M-1 Studios

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Head of Operations of Women Automotive Network

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

The Women Automotive Network (WAN) stands as the premier global platform uniting professionals, organisations , and advocates to drive innovation in the workplace, foster collaboration, and collectively tackle the most pressing challenges in the automotive industry.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire M-1 Studios to accomplish?

• Content Gathering, Photos & Video
• Content Editing, highlight video of the event
• On-site Interviews

SOLUTION

How did you find M-1 Studios?

Online Search

Why did you select M-1 Studios over others?

• High ratings
• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from M-1 Studios were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

The company was contracted to provide full photography and videography services for the Women Automotive Summit Detroit 2025, a one-day event featuring keynote speakers, workshops, networking sessions, awards, and interviews. Their role covered comprehensive event coverage from start to finish, capturing both the energy of the live sessions and the engagement among attendees throughout the day.

Key Deliverables:

Photography:

Coverage of all main sessions, workshops, and networking areas.
Individual speaker photos, audience shots, and sponsor branding integration.
Award ceremony coverage, including individual award recipient photos.
Edited final selection of approximately 200–300 high-quality images, highlighting the vibrancy, diversity, and engagement of the community.

Videography:

Filming of all main-stage sessions and event B-roll footage (audience, networking, branding, and atmosphere).
Recording of up to 10 individual static interviews with attendees and speakers.
Edited video deliverables, including:

A 3–5 minute event highlights video.
A 30-second social media highlight reel.
Individual interview clips (~1 minute each).
Additional short-form promotional and testimonial videos for social and web use, with royalty-free music and text overlays.

Overall Objective:
To visually capture the essence of the Women Automotive Network’s community — showcasing the energy, engagement, and connections across the event — and to create a library of photo and video assets that could be used for marketing, sponsorship promotion, and future event campaigns.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The project successfully delivered all agreed photography and videography assets on time and to a high professional standard. The visual content produced has been used across the Women Automotive Network’s marketing channels, including the website, social media, and future event promotions.

Over 300 professionally edited photos were provided, capturing key moments across the summit — including speaker sessions, workshops and networking.
A 3–5 minute highlight video and several short-form social media videos were produced, which achieved good engagement results post-event.
The highlight video was used  on the Women Automotive Network’s LinkedIn page, contributing to a increase in event visibility and online engagement.
The content was also repurposed for promotions, marketing campaigns, and future event advertisements, helping strengthen brand awareness and community connection.
Overall, the deliverables met expectations in both quality and impact, providing measurable value in content reach, engagement, and promotional effectiveness.

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

The team demonstrated excellent project management throughout the process — from initial planning to post-event delivery. They were well-prepared ahead of the summit, arriving on site early to set up and ensuring all agreed filming and photography areas were covered efficiently.

Communication before, during, and after the event was clear and responsive. They adapted quickly to on-the-day changes, such as schedule adjustments and interview timings, ensuring nothing was missed.

All deliverables — including the edited photo gallery and video assets — were delivered within the agreed timeline, and the quality met or exceeded expectations. The team remained proactive in keeping us updated on progress and receptive to feedback during the editing phase, making any requested adjustments promptly and professionally.

Overall, their project management approach was organized, reliable, and highly collaborative, contributing to a smooth and successful content delivery process.

What was your primary form of communication with M-1 Studios?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

What stood out most about the team was their excellent communication, adaptability, and professionalism throughout the project. They were highly responsive to our needs both in the lead-up to the event and on-site, ensuring every key moment was captured seamlessly.

Their ability to adapt quickly to last-minute schedule changes and on-the-day logistics was good, especially given the fast-paced nature of a large international summit. The team maintained a calm, solution-focused approach and worked collaboratively with our event staff to make sure everything ran smoothly.

We also appreciated their attention to detail and understanding of our brand vision — they captured not only the formal moments on stage but also the energy, engagement, and vibrancy of our community, which is at the heart of our events.

Are there any areas for improvement or something M-1 Studios could have done differently?

Overall, we were very pleased with the quality of work and professionalism from M-1 Studios. The collaboration throughout the project was excellent, and while they adapted well to our evolving needs, we recognize that we could have been clearer in communicating our requirements in advance. If we were to suggest any areas for improvement, it would be around providing slightly faster turnaround times on the final edited videos, as this content plays an important role in our post-event marketing schedule.

That said, the team was always responsive when contacted, and any requested edits were handled promptly and professionally. These are small refinements that could make an already good service even smoother for future projects.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Chief Curriculum Officer of Goldfish Swim School Franchising

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We are a learn to swim school that emphasizes water safety.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire M-1 Studios to accomplish?

• To complete a training series highlighting the correct teaching process of important learn to swim skills

SOLUTION

How did you find M-1 Studios?

Online Search

Why did you select M-1 Studios over others?

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

How many teammates from M-1 Studios were assigned to this project?

6-10 Employees

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

We need a complete library of new training videos to show our approaches to each skill and level. Multiple cameras above and below the water surface focusing on instructor and swimmer movements.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

• We have been delivered a professional video series in a reasonably short amount of time. Our 150 schools rave about the videos and systemwide lesson quality is improving as we had hoped.

What was your primary form of communication with M-1 Studios?

Virtual Meeting

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

The team gave us fair parameters around the number of included video edits and would quickly schedule online meetings or shoot sessions whenever needed. Our project is broken into sections which allows us to manage what we are trying to do while still performing our day to day responsibilities. Items are always delivered on time or ahead of schedule.

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

They are a pleasure to work with and deliver a quality product.

Are there any areas for improvement or something M-1 Studios could have done differently?

We have yet to find anything negative to say

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the Marketing Manager at a bio-identical hormone replacement therapy telemedicine company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire M-1 Studios, and what were your goals?

Our treatments and services can be difficult to understand without hearing real stories. Sharing a patient's success story is critical to help educate and build awareness in the telemedicine market. Our goal was to create videos to help others understand the importance of hormone balancing and how it impacts our daily lives. With real patients sharing their stories, we are able to connect with others and help improve lives.

SOLUTION

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

We looked for vendors through multiple websites, including Google search, UpWork, Freelancer, and more. We took a deep look into each vendor's website, portfolio, and reviews. After narrowing down to the top 3 candidates, we scheduled calls with each vendor to see if our company was the right fit. Our leadership team decided that M-1 Studios was the perfect fit based on their skills, expertise, healthcare portfolio, quality of work, and great reviews.

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

We started with a discovery session which was very easy to understand. From there, the team at M-1 Studios helped plan the entire shoot, from scheduling and location to the post-production process. Our team could quickly review the draft videos online, where we collaborated to make necessary changes. M-1 Studios promptly jumped on the suggested edits and provided the final videos within 48 hours. The last published videos were exactly what we asked for.

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

We worked with Mike, Eric, and Stephanie, who all had an important role in the video project. Each person had a designated purpose, which streamlined and flawless the entire process. From providing the logo files and style to suggesting our feedback on the direction of each video edit, M-1 made the process enjoyable.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We showed the final videos during our company meetings and received excellent feedback. The videos are now a part of our ongoing marketing strategies to help grow the business internally and externally.

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

The entire project management team worked well on all forms of communication. We used a combination of email and phone calls to coordinate the video projects. We were even able to text during the day of the shoot to make sure everything was on schedule. The management style of M-1 Studios was very friendly, people-focused, and professional. They make you feel comfortable with speaking freely and sharing your honest opinions. It's like you're a part of the team!

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

They were able to take raw footage that did not feel energetic and turn it into a polished video that was upbeat, engaging, and relatable. M-1 Studios definitely worked their magic!

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

There is nothing that I would have changed about their team, process, or this project. Everything was exceptionally well done.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Connected Nation is a national nonprofit with a mission to improve lives by providing innovative solutions that expand the access, adoption, and use of high-speed internet and its related technologies to all people. Everyone belongs in a Connected Nation. I'm the Communications Director with the organization. In that role, I'm responsible for overall brand strategy, which includes building program recognition through digital communications, media relations, and marketing opportunities.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire M-1 Studios, and what were your goals?

Connected Nation (CN) hired M-1 Studios to help shoot, edit, and produced teleheath videos in 2020 and had such a great experience that CN contracted the company to do the same for a series of videos produced for a November 2021 event title "A national conversation on the Digital Divide." The videos produced during both projects were so successful that the team earned 5 Telly awards (silver and bronze) over two years.

SOLUTION

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

The pricing was great and the scope of talent at M-1 Studios is fantastic.

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

I organized the shoot locations and interviewees. M-1 Studios worked out the logistics and handled all the technical aspects of multiple shoots as well as editing the videos I wrote and voice.

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

Mike and his team. The feedback process was simple and done online.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We won 5 Telly Awards over the two projects - and had great viewership of our live broadcast as well as the teleheath video. In addition, we had national orgs ask to share and use the videos.

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

They used online links so my team could provide input that was organized and easily understood. Everything was done in a timely manner.

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

They great ideas about adding music and the awesome drone footage. Every thing looked and sounded amazing.

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

No - I'm happy with the whole team.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

White Glove is a fintech marketing company specializing in client acquisition services for financial advisors and portfolio company of Rockbridge Growth Equity. My position is the Director of Channel Marketing.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire M-1 Studios, and what were your goals?

We needed a video of our founder for our new website. It had to be super professional and excellent quality.

SOLUTION

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

After checking out a few other companies on Google, I called M-1. They were the most responsive with the best products that we could see on their website.

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

We started with a conversation over the phone to discuss the ins and outs of what we needed as a company. At the time, the turnaround time that was needed for the video was super quick- and Mike assured me that he could do it. We set up a day/time for them to come to our office and video. They arrived on time, they had wonderful ideas for location of the video and other suggestions- and they let the founder talk for as long as he wanted to se could have all the footage that we needed. We got the unedited video back, and they have a wonderful system where they send the transcript of the video as well as unedited footage, and we can pick the parts that we wanted to get edited together. In the end, it was exactly what we wanted.

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

I worked with Mike and Erik. They were both fantastic. They communicated quickly and efficiently- and are just overall pleasant to have conversations with.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We loved the video so much that we actually went back and asked if they could chop some pieces up to make shorter clips that we could use for social media. Of course, they replied and said that they could- so we our on our way to making 11 social media clips!

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

They started with a phone call to get a scope of the project. From there, it was mostly done through email which was great for me because that is my preferred way of communications (especially since I'm working from home with kids). They showed up to our office and started setting up. The founder of the company came in, they did a few minutes of testing- then they went through the video in a Q&A format. When they were done, they packed up and within a day or two, I received the transcript of the video as well as their feedback website Wipster (I'm sure it is not THEIR website, but the website they used).

The website was easy to use, and I made my comments right on the video. Although I stressed the importance of quickness that was expected at the beginning of the project- the scope of MY project changed and the immediate need for the video was no longer an issue. Because of that- I took FAR longer to give my feedback to M-1 (like... months!) and they never pushed. They would check in every week or so to make sure I didn't need anything- but they were super patient with me through all of it. When we finally go it all done, it was perfect- and the entire company loved it!

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

That they never once gave me attitude when the scope of my project changed. Even after all the hoops I asked them to jump through, they still were enthusiastic about doing the clips. They have just been amazing.

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

Absolutely nothing

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the creative director at a retail tire distributor.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with M-1 Studios?

We needed a series of product videos for our website. We wanted somebody to fill in the role for monthly content production.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

M-1 Studios interfaces in the process from start to finish. They’re involved not only in the video production but the post-production as well, which includes editorial graphics.

We hadn’t done this type of product videos before, so it was a quick learning curve. After the first round of videos, we got a good sense of our challenges and what we could do better next time. We’ve continued to work as a team, optimizing, communicating, and making sure things are getting done on time. Right now, the train is on track and moving full-steam ahead.

What is the team composition?

We usually have 5–6 different people. They’re very accommodating when we’re shooting. There’s always someone nearby to help with products, lightning, talent, and so on.

My main point of contact is Mike (VP & Editor). He’s responsive, always available by text or phone, and a good communicator. I’ve worked with him as an editor on several projects, especially on this video series. It’s nice because once you build a rapport with him, he understands and predicts your comments. I’m very happy with my working relationship with Mike.

How did you come to work with M-1 Studios?

I went back to them because they deliver on all fronts. These days, it’s a real challenge to do content quickly and within a budget. M-1 Studios figures out how to work with you. They creatively solve problems and get the best product for our budget. Also, they produce well-planned and thought-out content.

How much have you invested with them?

This year, we’ve gotten close to $100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working with M-1 Studios for almost a year now.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our entire organization, including our executive leadership team, is satisfied with the content quality we’ve received from M-1 Studios. We can count on them whatever the budget is. Sometimes our budgets can get paper-thin, and that’s when our relationship with them comes into play. I trust 100% that they’ll do a great job. They always rise to the occasion.

How did M-1 Studios perform from a project management standpoint?

Over the last year, our relationship with them has been super tight. Communication has always been great, and the live production days are terrific. We do a lot of work in a good amount of time, but we actually have fun. Usually, we have all-day schedules for these days, but we finish up around 3:00 p.m.

Additionally, we’ve had more feedback and back and forth between us. We discuss how we can optimize things and keep the train running as smoothly as possible. Mike is a great producer, and he keeps us up to date on what’s going on.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Since we started working with M-1 Studios, they’ve constantly been refining how they’re doing everything. We were in a big rush to get into this project, so a lot of details could’ve been overlooked, but it wasn’t the case. Also, their turnaround time was super quick.

They constantly ask questions on how we can do something better, and they’ve delivered on that. For example, in one of our videos, we had a tire suspended in midair, and there were wires hooked up around it. I said I wished we wouldn’t have the wire in there, and they worked on it until they came up with a solution. Then, they went back and re-edited all the footage. They didn’t have to do that, but they go above and beyond and really look out for us as partners.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

You can trust them; they’ll take care of you. I’m very confident in recommending them to other colleagues.

UPDATED REVIEW

This review was published on August 13, 2020.

Chad Ackley

Executive Creative Director, Belle Tire Distributors

Automotive

1,001-5,000 Employees

Grosse Point, Michigan

$10,000 to $49,999

Jul 2018 - Ongoing

Project summary

M-1 Studios produces instructional videos for a tire distributor, working closely with their team to handle casting, filming, editing, and animation for a range of 2–5-minute videos on a relatively low budget.

Feedback summary

The videos produced by M-1 Studios have satisfied project stakeholder requirements and consistently been delivered on time and within budget. Their team is flexible and attentive to detail, always reacting quickly to find solutions to any challenges that arise in the production process.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the director of production and creative services at Belle Tire Distributors. Essentially, I’m responsible for the production of television, radio, digital content, social media, and other things of that nature.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with M-1 Studios?

The goal for the project was to get as high a production value as possible with the limited budget that we had to work with.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We shot a series of about ten instructional videos with M-1, ranging from 2–5 minutes. Each of the projects required casting, a film and sound crew, and needs to be executed relatively quickly. I knew from the beginning that I needed a team that was going to be able to maneuver to shoot in a tire store and work around guys doing their jobs.

One of the things we’re working on right now is a series of tire videos in which we provide a personal introduction and description of each tire from one of our employees, rather than making customers read product descriptions and decipher the specifications themselves. Those videos are then made available on our website through a link under each product.

Included in that process are the full production of the video, as well as graphic and title animation, editing and color correction in post, and anything else that we need before posting the videos.

What is the team composition?

The main folks that I work with are Matthew (Owner) and Mike (Vice-President).

How did you come to work with M-1 Studios?

I had originally reached out to a friend who had done freelance photography before, and he was busy but recommended I reach out to M-1. I had met with a few other production companies, but their team’s passion and ideas were clear from the start, so I decided to move forward from there.  

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in July 2018 and our projects are ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Their people are extremely good at what they do. They have a great connection to the world of freelancers out there, and that allows them to deliver in a world where clients are continually wanting things faster and cheaper.

Their production planning and attention to detail are top-notch, and the questions they ask really demonstrate that they’re invested in the outcome of the project, not just finishing a job and getting paid. I’ve developed a lot of trust in them over the years, to the point where I know I don’t have to worry about being at the whole shoot or selecting every detail myself, because they will pick those things up and deliver no matter what.

How did M-1 Studios perform from a project management standpoint?

I’ve been really satisfied with their communication. Mike is the main communicator on their team, and whether that takes place over email, text, or phone conversations, we’re pretty much in lockstep from the moment we kick off any given project. We haven’t had any issues with deadlines, and even when we’ve run into snags or issues, they’ve done a great job of reacting and coming up with solutions on the fly.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their ability to provide a good production aesthetic on a low budget really exceeds that of almost any other company out there.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Everyone has some room to improve. I suppose there could be a little more follow up on things sometimes. I know it’s very easy for things to occasionally slip through the cracks, but we could all probably do a better job of being a little bit more proactive.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be as clear as you can about what your expectations are from the start.

RATINGS

Overall rating: 4

Quality: 3

Cost: 5

Schedule: 4

Willing to refer: 4

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the EVP for our company, overseeing our design, sales, marketing and operations. We focus on creating branded environments through creative and innovative decor manufacturing for our retail clients.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire M-1 Studios, and what were your goals?

We wanted a video marketing piece that featured our building operations and our team that we can share with potential retail and other client's via in-person meetings or through our website link. It gives us an option to having our facility toured by potential clients, who may have scheduling or travel challenges.

SOLUTION

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

We sought out a local company to create our company overview video. M-1 Studios had many examples of quality work on their website and were competitively priced for the scope of work. They presented a professional level of communication and process that made us choose to move forward with them.

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

We had a kick-off meeting with M1 Studios to discuss the goals and process. We shared similar company overview videos we liked. The M1 Studio team organized the day of the shoot to include time-lapse, drone shooting, interviews and manufacturing footage around our schedules.

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

The project manager provided process updates so we always knew the status of the project. The video was created and shared via Wipster to add feedback and request changes online for their designer. The revised video was created for final approval, then video deliverables were uploaded for us to download.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The company overview video is helping potential clients understand how our operation works, and what our facility and team look like, reinforcing that we are a multi-disciplined, domestic manufacturer. Additionally, the video installs pride and respect among our team members, who get to see the things we create in a different light.

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

The entire process was laid out to us by the project manager, who was prompt with information or answers to any questions. The crew that shot the video were professional, driving the day-long shoot with an efficient process.

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

M1 Studios team members were very professional and experienced. The crew shooting the video were kind, patient and made the process easy...even fun. They took the time to understand our business to feature our story right and used a variety of tools to shoot our operations in a dynamic way.

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

The entire process exceeded our expecations.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the controller of North American operations for a global IT company that resells IT hardware. We’re located in 26 countries, providing IT services, resources, and solutions.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with M-1 Studio?

Our parent company in the UK was rebuilding their internal website as an employee recognition portal. They had five leaders from around the world tackle our five company values to put on the site, and I was assigned one of the values. M-1 Studio helped shoot the video for that value explanation.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement? 

M-1 Studio filmed our value video with multiple cameras from multiple angles — all in HD and in 25 frames per second (FPS), of course. Once they delivered the video, we gave it to an external marketing firm to fit it into the employee recognition site.

What is the team composition? 

There were three individuals on site, including two videographers and the main editor. I also worked with two other individuals through email about pricing and scheduling.

How did you come to work with M-1 Studio?

My company had used them in the past for our marketing efforts and other videos, so they already had a good reputation within our company. That’s what made us choose them again.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about $2,500.

What is the status of this engagement?

This project took place in July 2020, but my company has been working with them since 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

There were a couple of highlights for me while working with them. They were wonderful to work with and very patient. 

On the first day of the shoot, we were locked out of the filming site and had to stay in the rain for 45 minutes. Even though it wasn’t their fault, they comforted us that it wasn’t an issue and were understanding about the situation.

While filming, they were professional and brought a lot of creativity to it. I showed them a prior version of the video that we wanted them to redo, and they built off of it with their own ideas.

Finally, they delivered an end result that really achieved what we were going for well. When the video came out, there were some parts that I didn’t care for because I was judging myself on screen. I asked them to go back through and edit out some scenes, and they turned it around within a couple of hours. 

How did M-1 Studio perform from a project management standpoint?

They were very accommodating with my schedule, especially considering that this was an urgent rush project. 

The team called me, in the beginning, to provide a personal quote, just to make sure we knew what we were going for and so that there weren’t any misunderstandings. They used this time to review some of the prior videos that we wanted to reference before delivering an easy-to-process quote.

During planning, M-1 Studio was quick to get us their vendor identification information so that we could get them set up in our system. They were just responsive and organized from A to Z.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Not only were they professional, but I also want to articulate how customer service-oriented they were. It was definitely important to them that we were happy with what they produced in the end.

I’m so passionate about that because I don’t make videos for a living, so this was very out of my comfort zone. M-1 Studios did a great job of explaining the process to me in simple terms to make sure we were on the same page, which helped.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I was so pleased with everything from start to finish.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be very detailed and communicate clearly on what you’re looking for in the beginning. That’s what we did, and it made for an easy process. Neither party was disappointed in terms of what I expected, and they were able to pick up on what their role needed to be to deliver the right end product. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the curriculum development manager of a swim school. We have 108 swim schools in the US and Canada. The age group we work with is children between the ages of 3–4 months all the way to 12 years of age.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with M-1 Studios?

We hired them to create swim lesson quality videos we use internally for training purposes.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They created roughly 40 videos in the first run. The videos range from three minutes to ten or fifteen minutes. They were designed specifically to help teachers in our system learn how to instruct every single level we teach.

We also approach things skill-by-skill so the videos break down different kinds of mistakes, what to avoid, how to perform correct swim techniques, and things of that nature. They came into our office with all the technology and equipment they needed.

What is the team composition?

They have internal staff, and I believe they work with contractors as well. However, we mainly worked with three people. Matthew (President & Producer) runs the show in terms of mission, goals, and objectives. Mike (VP & Producer) handled the day-to-day facilitation of the videos and communication. Stephanie (Senior Editor & Videographer) does our editing.

How did you come to work with M-1 Studios?

We had worked with several vendors in the past and were looking for something different this time in efforts to go down a new avenue. Our team wanted to find a partner who had extensive experience in training videos specifically. They also needed to have the right technology and equipment.

We found M-1 Studios through a coworker or online research. Our team considered and interviewed three different companies. We had two or three meetings and they seemed best suited to help us with the capabilities we wanted.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested about $40,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our ongoing partnership started in August 2019. The project has ended, but we’re looking to do more with them in the future.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They’ve been phenomenal to work with and delivered the product we hoped to create. Working with M-1 Studios was a completely different process, in a positive way, than we’ve experienced with other agencies. Their process is very streamlined, and they’re very professional. They were exceptional in terms of what they provided with underwater camera work, lighting, and things of that nature.

How did M-1 Studios perform from a project management standpoint?

They remained on top of every deadline and their communication was excellent. Their team was proactive about relaying any issues with deadlines. They never overcommitted to something they couldn’t deliver on. They’ve even helped us during this pandemic time with some additional videos.

We had a weekly phone call and also communicated through emails. There was a schedule in place that relayed where we were in filming. We handled the editing through Wipster. It was a huge game-changer for us and made the editing process very seamless. They’d reply within 24 hours of us leaving a comment.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were professional in terms of communication, process, and product.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I can’t think of anything. We learned collaboratively together.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure you have your goals, objectives, schedule, budget, and expectations outlined ahead of time because it’ll make the process run smoother. What’s more, be sure to know your business so you can give details about what you want to shoot. M-1 Studios can be experts in anything if you can communicate your vision to them.