TruFocus Productions

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of a boutique fitness studio in Illinois.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with TruFocus Productions?

We were trying to get videos for a few different projects. First, we didn’t have a good intro video to showcase what we do and how we do it. We also needed a video about the different services we offer, as well as testimonials. Finally, we didn’t have social media, so that was another thing we tried to address.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We contacted TruFocus, and they explained what they were going to provide, how long it would take, and when they were available. We decided to split the shoot into two days due to my client’s availability to do the testimonials, cost, on so on. Once we established that, they came in early and set up everything. Then, they gave us a script, which highlighted our business and what we do.

We had someone in web design who had asked us to get the videos to get more traction for our business. TruFocus collaborated with them to see what we needed to get done. In the end, we got six videos out of the two-day shoot, and they also did all the editing.

What is the team composition?

We had one person working on the shoot. He was in charge of the lighting and making sure everything looked great.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent roughly $5,000–$6,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We shot the video in May 2021, and it just took two days.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

From the client’s perspective, when I showed them the videos, they were very impressed by how professional they were. However, we haven’t put them out on the market yet, so we won’t be able to see their impact until we make them live.

How did TruFocus Productions perform from a project management standpoint?

The first time we communicated, it was over the phone. From there, it was just through email for the most part.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I liked their professionalism and how specific they were about some aspects of the shoot. When I first started my business, I had another person coming in from another company, and working with TruFocus was like going to a franchise, opposed to a mom-and-pop. They were specific about how the shoot would go and made sure it all went well; that was the difference.

Are there any areas they could improve?

It’s not my area of expertise, so I can’t critique them. All I can see is how the videos turned out, and I’m satisfied.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

To get the best out of TruFocus, make sure you know what you want and that everything is clear. If you don’t know what you want, it’s hard to make it up. Thanks to our web person, we knew exactly what we need, which helped us focus on what we had to do and who to bring in for the client testimonials.

Nonetheless, they’re great at bringing certain things to the surface. They ask a series of questions to get the idea about what the theme should be, and then everything is based around that.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a mayoral candidate and we’re a campaign committee. The campaign also includes three trustees or city councilmen and a city clerk position.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with TruFocus Productions?

I wanted to announce my candidacy and the candidacy of my entire team. We wanted to spread the message of our platform and vision for the community.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They created a video for my announcement, as well as videos for the other four candidates on my committee.

What is the team composition?

We worked with three people on site and one editor.

How did you come to work with TruFocus Productions?

A good friend of mine was looking for a videographer. She recommended TruFocus. They did a good job of explaining how they could meet our expectations.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about $4,500.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in September 2020, and we wrapped up in October 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The views on our videos allowed us to gain more exposure. People reached out to tell me what great quality the video was.

How did TruFocus Productions perform from a project management standpoint?

We had phone calls, emails, and text messaging as necessary. They were very organized, professional, and they had a process.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They navigated the environmental circumstances like wind blowing and geese in the background making noise. They were also very responsive throughout the process to any questions I had.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Maybe they could have lower pricing, but you typically get what you pay for.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

My advice is to be prepared to explain your needs. If you’re able to do that, TruFocus will accommodate you.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I work for Fagor Arrasate, an equipment supplier primarily to the automotive and metal industries. We are headquartered in Spain and have offices worldwide, one of which is in Chicago, which I manage for the company. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with TruFocus Productions?

We have very long sales cycles, and our projects are large industrial installations. When one is finished, we try to get good footage and photographs of the installation that we can use in our internal marketing materials and externally in press releases for our company. We hired TruFocus for this task. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

TruFocus Productions filmed and photographed one of our equipment installations at a customer’s facility in the Chicago region.

What is the team composition?

We mainly worked with three people. There were four people on their side, but three of them were doing the actual task, and the other one was shadowing as a potential intern.  

How did you come to work with TruFocus Productions?

I found them via Google, and I reached out. They were fairly local to the filming location, and I spoke with Chris (CEO & Founder) on a few occasions to get a better idea of what exactly he’s done in the past, which included industrial filming inside factories. I asked him about the pricing, and we moved forward with the project. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $7,000 in total. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We reached out to them in January 2020, and we finished the actual filming in November 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They’re clearly a small business, but Chris had great equipment. They gave me a film, raw footage, and photographs, so there were no statistics or metrics. It was more of a subjective opinion of the product. 

TruFocus Productions was very professional. They were professional about always getting back to me and were generally on the game about following up. 

The options they gave me were really pretty good in terms of the type of product I would ultimately get from them. There were 4k footage, drone footage, and several other options of how we’d want to do the filming of whatever we wanted to film. 

How did TruFocus Productions perform from a project management standpoint?

We communicated via email and phone leading up to the project. Then, during the actual photoshoot, we were all there in person. TruFocus communicated really well. Chris was very accessible, and when I wasn’t available, he would very easily shift around times to speak with me. They made themselves available to my schedule and were on time. 

Everything was coordinated with my customer, where the equipment was installed. There was coordination in terms of when they could arrive and how long they would be there. They got my product footage, photographs, and edited photographs back before the deadline that I had set for them, which was great. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were very transparent on pricing, so we could access and build out our own pricing sheets depending on what we were selecting. Going into the project, we knew what the final invoice was going to be and what we were paying for. It wasn’t a vague lump sum. Their transparency on pricing was meaningful. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

If they’re going to do the same thing that I did with TruFocus Productions, they must be prepared ahead of time to give them direction on what the team needs to do. 

Potential customers should be prepared to direct the team for the day. With us, TruFocus Productions knew what they were coming to look at to a certain degree, as I gave instructions and told them to do this and that. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the director of marketing and communications for Lutheran Child and Family Services (LCFS) of Illinois. We are a nonprofit social service agency. Our services range from foster care, adoption, and preventative services to help children and families in the community. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with TruFocus Productions?

We contracted TruFocus Productions and another company to produce a video for us to help recruit staff for our child welfare program. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We did a day-long shoot and arrived at the location at 10 a.m, which was a couple of hours away. We filmed nonstop until 4 p.m in the middle of a pandemic because we were trying to fit in so many interviews in a short length of time. The team chose a basic office building as space and they tried to find attractive shots around the location. They also guided us through that process including setting up shots and identifying places that were ideal for the video.

In connection with that, we are using the recruitment video they developed in a few different ways. We have posted it on our social media and on our website. We’re also using it as something we provide to staff prior to them interviewing for a child welfare position.

Typically, we send them a link to the video that we put on our YouTube channel and on our website so that they can watch it before their interview, and for them to get a better idea of what the work entails and why they should consider working at LCFS and within the child welfare program.

What is the team composition?

On the actual day of taping, we work with Chris (Videographer), then he has a video editor from my marketing vendor.

How did you come to work with TruFocus Productions?

I had gotten a referral from Ann (Owner) of Pritcher Communications because I was looking for a new vendor for video production and someone who could help spearhead the whole project. After talking with her on the phone and receiving links to some videos that she had worked on along with TruFocus Productions, I decided to try out a new vendor. We also based it on their quote which we compared to other vendors.

How much have you invested with them?

I know the entire project cost, but because they were hired by another marketing company to do the video, it wasn't the whole cost that went to them. Overall, the project cost was just over $5,000 dollars.

What is the status of this engagement?

We signed our contract in June 2020, and the work is ongoing. Our recruitment video project already ended, but I hired them again to do a client story video after that. We're now under contract to do another video and we're working with them on multiple projects.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I don’t really have any hard numbers that I could connect with our projects. However, I know that we shared our video with all our staff at our recent virtual meeting and the feedback from our staff themselves was very positive. Everybody seemed to like the video since it portrayed the work that they do very accurately and in a really positive light. Overall, we have been very happy with the process as well as their end results.

How did TruFocus Productions perform from a project management standpoint?

Some of the project management is handled by our marketing partner, but overall TruFocus Productions has been highly responsive. We mainly communicate through email. They are quick to give me dates, answers, or updates, and any edits that I make are submitted in a really timely fashion. They keep the project going so that once we go to the editing stage, it moves very quickly.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’ve been highly professional. TruFocus Production has the ability to find visually appealing shots and find the best places to capture what we need for the video.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There’s nothing that I can think of at the moment. We've been very happy with them, that's why we've moved forward with a number of projects together.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be open to ideas. The engagement is a great collaborative process so they can give some great feedback and advice. They did that during the pre-prep meeting and they had shared great insights, so it made for a very smooth process.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Founder/CEO of SmartAgentAI.ai

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

AI education 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

• Create compelling video content to attract potential course participants
• Deliver a professional 1.5-minute promotional video to support their educational platform launch
• Generate leads through video content that would direct viewers to download their PDF lead magnet
• Establish brand consistency between the video and their upcoming website/course materials
• Create promotional video content for an AI training course called "SmartAgent AI"
• Incorporate engaging AI-related visual elements (including AI systems, robots, and futuristic technology themes)

SOLUTION

How did you find TruFocus Productions?

Referral

Why did you select TruFocus Productions over others?

• Pricing fit our budget
• Good value for cost
• Referred to me

How many teammates from TruFocus Productions were assigned to this project?

1 Employee

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

We needed a CTA video on the Home Page of our website.  It led to a downloadable document to support the video CTA.  The focus was helping insurance agents understand we're in the "early adopter" stage with AI and this is their unique window of opportunity to beat the crowd in adopting AI.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Technical requirements met - Successfully delivered video in multiple formats (standard quality and 25MB web-optimized version)

On-time delivery - Project completed by July 23rd, ahead of the July 31st deadline

Professional quality recognition - Client praised "professionalism and hard work"

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

Video delivered ahead of schedule.  Very surprised at the quality of work.  Needed no revisions. 

What was your primary form of communication with TruFocus Productions?

Email or Messaging App

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

Attention to detail.  Stayed to the video script. They delivered a high-quality video with a very good variety of graphics that matched the script.

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

No.  The only part of the program I couldn't comment on is video revisions.  There were none needed.  

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the General Manager of Anytime Fitness Bensenville

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Fitness Center

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

• Create an engaging ad highlighting Anytime Fintess’ excellent location, 24/7 Facility Access, and meaningful impact on the communities fitness goals, focusing on attracting new clients for a 2 week trial at the Bensenville location.
• Format the commercial for provided movie theatre specs
• Full project shot list/script, production, and editing within 10 days

SOLUTION

How did you find TruFocus Productions?

Online Search

Why did you select TruFocus Productions over others?

High ratings

How many teammates from TruFocus Productions were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Help creating an outline and idea for the commerical, video footage taken and all editing done.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Completion of all the project objectives

Visitors of the movie theatre signing up for the free 2 week gym trial

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

They did an amazing job with the project's time management and delivered the video on time despite our short window!

What was your primary form of communication with TruFocus Productions?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

How well they communicated and delievered the project.

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

No they did amazing

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Director of Marketing and Communications of a high school

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

High School

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

• Create a recruitment video

SOLUTION

How did you find TruFocus Productions?

Online Search

Why did you select TruFocus Productions over others?

Great culture fit

How many teammates from TruFocus 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 recruitment video for a high school that included interviews, candid footage and campus overview. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Positive feeback and responses community

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

Chris and his team were very organized with the timeline, shot list, story board and editing. 

What was your primary form of communication with TruFocus Productions?

• In-Person Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

They understood the goal of the project and the market we were trying to reach and tailored the project to meet those needs. 

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

no

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the President of Clark Chiropractic

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We are a chiropractic office, treating patients for various aches/pain and wellness services.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

• Increase customer acquistion
• Increase customer retention

SOLUTION

How did you find TruFocus Productions?

Online Search

Why did you select TruFocus Productions over others?

• High ratings
• Close to my geographic location

How many teammates from TruFocus Productions were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Video production, editing and strategic ideas/implementations for customer acquisition.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

As of today there is still nothing to show it was a success.

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

Always on time, always catering to my needs, really easy to work with.

What was your primary form of communication with TruFocus Productions?

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

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

Their turnaround on editing films impressed us.

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

Nothing I can think of. As of now, we haven't seen much activity or return on our investment. But, that very much could be the fault on our end.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Marketing Manager of IQPC

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Conferences

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

Video Production

SOLUTION

How did you find TruFocus Productions?

Referral

Why did you select TruFocus Productions over others?

Other

What was the size of TruFocus Productions’s team?

2-5 Employees

What was your primary form of communication with TruFocus Productions?

Virtual Meeting

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

Create a video to promote conference

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Conference sign up

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

It was a pleasure working with the team. They understood what we needed and delivered a great video!

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

Animation/video editing skills

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

There was nothing they needed to improve on.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the President and Creative Director of C2 Creative Studio. C2 is a Chicago based brand and design consultancy.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

Our goal was to deliver a 5-10 minute training video for a new client.

SOLUTION

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

Based on their capabilities and expertise.

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

The video was a narrator reading a script in front of a green screen. We had storyboards developed for motion graphics and transitions that were applied later.

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

We worked with Chris, one of his employees and the on screen talent.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The client approved the project so that's a success.

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

The team was very hands-on and engaged all throughout the pre-production process. Communication was also very good throughout the duration of the project.

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

They took direction well and trusted them to interact with the client.

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

Overall things ran really well.