Uni Shoots

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a managing consultant at an innovation management consultancy based in the UK. we work with organizations around the world on their innovation, strategy, and accelerator programs. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Uni Shoots?

We hired Uni Shoots for their video production services. We were working with an academic institution that had an accelerator program; we were one of their delivery partners. The program also included global entrepreneurship mentoring and training activities.  One of our deliverables was to create videos that showcased the program, and we engaged Uni Shoots for that.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We worked with Uni Shoots for two main projects. In the first one, they created a trailer for the accelerator program that highlighted its impact and why we were looking for partners. Then, in the second project, they created one video for each of the countries involved in the year’s iteration of the program. We wanted to showcase the entrepreneurs in the program, their innovations, and the impacts of the program on them. In total, the Uni Shoots team create eight videos — one trailer and seven country-specific videos. 

The videos had actual people in them, but they also had animations. The trailer consisted of images from the accelerator program, along with the images of the participants, entrepreneurs, and innovations. The animations were used to help tell the story and script. Uni Shoots wrote the script, and our teams went through several iterations to get everything right. Meanwhile, the country-specific videos consisted of the participants’ self-recording, in which they talked about their innovations and experiences. Uni Shoots then edited everything together to create high-quality videos. No filming was done on-site; everything was done remotely. 

We went through several rounds of review, and then we had a semi-animated cut on which we commented. After that, we received the fully animated cut of the trailer. For the country-specific videos, they did mock-ups where we provided our comments. All seven videos also underwent a couple of rounds of editing.

What is the team composition?

We worked with one project manager and four other people. The manager was our main point of contact who put me in touch with various people. 

How did you come to work with Uni Shoots?

Our team found Uni Shoots through a recommendation from colleagues who had worked with us on another program. That was how we started the engagement. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around £20,000 (approximately $27,000 USD). 

What is the status of this engagement?

The project lasted from September 2021–January 2022. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our main success metric was whether or not we had the assets in the formats that we required. We also checked whether we completed the project on time. The team delivered a bit late, but that wasn’t completely Uni Shoots’ fault; our client adjusted the scope as we went on with the project.  

Meanwhile, our client was ultimately happy with the videos. It took our team and Uni Shoots a bit of time to understand what the end client truly wanted, but that was expected. In the end, they were happy with the results. The videos were great to use for marketing purposes. 

Overall, we were 100% satisfied with Uni Shoots’ work. Our expectations were high — we expected high-quality products for this high-profile program — and the team met them. 

How did Uni Shoots perform from a project management standpoint?

Uni Shoots’ project management was good. There were a few delays, but they lasted no more than a day or so. The team also kept me in the loop, so we had no problem with the way they worked. 

To communicate, we used regular emails. Their communication style was impressive; their resources were efficient in getting back to me. We kept in touch well and did a couple of Teams calls to set up one project. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Uni Shoots had a small team, so they were quite agile; we could change directions easily. In fact, we changed things a few times as we worked, and they were quick to respond. They were quite nimble, and that was their selling point. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could’ve spent more time upfront to understand what we were looking for and ask questions. I led that process, but I didn’t know what they had to know because I wasn’t a video production specialist. 

On top of that, while there was clarity about what was happening next, I did have to be prompted a few times. They could’ve sent me more reminders so that I’d know what was coming up in the weeks ahead. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Ask Uni Shoots what they think you should do for the project. They’re the ones making the videos, and they know what looks good and what works. As a result, getting ideas from them is important — be open-minded about what works best for the project in their minds. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I was the Marketing Manager at the University of Sunderland in London, in Canary Wharf

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Uni Shoots, and what were your goals?

We wanted to refresh some of our website videos, so we hired Uni Shoots to help us redo some of our Services for Students videos. The idea was to have some staff and students explain each service in a natural and fun way.

SOLUTION

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

I was looking for a couple of providers to help us with this particular project on LinkedIn and after meeting with a couple of companies, I decided to go ahead with Uni Shoots. I liked their style and past work with other universities and they were very professional and enthusiastic in the way they approached our video challenge.

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

We started with a discovery meeting and then a couple of more to decide the details of each video. Then Cameron came to our campus for 2 days to interview every member of staff and student that were featured in the videos and also to get some additional shots for the videos. We also shared with Uni Shoots some B-roll. Then Uni Shoots worked in the videos. They sent us the first and second draft. I gave them feedback. They incorporated all feedback in the videos and they were finalised quickly.

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

The person I worked more with was Cameron Perry. He was really nice and helpful. Providing his ideas and past experience to help us do great visual content. He was kind and patient to meet me every time I had questions or concerns and it was really fun to have him on campus for the shooting days.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The videos impressed the Head of Marketing, Recruitment, and Admissions and were used in our website on particular pages. They also dazzled new students when enrolling with the university online because they become part of the online induction program put in place during COVID.

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

It was extremely easy to contact Cameron and talk with him. He would be super proactive in adding his suggestions and ideas and would be completely available for meeting again if I needed to clarify, amend or add any additional comment or thought into the process.

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

I really loved to work with a company that only works with education providers. They really understand who the videos are for and are able to learn with past experiences and add additional value to new clients. I also loved how natural was to work with them. They felt part of the team all the time we worked together, and I'm pleased we chose them for this particular project.

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

I feel some videos would have benefited from more student shots, but unfortunately, COVID was still not allowing any classes on campus. It is therefore not their fault, but the circumstances that didn't allow us to take the videos to another level.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the Marketing Operations Manager for a tech education company. We run online courses for kids aged 8-17 in a range of tech topics.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Uni Shoots, and what were your goals?

Our product is seasonal with a large number of customers purchasing for the summer period. We wanted to explain our offering in a video to excite and inspire parents to sign up their children for our courses.

SOLUTION

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

We looked at a couple of video production companies all referred to us by our network, after reviewing these, we chose Uni Shoots because of their affordable price and understanding of the education sector.

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

We started with a discovery meeting. They then worked with us to create a script and storyboard. In the end, they delivered a 45-second animation video that promoted our online courses. They gave us a shorter version that could be used on YouTube preroll as well as across other social media channels.

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

We worked with Gabriel and Cameron who outlined the project and kept us on schedule. After each round of feedback, they would clearly explain the updates to other animators. They shared the video developments on Vimeo which helped us to comment directly.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The final video is excellent and has been really well received by those shared across our team, and to widely to our audience.

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

Communication was excellent from pre to post-production and we arranged video calls when needed. They were always easy to contact via email and used Vimeo to obtain specific feedback.

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

They really took time to understand the product and audience of the final video. They are really creative team and have high attention to detail.

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

None that I can think of!

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm a marketing manager at a national childcare provider in the UK

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Uni Shoots, and what were your goals?

We hired Uni Shoots to create 2 promotional videos, one parent facing and one for recruitment

SOLUTION

How did you select Uni Shoots and what were the deciding factors?

I liked the work they had done for similar clients

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

We had a brief video call to communicate the vision for the videos. We worked together on a voiceover script and detailed what shots we'd like to include. We then had 4 drafts and was able to comment our feedback directly on the video

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

I worked with Cameron who was helpful and very responsive to our feedback on the drafts

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

n/a

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

Email, Video calls, and Vimeo.

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

They were great to work with and responsive.

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

n/a

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a HR Manager at a Higher Education Start Up of 40 employees.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Uni Shoots?

Unishoots helped us engage more applicants by editing our recruitment videos that could accompany our adverts.

SOLUTION

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

We were aware that Unishoots had previously provided quality videos for another function in our organisation

Describe the project in detail and walk through their service package.

Editing videos of under 10 minutes and turning around quickly

How many resources from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

1 or 2.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The videos are of great quality with a professional finish.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Great.

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

They're always so friendly.

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

No