M-1 Studios

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the VP/Marketing for a $1B Michigan credit union. Community Financial Credit Union is a not-for-profit, full-service financial institution headquartered in Plymouth, MI, with 13 branches in southeast and northern Michigan. We are committed to the financial well-being of our members and our communities.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire M-1 Studios?

M-1 has assisted us with several video production projects. They have created short educational videos for our website, a recruiting video and most recently pre-roll videos for our digital channels.

What were your goals for this project?

Create videos that reflect Community Financial's brand. We were looking for assets that would help educate our members and help create awareness of the products/services that the credit union offers our communities.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

A search of local video production companies. We interviewed 4 companies and choose M-1. We felt their style and portfolio matched what we were looking for.

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

Once selected, we worked with M-1 to create scripts, storyboard and videos. For our recruiting video, the M-1 team came out to our Plymouth location to film location video and team member interviews.

What was your vendors' project management or feedback process?

M-1 used Whipster to provide updates and solicit feedback and/or changes.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We continue to see click thru and completion rates that are higher than expected. Comments from members are positive as well.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

M-1 is a great team to work with. They are responsive and are great with their follow up.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Our most recent project was updating our pre-roll videos to showcase our commitment to our communities & members, and to promote our loan offerings. In the middle of the project, COVID happened.

We had to create new videos without the ability to get updated photos/video in our branches. We also needed to update the messaging to reflect banking in these current times. M-1 took my very general idea and created the perfect videos for us. It took a few more revisions, but the team was responsive and did a great job taking a vague idea and making it real.

Are there any areas for improvement?

We are very satisfied with the work M-1 does for us!

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I was the marketing manager at a small start up

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire M-1 Studios?

We hired M-1 Studios for video work in our shop, and then to edit three final videos together for promotional uses. We then also took the footage after to make it into our own clips as well.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to have three promotional videos created, as well as an arsenal of photo and videos to add to our asset library.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I interviewed four different vendors and I connected well with the chief videographer for our shoots. He was able to listen to what I wanted, and help craft the final versions of the scripts/edits. They were also on par for pricing.

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

When we selected this partner, they came to our headquarters for a tour and an overview of what I wanted to accomplish. We went back and forth a few times on what the videos would be about, and I was admittedly pretty demanding on how I wanted the videos to turn out. They then came and did a two-day shoot, showed me some footage on the spot, and then took the next couple weeks to start editing together some final videos.

What was your vendors' project management or feedback process?

They used frame.io to provide updates to each video. We also chatted through the edits quite a bit via telephone and in person.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

A few of the clips we captured were so successful, they have garnered over 2 million views on various streaming platforms with little to no dollars spent on promoting the clips. The best outcome of this project was the quality of the footage M-1 was able to capture for us.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

I think the workflow went really well. I appreciated the open channel of communication we had throughout the entirety of the project.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their ability to creatively figure out how to capture the quality footage. Our industry is very hard to capture a video that tells a good story. These guys knew the camera to come equipped with and the end result was great.

Are there any areas for improvement?

We ended up with a great product. There were a few areas I wish they took more lead on with the scripting of the videos. But I admit I had a pretty clear vision in mind as well.

I was hoping to give a vision, and have some creativity based on the vision, but it wasn't working as much as I would have hoped that way. That being said, we were able to work together and make some awesome products and I really enjoyed the team I worked with at M-1.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We’re an automotive supplier that produces pedals and dashboards in our four manufacturing facilities. I’m the president of the organization.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We wanted to give our customers the opportunity to visit our facilities without physically making the trip. Oftentimes, our customers can’t travel to see our operations, so we were looking to produce a video tour of each of our technical processes to improve the marketing of our company.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We were looking to get our name better known in the industry and show our customers a series of video clips that give insight into our processes across the organization. The scope of work involved defining all of our processes and selecting the ones we would highlight in each of our locations. From there, we developed summaries of each facility for an overview video for each of our locations. After we selected the 10 processes we were intending to film, we scheduled days for production. From there, they produced each video.  

What is the team composition?

We worked with three key people, including Eric (Director of Development), Matthew (Owner & Producer), and another teammate. 

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

We found them online through a Google search and found them to be a good fit for us after viewing their past work and customer portfolio. They were also a smaller, more responsive organization, which we liked as well.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about $30,000, which we found competitive.  

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked on the project between February–July 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

While we don’t track metrics, we’ve received very positive feedback both internally and from customers on the quality of the videos. By putting cameras inside of some of our equipment, our company was able to see things about our process that we don’t normally get to observe. 

The customers have really appreciated the videos and how they can locate footage for each of our individual processes.  

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

They facilitate a very collaborative editing process. We ended up with a final product that we enjoyed without a ton of back-and-forth. They were flexible when we had to delay the project as well, always meeting deadlines. We ended up with more content than we bargained for.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We’re not trained in marketing or video production. They were able to take general concepts and produce excellent content with that minimal input. We didn’t have the time to get super involved, and they were able to handle that. This wasn’t time-consuming on our end at all, which was key for us. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything. Pricing, content, and responsiveness were highlights.  

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Matthew built a great team. Work with them.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Director of Community Engagement for a midsize, economic mobility nonprofit in Detroit, MI.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire M-1 Studios?

For our annual fundraising gala, we asked them to produce several video components- one a longer video to set the stage for our fundraising ask for the evening, several others shot on location featuring our honorees and clients.

What were your goals for this project?

For attendees to feel a connection to our work; to bring the mission alive and to motivate them to support it with a compelling, succinct message.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I have worked with M-1 previously at other organizations. There is no one else in this market I would want to work with.

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

I usually provide an overall vision or idea and M-1 works with their clients to fill in the details, holding your hand as much or as little as you like. They make the entire process seamless and easy.

What was your vendors' project management or feedback process?

Each of their staff are responsive and communicative.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We raised a record amount at our event- exceeding the prior year's record by 49%.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

It was great- they meet or exceed every deadline.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They way they get to know their clients and what makes their work special. Then they spin it back around and present it to the intended audience in meaningful ways.

Are there any areas for improvement?

None.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the development director at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metropolitan Detroit, where we create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire M-1 Studios?

We hired M-1 Studios to create a video for our signature fundraising event, as well as a shorter version of the video to be used for ongoing promotions.

What were your goals for this project?

Our main goal was to encourage the guests at our event to understand exactly what our organization does and to feel compelled to donate more so that we can further serve the youth in our community. Secondly, we wanted to have a video that we could use throughout the year at various events and put on the website as well as all our social media channels.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I had worked with M-1 Studios at a previous nonprofit and they were my first, and honestly, my only choice to work with. The fact that they have an in-house studio and can also film on location made it very easy for us when scheduling our interviews.

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

Our CEO AND I met M-1 Studios first to brainstorm and come up with a general direction for the video. Then, we worked on our end to recruit some members to be in the video and coordinate all of the schedules. M-1 Studios went above and beyond in making sure that all of the participants were scheduled and prepared for the questions they would be asked on camera. Prior to filming, M-1 Studios, also worked with us to make sure they had access to our brand guidelines and photos.

What was your vendors' project management or feedback process?

M-1 Studios gave us a timeline for the filming, editing, and final production. Each step of the process was communicated to us via email or phone, and sometimes in person. We never felt out of the loop or left wondering what step they were working on. When we suggested changes or edits, they were received professionally and handled in a timely manner.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our revenue goal the night of the event was exceeded. Besides money being raised, we’ve had a number of people become mentors based off of the video. We’ve also gotten countless compliments of the video and have used it in another small campaign that helped us raised over $9,000. The people featured in the video continue to share it today and are so proud of their involvement.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow was amazing. M-1 Studios’ work is always great, timely, and done in a friendly but professional manner. I love working with them, especially when I need to hit a scheduled date, as I know they will meet every deadline.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their creativity is impressive. We come to them thinking that we had it all figured out and they come back to us with a few tweaks and ideas. We were blown away. They fully understand how to create great videos but shine at making said videos truly impactful. They do extra research to find the right music, lighting, and pictures to make it better. I love working with M-1 Studios.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No. I’m always satisfied with M-1 Studios and would recommend them to anyone looking for video production.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We provide a welcoming space where people of all sexual orientations, gender identities & expressions, and cultures can find support and unconditional acceptance, and where they can learn, grow, socialize and feel safe! I've worked in Development at the Center for the past three years.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire M-1 Studios?

Each year, M-1 Studios partners with us to produce a video about the work that our Center does for the LGBTQ+ Community of Metro Detroit. This year they completed a 30th Anniversary Video to mark the occasion for our organization.

What were your goals for this project?

The goals for the project was to create a video piece that encapsulates what we've done for the LGBTQ+ Community of Metro Detroit during the past 30 Years and why it's so important to continue to have a safe space like the Center.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We selected this vendor by scoping out Video Production companies in the local area of Ferndale and M-1 Studios were generous enough to help us with this project.

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

The team from M-1 sat down and had an initial meeting about how we wanted the 30th Anniversary Video to look. We chatted about potential times that they could come film at the Center with guests who would make powerful statements. They also utilized footage that had been shot throughout the years to be edited into the video. In addition, they shot some extra B-Roll to assure that the shots that were used reflected the updated space.

What was your vendors' project management or feedback process?

They provided a crew and after the filming of the individual interviews was complete, they sent over the film electronically so that we could make appropriate edits where needed.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We now have a very powerful video that is shown during our Volunteer Trainings, Diversity and Inclusion Trainings with various companies throughout the Metro Detroit area and has been posted on our Social Media channels. This video was also shown at our Spring Bash 2019 Gala Celebration back in March, where it helped to show attendees exactly why they bought tickets to the event and what their contributions were going towards.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow was very effective. The entire M-1 Team is always very friendly and extremely easy to work with.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

M-1 Studios truly dedicates themselves to creating wonderful pieces of work. We are eternally grateful for their commitment of helping Non-Profit Organizations in the Metro Detroit area!

Are there any areas for improvement?

Nothing should have been done differently. M-1 did an outstanding job.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Associate Executive Director for the March of Dimes. March of Dimes is a Non-Profit dedicated to fighting for the health of all moms and babies.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire M-1 Studios?

M-1 Studios has helped us by creating multiple videos which highlight impacted families, medical honorees and others for us to use during our events to help explain the mission of the March of Dimes and to truly bring our mission to life.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to use the creative pieces to increase fundraising for March of Dimes at our events.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I had been researching local video production companies with great reviews on google that I could potentially partner with on this project. We needed someone who worked with organizations similar to ours so that we knew they would understand the level of passion we needed to come through.

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

Ambassador families are families who have been through the birth of a premature baby. These families are met with, interviewed, video of the kids and parents are taken if able and their stories are shared in great detail. It can be very emotional and taxing on the parents to relive all of these memories so the person conducting the interview needs to be very patient, kind and understanding.

What was your vendors' project management or feedback process?

M-1 was in touch all the time, letting me know where we were in their editing line and when I could expect my first cut - then following up to make sure we were satisfied with the results.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The stories told through the videos by M-1 have increased funding at our events and have brought the families some closure and support.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Their team is incredibly attentive and responsive. Once I share the stories and get the times set for filming they have taken over and owned the project. I have loved the final products and any feedback I have given has been very well received and changes made.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The kindness and compassion that all employees I have worked with have shown to myself and all of our volunteers we have put them in contact with.

Are there any areas for improvement?

None, this is a top-notch company.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the sponsorship director of Jonathan Witz Associates. We are a festival events company that produces large-scale concert, art, and food festivals in South Eastern Michigan. I sell our sponsorships for all of our events and fulfill all the sponsorships.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We had a need for television spots to publicize our events.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They provide live-action video production for us. They come to our events and shoot B-roll for the videos we plan to create the following year. We put together a script and M-1 Studios creates the spots from that. They add different sponsor logos and they do all the production. After we approve the videos, M-1 Studios delivers them to the station. We make suggestions on the footage we’d like and they select from what they have shot at events.

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

We had worked with different firms over the years, but we found M-1 7 years ago. My boss worked with Matt, who was in charge of M-1 at that time. He was interested in doing some trade work for us to start with, and we continued working with him after that. Since then, we’ve worked with them exclusively because we liked the product so much.

How much have you invested with M-1 Studios?

M-1 is a sponsor of our events. They work on 4 or 5 events a year and we pay them $500 to $1,000 for video production. Then we’ll give them a sponsorship package valued from $2,000 to $5,000, depending on the event.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with them in January 2010 and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

I don’t have specific numbers but we share their work with our current sponsors for approval. They’ve been impressed with the work and we’ve been able to recommend M-1 to other companies.

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

They have a quick turnaround time. Sometimes, our events need last-minute work and they’re always willing to do so on short notice. We communicate through email and phone.

What did you find most impressive about M-1 Studios?

We have a lot of last-minute projects and their ability to work with us is very helpful.

Are there any areas M-1 Studios could improve?

None.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

The company I work for is an automotive supplier. We sell sensors that go inside vehicles with our main product being TPMS which are the sensors that go inside tires to record tire pressure. I’m am the marketing and communications manager for all of North America including Canada and Mexico.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

Our customers are normally distributors and retailers, but we also have a responsibility to make sure technicians that install our parts are doing it properly. We needed training videos showing the audience how to install and switch out our sensors properly.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We showed them other videos so they could see what we wanted to do. They told us what they would need to do the videos and came in to make sure the area was clean and that the set was going to work. They used the drone to take photos of our building. I did all the scripting of the videos, and they found ways to make the videos interesting. They did 15 videos in all for us. Right now, we’re working on a new corporate video. They take care of finding the right voiceover for the videos. 

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

I performed a Google search and called five videographers in our area. Two companies responded, and M-1 gave me a huge portfolio that was very detailed and professional. After meeting them, we trusted them immediately.

How much have you invested with M-1 Studios?

Almost all of the videos have cost under $10,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with them in August 2015, and they’ll be an ongoing partner for us.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

Our customers love the videos. I know our team likes them better than our previous set we had. We’ve been satisfied with the number of views the videos have received. 

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

I work mostly with Mike, and he’s great with adding input on the projects. We have a couple of meetings before the shoot to make sure we have everything we need.

What did you find most impressive about M-1 Studios?

They’re probably my favorite vendor. They’re very personable and very communicative. They know our product and our technician very well, so they’re able to make sure that what they’re creating is appropriate for our customers.

Are there any areas M-1 Studios could improve?

No.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the PIO of a government law enforcement agency.

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Law enforcement

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

• Hire employees

SOLUTION

How did you find M-1 Studios?

Referral

Why did you select M-1 Studios over others?

Referred to me

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.

Provide multiple videos for website & social media to help recruitment efforts. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Videos receieved positive feedback. 

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

Yes. Quick to respond. 

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?

M-1 Studios' ability to make changes and receive feedback very quickly was unique. 

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

NA