handplayed

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the campaigns and digital officer at a foreign embassy. I work within the communications and prosperity team.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with handplayed?

For five years in a row, we’ve run an initiative to empower young girls. The program’s goal is to give girls awareness of the challenges that women face, provide them with the opportunity for their voices to be heard about issues they’re interested in, get them interested in diplomacy, and show them how it’s possible to make a change.

Usually, we organize an essay competition, and we pair the winners with ambassadors. They shadow the ambassador for a day. We wanted to do something different for the campaign's fifth anniversary and look back at the previous four years. We wanted to showcase the previous winners and how their lives have changed and how the initiative has positively affected them. For this, we wanted to create a short documentary film, so we hired handplayed. 

SOLUTION 

What was the scope of their involvement?

handplayed produced a short documentary for us, handling all aspects from pre- to postproduction. First, we told them our idea and what we wanted to be included, and they gave us practical advice on how it would be best to put it into video and how it would look best.

From there, they wrote a proposal and helped us choose who the best participants would be since we couldn’t include all the past winners. We made a shortlist of 10 girls and put handplayed in contact with them. The team interviewed all of them to choose the three featured in the documentary. They also gave us a timescale of how things would develop, including the exact shooting days and what they would include in the footage. 

handplayed used their own equipment to film three of the previous winners and some other participants, such as our ambassador and the campaign's patron. Filming took place in different places around the country; they traveled to two locations outside the city. The team also handled post-production and advised us on what kind of background music to include. The final product was around 20 minutes long.

What is the team composition?

The crew included five people. However, handplayed sometimes work with freelances, so I’m unsure how many of the team were permanent employees. At least three of the five people involved were from handplayed, though.

How did you come to work with handplayed?

When we decided to make this documentary, we did some Google research. We made a shortlist of the 10 best and most famous film production companies in Bulgaria and their previous project. Then, we contacted all of these companies, conducted interview calls, and they sent us written proposals with budgets and their initial vision of the project. We had a panel within our organization that consisted of three teammates to discuss our options. 

handplayed’s proposal was the most professional one. They were the most prepared of the companies we spoke to, and they were the only ones that sent us a presentation of their companies, services, and their exact vision of the project. The team also gave us the most realistic budget; some companies gave us too high prices. Ultimately, choosing handplayed was very easy, because we were very impressed with them from the beginning, 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent 26,000 Bulgarian lev (approximately $15,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from December 2021–March 2022.

SOLUTION

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

Other people within our organization and I were really happy with the end result. The documentary was even better than we had initially envisioned. Plus, handplayed delivered on time, and we screened it during this year’s event.

How did handplayed perform from a project management standpoint?

We mostly communicated via Microsoft Teams. We had regular weekly calls with them, sometimes even more frequently if they were needed. We also exchanged a lot of emails. I joined them personally for some of the shootings that they did just to look at the process on the spot, so I met them in person.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I was impressed by how easy and smooth communication with handplayed was. The team was open to our suggestions. We changed our vision and requirements a few times throughout the project, and they responded very quickly to those changes. 

Additionally, they were very professional, and I appreciated their creative ideas and input. We’re not professionals in documentary-making, and the handplayed team provided very useful insight into what would look best in the footage.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We had no issues with handplayed; I can only say good things about working with them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I would just advise you to contact them and be really open about what you would like to achieve. Also, listen to handplayed’s input and advice and take it on board— they’ve done this quite a few times, and they know what they’re doing.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm a Media Consultant for a Network Marketing company specialising in natural health products.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire handplayed, and what were your goals?

We needed a company to handle post-production for a virtual event we filmed in Sofia, Bulgaria, due to our team not speaking Bulgarian.

SOLUTION

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

I looked for post-production companies across Bulgaria to help with this project on Google and found that Handplayed jumped out to me the most.

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

We started by giving Leda an initial brief, she then came back with an in-depth breakdown of costs. We then agreed on deadlines and provided them with the footage once it was ready, after two rounds of revisions, they provided us with all of the footage edited into individual slots for us to put together in a final timeline.

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

We worked with Leda who managed the editing team for us, once they provided us the initial videos, we were able to leave comments on Frame.io for the editing team, we then had a quick call with Leda and the lead editor Mitko to ensure they understood our feedback. They then went away, implemented that feedback and provided us with final videos.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

All of our Distributors as well as the corporate team were very impressed with the final event. It simply wouldn't have been possible to achieve such a high quality event without Handplayed's support.

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

The project manager was very responsive and super easy to communicate with, their lead editor was also very knowledgeable and helpful when it came to giving us ideas or suggestions.

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

Their attitude was great and they hit deadlines early. Overall, it was a very good experience.

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

The only minor piece of feedback we have is they initially shared a project link to Frame.io with us, which caused a slight issue on their end as all of our staff ended up making accounts. But that is also down to us not communicating the size of the review team properly.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Management Financial Group holds together various companies that specialize within the credit or foast loan industry. I am a brand manager, and I’m mainly responsible for all communications towards our end-consumers. I’m also responsible for various companies, and while working with handplayed, I was overseeing a credit card company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with handplayed?

In our country, most of the companies that operate in our segment use a lot of humor in their commercials. We wanted to do something totally different from that. We were trying to come up with a communication that is different from the standard — one that would differentiate our brand.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We first organized a pitch and sent the brief to handplayed. It was a collaborative process in that we discussed our ideas as partners and not as vendor and client. Their team worked with us to develop our creative vision, refine the script and storyboard, and address any issues before going into production. They also had us meet with different directors so we could choose who we wanted to work with.

At the end of day, we were able to complete a 32-second video. The handplayed team essentially provided full-service video production in that they also casted the actors, scouted the filming location, and handled postproduction. 

What is the team composition?

I was in constant contact with one person, but we generally worked with three people. We relied on handplayed to source the other needed roles. 

How did you come to work with handplayed?

I had already worked with handplayed during my previous employment. They were initially recommended by a friend. I remember choosing them before because, apart from having the most affordable services, they provided good directors. The fact that their CEO personally ensured the quality of the output also left a good impression. Since then, whenever I would have a project, I would always invite them to participate in the pitch.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between $50,000–$100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in December 2021, and the work was completed in March 2022.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

At the end of the day, what we shot was a little different from our original idea, but we like it more because it was brought about by a collaborative process and not just one-sided creativity. We feel that it is is the best commercial that has been shot for our company in the 17 years that it’s been around. 

It’s still too early to tell the impacts of the video, but what handplayed produced is high-quality. We are very satisfied with how it was shot and how the whole process was organized. Their team was very cooperative, extremely fast, and extremely effective. 

How did handplayed perform from a project management standpoint?

They did everything from A to Z which made my job very easy. They also never missed a deadline and even managed to deliver the final product earlier than we expected. From my perspective, they really went the extra mile. We liked that they were very responsive and effective with their communication, and we were mainly in touch through email and phone.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The handplayed team was extremely effective, and they made things happen. They were not afraid to tell us when an idea wasn’t great. Most of the production companies here don’t care about either the deadlines or the quality of the final product, but that wasn’t the case with handplayed. I’ll be sure to get in touch with this team again for our next project becasue I know they will deliver.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there’s nothing they could’ve done differently for this project. We did, however, raise some weak points when it came to planning during our other projects. Sometimes, they would come up with an idea that wouldn’t be tested, and we would need to urgently come up with additional things on the day of the shoot itself. 

That wasn’t the case this time around, though, because they took all of our prior feedback into consideration. It ended up being the smoothest commercial production process I’ve ever participated in.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

My advice is to listen to their ideas because they’re extremely experienced professionals. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm a Deputy CMO at TBI Buy. We provide a mobile platform for loyalty, buy now pay later, and marketplace in Bulgaria.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire handplayed, and what were your goals?

Our product is a bit complicated, so we wanted to create three videos that could explain our product’s features in an easy-to-understand way. Our goal was to have a visual demo of our product to show potential users or partners. We also posted the video on our social media channels to drive downloads of the app.

SOLUTION

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

We looked for video production companies in Bulgaria via portfolio and previous projects we’ve done together. After reviewing 3-4 proposals we chose this vendor because of their affordable price and personable team

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

We started with a project brief and a scope of work definition. They worked with us to understand the product and clear the details. We provided the script and they created the storyboard following our brand guidelines and approach. In the end, they delivered 3 videos - 1-2-minutes each. They arranged the VO recording and editing process.

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

We worked with a project manager who outlined the project and kept us informed. After each preview, we would give her feedback, and she’d communicate it to the animators. They shared their work via easy-to-access links and made it easy to review.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

All of our colleagues really liked the videos. We were able to help our sales team sell the product to partners and help our social media channels grow via more content for final users

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

The project manager was easy to communicate with through email and phone. If smth needed to be changed – both sides informed each other on time. Sometimes we had meetings including the animators which made the process faster.

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

They took the time to learn about our product, even though they hadn’t worked with such a product before. They were able to suggest new ideas and improve the script, making the final video better.

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

I wish we could get more proactive ideas and animated elements in the last video we created together. But they still did a good job communicating the key features in the video as well as the perfect job they did with the first two videos.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Julieta Jeleva, Brand Manager of WPX. WPX is a WordPress hosting company, both technologically and financially independent and our main goal is to provide the fastest possible service by having both the fastest server platform and the fastest tech support.

We believe this is what our clients need - solopreneurs, online marketers, change seekers, people with some great idea or a cause, who need a fast performing and reliable online presence, but who also are not techies. And indeed they don’t need to be. We do the tech stuff, so they can focus on their ideas.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire handplayed, and what were your goals?

In order to own the history of the company and the brand so far and to establish our image, spirit, identity, and purpose in the way we want the world to see us, we had to tell our story in our own words and in our own way. Handplayed was one of the studios we pitched for the project.

SOLUTION

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

The brief included only a production approach, but Handplayed presented a completely new creative concept which even now communicates our brand values successfully. Choosing the right partner was e no-brainer in this case.

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

1. Clients' Brief
2. Production Studios Presentations
3. Production Studio selection
4. Scriptwriting
5. PPM
6. Filming
7. Editing
8. Approval

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

We were working with a producer who was strictly keeping us informed every step of the way. The communication was two-sided and easy-going. He was responsive to requests, comments, and feedback. The workflow process between the creative team, the WPX team, and Handplayed was smooth and the Producer contributed to maintaining that flow.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

This campaign was WPX's first image communication and an essential part of the brand's positioning. The concept and the videos in particular, successfully made WPX more recognizable among potential customers by 20%. The videos generated more than 2 million views during the campaign.

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

The producer demonstrated understanding of WPX's business, goals and the role of communication. Meeting deadlines and attention to detail was expected and also exceptionally delivered. The previews were shared through mega.nz.

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

They were passionate in developing our brand and achieving our business goals, showed a proactive approach throughout. They even proposed a whole different approach to the task.

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

I can't think of anything.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am member of the managing board of a non-profit patients association - HepActive, an NGO that work with people with viral hepatitis. I also have a background and 15+ years of experience in advertising

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire handplayed, and what were your goals?

Every year we make a national campaign in Bulgaria, that aims to give information and raise awareness about viral hepatitis. Usually we ensure free testing for a certain period of time to motivate people to check their health status. Hepatitis B and C are still a huge problem in Bulgaria (314 000 people infected according statistics), and the main issue is that usually it does not come with any symptoms.

The main goal was to create a campaign that provokes you to consider testing, even if you "feel ok". So we decided to use real patients stories that helps the audience to recognize themselves among them.

SOLUTION

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

I have a lot of experience with Hanplayed over the years, using their services for commercial and NGO's projects. We briefed the company directly, without pitch, to create an online video for our campaign.

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

When we were ready with the initial script, we had a meeting to discuss details and timeline. We started to contact patients, willing to tell their stories, and Handplayed organized the process - finding a location, coordination with team and cast.

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

We had a producer, dedicated to the project, and we were in close communication all the time. The feedback was always met in time and according to best quality of the video.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The project is still ongoing, but the first results (engagement and reactions online) are great.

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

Easy going and friendly.

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

They always strive to give the best end result, regardless of the project or budget. Working with them for me is a guaranty for quality.

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

Maybe, but hard to think of one.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the digital marketing manager at an international company called Körber Supply Chain.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with handplayed?

We needed their skills in video production.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We kicked off our engagement with handplayed through a brainstorming phase, wherein we exchanged creative ideas with their team and finalized our storyboard for the videos. handlplayed also interviewed our staff and customers to identify more brand-related strategies they could incorporate in the videos.

Upon concluding the pre-production stages, they then went to the warehouse of our customer to conduct the drone shooting for the virtual tour. They shot detailed clips and angles of the warehouse for two days and wrapped up with one 15-minute promotional video and a shortened two-minute version, which we needed for our YouTube channel.

Their team's post-production work was comprised of subtitling for our German audience and editing the clips to fit our branding and the event where we featured the videos. handplayed already accomplished all their deliverables.

What is the team composition?

Virginia (Head of Production) was my main point of contact, and we worked with a team of five resources.

How did you come to work with handplayed?

They were recommended to me.

How much have you invested in them?

We spent about €10,000–€15,000 (approximately $12,000–$17,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

The engagement ran from July–September 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

handplayed produced striking videos that were warmly received by our team and customers — at least 180 people watched the virtual tour during the event we launched, and we were happy to receive endless affirmations. Everyone found the videos interesting and informative because our solutions in the warehouse of our customer were effectively highlighted in each clip featured. handplayed implemented changes within quick turnaround times to address our feedback and refine the quality of the videos, resulting in quality deliverables that made our business stand out.

How did handplayed perform from a project management standpoint?

We communicated via Microsoft Teams and email. Everything was handled smoothly because we only had one contact person who clearly relayed each project phase to us. Virginia understood our needs and communicated those efficiently to her dedicated team. Additionally, handplayed was a personable and transparent company that delivered cost-efficient solutions that were even less than our budget.

What did you find most impressive about them?

What stood out about handplayed was their creativity, which was executed well from the conceptualization to the production stage. They didn't stick to implementing our ideas alone; they gave us insightful ideas which helped us flesh out more innovative and spot-on solutions.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They delivered results that exceeded our expectations — I honestly didn't encounter anything that needed improvement. Working with handplayed was a rewarding experience, and we wouldn't hesitate to engage them again in the future.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Hire them and expect to make the most of your engagement. Their expertise truly lies in video production, and you'll see that through their deliverables.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO & co-founder of Inspect HOA, a PropTech startup. We provide due diligence for investors who buy residential real estate properties within the US.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with handplayed?

We wanted to make a marketing video for a conference.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We first provided handplayed with the background and messaging we wanted to deliver in the video. They took that and came back with the video’s first version. They also did a voice recording to go with it, which was almost a separate project.

We had a couple of iterations. They provided us with something, and we gave them feedback.

What is the team composition?

They had multiple people working on the project, but we were in contact with only one person.

How did you come to work with handplayed?

They were referred to us through our network. We needed something very quickly. Since they had a good reference and were able to deliver within our aggressive timelines, we went with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together during July 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We were really happy with the video. The feedback within the company was good. They did a fantastic job and exceeded our expectations.

We’re going to go to the conference, and we’ll play the video in a 30-second timeslot.

How did handplayed perform from a project management standpoint?

Project management was good. They had one person interacting with us, and everyone worked hard to finish within our timelines. It was very easy to convey what we had in our minds so our contact could go and talk to his designers. Overall, they were very professional and efficient.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They made a great effort to understand what we wanted, and they delivered exactly that. They did much better than the average vendors that we’ve worked with.

Are there any areas they could improve?

It’d be nice if they used a more accessible payment system. Besides that, there weren’t any issues.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Certain things are hard to convey on the first day, so you have to factor in multiple iterations to get to the end product. Overall, they’re pretty good at improving with each iteration.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Fontfabric is a type design studio with over 12 years of experience in custom and retail font production.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire handplayed, and what were your goals?

We hired Handplayed to create a short video that introduces who we are and what we do in a fun and exciting way.

SOLUTION

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

We chose to go with Handplayed after carefully evaluating their competitors and their offers. What stood out for us what the overall style and quality of Handplayed’s previous work and the positive feedback from people in the industry. We also appreciated their attitude and interest in our project when we first approached them.

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

The overall idea of the videos was to give a glimpse of us as a close-knit team, our working process, our mission, and the work that we’ve done so far. Pre-production stage It was essential for Handplayed’s team (and their Director in particular) to get a very good understanding of our day-to-day dynamic and what we stand for to showcase them in the most natural and interesting way.

He spent quite some time with us in the office to observe us, discuss his ideas, generate new ones based on our conversations, and narrow them down to the best ones, which he combined in a shot list. Production stage We shot the entire video in one day. Our team was very pleased with Handplayed’s professional approach in the shooting process. They had formed a small but experienced team of professionals who knew what they were doing and directed us in an understanding and helpful way.

Post-production stage After providing Handplayed’s team with additional materials to include in the video, they began the editing process. We had set up a convenient and fast way of communication, and their team was very responsive and flexible in terms of asking us for feedback and sending us previews. They made us feel very included in the process instead of just sending us the final project, which we appreciate.

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

We mainly communicated with their Director, Producer, and Motion Graphics Designer. All of them were very approachable and understanding of our requirements.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The video is yet to be official promoted and released.

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

The project management was very adaptable and responsive. We communicated mainly through Slack (for daily conversations) and email (for more formal topics). For the most part, we followed the intended schedule tightly, and the only delay came when finalizing the video. However, it was due to a mutual desire to perfect the result.

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

They understood and captured what Fontfabric represents and delivered that in a concise and interesting format for such a tight schedule.

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

We believe that overall they did a great job with the assigned task, budget, and timing.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Digital Marketing Lead at Transmetrics, the leading AI platform that optimizes logistics planning and asset management by leveraging the power of predictive analytics and demand forecasting.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire handplayed, and what were your goals?

We hired handplayed to do the raw footage of the video that we further produce with our consultants in order to apply for EU-backed equity funding. Our goals were to have the interview-style footage of our management team, software, and team members working in the office environment.

SOLUTION

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

We have selected handplayed among several Bulgarian video production vendors based on 3 factors: - Their excellent track record with their previous projects, helpful and talented team - price quote that fit our budget and provided a solid value for money.

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

We have started discussing the scope of the video 2 months before the actual date. It has been postponed several times because our team needed to prepare the script and we wanted to get everything right.

After the initial discussion and the agreement on the crew and equipment, the handplayed team visited the office and selected the right areas for the shots and interview. They have also assessed the decorations and made sure that the rooms had a professional look and depth for more impressive shots.

On the day of the shooting, the whole crew came and completed the project until the end of the day. There were some issues with organizing people and spaces, but it was mostly caused by our side. After the shoot, we have received all raw video materials, and the project between Transmetrics and hand-played was completed.

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

Our main point of contact and organization was handplayed's creative producer Ivan Zdravkov. He was very helpful and friendly during the whole process and it was a pleasure to work with him and the rest of the crew. Most of the feedback happened on the day of the shoot and generally, the team at the office was happy to work with the crew.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The footage we received was delivered with all the quality standards that we expected, both visually and sound-wise. That was our goal from the first day and we are satisfied with the result.

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

The project management was done in a very professional and straightforward way. everything was on time and we had a lot of room to change or alter things on the go (such as adding a teleprompter to the project, etc). No complaints on this side!

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

We have requested a corporate video, but what we have received was about humans. Both "shaky camera" and steady shots had an amazing focus on people of our company. I really enjoyed this, and this is what caught my attention in the previous works of handplayed.

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

I think the organization of people for shots on the day of the shooting can be improved, but again, this problem comes from our side and for trying to make everything work in a short span of time. In other words, the shooting slots for particular people should be defined better and in advance and we should stick to this schedule.