Video Content Agency
Bottle Rocket Media (BRM) specializes in video production, motion graphics, and virtual event production. Located in Chicago’s Fulton Market District, we are an award-winning, full-service video production agency, custom-built to make stunning videos fun and easy that make an impact for our clients.
Bottle Rocket Media ranked in Inc 5000 2020 Annual List of America’s Fastest-Growing Private Companies, named to the Inc 5000's Most Successful Companies in America list for 2019, the INC 5000's Midwest Most Successful Companies List, and the Financial Times 500 most successful companies in America.
BRM has won 20 Telly Awards, 5 Vega Awards, a Daytime Emmy Award, and an AVA Award.
Our content has been viewed billions of times over via the web and broadcast television. We understand branding, storytelling, and we have the experience to listen to your vision, compile a plan, and create videos that connect to your audience.
Key Clients: Google, United Airlines, Kenmore, Digitas, Glidden, Dyson, American Girl, Chase, MetLife, McDonalds, Starbucks, WeWork, PayPal, Hilton, Tempus, Skywalker Ranch, Walgreens, American Marketing Association, Boston Scientific, Chicago Cubs, ADIDAS, The Second City, Pabst Brewing Company, Hawkeye Agency, Soul Machines, Solar Mosaic, Basis Technologies, TaskUs, Leaf Home, Allscripts, Blue River Pet Care, Brunswick Corporation, CoreRX, Cormentum, Crisis Prevention Institute, Fast Radius, Gan Integrity, HGS, Karl Storz, Kimberly Clark, Kin Insurance, Litera Corp, National Association of Realtors, OWND Agency, Uptake, and Springs Window Fashions, just to name a few!
Bottle Rocket Media Reel --->https://sproutvideo.com/playlists/e89bdbb41060
Learn more about Bottle Rocket Media —> https://bottlerocketmedia.net/
Focus
Portfolio
Basis Technologies, United Airlines, Kenmore, Kimberly Clark, Digitas, Hawkeye Agency, Glidden, Dyson, American Girl, Chase, McDonalds, WeWork, Starbucks, PayPal, Tempus, Walgreens, American Marketing Association, Boston Scientific, Chicago Cubs, The Second City, Pabst Brewing Co, Soul Machines, TaskUs, Leaf Home, Allscripts, Blue River Pet Care, Brunswick Corp, Core-RX, Fast Radius, Karl Storz, Uptake, Springs Window Fashions, OWND Agency

Bottle Rocket Media - Live Action Reel
Enjoy a compilation of some of our favorite projects.

Bottle Rocket Media - Motion Design Reel
Recent Motion Design work

Basis Brand Video
Our long-time client, Centro, did a massive re-branding/name change effort in 2021. They are now called Basis Technologies. As part of the re-branding, they re-designed their whole website and wanted to create all new videos to be featured on the new website.

Crafthouse Cocktails Backstory
The luxury pre-mix cocktail brand, Crafthouse Cocktails, wanted a video to tell their origin story in a compelling way.

Dyson - Curl Retention
Bottle Rocket Media works with Dyson to create multiple how-to promotional and informative videos for their products.

Walgreens - What is Kaizen?
Communicating new ideas to a varied demographic is always a challenge. Fortunately, Walgreens has a good sense of humor. This gave us the freedom to create a video that was clever enough to get people to watch until the end and informative enough to get them excited about a new initiative. We also made this video in Spanish.

Kenmore Elite Grills Experience
Working with Kenmore's in-house agency, IMX Studios, Bottle Rocket Media produced, directed, and edited this lifestyle video around their new grill product.

Litera Brand Video
Because the product is cutting edge we wanted to create a world that represented today and the future. 3D office spaces combined with 2D elements to communicate the product workflow is how we chose to address this. Additionally, we chose a clean look to match the brand. The results are eye-popping graphics with a crisp and concise message.

Dyson - Airwrap
Excited is an understatement when we filmed the new Dyson Airwrap. This how-to video instructs the viewer how to use the new tool to straighten and curl their hair. We filmed this model step by step over the course of two days and played around with a creative lighting set up. We were drooling over the end result.

Impossible Objects

Centro Basis Campaign Commercial
We created an informative and engaging piece with a flowing narrative that moves from moment to moment, infused with music and sound effects, all to elicit a feeling. The end result is elegant. The creation of this video was born out of a script provided by Centro, refined by Bottle Rocket Media, and visually inspired by new website branding elements. We spent some time exploring animation and illustration styles before finding the perfect tone for the piece. Music and sound effects are an integral part of the spot as they both highlight and bridge various moments.

Uptake Fusion Explainer
A detailed, compelling explainer video for Uptake's Fusion product. We built and designed every element in this video from scratch.

Centro Brand Video
We love working with Centro, it’s a super fun company with a great product. We were excited to play a hand in explaining their product, Basis. Their office is stunning so in addition to showing the software at work, we were able to capture some incredible broll to blend into the piece. We opted to film a real computer in action rather than having screengrabs take over the whole screen and we love the end result; a technical explainer video with a very personalized and human centric feel.

The Peninsula Hotel - Z Bar Launch video
Z Bar. The new, luxurious bar at the Peninsula Hotel Chicago needed a lifestyle video to introduce it to the scene. Everything in the space is built around the idea of an adventurous traveler… and they wanted a video about Z Bar should feel the same.

Framed: An Improvised Series "The Clown"
This Chicago-set improvised series goes behind the counter of a custom frame shop, where a parade of customers reveal their troubles, aspirations, and drama in the process of framing their precious art.
Infused with the essence of improv—a symphony of ‘Yes, and”, it is truly a collaboration of talents—Framed has been providing laughs since Claire and Sam pitched the idea to us last fall. And were thrilled and honored when it was selected to play at NYTVF 2018.

Sears - We're Open spots

DRIVIN Overview
This video is an exciting mix of custom design elements, dynamic music, voice-over, and stock footage. DRIVIN is an incredible company in the automotive remarketing industry. They are driven by data.

American Girl - Bowling Set Promo
We build a scale model set from scratch for this fun product demo video!

Cormentum - Team Well Being Trailer
We created a massive Masterclass Style Series for this incredible professional training organization. We sourced locations, casted, shot, produced, edited, and designed all aspects of this video series. This video is a trailer to one of the set.

Byline Bank - Customer Series - Village Fresh
Part of an ongoing series, this video takes the banking industry and flips it upside down providing community feels that go outside the walls of the bank itself. We shot this video in one day and let the personal moments drive the editorial.

JCC - Stories of Friendship
ASK: The Jewish Community Center of Chicago wanted to create a video that speaks to the idea of community.
CHALLENGE: Create a concept that focuses on the emotional connections gained from the JCC community with a simple call to action; all are welcome.
SOLUTION: We worked closely with the marketing department ideating on how to showcase the community. Once we settled on the approach we got to work finding an authentic, real-person cast and the accompanying locations. This is always challenging, as willing participants with similar schedules are often hard to find. Ultimately we wound up shooting all four locations in two days. It was very fast-paced. During post-production, we weaved an emotional story that allowed the authenticity of the relationships to shine through and deliver the message.
RESULTS: The team at the JCC worked closely with us to create the most authentic product, on paper than on screen. It was an emotional collaboration that shows how much they care about the community they are supporting. Everybody was happy with the results.

Every Child Deserves a Toy
Kids and cameras are always awesome. Shot in one day at Bottle Rocket Media (BRM) Studios we let the children do the work on this one, just by being themselves. During the editorial process there were many ways to go with this video. Ultimately smiles won the day. The client attributes an uptick in donations due to this video.

Nicholas Brinley Experiences Promo
It’s always fun to look back on a year’s worth of work and create a stunning sizzle reel for our clients. This video took the notion of a sizzle reel and flipped it on it’s head to create a kick ass promo. The client utilized it to broaden their reach and expand their business.
We won a GOLD TELLY for this video!

We are United
Created for their annual leadership conference in Chicago, this video was shown at the event to energize the crowd, summarizing an incredible year for them. We used footage in the video that was shot by us and also collected from other sources.
Reviews
the project
Video Production for Healthcare Software Company
"Their team took our in-house concepts and pushed them in more engaging directions."
the reviewer
the review
The client submitted this review online.
Please describe your company and your position there.
I'm the Video / Motion media production manger for the Allscripts corporate marketing department. Allscripts is a vendor of electronic health record systems for physician practices, hospitals and healthcare systems.
For what projects/services did your company hire Bottle Rocket Media, and what were your goals?
Allscripts scripted a series of solution (product) videos that incorporated footage, custom motion graphics and voice over. Bottle Rocket produced (5) of these videos from mid 2021 to EOY.
How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?
We had worked with Bottle Rocket in the past in developing motion graphics for our Allscripts annual sales meeting. The work was top notch and on time...and just as importantly, Bottle Rocket was a pleasure to work with. When the product videos project began in 2021, we already had Bottle Rocket in mind to do the production work.
Describe the video(s) and the process in detail, including the project steps and all stages of production.
Our internal marketing and communications depart would develop scripts explaining the features, benefits and outcomes of some of our key solutions. My team would storyboard the scripts and provide basic notes on editing and animations and then pass the script + storyboards off to Bottle Rocket.
Who did you work with and what was the feedback process like?
I mainly worked with Stephanie (post production producer) and Brett (principal) In our initial kick off we set expectations (mine and Bottle Rocket's) and covered the most important aspects of the brand and tone for the spots. The upfront session really helped use move into a smooth cadence. We had very few required tweaks over the course of the project and never missed a date.
Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?
We saw a 2 - 3 % increase in YouTube CTR in conjunction with the release of the video series and received very positive feedback from our sales force who found the video useful and did plan to use them in their sales pursuits.
Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.
Very relaxed and 'partner like'. Very willing to hop on a call to work out a detail when it was needed.
What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?
Their team took our in-house concepts and pushed them in more engaging directions...but always in context of the Allscripts brand, which they became very familiar with from previous projects with Allscripts. Also just so pleasant to work with and absolutely no ego issues.
Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?
The project was run at the height of COVID...which meant we were dealing with all remote meetings. The creative spark that comes when being on site together was missed. Our project still came out great, but I wonder what interesting paths we would have explored if we had in person sessions. Hopefully we will for the next project!
the project
Video Production for Professional Training & Coaching Firm
"Bottle Rocket Media is incredibly creative and helps us elevate our ideas into great content."
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I am the co-founder of a professional training company that offers on-demand team workshops focused on building connection and engagement for distributed teams.
What challenge were you trying to address with Bottle Rocket Media?
We hired Bottle Rocket Media to produce several videos for our firm to augment our workshop offerings.
What was the scope of their involvement?
Bottle Rocket Media develops 5–20 minute videos for our on-demand workshops — they're our video and graphics partners. My team develops the content and framework for the video, and then Bottle Rocket Media helps us record each workshop, their team edits the videos and adds graphics and animations before final production.
What is the team composition?
We work with 4–5 teammates from Bottle Rocket Media, including Brett (Principal and Executive Producer), the project manager, and an account executive.
How did you come to work with Bottle Rocket Media?
We found Bottle Rocket Media on Clutch.
What is the status of this engagement?
Our engagement with Bottle Rocket Media began in March 2021, and it's ongoing.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
Bottle Rocket Media has delivered around 15 videos for us so far that we've published to our digital platform. Our customers have been satisfied with our workshops, as evidenced by our proprietary metrics, which I cannot currently disclose. Overall, Bottle Rocket Media has enabled our success and allowed us to achieve our business objectives. I appreciate that they've gotten to know our business to ensure they're the best partners they can be.
How did Bottle Rocket Media perform from a project management standpoint?
Bottle Rocket Media is very responsive and they meet our budget and timeline expectations. We mostly email the Bottle Rocket Media team, but we also use several tools to share assets.
What did you find most impressive about them?
Bottle Rocket Media is incredibly creative and helps us elevate our ideas into great content — their team thinks outside the box. No matter the challenge we're facing or the ideas we have, Bottle Rocket Media calmly and quickly addresses them and presents solutions that exceed expectations. Bottle Rocket Media is a truly exceptional partner.
Are there any areas they could improve?
I don't have any feedback for Bottle Rocket Media.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
I'd advise customers to bring Bottle Rocket Media in as a full partner and let them be a part of the creative problem-solving process so they can help develop a great solution.
the project
Video Production for Training Company
“I am impressed with Bottle Rocket Media’s ability to bring what traditionally have been static brand assets into life."
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m a marketing manager for a training company.
What challenge were you trying to address with Bottle Rocket Media?
We wanted to create visualization and storytelling based on a complex programmed system.
What was the scope of their involvement?
Bottle Rocket Media handles the whole creative process and execution of our vision and story. This involves reviewing the B-roll asset scripts, finding and selecting voiceover talent, editing the videos, and mixing the audio. They provide all of the equipment and studios for the project.
We’ve published the videos that we’ve worked on together on our social media channels, but we do plan on integrating them into our campaigns throughout the year. For now, we’re still searching for social proof before we start publishing them on our website.
We’ve since added an additional project due to the success of the initial one that we’ve done with them, so we’re going to continue working with them throughout this year.
What is the team composition?
I’ve worked with Dan (Executive Producer & Principal) on setting up the budget for the project, their project manager on execution and timelines, and a couple of their editors on the animation as well as the overall video edits.
How did you come to work with Bottle Rocket Media?
We found Bottle Rocket Media through a Google search. We had reached out to several other video production companies when we were looking to build some of our video asset libraries.
After vetting several of them, we ultimately went with Bottle Rocket because of the quality of their animation, internal ability to handle all steps of the project, and timeliness.
How much have you invested with them?
We’ve spent somewhere between $50,000-$100,000 on the initial project.
What is the status of this engagement?
We started working together in December 2021, and the engagement is ongoing.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
We’ve just launched the videos into market, but the initial feedback has been outstanding — hence the continued working relationship with them. One of the comments that we’ve received for our first video has essentially given us a referral to our company because of its quality.
We've also seen great success in using all of the videos for our training. The videos effectively provide the type of inspiration we were looking to create in the first place.
How did Bottle Rocket Media perform from a project management standpoint?
Bottle Rocket Media has performed very well in terms of project management. They’ve been extremely responsive and efficient in terms of turning around our requests.
We primarily communicate through email. We have meetings planned out, but I’ve been able to connect with them in between those scheduled milestones for updates and feedback as needed. They're just very flexible and easy to work with.
What did you find most impressive about them?
I am impressed with Bottle Rocket Media’s ability to bring what traditionally have been static brand assets into life. Their work truly complements our brand and has built upon it in a high-quality way through their exceptional animation and storytelling capabilities.
Are there any areas they could improve?
I don’t think there’s anything Bottle Rocket Media could have done better. We wouldn't have worked with them on additional projects if we weren't satisfied with the initial one.
If I had to say one thing, I think they could work more on continuing to push their clients on timelines and giving them friendly reminders on milestones or requests. I've got a lot of other projects on my plate besides the work that I'm doing with them, so sometimes I need some reminders to keep things on track for their timeline. They already do a good job at this, but over-communicating on these kinds of things is always good.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
Come in with a high-level vision of what you're looking to do and let them complement it with their creative lens and expertise. Let the experts in the room do the work, and they'll definitely elevate your vision.
the project
Video Production for Data Science Company
"The creatives at Bottle Rocket Media are able to elevate visual storytelling to the next level."
the reviewer
the review
The client submitted this review online.
Please describe your company and your position there.
We are a leading NYC-based data science company that builds dense, accurate, and actionable maps of real world relationships between individuals using publicly available data and a proprietary Social Graph platform.
I am an Advertising Strategist on the Politics and Advocacy team where he works with clients to build and execute comprehensive paid media programs leveraging our data.
For what projects/services did your company hire Bottle Rocket Media?
Bottle Rocket Media was engaged to produce compelling digital-first videos on behalf of one of our clients looking to build awareness among voters of upcoming registration deadlines.
What were your goals for this project?
The main goals of this campaign was to educate voters on upcoming registration deadlines, generate a sense of urgency among voters to ensure they follow through with registering to vote ahead of critical deadlines, and ultimately yield a substantial volume of newly registered voters.
These videos needed to break down the nuance of state election law and the role it plays in undermining voter participation in elections, and Bottle Rocket was able to weave the needle perfectly and generate compelling and digestible videos that accomplished just that.
How did you select Bottle Rocket Media?
Our team considered 3-5 other video and graphic production companies for this project, but ultimately Bottle Rocket Media's experience in producing similar digital-first videos for election work with other clients gave us the confidence we needed to leverage their services for this project.
Describe the project in detail.
Once we decided to move forward with Bottle Rocket Media, we set up a kick-off call to discuss our overall campaign goals and our client's vision for the utility of these videos in the scope of the overall campaign.
We worked with the team at Bottle Rocket Media to build compelling scripts that leveraged our campaign messaging, and once approved Bottle Rocket Media worked their magic and put together an initial version for our review.
We left enough time to be able to exchange feedback and generate subsequent versions of the videos with our feedback fully incorporated, and ultimately landed on versions of the videos with which we were satisfied.
What was the team composition?
Primarily, we worked directly with the project manager assigned to our account who served as our primary point of contact, but we were also able to interface and strategize directly with the creative team including Bottle Rocket Media's creative director during the concept and script building phase of the project.
Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?
The videos Bottle Rocket Media produced for this project yielded a video completion rate on average of 75%, serving as a leading indicator of relatively strong engagement from the voters who were served these digital-first spots.
Separately, the finished product was well received by the end client and specifically called out the polished and compelling nature of the videos produced. Well done, Bottle Rocket Media!
How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?
Our project manager was fantastic and always ensured that both Bottle Rocket Media and Applecart were held accountable to the project timeline and deadlines to which both parties agreed at the outset of the engagement.
The Bottle Rocket Media team was always responsive and accessible if we had any questions during the project, and accommodating of the overall project's rather quick timeline to ensure their deliverables were delivered on time and didn't hold up the project at large.
What did you find most impressive about this company?
The professionalism and ingenuity of the creative minds at Bottle Rocket Media really make it such a pleasure to partner with them on projects.
The creatives at Bottle Rocket Media are able to elevate visual storytelling to the next level. They produce high-quality content to help their clients effectively communicate in an increasingly noisy digital environment.
Are there any areas for improvement?
During the project scoping process, the vendor could have been more transparent in terms of what elements were included in the project quote, and what specific elements would result in an overage charge.
That being said, the project as a whole was executed flawlessly and we had little to no feedback on how the project could have been executed differently.
the project
Video Production for AI Company
“Their overall production quality, married with the pricing structure we worked out with them, has been phenomenal.”
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m the VP of marketing for an AI company.
What challenge were you trying to address with Bottle Rocket Media?
We think that having a comprehensive video strategy that helps customers visualize our product in context is essential to our selling motion. And so we're working with them on creating high quality, scalable, video content.
What was the scope of their involvement?
They help us with video content strategy then they do all the production from very beginning to very end.
What is the team composition?
We work with 3–4 people on their team. We interact one of the founders of Bottle Rocket Media, a production manager, a project manager, and a strategy expert. Dan (Principal Producer & Director) is one of the principal producers and directors we work with.
How did you come to work with Bottle Rocket Media?
We were looking specifically for experts. I’m located in San Francisco and we did a cross-country search. We’re also an early-stage company so we were looking for partners that would be the right size for us. Bottle Rocket Media has a pretty extensive background. They worked for reputable companies and produced a ton of video content among some big brands, so their references were fantastic.
What is the status of this engagement?
We started working with them in May 2020 and the project is ongoing.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
Our customers love it. It’s working and is helping us close deals.
How did Bottle Rocket Media perform from a project management standpoint?
They haven’t missed a deadline. We didn’t have any communication issues.
What did you find most impressive about them?
Their overall production quality, married with the pricing structure we worked out with them has been phenomenal. We would have spent a lot more with other companies in different areas of the country. There’s a great benefit working with a Chicago-based firm as well.
Are there any areas they could improve?
We haven’t had a single issue.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
Be clear about what your objectives are and communicate. Be open to their ideas because they have some great insight and can give you an idea that you haven’t thought of.
the project
Graphics for Production Company
"Bottle Rocket Media drove the communication workflow in an extremely organized fashion."
the reviewer
the review
The client submitted this review online.
Please describe your company and your position there.
My name is Brad Bessey. I was the executive producer and show runner of The Carlos Watson Show for OZY media.
For what projects/services did your company hire Bottle Rocket Media?
We hired Bottle Rocket Media to design all our show graphics. We launched with an impossibly short pre-production window - literally days. And, yet we still needed to create a show that looked polished, stylish, current, fresh and elevated. In other words, our impossible deadlines could not compromise the production quality.
What were your goals for this project?
Polished, stylish, current, fresh, quality. We focused on the open, transitional elements, bump-ins, lower-thirds and innovative quote graphics.
How did you select Bottle Rocket Media?
They came highly recommended from the team at OWN.
Describe the project in detail.
The Carlos Watson Show is a daily YouTube talk show featuring Carlos Watson, Editor-In-Chief and founder of OZY Media, a socially progressive news site for the "change generation." Each episode focused on a thought leader from entertainment, business, sports or politics. Beto O'Rourke, Grant Hill, Debbie Allen, Sean Spicer, Paris Hilton, Malcolm Gladwell, Baker Mayfield, George Lopez, Gabrielle Union have been among the guests.
What was the team composition?
The Bottle Rocket team included 5-6 designers and a project manager.
Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?
- Because we had very little time between engaging Bottle Rocket and being on air, we needed them to be responsive to our feedback in real-time and they were.
- The challenge was that OZY media added creative voices from their web team halfway through the process. Rather than being thrown by this change, Bottle Rocket was responsive to feedback and able to meet the already tight deadlines.
- The feedback from within OZY, from advertisers, and from audiences has been extremely positive - oftentimes "the look" of the show is the first thing highlighted as a positive.
How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?
- Bottle Rocket Media drove the communication workflow in an extremely organized fashion.
- Because of the insanely truncated timeline, the project needed to be executed over the span of a weekend and there were no delays as a result.
- Regular Zoom meetings, emails, phone calls were maintained.
- Bottle Rocket broke the project into smaller units and set a workflow schedule which they maintained. This scaffolded approach allowed us to give feedback along the way and created one of the most time-efficient approaches to show graphics that I have ever experienced.
What did you find most impressive about this company?
- The vendor's strength was their design aesthetic and impeccable taste.
- Also, they were extremely effective at translating my conceptual ideas into visual reflections of those ideas.
- The X-Factor which I was pleasantly surprised about was their no-ego, whatever it takes, flexibility. I had no time and threw a lot of last-minute changes their way as I introduced new people from my side into the mix...they just handled it in stride.
- Talented was a given...pleasant and downright fun...was a wonderful surprise.
the project
Video Storytelling Production for Local Bank
"We greatly appreciated their work ethic."
the reviewer
the review
The client submitted this review online.
Please describe your company and your position there.
Byline Bank has been part of the local scene for over 100 years. We’re in the neighborhoods where you live, work and hangout. We take pride in offering customized solutions to meet the needs and support the goals of our customers. And we’re always available–in-person, online, or mobile app. We’re grateful for all our customers who have chosen Byline Bank to help them write their story, together. My role as Marketing and Communications Manager includes supporting our teams and business lines in marketing and communications needs bank-wide.
For what projects/services did your company hire Bottle Rocket Media?
I engaged Bottle Rocket to fulfill our vision to have a library of case studies and testimonials of how Byline Bank helped to write their story. Our first challenge was, how to explain what we wanted and the fear of will it work out the way we hope without a strong knowledge of production. Our second challenge included how to let the customer shine, tell their story and what was important to them, while still sharing how Byline Bank supported that dream to help it come to life. And relay that story in a way new business could see the possibilities and solutions we offer to achieve the same outcome and success.
What were your goals for this project?
We wanted to achieve quality videos that shared interesting stories to share across a variety of channels including, website, social and internally. We anticipated having the public come across the videos and recognize names from their communities to know that Byline Bank helped them get there, brand recondition of both the customer and Byline Bank, if they already bank with us to consider us for continuing to support them or look at new opportunities, and if they don't bank with us to consider what solutions we can offer.
How did you select this vendor?
We selected Bottle Rocket Media based on the care and attention they drove from the beginning. I was impressed by their respect for our time and bandwidth, but direct and clear outlines and communication. We chose Bottle Rocket because it was clear we could trust their work from their experience and process.
Describe the video(s) and the process in detail.
Once we selected Bottle Rocket Media, we had a few meetings to get to know each other, our teams, and our process to really understand our business but most importantly how much support we needed. We collaborated on ideas, gave a general thought and they really hit the ground running to give us a draft script and storyboard to begin to narrow us to a more clear concept. We were able to provide our feedback on the outline while incorporating their best practices and suggestions. Bottle Rocket coordinated all scheduling and preparations with the customers, helped them feel at ease and prepared, and kept us in the loop with communication to be involved where we wanted or to let them handle. Once the videos were cut, the editing process was a breeze.
What was your vendors' project management or feedback process?
Bottle Rocket kept us on track to meet our deadlines and have been able to quickly turnaround updates and edits based on different uses and opportunities that have come along.
Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?
Ultimately, we had to trust Bottle Rocket to drive the project with their expertise and we were not disappointed. We've heard great feedback from our internal partners, the customers profiled and general public. Our metrics from web, social and ads have demonstrated great success compared to what we were expecting.
How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?
The Bottle Rocket workflow was was extremely effective for our team. Once we set a deadline they did everything to communicate and push us to meet those deadlines, especially if they were waiting on us. With friendly reminders, agility, and care we were consistently impressed with their workflow from conception to fulfillment.
What did you find most impressive about this company?
We greatly enjoyed working with the Bottle Rocket team. Every member from the planning, to production on-site, and in-between has been truly wonderful to work with. They're wonderful people who all have interesting stories and backgrounds, that it was a pleasure to learn more about them and their unique expertise. While we had plenty of fun, they always brought us back to get the job at hand done and done well. We greatly appreciated their work ethic.
Are there any areas for improvement?
We were satisfied with their process and couldn't be more happy with the quality of work they produced.
the project
Welcome Videos & for Children's Extracurricular Program
"They brought a ton of creativity to the project and elevated our concept to the next level."
the reviewer
the review
The client submitted this review online.
Please describe your company and your position there.
Right At School provides safe, engaging and meaningful in-school and extracurricular programs to enrich the lives of students, give parents peace of mind and enable schools to focus on their academic mission. I’m the Senior Director of School Partnerships
For what projects/services did your company hire Bottle Rocket Media?
We needed a overview company and services video to show both parents and school and district leadership when selling Right at School to a new community.
What were your goals for this project?
The accurate convey our services offering to prospective parents and school districts. It’s important that the viewer understands not just our value proposition, but the love and care that each and every Right at School team members brings to the children everyday.
How did you select this vendor?
They were referred to us from another company.
Describe the video(s) and the process in detail.
Once we selected them as our video production company, we had a kickoff meeting where they came to our office and we walked them through our business, the videos goals, and the access we had to various schools, parents, administrators, etc..
We also shared our branding and messaging, bullet points of topics we wanted included in the video, etc.. They then developed a creative and logistics plan to execute the video, including a production calendar from that first meeting all the way through delivery, interview questions, day of shooting plans, and so on.
Everything we needed to understand what they needed from us to complete the project, and what they were going to do and deliver on a set timeline.
What was your vendors' project management or feedback process?
As I described above, it was a very transparent process from the beginning with absolute clarity on both our deliverables, and their deliverables. When and what things were due. If we got a little behind schedule in providing feedback, they adjusted the schedule accordingly.
Feedback was given on a schedule too, via an online video commenting system. It was super easy to use and allowed us to see multiple versions if we wanted to go back to cross reference.
Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?
The videos have been hugely successful for us. We've seen massive growth over the past several years, and it's in no small part to the video we made. Often times it's a family's first exposure to us.
They get to see the ins and outs of what we do, and hear from the real people that make this company run everyday. We've updated the video several times (adding new testimonials and kids) as we continue to grow. Bottle Rocket Media makes the updating process effortless.
How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?
They communicate very effectively and moving notes and comments between the teams was easy with their software. I’d say the workflow was extremely effective.
What did you find most impressive about this company?
Bottle Rocket Media, while full of wildly talented and creative video professionals, is just a great group of people that are so easy to work with. Making a video was a big deal for our company. It's a lot of money and time on our part.
What's most impressive about Bottle Rocket is how easy they made the whole process for us, while delivering a best-in-class product. They brought a ton of creativity to the project and elevated our concept to the next level.
We highly recommend them to anyone looking for video production services.
Are there any areas for improvement?
There are no areas that need improving as far as we’re concerned.
the project
Process Animation for 3D Printing Company
"They were able to understand our process at the deepest level and build visuals based on our descriptions."
the reviewer
the review
The client submitted this review online.
Please describe your company and your position there.
I am an Industrial Designer for Impossible Objects, a 3D printer and materials company pioneering advancements in the additive manufacturing and composites manufacturing industries.
For what projects/services did your company hire Bottle Rocket Media?
We hired Bottle Rocket Media to create an animation of the 3D printing process that Impossible Objects created.
What were your goals for this project?
We aimed to create an animation that could demonstrate our entire 3D printing process in a concise two minutes. The animation would be used for investor meetings, website, and trade shows.
How did you select this vendor?
Through a carful selection and interview process. Bottle Rocket Media has an extremely strong portfolio of work, smart individuals, and a fair price.
Describe the video(s) and the process in detail.
The video is a two minute animation of a 3D printing machine and the materials used at a macro and micro scale. The machine is animated with moving parts and materials. The animation has after effect graphics and diagrams to further describe the process details. The animation has a voice over, music, and captions.
What was your vendors' project management or feedback process?
We were extremely impressed with the amount of work Bottle Rocket Media was able to complete in the short timeframe we presented. We went through many rounds of iterations and scheduled frequent touch point meetings to improve efficiency. Their communication and teamwork is spectacular.
Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?
The animation they created allows us to describe parts of our process at the microscopic level. This is something we struggled to communicate and we use this animation as a demonstration tool whenever we introduce our product and materials.
How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?
The workflow was well managed and flexible. Frequent updates and valuable feedback.
What did you find most impressive about this company?
The team is extremely smart as well as creative. They were able to understand our process at the deepest level and build visuals based on our descriptions.
Are there any areas for improvement?
I honestly feel the project blew all exceptions out of the water. We continue to get regular compliments about the animation on our website. I will continue to refer Bottle Rocket Media to those wishing to create compelling videos and visuals.
the project
Video Production for Alzheimer's Research Company
"They’re all very creative and passionate about what they do, and that shows in their work."
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m the president of a communications agency. We’re a small, boutique communications company strictly dedicated to healthcare, and we’re located in New York City.
What challenge were you trying to address with Bottle Rocket Media?
Our clients wanted a video summary of recordings we made during a large Alzheimers meeting years before. We had interviewed top leaders in the field by asking specific questions about plasma-based biomarkers (which detect Alzheimer's disease in the blood).
We wanted to put together a short video that the client could use in their exhibit booth at an upcoming international meeting. It would be an opportunity for thought leaders to make comments about the potential clinical utility of blood-based biomarkers for detecting dementia.
What was the scope of their involvement?
We provided the full-length video interviews of leading researchers in Alzheimer’s disease along with the final transcripts. With this, the Bottle Rocket Team worked with us to develop a final, 4-minute program that communicated the large unmet needs for plasma-based biomarkers to detect dementia, while also showcasing the potential role and value of the client’s technology in meeting those needs.
Given what Bottle Rocket Media had to work with (ie, they inherited less than optimal video footage and lengthy interviews) they were able to bring these interviews to life using interesting transitions, animations, and special effects. Their expertise in video storytelling made for a high-quality deliverable.
What is the team composition?
I’m not sure of all the players, but I worked directly with one of the editors and one of the producers. I had a day-to-day contact, and I always had access to Dan (Creative Director, Bottle Rocket Media).
How did you come to work with Bottle Rocket Media?
We had worked with them before to develop video summaries of meetings. So, we knew they do very high-quality work. When we really needed them to work with us on a lower budget, they did it using the resources that we had available. I can always depend on them to deliver a high-quality product. In this case, it was very cost-effective for our client.
How much have you invested with them?
The entire project was less than $30,000.
What is the status of this engagement?
We started in May of 2019, and they finished the product by July of 2019. We had a firm deadline because the international meeting was in July of 2019.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
It was used at the client’s exhibit booth during a large, international Alzheimer’s meeting, and the client was very happy with the outcome. Every single one of the doctors that we interviewed said how great they thought the video was. They believed it was fair and balanced. They also said they were well-represented their comments.
How did Bottle Rocket Media perform from a project management standpoint?
They had excellent project management — they were on top of it all the time. They replied to our questions right away, and they were definitely on time.
In the beginning, we had a kick-off. Then, we had a creative session. Since the timeline was so short, we were on the phone with them virtually every day for the 2–3-month window.
Dan was always available to talk about strategy and creative ideas. My day-to-day contact was terrific. She kept things moving. When she didn’t know an answer, she found it out for us. We had an editor come in on an as-needed basis, and he also provided good feedback.
What did you find most impressive about them?
The high level of quality and vision that they bring to the table are impressive. They have a lot of experience and bring background knowledge from different areas. They’re all very creative and passionate about what they do, and that shows in their work.
Also, the team was able to put the video together at a cost that was available to our client. They were instrumental in putting together a program that was interesting and exciting while remaining cost-effective.
Are there any areas they could improve?
No, there weren't any areas.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
Customers should start as early in the project as possible. They should establish the creative parameters, including the messaging and storytelling you’re trying to communicate.
Let them work with you as a partner to tell that story in the most effective way possible. Once you have a vision of what you want to say, they’ll work with you to say that in the best way.
Bottle Rocket Media’s videos were useful for the company’s sales and YouTube marketing efforts. They facilitated a relaxed collaboration, and they were communicative and accessible throughout the project. Their team offered a high level of customer support on top of their video production expertise.