VdeoPro

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Founder of a Web design and SEO agency headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya. Our company has about 10 employees and we serve corporate clients in Kenya.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire HQue Media?

In recent years, we've realized that we need to change the way we're marketing our business and explaining what we do if we want to gain new customers. We thought a good avenue for this would be a catchy video, but we don't have any in-house experience with video production, so we decided to outsource this service.

What were your goals for this project?

We hoped to see an increase in traffic to our website, time spent on our website, and sales. We intended to use the video on our website's home page as well as on our social media channels.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

My team searched online for video production companies in our area and compiled a list of 5 based on the case studies on their websites. We contacted each company and narrowed it down to 2 after receiving their initial pitches.

It was a hard decision, but we selected this vendor based on the quality of their final proposal, their flexibility, and fast delivery.

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

Once we selected this partner, they started working with us to get to know our business. They worked with us to get to know our product and the goals of the videos, and then we collaborated on our script and storyboard.

The end-product is a set of two videos, an explainer video and a marketing video for social media. Their team provided actors and a shot list, and then filmed and edited the videos quickly afterwards.

What was your vendors' project management or feedback process?

They provided a three-person filming crew and one animator for the post-production work. We worked together throughout the planning stages of the video. They worked alongside us to make sure the scripts represented our company well. After filming, we received multiple rounds of rough drafts which we were able to offer feedback on.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Within 3 months after we launched the videos, we saw a 78% increase in overall traffic and a notable increase in sales. The videos have been shared more than 1,000 times on social media, and we've received really positive feedback from all of our new and existing customers.

Viewers appreciate the fun approach to the product and the professional look-and-feel of the videos.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The project manager that we were assigned was easy to communicate with and provided us frequent updates. Their team gave us a clear idea of when we would see each draft of the video, and they stuck to that timeline.

They communicated with us any time a style choice needed to be made, and they provided a tool that allowed us to comment directly on the video if we saw a change that needed to be made. Overall, I was impressed by the timeliness of the team. We received ample warning if a deadline wasn't going to be met, which only happened once.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I was blown away by the knowledge that this vendor had about video production and content creation, even more so by their creativity. We learned much more than we thought possible, and we appreciated that they were patient and thoughtful while we came up to speed.

We have worked with other companies for different areas of the company, but this was a particularly collaborative and positive experience. I will certainly engage with this company again for any video production needs that we have in the future.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Everything can always be done faster, but we were very satisfied with their work every step of the way. In the end, quality is more important than speed and we ended up with a beautiful product.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m an aquatic biologist and the principle of Ascent Fly Fishing. We’re a fly fishing retail and education brand based in Colorado, but we employ a team of fly fish tiers in Kenya.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire HQue Media?

We hired HQue Media for an intense three-day film shoot at multiple locations. The project included both action sequences and interviews and required a high degree of flexibility. HQue Media provided two cameramen, two sound people, two lighting resources, and a director.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to create a documentary highlighting the skill, hope, opportunity, and passion that our employees bring to the field. We also wanted to foster a sense of community between the western fly fishers and African fly tiers. The film will be submitted to an international film festival before October 2019.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

My team and I interviewed several companies and decided that HQue Media commanded the best skills and manpower to complete our shoot on a short timeline. We had a specific list of high-end camera and sound equipment, and HQue Media had it all. We also thought there’d be value in using a Kenyan team, as opposed to a western crew. This notion was proven correct, as the team was able to create a sense of ease among our tiers and the people around the city.

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

The shoot was split into three days. On day one, HQue Media captured interior shots of classes and detailed close-ups of work in tight spaces with large numbers of people. This required extra lighting, macro-lenses mounted to gimbals, and multiple methods of sound recording. We also filmed outdoor sporting events under varying light conditions.

We focused on employee interviews on day two. These were shot outside, which presented a number of lighting and sound challenges. These interviews were conducted in both English and Swahili. We also filmed action shots and B-roll in the city center using the gimbal.

The third day saw HQue Media filming a celebration at an event hall with our employees, with over 60 people eating, dancing, playing, and celebrating with their families. Their team had to move cameras and sound equipment from a dark room to the outdoors quite quickly. They also labeled and synched all of our video and audio files and translated our interviews from Swahili to English.

What was your vendors' project management or feedback process?

We were a little nervous about going from the US to Kenya to film and weren't sure how best to move about to capture our project on the ground. The HQue Media team was punctual and provided a WhatsApp group chat for us to communicate. They all spoke excellent English. I was able to reach the team at all hours to ask questions and make modifications to the next day’s shoot. They were flexible and moved our equipment to wherever we needed it next.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

HQue Media captured exceptional footage and sound. Their equipment was top of the line and our experience with them was easy and memorable. We’re currently producing the documentary in the states.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Working with HQue Media was easier than we could have imagined. We’re actually looking to hire them to capture additional footage in the next couple weeks and send it over to us. Working with a local team was an absolute benefit when we were interacting with our own employees and the greater public. They were able to speak for us and put everyone at ease.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They strove to understand our vision and go above and beyond to exceed our expectations. They’re all flexible, highly-skilled professionals in their respective fields (directing, sound, editing, lighting, and translation), and they have the best equipment money can buy. They’re eager to grow in their craft, and I’m sure they’ll own the video market in Nairobi someday soon.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No, not that I can think of.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the founder and CEO of a video animation company that creates engaging cartoon, typography, whiteboard, and explainer videos.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire HQue Media?

We needed to hire an external resource to help us with production of an advertisement and testimonial videos.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to make our company look as good as possible—increasing its perceived and face value—by creating videos with positive conversion rates.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

The best way to put it is that a higher power brought them to me.

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

HQue Media started by asking us a few questions. Then they came up with a draft script, layout, and production schedule. They did all the legal documentation. They shot the project and led the post-production process. After filming, they sent me a link to a platform where I was able to give revisions until the final video was done.

What was your vendors' project management or feedback process?

They provided a five person video crew.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve definitely seen more engagement, and our brand reputation in the market place has increased.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The process was totally seamless. HQue Media really has things nailed down. They gave us an idea of the timeline of the project and easily completed it on time. They asked questions to help them understand what we really wanted. Every step of the production process was easy and smooth.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

In addition to having the best equipment in the market, I’m impressed by their friendliness, attention to detail, and flawless execution.

Are there any areas for improvement?

They could give appreciation gifts to their clients. Other than that, there’s nothing I can point to.