Talespin

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-head of studio for Jaunt, a virtual reality production and distribution company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Talespin?

We needed help producing promos for a video series.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We’ve worked with Talespin on a few different projects, but the most recent was a set of 360-degree promotional pieces for a large online series. Talespin oversaw the live action production, put together the crew, and managed post-production (stitching, compositing, rendering, and color). They also dealt with a few union issues we ran into while filming.

We’re currently bidding on a new project to start with Talespin soon.

What is the team composition?

Stephen was our executive producer and main point of contact. He made sure everything ran smoothly and brought in a whole production team: producer, production management, hair and makeup, etc.

How did you come to work with Talespin?

We’d worked with them before and were pleased with their skill and professionalism. Stephen consistently provides thoughtful and precise bids, so we chose Talespin again for this project.

What is the status of this engagement?

This project lasted from August–December 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Talespin was instrumental in making sure everything went successfully. Our client gave positive feedback throughout the whole process, which made us happy.

How did Talespin perform from a project management standpoint?

They were extremely communicative and made sure we always knew what was going on. They’d send us work, so we could provide our feedback before sending the finalized product to our client.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Dealing with the unions was much harder than anticipated, but Talespin did an amazing job of working with them. Stephen was on the frontlines helping us navigate that situation. Our client was happy with the work Talespin did.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Nothing comes to mind.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I lead AR/VR business development and content partnerships for a major tech company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Talespin?

We needed to create video VR content.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The project involved creating an innovative VR experience with a stereoscopic 360 VR camera, designed to allow fans to be placed inside two dance scenes. Talespin was originally brought on as the line producer of the project.

What is the team composition?

We worked with 2-3 people from their team.

How did you come to work with Talespin?

We were introduced to Talespin through the other production partner involved in the project. We were impressed with their work and look forward to working with them again in the future.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from June 2017 to January 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We highlighted the content at film festivals in early 2018, showcasing it at events and on panels. We received excellent feedback on the innovation and technique used in the creation of the piece. The videos have received over hundreds of thousands of views and continues to receive positive comments.

How did Talespin perform from a project management standpoint?

They have been fantastic to work with. Stephen (CCO, Talespin) was a great partner throughout a complex production process with many stakeholders. Talespin did a fantastic job of running the production on the ground and plugging in in a professional capacity.

We mostly communicated through email, but they were responsive and professional. They knew how to get things done and when to consult us, but also knew when they could make a decision and move forward because of the tight timelines on set. They spoke fluently about VR production but also knew how to manage a traditional Hollywood shoot.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They knew how to work with the various stakeholders to get the production done efficiently and successfully. They were well-liked by everyone involved in the project and won trust quickly.  Stephen proved that he could integrate seamlessly, avoid wasting time and make everything as easy as possible. All of that stood out to me.

Are there any areas they could improve?

It would have been helpful to have a production calendar ready to go as soon as they were brought onto the project so all stakeholders were clear on what was required and when. Given the last-minute nature of the project, though, it was understandably tough to have the calendar ready to go immediately.