Talus Films

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of Connect and Color. We offer a creative art collaboration that not only unleashes creativity but also allows everyone to feel like they’re part of a team. Everyone in a Connect and Color event will produce a finished art collaboration that can be printed in a variety of different ways.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Talus Films?

We needed a company that could produce a video that would best tell the story of Connect and Color.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Talus Films helped me plan and produce a video that showcased our company. They laid out the entire process, plans, and objectives and presented them to me to make sure that I was in agreement. They were really great at asking questions to get a deeper understanding of my I do what I do with Connect and Color and draw our story out. From there, we moved forward with the video production process. They crafted the story for the video, chose the music, wrote the script, and interviewed a few people during the shoot. We ended up with a 2-minute, 42-second final video as well as a couple of shorter versions of it. They provided us with a couple of photos from the event as well.

What is the team composition?

We mainly worked with Jordan (Co-Founder & Head of Production), but there was another person who helped out during the shoot.

How did you come to work with Talus Films?

We found Talus Films through Clutch.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $5,000 on this project.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from November–December 2022.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Talus Films had the video finished in time for me to use it during a conference I was going to attend. I was also able to put it up on my website so that the people at the conference could get a good feel of what Connect and Color is all about. It’s only been a little over a month, but I’ve received a lot of positive feedback on the video about how professionally it was done and how creatively it told our story. I’ve had people tell me that they teared up while watching the video, which shows how well Talus Films was able to draw out and present my deep passion for my business.

How did Talus Films perform from a project management standpoint?

Talus Films performed well in terms of project management. They were spot on with their delivery — they were even a little ahead of time. They were really down-to-earth people, and it was incredibly easy to work and talk to them. Overall, the entire process was as seamless and stress-free as it could possibly be.

We typically communicated through email and phone calls.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Talus Films’ professionalism and communication skills were outstanding throughout the entire process. We were also impressed with their incredible talent for and passion for filmmaking.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I can’t think of anything.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Trust their talent and abilities. Let them loose on your project because they will overdeliver and give you the best they’ve got.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a senior creative producer at Antenna Group.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Talus Films?

We had a client who proposed an online advertising campaign that included commercials.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We reached out Talus Films to team up with us to produce commercials for our client’s online advertising campaign. We started the engagement by scoping the project, which involved a lot of back and forth with the client. We then went through the creative concept phase, where we worked collaboratively to develop the creative concept, create the shot list and a storyboard, and decide on things like casting, wardrobe, and set design. Talus Films then sourced a location for us to shoot in.

From there, we had a two-day shoot in Chicago. Both myself and the client attended the  shoot, which was handled professionally by Talus Films. The client loved how involved they got to be — they actually ended up being in the commercial, too. After that, we did post-production and worked through some graphic treatments in the editing phase. Talus Films was very helpful in giving us options, showing what the client asked for, and showing what we actually recommended. Finally, they delivered four commercial videos.

What is the team composition?

We worked with Madelaine (Co-Founder & Creative Director), Jordan (Co-Founder & Head of Production), and eight other people from Talus Films.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $44,000 on this project.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from July–September 2022.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our client was very happy with the results. In fact, they’ve actually asked us to create additional videos for them, and we're currently in the proposal stage for that. Overall, I’d say that this project was a success.

How did Talus Films perform from a project management standpoint?

Talus Films performed well in terms of project management. They were on top of everything in the pre-prodction stage. The post-production stage took a bit longer, but that wasn’t unexpected. They were always eager to jump on calls last-minute, support us in any way, and go above and beyond to keep us happy.

We used ClickUp for project management, and we primarily communicated through email, phone calls, and video calls.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Talus Films’ communication was always on point. They were also incredibly organized and patient with our client. We also appreciated how included they made us feel at the shoot and how engaged they were with us, which I’m very positive was one of my main reasons why our client felt great about the project and wanted to work with us on another one.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there’s nothing they can improve on.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Have fun and let them do what they do best.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CSO of Nyssa. We develop women’s well-being products, including apparel and personal care, and we primarily sell them online. I handle all of our growth platforms and business innovation projects.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Talus Films?

A lot of our products involved new usage behaviors, so we hired them to create a pair of two-minute videos explaining to customers how to use our products properly. We plan to share the videos on our website.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

After we briefed them, Talus Films quickly took control of the entire production process. They plotted out our idea in a way that made more sense to the viewer, provided scripts, and proceeded with the filming at my home. They also brought us in to provide our opinion and feedback during the filming process.

Since we wanted the videos to be about two minutes each, Talus Films had to do a ton of editing as well — they added animations and music, including a pre-frame and post-frame for our branding. They actually submitted the first video within a week, and they took a bit more time with the second one, which didn’t have a tight deadline.

What is the team composition?

We were primarily in touch with two people — Jordan (Co-Founder & Business Director) and Madelaine (Co-Founder & Creative Director). They also brought in two other people to help with the prop set up on the actual shooting day.

How did you come to work with Talus Films?

I found out about Talus Films from one of my business partners, who had previously worked with them.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about $8,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with Talus Films from May–June 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We published the videos on our website and it helped prospective vendors better understand our products. While it didn’t directly lead to sales, the videos still served their purpose of providing information.

How did Talus Films perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management was great. They followed an organized process, met every single deadline, and stayed well within our budget. Overall, they made a really challenging project come to life in such a short time.

We communicated mainly through email and Zoom, and they always updated us on the project’s progress.

What did you find most impressive about them?

What’s most impressive about Talus Film was their exceptional communication skills. They never overcommunicated or asked too many questions — they understood what was expected from them and delivered.

Are there any areas they could improve on?

I don’t think there’s anything they need to improve on. If we get a chance to work with them in the future, we’d do it again in a heartbeat. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be direct and clearly communicate what’s expected from them — they delivered everything I asked for.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m an independent artist.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Talus Films?

I needed someone to produce a video that showcased me and my art. My goal was to build an online shop, and I needed a video to get more exposure.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Talus Films produced a video for me. They handled pretty much the entire process. I first had a one-on-one with Jordan (Business Director & Head Of Production), and we ended up making a project plan. Then, he came by my studio and filmed the video.

The Talus Films team submitted two versions of the video to me. One was a minute long, and another was a 30-second clip for social media.

What is the team composition?

I mainly worked with Jordan, but I also talked to Madelaine (Creative Director) about the finances.

How did you come to work with Talus Films?

I found out about Talus Films a few years ago. My friend introduced them to me. Then, Jordan and I worked together on a music video he directed, so we became good friends.

How much have you invested with them?

I spent $500–$600. 

What is the status of this engagement?

The project lasted from December 2020–April 2021. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I haven’t published it anywhere yet, because I’m still working on the online shop. However, I showed it to some people, and they said it looked really great. 

Overall, the process was very smooth. Talus Films’ delivered a very high-quality video.

How did Talus Films perform from a project management standpoint?

It was very easy to contact them. The team kept me up to date through email. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

It was a very smooth process — the team was easygoing, so I was very comfortable working with them. Overall, it was an enjoyable experience.

Jordan, in particular, was truly excited and passionate about the project. He did a good job and produced phenomenal work.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I genuinely don’t think there’s anything they could’ve done better. Talus Films did an outstanding job.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Have a clear vision of what you want and then fine-tune it with Jordan. Be open to their suggestions because they know what they’re doing. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m one of the founders of a company that makes ready-to-drink cocktail brands such as Big Star Margarita, Apologue Liqueurs, and Sunday’s Best Gold Fashioned.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Talus Films?

As a brand, we needed high-quality video content to catch people’s attention. We were rebranding a product that we launched a year before, and we wanted to come out with something splashy and eyecatching. 

We aimed for a video commercial that got our brand vibe, was easily shareable, and would get people excited online. We needed help in creating a short video for social media.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We did an initial consult with Talus, where we talked about the project’s scope of work, creative process, and deliverables. They then created a short video treatment based on our feedback. We went back and forth on that until both our teams were happy with the outcome.

Talus then coordinated a complete video production involving multiple camera persons, tech assistants, and actors. They filmed, edited, and produced the whole thing, and they delivered it to us in a nice, easy-to-use package. 

What is the team composition?

I worked with Jordan (Business Director & Head of Production) and Madelaine (Creative Director & Co-Founder). They had a large team under them, but I only interacted with those two. 

How did you come to work with Talus Films?

We researched various video production agencies, and we looked at everyone’s websites and checked out their photo and video reels. We had conversations with some potential vendors, and we were most impressed with Talus’ understanding. We could relate to them as professionals, and I think they understood our brand the best. I ultimately trusted them to help us get our vision across. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $10,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from February–May 2021.  

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Talus’ video was a key piece of our promoted content for the summer — we used it across Instagram and Facebook. It had received the highest engagement of all the content we’d put out. We were able to use the video for multiple marketing activities, such as our newsletter. Our investors and partners were hooked on the video. 

How did Talus Films perform from a project management standpoint?

Talus had been on top of the project every step of the way. They handled the process, and we only chimed in as needed. We were able to take the project off our plate so we could focus on running our business.

We started working during the pandemic, and a lot of our initial communication was through Zoom and Skype. As things got better, we were able to do a few in-person meetings. They were communicative across all channels.

Jordan and Madelaine were hands-on throughout the process. They were always available to answer any questions that we may have, and they spearheaded the effort. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

The level of execution, polish, and professionalism on the finished product sets Talus apart from the competition. At no point did our video feel like an amateur project; Talus’ video looked as good as any commercial during a primetime television event.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Organize on your end to the greatest extent possible. Do your due diligence on your own company — have a deep understanding of your brand, audience, and goals. Having all that will make it easier for Talus to do the work that they do. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of an online marketplace for shopping conscious brands.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Talus Films?

We were trying to create a brand video that would show off our brand, products, and customers. We aimed on using that video on YouTube and our social media accounts. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Talus Films handled all aspects of its production. I gave them what my brand was about. After that, they wrote the video script, hired actors, shot footage, edit the film, and deliver the product to me. 

What is the team composition?

I worked Madelaine and Jordan (Co-Founders). 

How did you come to work with Talus Films?

I found them through Google. 

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement lasted from December 2020–March 2021.  

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The quality of the videos was incredible. A lot of people asked who made the film for me, and I referred them to Talus. 

How did Talus Films perform from a project management standpoint?

They were fantastic to work with — they were responsive and made me feel I was contributing to the project even though it’s their domain. They always valued my insights and feedback. They kept me updated with the project’s status. Overall, I enjoyed working with them. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Because they had a smaller team, it was easier for me to access them, be heard, and get responses. It had been a very smooth process for me as a customer. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Think about what you want your videos to convey because once you start the process, it’s difficult to change. Make sure that your business goals are thought out because it’ll be hard to pivot as soon as the script is made.