Sparkhouse

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am a principal and co-owner of Orange Label, a response marketing firm founded in 1972.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Sparkhouse?

We help clients with their brand and messaging, but don’t do extensive video work. We have some capability for it, but wanted a production house that could work with us to meet our clients’ business objectives.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We spearheaded storyboarding, then they created 30-second television commercials and two-minute “about us” videos for two clients. Sparkhouse acted as production and film crew, and as editors for each video.

How did you come to work with Sparkhouse?

A member of our business development team met Torrey [CEO/Founder, Sparkhouse] at a networking event. We had interviewed several other companies, but Sparkhouse was local and we developed a good rapport. We liked their samples—and their price was right—so we decided to use them.

How much have you invested with them?

Overall, we’ve spent about $20,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started the first project with them in the summer of 2016, and the second finished in June 2017. We’re beginning another project with them now.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We don’t have KPIs [Key Performance Indicators] for the success of the videos. In terms of quality, Sparkhouse met the directive. These were not big-budget productions for high-end brands, but the work they produced fulfills its purpose.

How did Sparkhouse perform from a project management standpoint?

They did very well. We communicated frequently to discuss changes, both during the filming and in post-production. Spencer [Account Manager, Sparkhouse] kept the project on track and was very responsive.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their accessibility, communication, and willingness to meet in person to collaborate impressed us.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could do more to understand our clients’ project aims—the big picture.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We manufacture and sell a bed tent product throughout the United States and a few other countries. I’m the CEO.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Sparkhouse?

We lacked good video and still content for social media. The purpose was for general brand building, as well as paid promotion.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They did the overall script or theme for the videos, and there were a few animation elements as well. There have been 2–4 videos, which we've used across Facebook, Instagram, Google, Pinterest, and YouTube. The videos demonstrate how a child would utilize our product if a parent were to purchase it for them. They created a fun environment to show a real-life situation of how it could be used. We hired the actors in-house.

How did you come to work with Sparkhouse?

I was introduced to Torrey [CEO/Founder, Sparkhouse] through a mutual friend. We considered other companies, but I liked the overall feel and attentiveness they gave us, making us feel like we were important and that they cared.

How much have you invested with them?

$20,000–$25,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in January 2016 until February 2016. The turnaround was quick.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

When we made the choice to spend money on real quality content, it made a huge difference in the way things started converting and how people looked at our brand. They started to take us more seriously.

How did Sparkhouse perform from a project management standpoint?

They were great. The turnaround time was good. They made it clear what they were doing. They were flexible on the shooting schedules to work with us, as well as on location and everything else.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The general overall execution and the deliverable of the project. They delivered what they said they were going to deliver, and it came out great.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No.

Any advice for future clients of Sparkhouse?

Hire them. They care about you, the client, and put time and effort into what you're looking for and deliver on it. Be as open with them as you can about budget and anything else. They’ll figure something out.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m an account supervisor at IMW Agency. We are a full-service ad agency located in Orange County, California.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Sparkhouse?

We’re able to do most creative work in-house, but we wanted a dedicated video team to work with on multiple projects.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We can do basic video editing in-house, but directing, producing, and filming is all done through Sparkhouse. I’ve worked on 10-15 videos with them, and other members of our team have done additional videos. A lot of the videos are product launch videos that can be edited down to social media clips, pre-roll for ads, and various other uses.

They usually film live and, depending on what we’re filming, they do lots of editing and graphics and animations to really bring the whole idea of the video to life.

What is the team dynamic?

We bring them in the brainstorming sessions so that we can really collaborate with our ideas and work together to develop a solution for what our client needs. A lot of times it’s a collaborative effort. I develop a timeline based on when we need something done. They’ll do everything in their power to make sure that they finish on time or before.

How did you come to work with Sparkhouse?

They’re local to where my agency is. They’re young and responsive and easy to work with. They have great ideas and they can do anything from a short social media video to a full-fledged commercial for TV. They’re extremely versatile. They did such a good job with our first project, that we’ve used them almost exclusively for our video needs.

How much have you invested with them?

We have invested over $100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in 2014 and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We won a Telly Award in 2016 for a product launch video we worked on together for a new product that we branded. We recently wrapped a video a couple of months ago that the client was so pleased that they decided to have their whole team at the shoot. They were having such a good time, and they were blown away by the caliber of the actor that Sparkhouse secured and the overall professionalism and efficiency of the team.

How did Sparkhouse perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re great. Spencer [Account Manager, Sparkhouse] is the person I usually work with in project management. He’s so responsive. At any time of day, he will get me a response to my question. He doesn’t care how many questions I ask or how often I bother him. He’s always really nice, polite, and gets me the information I need.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They go out of their way to get the work done. If a client wants something that’s not going to be a benefit to them in the long-run, Sparkhouse will share a better idea with them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. They do a really great job. Their team is really responsive, really efficient, and really good.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

CyberPowerPC is a systems integrator building gaming computers. I am the brand manager.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Sparkhouse?

We needed a set of videos and professional photography that would feature some of our sponsored gamers for an upcoming marketing campaign.

The challenge was that the subjects were dispersed all over the U.S., from Colorado to Austin and Virginia. We needed a partner who could coordinate from multiple locations, and keep the cost low. Most agencies would send the same crew out to every place. We heard about Sparkhouse’s experience contracting local talent and managing them in order to keep the consistency of the work.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We had a set of interviews with the gamers, followed by a photoshoot of them in their workspace, in a “day in the life of” format. Sparkhouse took our long-session interviews, and cut them down to 15-second to 1-minute edits.

The scope included 4 gaming subjects that Sparkhouse needed to coordinate. For each, they needed to deliver one large and multiple cut-down versions. Sparkhouse also needed to follow the brand guidelines of our campaign partner.

We made a total of 3-4 revisions for each video and photo set. The photos were headshots and lifestyle ones.

What is the team dynamic?

We worked with one of their assistants, who checked in on the status of our project. Sparkhouse offered a system which we could log into for online reviews and annotations on the videos themselves.

How did you come to work with Sparkhouse?

My former agency had worked with them years ago. We looked at other companies but chose Sparkhouse based on their price.

How much have you invested with them?

The cost of their work was around $15,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Sparkhouse around March 2017, and finished in July.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve just started advertising the campaign, so it’s too early to mention results. It’s probably a great value for brand awareness, but, in terms of actual ROI, it will be hard to mention until we’ve gained some traction.

Sparkhouse used different photographers and videographers local to each interviewee. Each person involved was given enough direction to simplify the process in a way that, once the 4 videos came in, they looked consistent with each other.

How did Sparkhouse perform from a project management standpoint?

They were lenient in terms of what we wanted, stretching the scope to accommodate us. They were on top of the work all the time, checking in to make sure where we stood. It’s usually hard to work with gamers’ schedules, since they’re multimillionaire, famous people who don’t have much time. It would be a struggle for most people, but Sparkhouse was adaptable.

What did you find most impressive about them?

For this project, I appreciated their flexibility around the timing. The original project was supposed to be done in a month, but we kept running into problems with our talent. Sparkhouse worked everything out.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything related to this project. We’re looking to use Sparkhouse again if we get the funds for redoing the campaign in 2018.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We’re a full-service digital marketing agency. We provide creative solutions including design, logo, branding, copywriting, mission statements, ad creatives, social creatives, email design, web design, etc. We also provide development services. We build a lot of websites including custom e-commerce platforms, third-party e-commerce platforms, API integration, mobile and web apps, etc. We also do marketing including all online marketing from social media, Google AdWords, PPC, organic SEO, conversion rate optimization, digital PR, etc. Our clients are celebrities, big e-commerce companies and stores, gyms, health products and supplements, real estate agencies, law firms, doctors’ offices and surgery centers, dual rebrands and designers, clothing lines, hotels, etc. I’m the vice president and co-owner.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Sparkhouse?

We don’t do any video production in-house. A lot of our clients need videos for ads, websites, or interviews, etc. We’ve always had a need for video, and in the past, we’ve given it to a handful of different companies. As soon as we started working with Sparkhouse, they became our sole provider for any video work.

The way they work through the whole creative process and how well they understood what we were using the videos for was different than other companies. We have a very specific purpose for the videos. For example, we’re going to shoot a three-minute clip for a commercial and it’s going to be chopped up into 20 different 15-second segments that we’re going to run Facebook ads on. Each video needs to be very specific with a very specific message that we can drive traffic with.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We’ve worked with them on 20-25 projects. We’ve done simple executive board member interviews that sometimes get tied into bigger company overview videos. They’ve done commercials, Facebook ads, YouTube ads that go before YouTube videos, Instagram ads, etc. A lot of the videos have intros and outros that are animated. We’ve also done some full animation videos with them.

We have a conversation with our client about what sales message they want to get across. We give Sparkhouse our preliminary concept and they come up with more ideas. They’re really good at that, which is partly why we continue working with them. Sparkhouse’s ideas are better than everybody else’s that we’ve worked with in the past.

How did you come to work with Sparkhouse?

I connected with the owner, Torrey, through a nonprofit. We volunteered together four or five years ago, and started doing business with each other.

How much have you invested with them?

The smaller half-day projects have cost between $2,000 and $3,000. The biggest one was $50,000 or $60,000. We have spent close to $200,000 over the course of our relationship.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in 2015. We have a couple of projects that are on hold because we haven’t closed the deal yet. They’re included in a handful of our proposals that are out right now.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I know we’ve made a handful of things go viral. One of our clients is a magazine, and one of their videos reached 10 or 11 million views on Facebook alone. Conversion rates and sales have gone up for a lot of our e-commerce stores since working with us. We utilize videos on their websites, product pages, social media, and Facebook ads.

How did Sparkhouse perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re fantastic. They get everything in on time. If something isn’t going to come in, there’s a clear reason for it or it was delayed because we wanted to change something. They don’t require a lot of input from us. We tell them what we need, and they run with it. They come up with scripts and concepts and come back and pitch it to us. We give our approval and they execute. They’re really easy to work with.

What did you find most impressive about them?

As an agency, they are definitely one of the easier, if not the easiest, firms we’ve worked with that does video. They’re very flexible, and Torrey is very knowledgeable. If we tell him how many videos we need and the client’s budget and ask how to make it work, he’ll give me a solution that makes sense for everybody.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

ANDesign is a full-service industrial design firm. My duties include public relations and marketing outreach.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Sparkhouse?

We knew that Sparkhouse was capable of delivering at the right standards. As a product development firm, we work with many Kickstarter or crowdfunded campaigns, many of which require great user-generated content for promoting on social platforms. Everything is digital now, so a great video will take us a long way. We knew that, in order to meet our goals, we would have to have that high-quality video production, which is difficult.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Sparkhouse has worked on three videos with us. We were mainly looking for a good narrative, and Sparkhouse capable of delivering the plot effortlessly, along with great transitions. The way in which graphic renditions and scoring were added to the videos was also great. Being able to obtain correlating sound, in order to have an appropriate atmosphere for the video, is important.

For each video, we only gave Sparkhouse a general idea of what we needed to get done.

One of the videos was regarding a smart shower. They came up with all the dialogue for one actor, who talked about water consumption, drawing consciousness to the topic. The delivery of the dialogue and product use took a lot of foresight and scriptwriting. They prepared an entire shot list, and all that Sparkhouse needed to do when filming was direct the subject a little on how to stay in frame,and get the angles. They brainstormed the storyboard, brought it to us, and we gave a thumbs-up.

The process has been similar for all three videos. What I appreciate about Sparkhouse is that they make the job easier by understanding our concepts, and delivering on-point.

How did you come to work with Sparkhouse?

We focus on product development, and we were connected with Sparkhouse after they came over to us with a project for our company.

I’d seen a lot of their work. We didn’t consider anyone else; we knew that we needed help with video production, and that Sparkhouse was capable of it. We tried working with video production ourselves, but, because our main focus is in the product designing and manufacturing space, we weren’t able to deliver the same quality and standards ourselves.

How much have you invested with them?

I don’t know the exact cost, but I do know that we’re not passing along projects under $15,000. We’ve had three projects, so the total would be around $50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Sparkhouse in 2015. I have only been with the company since 2016. Within that time period, I’ve worked on three projects with Sparkhouse. There is a chance there was other work before this time. We have two ongoing projects with them.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Right now, we are pitching one of the projects to investors. The website has been integral to catching their attention, and the video has been the highlight of the campaign. It’s been up for two or three weeks, and it’s garnered 1,000 views. It’s essential for our effort.

The video is also a highlight of our current presence at a tech convention in San Francisco.

How did Sparkhouse perform from a project management standpoint?

They tend to do projects themselves, only running the game plan by us. This is good, and it allows us not to stress about creativity items; we know that the deliverable is going to be right.

We’ve tried to keep email threads organized, and we use Basecamp for management. Sparkhouse has used a filesharing platform which required a code for accessing files. They seem to be on top of the project and communication.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I appreciate their professionalism. They’re down-to-earth people, but they know when business is business. This is important in the creative space—being able to articulate ideas and deliver them accordingly. Sparkhouse was great at communicating through the ideation phases, making sure we understood what the end-product was going to be. For example, if there was going to be a graphic pop-up on the screen, I would be given that graphic beforehand, as they were storytelling through the script. It made the process that much easier, made me more comfortable, and helped me trust in the delivery even more.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. In regards to the video production, I’m thrilled with Sparkhouse’s work.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the marketing manager of a company that makes electronic accessories including cellphone, tablet, and laptop protective cases.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Sparkhouse?

We were trying to film some installation education videos in-house but didn’t have the expertise, equipment, or resources to do a professional job.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Sparkhouse shot our videos in a studio with a controlled environment. The first was a live explainer video with a voice over to help guide the user on how to use the product. We developed an outline for the script and Sparkhouse refined it, while also handling the filming and post-production as well as all the editing. They’ve done five or six videos for us since, most in a similar format.

Recently, they created a live-action marketing video for us. For that video, they went outside of the studio to shoot some slow-motion video. They brought a Phantom camera, which is a $100,000 piece of equipment, as well as the crew to operate it. We also provided a rough script for this video, and they created the storyboard, assembled the team, chose the location, got the permits, and did all the filming, editing, and revisions with our team.

How did you come to work with Sparkhouse?

Their office was next door to ours, and although we considered another company, I felt that Sparkhouse could hit our goals within our budget. They really listened to what we were trying to achieve and made their team meet our own goals versus trying to make our video fit their process.

How much have you invested with them?

We have spent a total of $50,000 for five or six videos.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in July 2016, and are currently working on a project that will be completed this week.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The content they created is much more engaging than photos or manuals. They’ve been able to help us present our brand in a much better light rather than just having static content. Our image and brand awareness to consumers has been elevated.

When we did the slow-motion product video, our sales team and customers really loved it. They told us that this is the level we need to be hitting every time across our whole product line.

How did Sparkhouse perform from a project management standpoint?

I’d give them a nine out of ten in this aspect. They’re very responsive, they follow a process, and they let us know what the next steps are. As for hitting deadlines, they get a ten out of ten. When I came to them with a project and told them about my tight deadline, they made sure we hit it.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They present an incredible value. I’ve worked with other agencies that want to charge five times as much for the same video. Sparkhouse was able to achieve something as good or better without being so expensive and they really listened to our needs.

When I went to other companies, they would kind of listen and then they’d present what they wanted to do. Sparkhouse listens to our needs and works with us on a plan; they even get scrappy when they need to. If our budget is tight, they’ll tell us the way they can still make the video within our budget and still be of good quality.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. They’re doing a great job.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Crowdcreate is a passionate Los Angeles, California based growth marketing agency raising over $10 million for crowdfunding and blockchain projects. I’m the co-founder.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Sparkhouse?

In my business, we do a lot of video work. As a growth marketing agency focusing on crowdfunding, we depend on effective videos.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They made a 2.5 to 3-minute campaign video, and delivered photos that we used on the campaign page. There were also video shorts that we use on viral media, viral ads, and Facebook ads. We are now working on our third project together. Every one of our campaigns needs a heart wrenching call to action video. The videos are live action with real actors and real scenarios. 

We show them our idea and the points we want to focus on, but from there on, they do the hiring, casting, script writing, post-editing, etc. The reason I use them is because they’re a one-stop shop that takes care of everything I need.

We are data driven so throughout the campaign, we listen to what customers want and we tailor the message to what they’re looking for. This has happened many times during our work with Sparkhouse. Sometimes we would ask for changes or a 30-second short video for Facebook ads. Sometimes we need something more focused on the characters or the features.

How did you come to work with Sparkhouse?

We had gone through 20 or 30 of different videographers before finding Sparkhouse. We’ve been using them ever since because they’re so effective at what they do. I found Sparkhouse through my co-founder, Jeffrey Maganis. We saw a lot of Sparkhouse’s work and realized they were very talented. We reached out to them because we were looking for a better video partner.

How much have you invested with them?

This information is confidential.  

With crowdfunding, some brands can afford more and some less. That’s another reason why we stayed with Sparkhouse because they can work around our budget. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in mid-2015. We are currently working on two projects with them.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our most successful campaign was for Reolink Argus. The client was able to raise $1 million in 45 days with the video Sparkhouse created. In today’s society, people are sold by videos, and I attribute the success of Reolink to the effectiveness of the video they created.

The engagement was higher for this campaign and the number of people contributing to the campaign was higher. A lot of crowdfunding is validated by how much money is raised and how much people talk about it. Crowdfunding is a social experience.

How did Sparkhouse perform from a project management standpoint?

They handle everything, including any changes we need, very quickly. For example, we were changing direction on the ad sets, and we needed another 30-second short video edited. They had those changes turned around in 24 hours. We work on their project management tool which was really effective. A lot of the communication was through email or phone calls. If there was a sudden change or new idea, they were easy to reach.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their ability to deliver an effective message. They put humor in the videos at just the right time. There’re very few video companies that can do that effectively, especially for crowdfunding. It’s a fine line to walk between informational and storytelling. 

The beauty of Sparkhouse is they have a lot of the equipment they use. They can work around your budget. I’ve worked with so many videographers that have to rent equipment so they can’t lower the scope to accommodate a client.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They’re meeting all my expectations and more. I don’t have anything else I would want to ask for.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I work for CorVel Corporation, a third-party administrator for worker’s compensation claims. I am the vice president of marketing in our corporate office in Irvine, California.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Sparkhouse?

I believe we first started working with them on a video animation project to help educate our clients on a new service we provide, which is a 24/7 nurse triage hotline. We wanted to create an animation that could be played for our clients in presentations to educate them quickly and briefly on how the service worked. At the time, it was a new and innovative way of reporting injuries in the field.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We’ve worked on at least 20 different projects with Sparkhouse. We’ve done real videos, animation, conference reels, and interactive presentation tools. Sometimes, they start with a blank slate, and then we brainstorm together. Sometimes, we have a goal or an idea in mind, and they execute it. It’s been a long-term relationship, and the projects have been quite varied.

Outside of video production, they also do some interactive sales presentation tools for us. Our sales team can customize these to help close a sale.

How did you come to work with Sparkhouse?

I was introduced to them through networking. I believe we considered other companies at the time. Sparkhouse has many ideas and a lot of drive and passion for what they do.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in February of 2013, and the relationship is ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

There aren’t any quantifiable metrics; however, we continue to use the original animation project from four years ago and customize it for almost every single presentation. It’s been greatly received in the marketplace. The response to Sparkhouse’s work has been great, both internally and externally. That’s why we continue to use them.

How did Sparkhouse perform from a project management standpoint?

They perform very well. They keep things on track. Their communication and adherence to deadlines are good. We use various online collaboration tools for editing and commenting on video or animation projects, but no specific project management tools. They respond very well to feedback.

What did you find most impressive about Sparkhouse?

They can pivot very well in terms of changing project scope. They are very good at receiving feedback and changing direction. They don’t take things personally, and they’re able to take a different approach if the original isn’t well-received.

Are there any areas Sparkhouse could improve?

No.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of Devise Interactive, a brand digital agency. We focus a lot on building brands and technology.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Sparkhouse?

I thought it would be hard to tell our story to clients via a conversation because it would be hard to translate the emotion involved. We wanted to show our clients our process, why we’re valuable, and how we differ from other agencies. A video would be the perfect way to capture that story and its emotional component, so we reached out to Sparkhouse.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Sparkhouse helped us with everything. When we engaged them, they helped us write the script. The video needs to show what our company is about, why partners should choose us, who our creative team is, etc. Then they did a live shoot at our office and brought a whole crew—camera guys, lighting guys, sound guys—I honestly didn't know there were going to be so many people. Filming pretty much took a whole day. After that, we went into post-production, which lasted another 1 ½  to two weeks. That seemed like the easiest part of the whole process. They produced about seven or eight videos that we are now starting to implement into our marketing material.

Since we are also a creative studio, we definitely took a more collaborative approach to working with Sparkhouse on the project. My team had some ideas, so we kind of had a brain dump on what we liked. Sparkhouse took those ideas to come up with some of their own, and then my team would challenge their suggestions and so forth. Because we had a lot of cooks in the kitchen, writing the script probably was the longest step in the process. It took us a few weeks to a month to block out the script, and then after that, it was a smooth production.

How did you come to work with Sparkhouse?

I’ve known about Sparkhouse because we’re in the same networking groups, so reaching out to them wasn’t a straight cold call. It took our agency some time to build up enough capital to hire Sparkhouse. We’ve been wanting them to do a video with them for a few years now, so it was exciting when we realized we had enough capital to give Sparkhouse a call.

How much have you invested with Sparkhouse?

After everything was said and done, we invested $55,000 with Sparkhouse. There were a couple of little add-ons to the project, but the guys at Sparkhouse were pretty accommodating.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in November 2016, and we ended the project in January 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We haven't implemented our marketing materials yet; we’re keeping those videos in our back pocket for now. We moved offices at the beginning of 2017, so things have been all over the place. I’m hoping I can update our profile in a couple of months. I know we haven't started using the videos in a public-facing format, but they have helped me with pitches to clients. Rather than me trying to explain to someone why they should choose us, I have a one-minute clip to show them on the spot. I think that’s helped with perception.

How did Sparkhouse perform from a project management standpoint?

Our team is similar to Sparkhouse’s team. We already knew them, and so we worked well to a certain extent. The project management has been super easy, especially since my team had a high interest in providing creative direction. There has been a lot of collaboration between the two teams, and we haven't had any problems with missed deadlines. The scripting took a lot longer than I imagined, but they were up-front about the process. There was a lot of give and take, and we added another week to the project to adjust the script. We usually met in each other’s offices, but we also used Word and Excel documents on the day we were shooting. During post-production, we used a web platform for video editing that allowed you to add comments at specific times in the video.

What did you find most impressive about Sparkhouse?

Everyone was nice. Sparkhouse’s crew is young like us, so we got to jive and feed off of each other’s energy. I liked that. I mainly worked with the director and CEO, but everyone we met while shooting—the gaffer guy, the sound guy, whoever—they were all nice. The whole experience was exciting and exhilarating. They got me and my team excited and involved in the work. My team was talking about the project every day. Sparkhouse has served a lot of my clients and other people I know, so I have a high respect for them and what they’re aspiring to be.

Are there any areas Sparkhouse could improve?

I don't think I have any critical feedback.