Sojourn Films

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the marketing director for Unite America. We’re a political organization that works toward reform.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Sojourn Films?

We needed video work done. First, we needed professional intros and outros added to some internal videos. Second, we needed a fundraising event filmed and edited. Third, we needed a video of a poet reciting a poem produced.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Our first project with Sojourn Films involved light video editing, adding professional intros and outros to existing internal videos. For Sojourn Films’ second project they filmed, produced, and edited a live fundraising event. They rented some additional equipment and hourly support for that event. They handled that part of the work entirely and they had included it in their upfront billing. We would sometimes ask them for a slide deck that we could present to our higher-ups.

Sojourn Films produced the poem video in a studio that they had rented. Sojourn Films took the kernel of an idea for the poet video and came back to us with a vision, so they really led that project rather than just taking direction. They shot this while we were in Austin in a rented production studio. They had projector screens in front of him, casting interesting imagery from different angles related to what he was saying. They added animated text in postproduction.

What is the team composition?

We worked with a team of two people from Sojourn Films. One acted as an account manager, dealing with billing and keeping projects on course. The other person was responsible for the creative vision and execution.

How did you come to work with Sojourn Films?

One of our team members met them at a local July 4th party by chance.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around $35,000 with Sojourn Films.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with Sojourn Films from July 2021–January 2022.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I think we’re up to about 250,000 views on the poetry video. Some of their video work was viewed only by donors, but we received some large donations. Donors cited the video as a factor in their donations. Also, whenever we asked Sojourn Films for a presentation that we could take to our higher-ups, they always produced a really good product.

How did Sojourn Films perform from a project management standpoint?

Sojourn Films did a brilliant job. They were quick, proactive, and exhaustive in their communications. They’ve always been highly responsive via both email and text, and they did a great job of staying organized. 

I found that both of our contacts worked in concert very well. The first project was a light lift, they did it very professionally for a great rate, and that’s what gave us the confidence to go on to larger projects.

The creative process usually started with us detailing to Sojourn Films what we thought the project vision would be. Then, we’d regroup about follow-up questions on a call or via email, and they’d sometimes push for new directions. They came with good questions for their own clarity, but also to push us a little bit. They were very flexible, but also very good at staying within the project’s scope.

There was a moment when we faced an unexpected delay due to fires outside of Denver. Both of our contacts at Sojourn Films got displaced by those fires, so they were unable to access their equipment for a few days. But when they were able to get back to their equipment, they put in the effort and the hours to get us exactly the product we needed. The video work was all done on a tight timeline, but Sojourn Films was really flexible and worked with us.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were very involved in the details of our projects, and we felt really taken care of. They’re a smaller firm, but they were very focused on us as a result. We liked that they were local. They were always willing to be flexible — not outside of the contract, they were good at staying within scope — but they were willing to get creative with us whenever an opportunity or a need arose. 

They always went with the best idea, not the one that was easiest for them. They’re both very professional, but they also make the work fun.

Are there any areas they could improve?

This is not a huge critique, but they would sometimes render and export an entire draft of the video, which would take 3–5 hours. It would have been more efficient to just share the 15 seconds of the video that we were concerned with at the time.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Put in the upfront effort to give Sojourn Films context, resources, and assets for your project. We provided them with links to files, branding, and everything else that they needed. I know that they appreciated receiving clear requests and assets up front, so that they wouldn’t have to wait on us. Put in that upfront effort to provide what they need, and you’ll get a good return.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I work for a vehicle wrap advertising company. We help customers and business owners advertise by printing graphic designs, logos, and business information on vehicles. That way, other people can see their brands when the vehicles are out on the road.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Sojourn Films?

Sojourn helps us produce video content, such as customer testimonial videos of people sharing their stories about working with us. We then take and promote the videos online to market to potential customers and get more projects done. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Sojourn shoots videos of our customers’ projects. They usually shoot in various locations, depending on the customer. Sometimes, they stay in their city; sometimes, we fly them out to a different location — we’ve filmed projects all across the country. 

The team usually spends three days on a location. They spend at least one full day filming the vehicle wrap installation process. Their resources go to the location where the vinyl or wrap design is printed out and then installed onto the customer’s vehicle, capturing everything in action. 

Then, Sojourn spends the next day at the customer’s office or work location to film them with their completely wrapped vehicle. The team interviews the customer, asking them about their business, how they’ve found us, and why they’ve decided to get a vehicle wrap. They also ask how the vehicle will impact or help their business.

From there, Sojourn spends about 10 business days going over all of the footage and ensuring that all aspects of the video are translated into the story that we want to convey. They provide us with rough edits that are about three minutes long, and then we go through several rounds of revisions. After that, the team gives us a full edit of the three-minute video, along with a folder of photographs of the installation process. 

What is the team composition?

I work with two people from Sojourn. One is the co-founder, who’s also the lead videographer. The other person is their head of business development.

How did you come to work with Sojourn Films?

We met Sojourn through a referral by an employee. From there, we were introduced to each other, and then we started our conversation. One thing led to another, and then we began working with them. Our team decided that they were the best fit for the project because they showed us examples of what they had worked on before — everything was compelling. They had a drone camera, which was pretty impressive, and we were excited about that. Their previous work also had high quality, so we hired them. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested roughly $30,000. We spend around $4,000 per video and reimburse around $1,000 for travel expenses, putting the average at $5,000 per video. So far, we’ve done six of them. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Sojourn in April 2020, and the engagement is ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The videos have generated thousands of views for us. On top of that, we’ve used the content for press releases, which have helped generate several million impressions for our photographs and videos. That’s truly great for us. 

Sojourn continues to raise the bar in terms of what they deliver to us. They fully embrace the overall theme of the business and give it a personalized tone and atmosphere. For instance, if our customer is a barbecue restaurant, they’ll make us feel like we’re watching a rodeo video, thanks to the editing and shots they use. 

How did Sojourn Films perform from a project management standpoint?

In terms of project management, everything has been done on time. We have strong communication, and the Sojourn team responds quickly every time we request edits. They usually reply within an hour. For the most part, we communicate via email and over the phone. Overall, they’re on top of everything. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Sojourn’s quality is impressive. Their drone camera is a big plus; it certainly enhances the quality of the shots and makes for high-quality output. Beyond that, their resources have great attention to detail. They have a careful eye watching over the whole production process. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

There have been a couple of instances where we didn’t like the music. Moreover, if we want to change the music, the process requires us to rework the project from the top. 

To be fair, we’ve started to find ways to remedy this. Now, Sojourn comes to us before doing anything and provides us with three music options. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Have a clear design and production direction, and communicate it to Sojourn clearly and concisely. If you do that, they’ll be able to hit the nail on the head for you. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the founder of a digital marketing agency that focuses a lot on social media marketing and content creation around that funnel.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

One of the most important areas when focusing on the social media funnel is content creation and video production. We do not have internal resources for those content areas, so it was vital for us to find a trustworthy partner to handle this segment of our business. Sojourn Films has been key to successful client engagements over the years.

SOLUTION

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

We needed someone local who knew our culture and the industries of our clients. We also needed someone with great communication and strong business film experience. Sojourn was the perfect fit.

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

We would share our overarching social strategies with the Sojourn team and then collaborate together on the contact plan surrounding those higher level strategies. Sojourn created multiple styles of videos for us - infographics, short clips, and longer films. All were of the highest quality.

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

We worked directly with Jerrod who is the founder of Sojourn Films. Communication was strong from day one until delivery to the client.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

When we collaborated on video strategy, clients loved that Sojourn thought outside of the box and focused heavily on the psychology of their target persona. They dug deeper than just stock, cookie cutter content, which made the campaigns more successful.

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

We had direct contact with the founder, who was also available for communication or for shoots. He traveled with us when needed and was timely with content handoff.

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

They truly care about their craft and are passionate about making an impact.

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

Nothing to add here at the moment. We are happy with the results and the process.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the Sales Manager at Pureblind Wraps and Graphics. We Design, Print, and Install vehicle wraps, Wall Murals, we also provide Branding for new and existing companies.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Sojourn Film Productions, and what were your goals?

We were wrapping a high profile clients vehicle and we wanted a professionally made video to capture the experience.

SOLUTION

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

We searched for a team that had fair pricing, a unique set of skills, and could provide the finished product in a timely manner.

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

We had the Sojourn team brief us on the questions that would be asked so we came prepared for the day of the shoot. They broke down the equipment they'd be using and were very knowledgable about each piece. They marked the floors and set the lighting. We were also using drone footage so we rehearsed that as well.

They were very patient with the takes it took to get it perfect. They also coached us while filming. They were quick, efficient, patient, and knowledgable. We do videos sometimes our selves so we wanted a team that knew more than we did and they definitely did.

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

I worked with Kevin. He helped a lot in the coaching phase and making sure we had the correct lighting. He walked me through each step to make sure I was ready before we started filming.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Since the film was shot we've received many compliments and new jobs due to the impact that it made.

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

The Sojourn team had all the equipment you could ever need to run a fully professional operation. They were early and communicated well before, during, and after working with us.

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

The interest they took in what we we're doing was the most impressive. They took the time to share their industry knowledge. Then spent the rest of the time learning about us!

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

It's hard to think of any negative or improvement areas at the moment. Our team was very happy with the results.