UCY Films

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a senior digital learning designer for a professional training and coaching firm, and I create courses and virtual training for participants for people that work in different sectors. Our company is ranked as one of the leading executive education providers in the world.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with UCY Films?

We hired them to do video production for the courses that I was designing and building.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

UCY Films completed 30 videos and it was a mixture of animation videos and stock footage. They also took care of all the voiceovers we needed. On all of the videos, we provided the script and framework they needed to follow. In addition, we turned over some graphics that they could incorporate.

What is the team composition?

They had a main point of contact and video editor.

How did you come to work with UCY Films?

We found UCY Films on Upwork, and we were able to compare them with other vendors. We chose them because we found out that they specialized in various types of videos, unlike other vendors who were only experts on creating 1–2 types of videos. We also liked UCY Films’ style and were impressed with the previous films they produced.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $30,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our partnership ran from May–August 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We had a review system for the videos they created and many people from our company signed off and agreed that the team produced what we were looking for.

How did UCY Films perform from a project management standpoint?

They met our deadlines, and they were super communicative. If anything ever got pushed back, it was because of us, not them. Frame.io was also a super useful tool in our engagement because we were able to make comments on specific time stamps on the videos where we wanted edits to be implemented. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

The diversity of the videos they could produce was one of the things that set them apart; they were able to do several styles of animations, stock footage, and other types of videos.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, they didn’t have any areas to improve.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be clear about the edits that you want because that will help clarify a lot of things in the project. For example, if you want to see a blue square on the video, you have to specify the time frame as well as the position of that item.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I work for a health company as an assistant brand manager for a marketing function.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with UCY Films?

Every year our organization has a contest where they submit a video based on their prior year’s work. Therefore, we connected with UCY Films to create a video for our team.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

UCY Films were fully involved in the production of our team video. We provided them the script and gave them guidance to edit what was necessary. Additionally, they gave us a list of voice actors to choose from and put the voice-over in the edited video, along with the PowerPoint-type video.

Moreover, they gave us a link where the video resided so we could put our comments in at the exact time points where it needed some editing. They edited the video quickly, usually within 24–48 hours. UCY Films really did their due diligence to keep all the files that we needed.

What is the team composition?

I worked directly with Vlad (Creative Director & Project Coordinator).

How did you come to work with UCY Films?

We used Upwork to connect with UCY Films.

How much have you invested with them?

The total contract of the project was around $6,700.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project ran from February–March 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

There were a lot of factors when it came to the metrics, but for me, the project was a success because they did a really good job of completing everything we needed in a short span. Teams would usually start months in advance, but we only gave the team a few weeks and they were still able to deliver.

How did UCY Films perform from a project management standpoint?

We had a phone call to kick off the project, and then everything else was handled through that portal they gave us where we can make our comments live. Additionally, we also used email to notify us of any updates or if they needed us to review any edits to the video.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their communications were very good, as well as their speed — it was really shocking in a good way. I also really appreciated the online tool where we could easily make live comments. All of those things made the project really efficient.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I sometimes felt like we had to make updates on areas that would’ve been solved with common sense. I don’t know if it was just a language barrier or the rushed nature of the work, but there were a lot of instances where things didn’t match what the script said.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

One thing for people to take note of is that they’re in a different country, so the time zones in terms of communications and deliverables would be different. It didn’t affect work in any way, but it’s just a disclaimer, because I was wondering why I was receiving emails at like 1:00 in the morning.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

As CMO for Fintech startups championing blockchain based products, we relied on videos to educate and engage stakeholders.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire UCY Films?

Several years ago, on the cusp of the IR4.0 explosion, we used UCY Films to create impactful educative videos to engage stakeholders from all walks of life.

What were your goals for this project?

To introduce the fundamentals and use cases of our company's products and also as part of our pitching processes to corporates and GLCs.

SOLUTION

How did you select UCY Films?

We chance upon them on Upwork. At that time, we engaged a few others from the same platform. In the end, UCY Films became my sole go-to for all kinds of video production services.

Describe the video(s) and the process in detail.

We started with sharing our briefs and wish lists. UCY, who is always quick to respond, will revert with a summary and storyboard. From then, we nail down to the details and UCY will respond with the proposed script. And they are with me every step, responding within a few hours despite our 6 hours time differences.

What was your vendors' project management or feedback process?

The whole process is easy and fast. Many a times, we had to make several changes, sometimes involving a completed voice-over, yet UCY accommodates to our requests and delivers!

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The videos were publicly presented and shared over social media. The easy to follow and impactful videos garnered some interested enquiries from global networks. Took us to foreign GLCs at some points.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Super easy communication. I enjoy working with Alex Chaban because not only is he quick to respond, he has an uncanny ability to meet our expectations. This is no small feat because we are from different continents, culture and even language. Somehow Alex nails it every time.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

That they are able to deliver so quickly. That they are so responsive round the clock.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I am a satisfied customer. I have continued to use UCY Films at another company because I know I can rely on UCY to deliver.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Microsoft is a leading technology company and I work in the video production + podcast department under Office org,

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire UCY Films?

to complete our video project with graphic animation.

What were your goals for this project?

to create graphic animations that would help the viewers understand the concept and idea beter

SOLUTION

How did you select UCY Films?

came up on Upwork search and liked their past works.

Describe the video(s) and the process in detail.

shared a raw footage with audio bites and placeholder. gave him some ideas about what I am envisioning. then we went through a few rounds of revision.

What was your vendors' project management or feedback process?

through messages on Upwork, the responses were quick and timely. always assured the execution of adjustment based on my feedback.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

my clients and I was very satisficed with final product.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

it was smooth overall.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

completing the tasks in timely manner and quick respones.

Are there any areas for improvement?

na

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Back when the project was in work, I was the Chief Communications Officer at EPOM, a global ad tech solutions provider.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire UCY Films?

Back in 2014 we hired the UCY Films team to handle the production of an animated video, outlining the key benefits of EPOM video ad server solution for networks.

What were your goals for this project?

The video was primarily aimed for display on the company's booth at the annual ad:tech event, as well as distribution via the brand's social media channels for general marketing purposes.

SOLUTION

How did you select UCY Films?

My team was surfing the web for creative video production agencies, and upon narrowing our choice to two companies, we actually found the UCY Films pitch was a better fit for us.

Describe the project in detail.

Well, the process was a rather usual one, as far as the video production of animated videos is concerned. First we approved the creative concept for the video with the copywriters' team.

Upon that, our marketing team worked in collaboration with UCY Films to come up with engaging and informative script. Finally, the motion designers kicked it, followed by the video editing team.

What was the team composition?

As far as I can recall, our primary contact was a dedicated project manager who handled communication between our marketing team and the video production team, which included a copywriter, a motion designer, 1-2 video editors, and the audio editor.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Well, the video worked great on our company booth at the conference at that time. It was catchy enough to attract more people come up and discover more about EPOM products and services. The video generated a decent number of views on our YouTube channel, too.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow was great, since we had an opportunity to review video iterations in a continuous manner, hence ensuring timely fixes, if any, prior to the final release.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

It's always a pleasure to work with a team of professionals, who deliver high-quality product, as discussed, without going beyond the initially approved budget. The communication was very smooth, too.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I suppose UCY Films have come a long way since 2014, and based on the recent works in their portfolio, I can just wish another hundred of creative projects to the team. It would be a pleasure to collaborate on another video some time in future.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a content manager for the Customer Support Training department at Bloomberg LP. Bloomberg LP is global financial technology company with many different products and services, but their main product is the Bloomberg Terminal.

I look over the development, governance and maintenance of the training materials used by our Customer Support representatives to assist clients worldwide using the Bloomberg Terminal.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire UCY Films?

We hired UCY films to create a collection of microlearning videos as part of the new virtual training program during COVID-19.

What were your goals for this project?

Our goal was to produce a total of 30 high-quality, professional training videos over the course of 3 months, while staying within the allocated budget. These videos would be implemented as part of new hire training, as a self-directed learning resource.

SOLUTION

How did you select UCY Films?

We posted the job on Upwork, and reviewed a total of 8-10 different vendor proposals. We had originally selected a different vendor, but as a quality comparison we hired UCY Films for a test project.

We were really happy with the test project, and saw that UCY Films had better communication, cost, quality, and efficiency. At the end, decided to hire UCY Films for all the rest of our projects.

Describe the video(s) and the process in detail.

Our team produced the storyboards (with script and screenshots we'd like to have included) and sent them over to UCY Films, along with a style guide. UCY Films took care of arranging the voiceover, and the whole video production process including animations, motion graphics, and on-screen text.

They would provide suggestions for creative ways to present the content, but would always check with us first. They would then send the video for our review and QA, and we had the opportunity to provide comments and feedback for revisions.

UCY Films would implement the revisions, send a final version, and once we approved it, they would send us all source files for the final video.

What was your vendors' project management or feedback process?

I interacted with Alex Chaban from UCY Films for the entirety of the project. UCY Films would produce around 2-3 of the videos every 2 weeks, so we communicated very regularly (every other day or so) using the Upwork messaging system.

For each round of videos, there was about 2 rounds of feedback - the initial feedback round, then the final review before he sent us the source finals. If needed, there were more, and he was very flexible about that which we really appreciated.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

This was a high-visibility project and the first initiative for self-directed learning in our department this year; we received very positive feedback from management as well as our new hires. In total it saves the training team at least 5-6 hours of what was previously carried out by instructor led training.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Communication, scheduling, ideas, quality of work was all impeccable. Alex showed himself time and time again to be very reliable and hard-working. I am based in the US (EST) and he is in a different region, but I never noticed the time difference since he was always quickly available and never took long to respond.

We also really liked how he used a video feedback tool which made it easy to leave feedback at the exact time stamp.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

That they are efficient, hard-working, communicative, and consistently produce high quality videos.

The more we worked with them, the better they understood our vision and the more they were able to provide even more creative solutions that fit the look & feel we were going for.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No. Honestly can't think of anything.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the creative director leading the global brand team at Circle K. We're one of the world's biggest retailers with 16,000 convenience stores and 130,000 employees across over twenty global markets.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We hired UCY Films to develop a series of explainer films for our B2B customers as part of a huge project to rebrand and relaunch our business card services product in our European markets. The films were simple, easy to follow videos to make it easy for our customers - both business managers and their drivers - to engage with the products and software.

SOLUTION

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

We found UCY Films through Upwork after receiving a shortlist of recommended contributors from the Upwork team. UCY were the preferred partner to deliver based on a strong portfolio and great reviews on the platform.

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

We provided an over-arching brief and reference material along with our brand guidelines and assets. UCY developed a storyboard and collaborated on a script with our copywriter. Additional services like sourcing music and both discovering and recording VO artists - in a variety of languages - were provided by UCY.

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

We worked with a project manager, Vlad, and an animator, Alex. Vlad led the process from creative brief intake to delivery, efficiently managing every twist and turn. The feedback process was often slow on our side as we have a lot of stakeholders in different countries, but UCY used Vimeo to great effect allowing us to feedback within the file.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have had very positive reactions to the films. Indeed we added a number of extra films after the initial scope of work as feedback was so good.

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

Project management style was efficient, collaborative and personable at all times.

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

The work ethic and pride in delivery at UCY Films are second to none.

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

Everything was done virtually during the most difficult of circumstances. It would have been great to have an in-person meeting or even some virtual face-time. Maybe next time!

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

COO at an enterprise software company

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire UCY Films?

For product videos on how to use the mobile app.

What were your goals for this project?

To create videos to teach users how to use the app.

SOLUTION

How did you select UCY Films?

Based on rating and customer reviews.

Describe the video(s) and the process in detail.

It was a video of the app with a voice over and some graphics.

What was your vendors' project management or feedback process?

We used a video collaboration platform that allowed me to provide comments on the video based on the second.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

It was a very successful project and it was completed in less than a week.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Very effective, the collaboration software was super easy to use and the team was very responsive on their end with less than 1 day turn around time.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Turn around time for edits was typically less than 1 day.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Nope. We were very happy with the results.