with, so they did some graphic and stock video sourcing. They handled the VO, edits, and the whole compilation of the video, which ended up being between 6–7 minutes in length. 

Their team was also responsible for the talent search based on my requirements. This involved providing us with talent options and we selected one. 

What is the team composition?

I worked directly with two people primarily including an editor, and a third person joined at the end

How did you come to work with Form Films?

My client asked me for a quick turnaround on the video, so I started making rapid phone calls to make it happen. I asked our illustrator that we work with if he had the capacity to take on the project, and he suggested Form Films because he’d worked with them before. A few days later, we were on the phone with Form Films working together. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between $10,000–$12,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together in June 2020. The project took around three weeks. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our client was incredibly happy. The process went smoothly and all the expectations were clear. The meeting got rescheduled, so we don’t have any anecdotal feedback yet. However, the client is extremely pleased and has nothing but nice things to say. Everyone who has seen it loves it. 

How did Form Films perform from a project management standpoint?

They had an all hands-on approach and everyone’s role was to keep the project moving. No one likes to work with a super strict timeline as creatives, but they were open to it. Sometimes, a team won’t adhere to a timeline, but they absolutely did. They were a little reticent at the start since they didn’t know me and didn’t want to set themselves up for failure with the timeline, but we had a good conversation to convince them we were like-minded. 

Everyone was on the same page from the beginning and we only went through one round of revisions. It was one of the smoothest projects I’ve worked on, especially for a bunch of people who’d not worked together before. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were incredibly responsive, adhered to deadlines impeccably, and the final product was fantastic. Everything went seamlessly and easily, which is what you want in every situation, but especially under a deadline. I wouldn’t hesitate to work with them again and I hope it leads to more video work for this client and others, as well. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I’m confident we can resolve it, but the bill we just received is a bit more than we expected and is about a 10% overage. I had approved the stock video purchase, but never got the actual cost of it, so if things weren’t moving so fast I would have wanted to know the details and cost first. There are also some VO edit costs that weren’t communicated, which will be hard to explain to my client, too. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

They’re a great partner, reasonably priced, open-minded, and work well collaboratively.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder and CEO of a nonprofit. We have an anti-malaria initiative in different African countries where we have provided efficacy studies in the field, introduced a nature-based repellant, and set up small businesses so that people can self-protect.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Form Films?

We needed a three-minute video for our anti-malaria initiative.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

It was too expensive to travel to Africa, so Form Films collected footage and photos from Africa instead. They sourced 98% of the footage and were only able to use a few pictures of ours. When we created the script, it was a collaborative process. Form Films took the process from there.

What is the team composition?

We worked with 3–4 people. Lisa (Producer / Account Manager), Kevin (Executive Producer), and Andy (Director & DP) all worked closely with me throughout the process. Someone else joined at the end for editing.

How did you come to work with Form Films?

We had a donor in Atlanta who had been part of our work. They came up with the idea of a video to help us raise more money, and they already knew of Form Films. We flew to Atlanta and met them for brainstorming, and it turned out well. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $15,000. Our donor paid for their services.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project started in February 2020. We planned to deliver by March 25, but COVID-19 delayed our deadline. We finished it in April 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Everyone has loved it, but we haven’t received a huge viewership. All of our events were canceled because of COVID-19, so we couldn’t show it widely. However, the people who paid for the video were satisfied, and when I sent it over to our African staff, they loved it. In fact, our main director for the repellent project cried when he saw it! I would never call a video a film, but I would call what they did a film. It’s high-quality, professional, and cinematic. I hope a lot more people see it.

How did Form Films perform from a project management standpoint?

It was easy to work with them. Form Films responded quickly and worked efficiently. They really listened to us. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their personalities made the work really easy. Their professionals had ways to guide the process, but if I ever had some feedback, they found the perfect ideas to match my needs.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t think so. 

Any advice for potential customers?

Form Films allows you to be as involved as you want to be. They can run with it if you can’t get more involved, which was my case. I have them some ideas and thoughts, and they went from there. If you give them a good sense of what you hope to achieve, they can do a good job of delivering what you need.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of marketing and communications at a large private school.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Form Films?

We hired Form Films for marketing purposes. Essentially, we were trying to appeal to a wide range of parents. The parents of the students in the preschool are a different audience than those who are looking to send their child to a high school.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Form Films handled our video production efforts. They completed a video for our website as well as smaller video projects, handling all of the pre- to post-production stages. Their team created a video viewbook that serves as a digital brochure of pictures of the school. We were trying to capture the life of the school in an authentic way. The video was edited in a photo-journalism style and had a glossy feel to it.

What is the team composition?

It was Kevin (Partner & Executive Producer) and Andy (Partner & Director), and their crew of 2–3 people.

How did you come to work with Form Films?

I’ve known Kevin for more than 10 years. He has a great personality and is a creative go-getter.

How much have you invested with them?

We invested around $15,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The engagement last from April 2018–October 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Everybody loves the video; it’s terrific. It’s exactly what I hoped and envisioned it to be. In the end, Form Films produced something that is on par with some of the most prominent academic brands in the country.

How did Form Films perform from a project management standpoint?

One of their many strong attributes is their thoroughness in providing feedback after meetings. They’re great at organizing their thoughts and taking notes on what I said during meetings. This helps them stay on track of the things I’ve asked for. Since I’ve known Kevin for so long that he knows how I operate.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They over-deliver on expectations. When I approach them with an idea, within no time, Kevin will think of 2–3 tweaks to my original vision. Out of those 2­–3 tweaks, all three or at least most of them end up being something that makes the project better. They took my ideas and enhanced them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Approach the engagement with a solid idea and vision of what you want. Kevin is a technician, but he’s also an artist. He needs to know where the edges of the canvas are so he can work within that space.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of Better Way Health, we sell health supplements online, focused on immune system products.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Form Films?

We hired them to help us communicate our message effectively and professionally. Our product has been backed by science and studied at major universities, so we wanted a video that communicated and matched the excellence of our product.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They’ve done a variety of videos for us, everything from videos for order confirmations to refund processing. Some videos are customer testimonials and review compilations. They create videos for the entire customer journey. They do a combination of shooting videos in a studio and editing footage our customers have sent in. 

What is the team composition?

Kevin (Executive Producer) is my main point of contact, but Andy (Director) and others on the team support us as well. 

How did you come to work with Form Films?

I met Kevin at a conference and he explained his work. After seeing some examples, we partnered on an initial project. They knocked it out of the park and we’ve brought them on for all the other videos. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $300,000 on their services. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in January 2018 and our engagement is ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Tracking our conversion rates on the pages we add video content to shows us a 20% increase. We’re seeing a significant impact from their work. The final products and services they provide are very well done. They always know how to communicate our message well. 

How did Form Films perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re perfectionists, which can drive me crazy in a good way, so they’re very organized and efficient. Monday is used to track the project. They always know everything about wardrobe, colors, staff on set, and all the details about each video.

They love staying on schedule and having a plan, so it’s great. They’re always able to get a lot of work done in a short period of time. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’ve worked with a lot of video agencies before, but Form Films is able to take our concept and deliver a final product that matches my vision.

Other agencies typically deliver work that needs a lot of edits and revisions to match our brand and desires. When it might take a different company 10 shots, Form Films can do it in 1–2. 

It’s been beneficial to work with a team outside of our industry because they understand our customer’s perspective, when we can sometimes be too deep in the weeds. They do a great job thinking about how our audience would view our product for the first time. They’re passionate and it helps produce the best product.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I don’t have any criticism for them—they’re pros. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

If you’re looking for a partner, that’s how I’d describe Form Films. If you want a media and film partner, they’ll be able to deliver something intentional without needing to be over-managed, they are the right people to work with. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the chief marketing officer of Hope4Cancer Treatment Centers, an organization that uses non-toxic cancer treatments.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Form Films?

We wanted to update our brand. Our website had been built by our chief science officer a long time ago. So, we were looking to improve our videos to better tell the stories of our patients and our organization. We wanted to build awareness of our brand, giving people a better understanding of exactly what we are about.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

One of the first projects was called “I Am Hope.” Form Films filmed it in San Diego outside one of our centers. We rented a space and brought in some of our patients to tell their individuals stories. 

Kevin (Executive Producer) did all of the interviews with the patients and Andy (Director) and the rest of the team did the production and filming. They then combined those into one cohesive story that was about 9–10 minutes in length. 

The team also produced educational videos for us which play in the clinic every single day. We’re going to continue to engage with them.

What is the team composition?

We usually work with between 4–7 teammates.

How did you come to work with Form Films?

They were referred to us. We then met with Form Films and had a good feeling. We’ve been working with them for three years now and I consider them close friends. 

How much have you invested with them?

We began working with them a little after I began working at Hope4Cancer Treatment Centers in October 2016. Our engagement is ongoing. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve spent between $450,000–$470,000 in total.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our “I Am Hope” video had 5.7 million views and 10,000 shares on Facebook. Every time I walk into our treatment center in Cancun, I hear someone talking about the video. People talk about our videos on social media and in person. 

The videos have allowed other people to experience our patients’ experiences. The team does a great job of capturing people and telling their true stories. When we look at the analytics of our website, we can see that the pivot in the visitor journey is when they see someone else’s experience to which they can relate.

How did Form Films perform from a project management standpoint?

Their communication is great. We Slack internally and they also use their own project management software. When they show up, they’re more than prepared to do the work. They’re always very respectful of the environment they’re in and the people they work with.

We stay in constant contact when we’re working through projects so there’s no lag time. Additionally, they’re really good at getting work done on time because of our constant communication.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I really can’t say enough good things about them. Form Films has a team of good people. Their employee retention speaks to how great they are. You’re gonna get more than what you’re looking for when you work with them. We came to them with a simple idea and they morphed it into something incredibly beautiful. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I have no suggestions. Right now we’re on a holding pattern because of Coronavirus. But we’re going to continue working with Form Films. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be open to communication. Andy and Kevin balance each other well and are a great resource. Communicate your vision and continue to work with Form Films to create something great. They ultimately have the customer in mind over everything else. So, they want to hear your ideas in order to visualize them.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I work for what’s now called Mitsubishi Electric Train, HVAC. We’re a provider of ducted and ductless heating and air products. We were the first ones into the market, and the market has grown significantly. We have 30+ competitors now. I’ve been doing video production in-house since 2014.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Form Films?

We didn’t have video production capabilities in-house when I started, so I needed someone to help me with post-production work.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Probably 95% of his work is editing services. We’ve had the resources to produce one video a year since 2016 where they do the whole thing for us, and we’ve produced a couple of really, really nice pieces that we still use to this day because they showcase us and what possible in the HVAC space.

Primarily, the videos are interview driven with a lot of B-roll. They try to tell the story of the customer and how our product made everything happen. It’s always been about the people and story. They’re good at taking what I shoot and pulling out and crafting that story.

We’ve got several different categories that we shoot based on if it’s in a home or a business, as well as how many people are on camera. There have been technical videos as well, more how-to videos. Those become a 2–4-minute piece about how to use our products.

What is the team composition?

Primarily, I work with Andy (Director, Form Films). There are 2–3 editors I can work with at any time depending on the project. I also work with Kevin (Executive Producer, Form Films).

How did you come to work with Form Films?

Andy was doing some stuff on the side and I told him what I needed. We were a good match. Once he started Form Films, we started working together formerly.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $500,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working together since March 2016.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They’re the epitome of customer service because they go above and beyond. They continue to delight me, making my work so easy. I can hand off the footage and trust that they can craft a good story. I think maybe, of the hundreds of things they’ve edited, there’s been a handful I’ve had to tweak. The first pass through, they make a great piece that does exactly what we need to do and tells the story.

They’ll express their opinions when they feel its time but will always ultimately defer to what I want, what I need. Back in 2017, they produced a movie trailer featuring a fishing lodge, and everyone is blown away when they see it. I’d love to do more of it if I had more of a budget. I can be nothing but complimentary of these people. They’re amazing to work with.

How did Form Films perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re very much on top it and keep me in the loop. They’ve been using a platform called Frame.io for all the reviews, and it’s a great place for us to comment on an edit. There’s constant communication. Andy and I are probably texting or emailing every day, whether we have a project going on or not. I drop by there once a month just to hang out and because I want to. How often can you say that about a vendor?

What did you find most impressive about them?

I jumped into this video role thinking I could figure it out myself, and they took the awful stuff I did early on and crafted it into a smooth piece. As I’ve grown my skills and experience, they’ve continued to raise the bar on what they do with it. They’re always able to pull the story out and get me edits I didn’t think about when I was shooting on set. I trust them to give me a great product 100%. I never have any concerns or hesitancy that they’re going to deliver.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The only line I kind of toe with them is that they want to be involved in more stuff but I’m limited in what I can do with them because of my budget. They’ll reach and push in areas and offer their help, but I have to nudge back. I can’t fault them for trying, but it’s the only time I have to put my foot down.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

From the perspective of video production, people go into it looking for something quick and cheap a lot of the time. Form isn't super expensive, but you pay for quality and they take time to do it right. They can turn stuff around fast and work from a script, but their strength is showing them a direction and trusting them to put their spin on it. If you can give them that flexibility, you’ll be pleasantly surprised with what you get.