Six Degrees Productions

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am a past president of the International Association of Business Communicators, British Columbia, or IABC/BC. We are an industry association of over 500 communication professionals across the province of British Columbia that provides professional development, mentoring, awards, and networking opportunities to the communications field.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Six Degrees Productions?

We were hoping to tackle a few things in our work with their team, number one of which was that our communication did not feature enough human stories. We weren’t actually reflecting the diversity and depth of our membership, and we were also approaching our 40th anniversary, so we figured the best way to celebrate that would be to paint a picture of our community at this point in time.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Their team helped to capture eight member stories in video format over the course of our 40th anniversary year, 2019–2020. We identified the members on our end who we wanted to be featured, and from there the Six Degrees team handled the process of finalizing our storyboards, filming the features, and editing the final product together into a video that we were able to release.

What is the team composition?

Their videographer and head of production were both on set and in contact with us about the editing, so it was a fairly small but nimble team.

How did you come to work with Six Degrees Productions?

Lee-Anne (Head of Video Production) and her team had recently moved to the California area and were getting to know that chapter and its members, and we saw an opportunity to partner with them to help the brand. Because the partnership developed relatively organically, we didn’t really consider any other agencies in the process.

How much have you invested with them?

Our contract with them is worth about $15,000, but they delivered the work pro bono as a way to benefit the organization as a whole.

What is the status of this engagement?

In the end, the project will have run from September 2019–September 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Viewership and engagement levels that we are seeing on this content has been exponentially higher than any other video content we’ve ever produced. The number of comments, shares, and reactions is fantastic, and beyond that, our conversations with new members and individuals applying to be on our board have cited those videos as a significant influence in their perception of the brand.

The Six Degrees team really is amazing. Their work was meticulous, so creative, so prepared, and always went the extra mile to provide everything that we needed in one place. They always thought about the format and the audience and used that to determine how to really capture their subjects in ways that made them shine.

How did Six Degrees Productions perform from a project management standpoint?

As an association, we are run by volunteers, so for a vendor, it can sometimes be a challenge to keep us on task because we are obviously more involved by our day jobs. They did a great job of being flexible but also very on the ball so that we never slipped behind on anything and had a great overall experience.

The lighting was always perfect, their team provided coaching to the story subjects to help them be more comfortable on camera, and they had a really discerning eye on the editing table for what content would resonate the best with people. We really appreciated their partnership throughout all of the work.

What did you find most impressive about them?

A member of our board was on scene during filming and remarked that she couldn’t wait to work with them in a professional role because their attention to detail was truly astounding. Any slight reflection or anything that could have distracted from the message was taken care of so that they made sure we were getting an excellent result.

They were consistently gracious and fun to be around, and it made the partnership really enjoyable to be a part of. When you’re working with someone for close to a year, that is always a huge plus, so it was something we really appreciated.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Honestly, we’ve been pleased with everything they have done throughout their work with us. I really don’t have any complaints.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

One thing that worked really well for us was coming in from our end with a solid strategy and idea of what we wanted to achieve in the final product. That included pretty developed storyboards and a sense of humor in the content and that way they were able to simply apply their methodology to what we had rather than having to do a lot of guesswork about what we were looking for.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am co-founder of Fantastic Life. Fantastic Life is the world's first hormone balancing nutrition app. It helps its users assess the hormone levels within their body and accordingly recommends appropriate foods and diet to restore their hormonal balance. We are a startup.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Six Degrees Productions?

We needed an introductory video, showcasing the company and product. We needed to explain how the product functions, its benefits and the use case. Six Degrees did an amazing job at hitting all of those objectives.

What were your goals for this project?

1. Introduce the company to the world
2. Explain the product and its features
3. Capture the various uses cases
4. Explain product benefits

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We had known six degrees for a while from local networking. Amongst all other associated in the area, we found six degrees to be professional, capable and came with the experience we were comfortable with. The initial conversation put us at ease with regards meeting our criteria. Lee-Anne was very quick to understand the requriements and the objective and quick to come up with a plan of attack.

Describe the project in detail.

The project involved a preliminary conversation with the co-founders. Requirements gathering exercise if you will. Once the requirements were gathered, the folks at Six Degrees over the course of a few emails were quickly able to define a roadmap for how the shooting would be done, what was required leading up to it etc.

A series of questions were developed for use as a guideline. The day of the shooting started on time, the team was efficient at setup. It was our first time shooting and making a video and the team made us extremely comfortable. Can't stress how important that was for us. The videos came out professional and no amount of nervousness was ever visible through the videos.

What was the team composition?

The team at Six degrees comprised of Lee-Anne and Chris at the forefront. Six Degrees behind the scenes had a large crew that was involved in various aspects of video production to deliver the product in record time.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The team took a little over 2 weeks to produce the finished product. We really did not have any tweaks and updates. One really significant attribute of the entire exercise was that, there wasn't a lot of back and forth during the editing process. Six Degrees pretty much nailed it right from the get go.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Once engaged, Six Degrees pretty much ran with everything. They organized the shoot, they created the plan, a roadmap and a strategy/approach. They were true professionals that made this first time engagement for us painless and seemless. We just had to follow their lead. There struck a good balance between in person meetings and email/phone communication. The balance was quite efficient.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their professionalism combined with the quality of their work blew us away. Not to mention their comfort, the speed of the engagement, and the ease of doing business

Are there any areas for improvement?

None. We are going to be using six degrees again for all future video production.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the head of digital and external affairs for a multi-national IT company. We provide cloud solutions for enterprises to help them become intelligent enterprises. In my role, I work for the regional president’s office. My responsibilities are around where we need to be to help customers and partners realize the value of their products and solutions. I also work with a lot of internal and external events.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Six Degrees Productions?

We cover a diverse region so our content extends to people with very different cultural backgrounds and technological capacities. Our main objective with Six Degrees Productions was to tailor content to this diverse audience.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Six Degrees Productions has handled many projects for us. Their team handles the major digital assets required for all of our quarterly events. Each quarter, we have three major external events as well as some internal ones. For each event, we need content to be created. They help us create assets including PowerPoint presentations, videos, emails, and so on.

For each project, there are different elements involved but the PowerPoint or e-book are the main ones. We know what we want to say to our customers, so it’s not so much what we want to say but how we say it. Six Degrees Productions takes care of that.

What is the team composition?

There are about 5–6 people on their team. Greg (Executive Director) understands all the strategic directions and our objectives. He has a team that works on the projects after we provide briefings. I work with two individuals who handle our videos, a scriptwriter, and someone who’s over our emails and communications.

How did you come to work with Six Degrees Productions?

We went through the process of selecting an agency we could work with on a regular basis. After a thorough examination and vetting process that involved vendors giving presentations and providing quotes, Six Degrees Productions was selected.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our ongoing engagement started in July 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The Sapphire event is our biggest global event and it was virtual this year. For that video, we had two interview videos compiled with our branding, an introduction, and a conclusion. The Sapphire video was a brilliant achievement for many reasons.

First, it was remarkable that they completed it in four days and under a very tight deadline. Second, despite the low-quality videos submitted, the Six Degrees Productions team always finds creative ways to conceal the imperfections and make the video look as smooth and dynamic as possible. Third, it’s clear this project’s success was brought to pass because every individual on their team put their whole heart into it. They spent their weekends and nights devoted to the project.

They’ve really made collaboration seamless. We can go to them with a problem, and they’ll give their thoughts and input. We build on ideas together. It’s not a typical company-to-vendor relationship, it’s more of a partnership.

How did Six Degrees Productions perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management skills are outstanding. We usually meet once a week. However, when we’re approaching deadlines, we tend to communicate on an almost daily basis through phone calls, WhatsApp, and emails. A lot of things change last-minute on our end, but they’re always flexible in adapting to meet deadlines.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their ability to overcome challenges is their most impressive trait. I work with a lot of agencies in my role and the excuse I’ve always heard is “No, we can’t do that.” However, what’s remarkable about Six Degrees Productions’ service is that they always find a way no matter what — and it doesn’t compromise on quality. They have a can-do attitude.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I can’t really think of anything. Maybe we could try implementing a project management tool so we can check off what has been done.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

You’ll need to be really energetic. Six Degrees Productions is always on and up for it. It’s a dynamic and energetic environment. If a potential customer wishes to work with them then they should match Six Degrees Productions’ spirit and what makes them unique.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of Mary Hill Fit Body Bootcamp, a boutique fitness studio.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Six Degrees Productions?

We’re a brand new business that hasn’t been open for a year yet. We were hoping to get some marketing material made for us — specifically videos.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Six Degrees created professional short video clips around a workout session and our grand opening event. They also did some testimonial videos and created our Vines at the time.

The first project was when they covered one of our workouts. After recording the entire session, they contacted clients individually to be interviewed. This took place with a full recording setup with lighting. The second project involved our grand opening. Six Degrees videotaped the full event and interviewed attendees.

What is the team composition?

The event wasn’t that big so Six Degrees only had two people onsite with cameras to film, take photos, and conduct interviews. 

How did you come to work with Six Degrees Productions?

We came across one of their partners, Lee-Anne (Head of Video Productions), when she joined one of our programs. We’re community-oriented so we wanted to reach out and support her business while growing our business at the same time.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about $10,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project ran from October–November 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Six Degrees’ work has been of tremendous value for us. Their videos helped us get more exposure for our business. They helped put us and our clients in front so that we don’t have to use stock photos on social media like other businesses in our industry.

The quality of work was amazing, and so was the quick turnaround. I believed that we’d have to pay more for the kind of quality and speediness we got from Six Degrees. They had a lot of footage taken from multiple cameras that they could put together as montages. Their videos and interviews were extremely high-quality, clear, and professionally done.

How did Six Degrees Productions perform from a project management standpoint?

From my perspective, Six Degrees was well-organized and timely in showing up. Everything happened the way it was supposed to happen. We had a couple of glitches when some people didn’t show up when and where they were supposed to. However, Six Degrees managed to move things around and reorganize the pieces to make it all work.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I really admire the team, especially Lee-Anne. Professional and conscientious, she cares about what she does and the quality she delivers. I highly recommend her to anyone looking to make videos and cover something for internal use or marketing purposes. They do an amazing job of handling many pieces and making our company look professional.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything specific.

Any advice for potential customers?

Be clear about your expectations. Make sure you communicate what you’re visualizing as an outcome so they have a clear understanding of what you expect them to deliver.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a business coach at a professional development firm. We provide workshop services, and public speaking, as well as group coaching. We also run a mastermind group for female business owners.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Six Degrees Productions?

I had undergone a large rebranding last year and, just prior to that, I’d invested in a significant financial undertaking for a new video. I realized that the video was outdated and I needed to refresh it.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

While I couldn’t create a new video because of COVID-19, I hired Six Degrees Productions to take the existing video and refresh it with my new brand, as well as new animations. Lee-Anne (Head of Video Production) liaised with my graphic design company to ensure she was following the brand guidelines. They took visual assets from my brand, that I used in featuring new clients, and turned to them into animations of planting seeds and blooming flowers.

What is the team composition?

Lee-Anne was my only contact.

How did you come to work with Six Degrees Productions?

I met Lee-Anne through the chamber of commerce. I saw her demo-reel and was really impressed. I knew the next time I needed some work I wanted to give them a try.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around $1,300.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our work spanned April–May 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They went above and beyond what I anticipated. The team followed guidelines I didn’t even know I had. They were very collaborative and easy to work with. The team really valued what I wanted and made sure my vision came true. I was able to present my new video to 50 entrepreneurs and they were all impressed with the quality and the animation.

How did Six Degrees Productions perform from a project management standpoint?

I’ve worked with other videographers in the past, and timelines got stretched out and weren’t clear at times. Lee-Anne, on the other hand, never missed a deadline and was even sometimes early. I even asked for something that was outside the original scope of work she and gave it to me within an hour at no extra cost.  

She had a lot of systems in place so you know exactly what’s going on. We used Google Drive, and she sent me project overviews, storyboards, and links to her internal system to get my feedback at critical times.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I found Lee-Anne to be incredibly professional. She’s intuitive and a good listener, and asks a lot of smart questions; she’s able to engage, get a good picture of what you’re going for, and deliver.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I would have preferred a chat system instead of email, but that’s not too important.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

My advice is to explore the possibilities of what they can do for you. It may even be beyond what you had in mind originally.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Communications Officer of a nonprofit organization

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Not-for-profit organization supporting First Nations communities in Canada achieve their economic development and self-determination goals.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Six Degrees Productions to accomplish?

• Client testimonial video projects
• Video projects to support marketing our tools and services
• Thought leadership videos

SOLUTION

How did you find Six Degrees Productions?

• Online Search
• Referral

Why did you select Six Degrees Productions over others?

• High ratings
• Close to my geographic location
• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Referred to me

How many teammates from Six Degrees Productions were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

The projects included creating testimonial/marketing videos from clip stamps of raw video footage, adding backgroud music, lower thirds, b-roll footage, branded intros and outros, and further editing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

All project milestones and deliverables were met on the agreed time. The product that was delivered was great and we have contiued to work with Six Degrees Production for even more projects.

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

The team consistently met deadlines, communicated effectively, were quick to respond when we reached out initially and through any and all questions.

What was your primary form of communication with Six Degrees Productions?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

The team is warm, professional, and great at what they do! No cheesey sales pitches and you never feel pressure to add on more or do more. They respect your needs and value long-term working relationships.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Six Degrees Productions could have done differently?

Not from my experience.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Production and Health and Safety Manager of Flexiforce Canada Inc

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Hardware for garage doors

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Six Degrees Productions to accomplish?

• Safety Video

SOLUTION

How did you find Six Degrees Productions?

Online Search

Why did you select Six Degrees Productions over others?

Pricing fit our budget

How many teammates from Six Degrees Productions were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Safety video for contractors, new employees and visitors

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

professional video

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

They were fast and professional.

What was your primary form of communication with Six Degrees Productions?

Email or Messaging App

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

Professionalism

Are there any areas for improvement or something Six Degrees Productions could have done differently?

all good

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Marketing Lead of Neil Squire

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We use technology, knowledge and passion to empower Canadians with disabilities.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Six Degrees Productions to accomplish?

• Create a video to celebrate a milestone

SOLUTION

How did you find Six Degrees Productions?

Referral

Why did you select Six Degrees Productions over others?

• High ratings
• Close to my geographic location
• Pricing fit our budget
• Referred to me

How many teammates from Six Degrees Productions were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Six Degrees delivered a video highlighting volunteers in our community. They came out to our event to interview various people and capture the event. To prepare, they delivered a storyboard and figured out the filming logistics with us as there were many moving parts on the day of.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

That it tells a cohesive story

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

Six Degrees was fast at responding to emails and delivering items. We were very impressed

What was your primary form of communication with Six Degrees Productions?

Email or Messaging App

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

They had a large team and were very professional

Are there any areas for improvement or something Six Degrees Productions could have done differently?

N/A

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Marketing Coordinator of West Coast College of Massage Therapy

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We provide training for aspiring Registered Massage Therapists

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Six Degrees Productions to accomplish?

• Promote our program to potential customers
• Create videos that would resonate with the audience
• Guide our team

SOLUTION

How did you find Six Degrees Productions?

• Online Search
• Referral

Why did you select Six Degrees Productions over others?

• Close to my geographic location
• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned
• Great portfolio

How many teammates from Six Degrees Productions were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

• Create a promotional company overview 
• Create two campus tour videos 
• Create13 blog videos on different topics

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Progress is measured by each step: 

• scripting
• approvals
• filming
• editing

The measurable outcome is the fabulous finished videos.

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

They are timely, responsive, clear communicators, and exceeded expectations. They were very clear on timing expectations and turned everything around really quickly.

What was your primary form of communication with Six Degrees Productions?

• In-Person Meeting
• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Their creativity and ability to turn our imaginations into videos we can be proud of. They are extremely professional, hardworking, responsive, and an absolute pleasure to work with

Are there any areas for improvement or something Six Degrees Productions could have done differently?

Certainly not - they exceeded expectations in every regard.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a Service Centre Manager. I operate a Service Centre in Langley BC

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Six Degrees Productions, and what were your goals?

We hired Six Degrees to assist us with the production of a training video for use in our local market. We intended this video to inform other service centres of our approach to sales and the successes that we have had.

SOLUTION

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

We found Six Degress via a Google search. They were selected from a group of 3 providers because of previous reviews from customers and the competitiveness of their quote.

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

I was scheduled for a discovery meeting with Lee. She was Fantastic! Walked us through the process. 

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

See previous answer

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They made the process a breeze.

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

We provided our ideas to her and she produced a map to follow. Once this was agreed on, scheduled the shooting date and the production team came in and executed on a high level.

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

Their staff is great! Very easy to work with.

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

None