BLACKBIRD PRODUCTIONS

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the marketing manager for a home services company. We're a platform providing access to home services like cleaning, home repair, and moving packing. We cover about nine different services, and all of our service providers are vetted before being part of our platform, so we always provide five-star professionals. Currently, we have over 100,000 happy customers who have contracted home services from us. We only focus on the Singaporean market for now.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with BLACKBIRD PRODUCTIONS?

One of our objectives was to raise our brand awareness and offer potential customers access to current customer testimonials in the form of marketing videos, so we hired BLACKBIRD PRODUCTIONS to help us out. Basically, we wanted to let our audience know how good our services are.

One of the points we wanted to convey in these videos was that working parents who don't have the time to do their home chores can hire us to provide those services. That way, our videos would resonate with our target audience and invite them to also try our services.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

BLACKBIRD PRODUCTIONS provided us with marketing video production. Initially, they asked us what we wanted to be included in the videos and what we wanted to hear the participants say. From there, they came up with the scripts from start to end. Once we had the scripts, BLACKBIRD PRODUCTIONS shot the videos, edited them, and handled all the postproduction work. Their team even helped us make the required changes.

We had a very short timeframe for this project, so we wanted the video shot quickly. We were near the Chinese New Year period, which is when our business usually peaks. Therefore, we didn't conduct focus groups before starting. BLACKBIRD PRODUCTIONS provided us with a questionnaire asking about our target audience and what we wanted to achieve from these videos. Once we filled that form, they took it from there.

What is the team composition?

We worked with Keshav (Director) and a person who connected us with BLACKBIRD PRODUCTIONS. Four of their teammates were present during the shoot. Two of them helped with the actual recording; one was in charge of the long stream, and the other handled the close-up frames. Another teammate helped with the audio, and the last member assisted with the entire setup.

In fact, BLACKBIRD PRODUCTIONS helped us find a fourth person to appear in our videos. We weren't able to get a fourth person, so they brought an actor who was part of their contacts.

How did you come to work with BLACKBIRD PRODUCTIONS?

We found them through a referral. The general manager of our parent company is a friend of someone from BLACKBIRD PRODUCTIONS, so this person connected us with them. Still, we didn't source for many production agencies because we wanted to get this project done as soon as possible.

How much have you invested with them?

 We spent around $10,000–$15,000 SGD (approximately $7,500–$11,200 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We met BLACKBIRD PRODUCTIONS in July 2023. At the time, we wanted to shoot a video, but we didn't have enough budget to proceed with the production, so we delayed the project until November 2023. The work was completed in January 2024.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We launched these videos purely for brand awareness, so we used them on our social channels. Out of the four videos that we launched, one of them actually gained a lot of traction, ultimately improving our engagement. Although I can't say that these videos created a significant change in our business, they did make a slight positive impact.

How did BLACKBIRD PRODUCTIONS perform from a project management standpoint?

BLACKBIRD PRODUCTIONS was very fast in responding whenever we needed changes. Initially, we requested some of the videos to be launched in December because we wanted to launch them for the Christmas season. However, given that some of their team members were on leave and they had other projects in line, they didn't agree to that timeline. Still, they promised to do their best.

That issue was fine because we knew that we were rushing them to deliver a video in a week. They told us that if we wanted the video to be delivered that quickly, the quality wouldn't be very good because they needed to put in time and effort in editing the video properly.

Nonetheless, BLACKBIRD PRODUCTIONS delivered the video a few days later than requested and with good quality. Although they didn't compromise on our requested deadline, they delivered the video just a few days after that.

The team delivered all the videos via email using a data-sharing platform. Still, all the final assets (the videos, the music files, and the subtitles) were delivered in a drive. Moreover, our communication was mainly via email and WhatsApp.

What did you find most impressive about them?

One of BLACKBIRD PRODUCTIONS' strengths was their timeliness. From the start, they told us that they would deliver the videos by January, which aligned with our plan. Their second strength was their cost.

The BLACKBIRD PRODUCTIONS team was very helpful. We had very strict guidelines to follow, and during the shooting, they helped us follow them. All of their team coordinated to ensure the shot went well.

Are there any areas they could improve?

This was our first time doing videos for our company. Initially, we told BLACKBIRD PRODUCTIONS that we wanted to create 10–15-second videos because we wanted short-form content to easily promote on social media and gain traction. However, they filmed these videos in landscape mode.

Given that they already knew our objectives, it would have been great if BLACKBIRD PRODUCTIONS had suggested shooting the videos in portrait format as well. That way, it would have been easier for us to share those videos without cutting them and making them seem too zoomed in.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Share all of your requirements upfront and give their team time to do their work. If we had given them more time, they could have considered those other changes and suggestions and come back to us. However, we rushed them. Time is essential for the creative process.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the marketing manager for a home services platform. We offer various services, from cleaning and air conditioning to beauty services, and bring the experience to the consumer’s home. We’re an ad-based platform that’s heavy on tech.

I’m involved in user positioning and providing the right messaging to our consumers regarding our offering.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with BLACKBIRD PRODUCTIONS?

We wanted to create content to help our new offering on the market.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

BLACKBIRD PRODUCTIONS provided video production services to create a piece of content. We worked with an external creative agency and planned the storyboard together. Then, we did all the logistical planning, including hiring the talent, voiceover artist, location set up, and whatever was needed.

The commercial video included talent and people; there was no animation. BLACKBIRD PRODUCTIONS was involved in the pre-shoot and post. They managed our needs regarding venue, talent, storyboarding, and more.

What is the team composition?

We had a project manager.

How did you come to work with BLACKBIRD PRODUCTIONS?

It was a recommendation. We worked with a creative stakeholder agency, and they introduced us to BLACKBIRD PRODUCTIONS.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began our partnership in May 2023, and the main project was finished in July 2023. Afterward, we worked on different post edits.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The video was published on YouTube. We had a few benchmarks, but we only judged BLACKBIRD PRODUCTIONS for the creative work, not the deployment. In terms of the creative work, we thought that the new asset was about 20%–30% up compared to the previous asset.

We also did subsequent tests regarding retention, and we garnered higher benchmarks in terms of brand recognition.

How did BLACKBIRD PRODUCTIONS perform from a project management standpoint?

They delivered everything on time.

Are there any employees from the service provider's team that you would like to give a shout-out to in this review?

I’d like to highlight two people: the account manager and Keshav (Director). He was regularly involved in deeper thinking or alignment regarding cost, budget, and creative direction.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They understood our needs. Looking at things through a video editing lens, BLACKBIRD PRODUCTIONS gave us the best advice.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Honestly, there wasn’t anything. We might be embarking on a new project, so maybe then I’ll have more things to say. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

If you’re looking for high-quality video outputs and someone professional, they can be with you to provide that experience.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m an assistant manager at a social service agency that provides psychosocial services and programs for children with cancer and their families.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenges were you trying to address with  Blackbird productions?

We wanted to produce a new corporate video to refresh our old one and take a new approach in terms of storytelling.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They produced our video from scratch which started with a discovery phase to identify our needs. They helped us create a storyboard and interviewed our staff to get a better sense of what our organization stands for. 

They then worked collaboratively with us to understand our needs, arranged the schedules, and supported our casting efforts.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent somewhere between $10,000–$16,000 on this project.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from February–October 2022.

How did you come to work with Blackbird productions?

We came across their team through a Google search.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The video was featured in one of our events and was received positively by viewers, so it achieved what it was supposed to.

How did the company perform from a project management standpoint?

They performed well from a project management standpoint, and we mainly communicated through text and email.

What did you find most impressive about them?

What stood out the most in our partnership was their collaborative approach and reception to feedback. They listened to our requirements and achieved our goals.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There was nothing they needed to improve on.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

I don't have any specific advice.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the CEO and Co-Founder at Right-Hand Cybersecurity. At Right-Hand, we provide software solutions to help businesses monitor, measure and mitigate their employee induced cyber risk because roughly 90% of all data breaches are caused by human error.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire BLACKBIRD PRODUCTIONS PTE. LTD.?

We hired Blackbird Products to help us develop a corporate video that would evangelize our brand, problem statement, and help us relate with our clients and a comical and light-hearted way.

What were your goals for this project?

Our goals were to create a video that resonated well with our target market and was engaging to watch! Rather than people watching our video and thinking to themselves 'here is just another corporate overview video', we wanted to develop something that made our users laugh and have interest in learning more.

SOLUTION

How did you select BLACKBIRD PRODUCTIONS PTE. LTD.?

We considered several different vendors but chose Blackbird Productions because it was clear that Keshav was going to be able to bring our vision to life. It was a difficult task but we were confident he could do a good job.

Describe the project in detail.

The BBPR team was responsible to help us finalize the script, cast the actors, everything involved with a full successful day of filming (make up, location, etc), and editing the final video. Their role was to own the project end to end and they did a great job of that.

What was the team composition?

All of my interactions were directly with Keshav, and he served as the middle man with his team, the actors, and the rest of the crew. This made it very easy from our side to communicate what we wanted and he did all the work in the background.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We've received a lot of positive feedback about our video from existing and potential clients and others within the cybersecurity ecosystem. Even those outside of cybersecurity were able to relate to the message we were trying to relay.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The work was very effective and efficient! We scheduled several calls throughout the process to stay aligned and it worked great. Keshav was very responsive and available.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their ability to transform a vision into a tangible video. Not easy to do!

Are there any areas for improvement?

We were very happy with the work that was done and we can't pinpoint an aspect that should be improved.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the creative director of Ward6 Singapore. A creative advertising agency working in healthcare communications and advertising.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire BLACKBIRD PRODUCTIONS PTE. LTD.?

I have worked with Blackbird Productions for over 8 years now on a range of projects. From creative campaign photography for Singapore Red Cross to vox pop style video interviews and films for global/regional/local pharma clients.

What were your goals for this project?

Creative originality Seamless production Photography and filming Post production and editing Logitics management

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

BBPR never comes up with a single solution, they always have options. All of those options are high level and help me to create campaigns and creative deliverables that stand out from the conventional projects. Example 1: Red Cross creative campaign 2013 - 2019 BBPR have consistently worked with me from McCann to Ward6 to produce creative campaign assets. For Red Cross BBPR helped photograph and film the talent to deliver 5 x campaigns over the past 6 years. Always on time, always on budget and to the highest standard. Example 2: Vox pop - Travel series BBPR travelled with myself and a two man team to Taiwan and Korea to film specialists in their clinics. These videos were b-roll style interviews that interjected creative footage making the series seem fresh and different. This style of interview video was never done before for our Global client in the Singapore region. This unique approach was incredibly well received and across all markets.

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

The process is standard but of so efficient. BBPR revcieves my creative brief and pre pro deck. We discuss and work through logistics. The BBPR team then works to pre approve all necessary elements to ensure a clean shoot/production. The post pro moves into either online/offline sessions. Comments and amends are feedback to the team. The team implements changes fast and efficiently. Constant communication via Whatsapp for very fast and efficient comms.

What was your vendors' project management or feedback process?

Email is the primary comms tool but constant communication via Whatsapp for very fast and efficient comms is another channel used.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have a lot more of this work and in both cases the video and photographic style have become a new standard moving forward. Another huge milestone is the fact that we have worked with these clients consistently.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Very smooth and efficient.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

No single element stands out for BBPR, its the fact that no matter what the photographic, or filmic task, they always find a way to deliver and exceed expectations.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No. Creatively they could push it, but then I would be out of a job! They are a great team the way they are.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Product Marketing Team Lead of Premier NX

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Premier is a leading provider of tailored, knowledge process outsourcing solutions to enhance business outcomes for diverse industries, including financial services, healthcare, consumer products, e-commerce, and home services.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire BLACKBIRD PRODUCTIONS to accomplish?

• Animated Explainer Video

SOLUTION

How did you find BLACKBIRD PRODUCTIONS?

Online Search

Why did you select BLACKBIRD PRODUCTIONS over others?

• Pricing fit our budget
• Good value for cost
• Company values aligned
• Other

How many teammates from BLACKBIRD PRODUCTIONS were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

We required a 90-second-long animated explainer video for one of our tech products. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They gave a thorough proposal
They were on-time
Multiple revisions and good understanding of the problem
The explainer video was great value for money and we liked their work. 

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

Everything was on-time. The only delays were from our end. 
They understood our needs and catered professionally.

What was your primary form of communication with BLACKBIRD PRODUCTIONS?

Virtual Meeting

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

Even before the initial payment, they shared a script and storyboard with us to give us the direction and understand ours. Unique to the other vendors we were in collaboration with., 

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

The voiceover artist could have been better. It was good but could've been better.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Marketing Manager of Dji

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Tech

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire BLACKBIRD PRODUCTIONS to accomplish?

• Product Case Study Video

SOLUTION

How did you find BLACKBIRD PRODUCTIONS?

Online Search

Why did you select BLACKBIRD PRODUCTIONS over others?

High ratings

How many teammates from BLACKBIRD PRODUCTIONS were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

1 main video + 3 short videos

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Good quality videos, quick respond. We met some problems while filming, the team solved them nicely. Thanks a lot. Strongly recommend and will definitely cooperate again. 

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

Good and quick

What was your primary form of communication with BLACKBIRD PRODUCTIONS?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Their team was truly professional.

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

NOPE

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Assistant Manager of Singapore Polytechnic

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Institute of Higher Learning

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire BLACKBIRD PRODUCTIONS to accomplish?

• Event Photography & Videography

SOLUTION

How did you find BLACKBIRD PRODUCTIONS?

Online Search

Why did you select BLACKBIRD PRODUCTIONS over others?

• Pricing fit our budget
• Good value for cost

How many teammates from BLACKBIRD PRODUCTIONS were assigned to this project?

6-10 Employees

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

• Event Photography
• Event Highlight Reels 
• Event Highlight Video

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

• Speed of Delivery
• Quality of Collaterals

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

BLACKBIRD went above and beyond to deliver the collaterals. They were also very accomodating with changes we required and had a good understanding of the project and the objectives, which resulted in minimal rounds of revision, adding on to the fast delivery.

What was your primary form of communication with BLACKBIRD PRODUCTIONS?

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

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

They had a good understanding of the event and the intended project objectives which added to the delivery timeline. They were able to capture quality soundbites from both the main program and vox pop interviews.

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

No

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Business Head of Advertising Agency

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Social Digital Marketing Advertising Agency

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire BLACKBIRD PRODUCTIONS to accomplish?

• Product, Testimonial and Campaign Video

SOLUTION

How did you find BLACKBIRD PRODUCTIONS?

Referral

Why did you select BLACKBIRD PRODUCTIONS over others?

• Close to my geographic location
• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Referred to me

How many teammates from BLACKBIRD PRODUCTIONS were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Scope of Work included the production of testimonial, product and campaign videos which should include storyboarding, casting, pre and post production. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

To deliver a high quality video in a timely manner and with creative inputs.

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

Project Management was very well handled. From brief to execution, the team followed up and submitted as per timelines.

What was your primary form of communication with BLACKBIRD PRODUCTIONS?

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

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

Agility and being open minded, along with sharing their point of view to make the output better.

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

Nothing for now. They did a good job. Maybe to scale up their presence and visibility so they can get more clients.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the - of JCDecaux Singapore

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Leading OOH Advertising company in Singapore

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire BLACKBIRD PRODUCTIONS to accomplish?

• Product promotion

SOLUTION

How did you find BLACKBIRD PRODUCTIONS?

Online Search

Why did you select BLACKBIRD PRODUCTIONS over others?

• High ratings
• Pricing fit our budget

How many teammates from BLACKBIRD 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 promoting products within a premium environment. Provided the video in landscape and portrait with editing, colour correction and audio.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Deadlines and timelines were met. 

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

The team was also responsive and communicated clearly.  

What was your primary form of communication with BLACKBIRD PRODUCTIONS?

• In-Person Meeting
• Virtual Meeting

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

They understood the brief very clearly and even share and communicated their methods to give reassurance that they understood our needs. They were also open to ideas and suggestions to ensure that we were both aligned in our direction.

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

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