Cloud in the Sky Studios

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Senior Officer in Public and Community Engagement of a healthcare research company

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Our company leads cutting-edge studies that evaluate healthcare delivery and outcomes.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Cloud in the Sky Studios to accomplish?

• Awareness: increased visibility of a public-friendly image of our company and an improved understanding of our analytic services

SOLUTION

How did you find Cloud in the Sky Studios?

Referral

Why did you select Cloud in the Sky Studios over others?

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

How many teammates from Cloud in the Sky Studios were assigned to this project?

1 Employee

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

Development of a concise Testimonial video, including both filming and editing. https://youtu.be/IABH2O20xxo?si=Mtv4UyqwXGNlVrHt

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Immediate success was measured via pilot testing focus groups within the target audience as well as inter-sectoral collaborators. Qualitative feedback was extremely positive.

Long-term success will be tracked in coming year(s) for: resource clicks & website traffic, social media metrics, and # of new projects attracted from the target sector.

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

Dom was absolutely amazing. In all cases, he responded to our inquiries and incorporated our suggestions within 24-48 hours. He liased effectively with both our team as well as the 'customer' organization who were the subjects for the testimonial.

What was your primary form of communication with Cloud in the Sky Studios?

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

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

They clearly grasped our vision and created an emotionally evocative product that inspires.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Cloud in the Sky Studios could have done differently?

We were truly impressed with the work -- no suggestions for future improvement.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Sr. Director, Brand and Communications

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Our company makes software that corporate and government security professionals use to proactively manage threats, mitigate risks, and make businesses stronger.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Cloud in the Sky Studios to accomplish?

• Create a new explainer video to support our company's evolved brand – both in terms of look and feel and messaging and positioning.

SOLUTION

How did you find Cloud in the Sky Studios?

Referral

Why did you select Cloud in the Sky Studios over others?

• Pricing fit our budget
• Referred to me

How many teammates from Cloud in the Sky Studios were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

• Pre-Production: Planning and project management, Storyboard & script consultation Production: Animation, Iconography 2D animation, approx. 3 scenes
• Post-Production: Editing and compositing, Color grading, Music licensing, Stock footage To produce 1 mixed media product explainer video for Ontic.
• The video is approximately 60 seconds in length 
• The video includes: live-action footage, stock-footage, 2D iconography animation, and motion graphics.
• 10 weeks production timeline from signing of SOW

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

N/A

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

Yes - they were a fantastic partner the whole way through. Very consistent, timely, and professional.

What was your primary form of communication with Cloud in the Sky Studios?

Email or Messaging App

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

Their ability to stay flexible along with us the entire way. We had many changes throughout that they never blinked an eye at. They stayed diligent and delivered 100% on everything we asked for.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Cloud in the Sky Studios could have done differently?

N/A

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Community Investment Program Manager of CIRA

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

CIRA is known for managing the system that keeps more than 3 million .CA domains running smoothly, and for our cybersecurity products that protect Canadians online.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Cloud in the Sky Studios to accomplish?

• Produce 1x 60 sec video to promote the good that CIRA does for Canada's internet users.
• Tell the story, capture the ‘essence’ of CIRA's Net Good program and all of CIRA’s Net Good give-back initiatives in a simple, inspiring way.

SOLUTION

How did you find Cloud in the Sky Studios?

• Referral
• We've used them before and thought they were great to work with.

Why did you select Cloud in the Sky Studios over others?

• Pricing fit our budget
• Good value for cost
• Company values aligned
• Worked with them before

How many teammates from Cloud in the Sky Studios were assigned to this project?

6-10 Employees

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

High Impact, High Production Value, Voice-Over 1x 60s Campaign Video (2 day shoot, fully scripted) - in English and French

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

People in our organization are very happy with the end result and are appending the video in their email communications, as well as planning on how to use it as value-add in their revenue-generation work. Also, success that we took a complex set of programs and distilled it into one key, visual, inspiring message.

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

Delivered on time, invited our feedback, took our inputs seriously, provided professional advice, were patient with us when we needed to consult broadly.

What was your primary form of communication with Cloud in the Sky Studios?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

How enthusiastic they were about the work, and doing things within budget in very creative ways. Also, their sense of story and how to make it come to life.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Cloud in the Sky Studios could have done differently?

None that come to mind. They thought of everything.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of a pharmacy in Ottowa, Ontario.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Cloud in the Sky Studios?

We needed someone to provide us with video production services.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Cloud in the Sky Studios is currently developing a video with animated elements, as well as providing us with their scriptwriting services.

What is the team composition?

We mainly work with the owners, as well as their animation team.

How did you come to work with Cloud in the Sky Studios?

We came across their company while researching on Google.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested around $10,000 CAD (approximately $7,900 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

Our partnership started in September 2019, but we’ll still work together to shoot new videos.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They’ve accomplished all their deliverables, and the video was successfully published on our company website.

How did Cloud in the Sky Studios perform from a project management standpoint?

They perform well from a project management perspective, as they’re able to adhere to our timelines and budget. We typically communicate through text and in person.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We’re very impressed with their communication skills.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything they could improve on.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

They have a lot of experience in video production, so I would advise you to accept their guidance and listen to their recommendations.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a brand strategist at a climate technology company. We make commercial buildings greener and more sustainable by connecting our cloud-based AI to their heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems to make them more intelligent, self-adaptive, and predictive. In turn, they save up a significant amount of energy and carbon emissions. We have team members all over the world, but our headquarters are in Montreal, Canada.

I work on developing content and key messaging for the company. I’ve also helped with event contests, applications, speaking opportunities, and more. For example, we recently had the chance to speak at COP26, the United Nations Climate Change Conference, where we were selected as a winner of the “Tech For Our Planet” showcase.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Cloud in the Sky Studios?

We wanted to have a high-quality, beautiful video that helped explain our technology, what it does, and what value brings to people. Since we work with AI and heating and ventilation systems, it’s hard for customers to visually imagine what our technology does. Therefore, we tasked them to figure out how to make our technology more digestible and understandable for our target audience.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We engaged Cloud in the Sky Studios to help us create branded and robust videos. First, we did a flagship video with 3D animation that represented the AI and showed how it works and the impact it has on buildings and cities. Then, they did a second video, which was a bit more technical. They used minimal 3D and visuals to showcase how AI affects different components in the HVAC system and what kind of data it pulls to be smarter and make its decisions.

They were involved from the beginning, so they did the storyboard and helped us come out with the artistic direction. Cloud in the Sky presented us with multiple options, and then we collaborated as a team to figure out the right approach based on their recommendations. Since our technology is quite technical, we had to supply them with preliminary scripts, but they cleaned everything up and fine-tuned it to ensure it worked well with the visuals. Additionally, they took care of all the video editing.

For both videos, Cloud in the Sky Studios did a two-minute version and shorter 30-second versions that were optimized for social media and digital use. The first video was a mix of live-action and 3D, but they didn’t film the live-action part — it was stock footage. 

What is the team composition?

We worked closely with Julien (Director of Photography, Editor & Co-Founder) and Skyler (Animation Director). Julien was the primary director, and Skyler led all the animation side.

How did you come to work with Cloud in the Sky Studios?

Our VP of marketing and PR found them through extensive research for video agencies. After meeting with various agencies around Canada, we selected them.

How much have you invested with them?

It was around $100,000 CAD (approximately $79,000 USD) for both videos.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with them from October 2020–July 2021. Since then, we haven’t engaged with Cloud in the Sky Studios for any other projects. Nonetheless, we’re open to working with them whenever we need another video; we see them as a partner and are happy to engage them in the future. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

In general, we’ve gotten great feedback from the events, and our internal team loves it. Right now, the biggest fan of our videos is our president and CEO. He speaks at many events, and he absolutely loves showing them on big screens. At the COP26 show, he used snippets of both videos in his presentation, and I’d like to think that part of our win was due to the amazing graphics he displayed to support his speech.

Additionally, the video is currently available on our website, as well as our YouTube and Vimeo pages. We’ve also shared it on our social platforms: LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram. Aside from that, we’ve sent it as b-roll for news coverage and interviews and worked with a few organizations that have created subsequent videos using snippets from our brand videos.

How did Cloud in the Sky Studios perform from a project management standpoint?

They did a great job, especially in the way they laid things out. They’d always set up Dropbox documents with specific timelines for the deliverables for each project, whether it was on our end or their end. The timelines were stretched a bit on our side because there were many technicalities that we had to get internally approved. However, Cloud in the Sky Studios was super understanding, and they accommodated our changing schedules.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The biggest shoutout I’d give them is for their ability to understand technical information. They got involved with the technology to understand it and did a fantastic job at depicting everything visually.

Also, one of the nicest parts about working with Cloud in the Sky Studios was that they felt like an extension of our team. If we had to include them in internal meetings or meetings with other key stakeholders, they were always available, and everyone from our internal team who was brought into the project enjoyed working with them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Sometimes we’d get very optimistic deadlines, and then things got pushed back a little bit, so maybe they could be a bit more realistic and keep in mind that edits or feedback might come. However, it was great working with them in general.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Get into the project having a clear view of what you want out of it. Cloud in the Sky Studios will guide you on the creative side, but you need to know the goal of the assets you’ll create to avoid working extra hours. It’s better to have a clear understanding from the beginning — that way, they’ll have everything they need to get the project going.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the marketing programs manager of a supply chain company. We provide supply chain planning solutions to help companies make fast and confident business decisions. I support our sales and marketing initiatives including demand generation, lead generation, brand building, and more.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Cloud in the Sky Studios?

We hired Cloud in the Sky Studios to create a high impact video ad featuring our product, similar to a 60–90 second commercial. The film should also highlight what problems we help people solve and how we do it. Aside from that, we also asked the team to showcase our brand messaging and positioning. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We provided them with our idea and they worked closely with us to bring our expected video ad to life. We told them to produce a video that we can use for our homepage and recruitment events.

Since we have an in-house marketing team, we wrote the script and gave it to them. Moreover, we also sent them product screenshots to help them tell our story. In the end, they gave us three options and worked with us throughout the whole process to make sure the script and music were perfect. We went back and forth on developing the video and making sure that details were up to standard.

What is the team composition?

We worked with two people, one of them was Julian (Project Manager). 

How did you come to work with Cloud in the Sky Studios?

They were my videographers for my wedding. I’ve known them for almost 10 years now. They also did my friend’s wedding. Cloud in the Sky Studios did such a good job on those projects that we hired them for this. 

Aside from that, I also knew that they were shifting their video services to cater to companies who need promotional content. I kept in touch with them over the years and I hire them whenever I have the chance. This project was our 4th–5th video.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $10,000–$25,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with them from June–August 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Everyone from our internal team loved the video, including the sales, marketing, and executive teams. The feedback on Cloud in the Sky Studios' video ad had been phenomenal. Stakeholders liked the quality, approach, and style of the end product. Overall, I would work with them again for as long as I’m working in marketing.

How did Cloud in the Sky Studios perform from a project management standpoint?

Instead of just meeting deadlines, they delivered ahead of schedule. Since they had good project management, everyone was kept in the loop and stayed on track. Apart from that, everything was delivered within budget. 

On the other hand, we used our own internal project management tool to track deliverables. Whenever needed, we communicated through calls and emails.

We had a solid feedback loop. For feedback on the film, it was done on Vimeo and we easily tagged our comments throughout the video. Basically, what they did was to provide us drafts and then we conducted internal reviews to make sure the content was exactly the way we wanted it. The team was so collaborative and did detailed work.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They had a real understanding and appreciation of what gets people’s attention. The Cloud in the Sky Studios’ team also did an excellent job of finding our comfort level on how far we were willing to go in terms of creativity. They took a practical approach to find the right style, look, and feel of what we were trying to achieve. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

Honestly, we don’t think they have any areas they could improve on. We already worked with them multiple times because they have always been awesome.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Come prepared with a budget in mind and be upfront with them — that’s true with any type of external vendor you’re trying to work with. Tell them what your objectives are and set a budget limit. Cloud in the Sky Studios will work with you on that.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the senior projects and accounts manager of Metric. We’re a Canadian agency working on progressive cause marketing.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Cloud in the Sky Studios?

We asked them to come on as a creative partner for a campaign that was speaking to progressive changes in Canadian policies after the hit of COVID-19. The campaign was asking the government and prime minister to ensure the country's policies were changed so if another crisis ever hit, we were better prepared.

We asked Cloud in the Sky Studios to come on specifically to work on a full-length video and then shorter clips of that for the digital campaign.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The full-length video, which was about one minute and a half, was used on the client’s website and published on their YouTube account. The shorter clips were used for online ads. The video was mostly live-action. However, there was a small animation with the client’s logo and call to action at the end.

Their team handled all of the location and scouting efforts. Our two teams worked collaboratively on the consulting and writing of the video. Then, they handled the pre- to post-production work.

What is the team composition?

Our one direct contact was Brittany (Creative Producer), but we also worked with quite a large team.

How did you come to work with Cloud in the Sky Studios?

I live in the same town as their company so I’d seen quite a bit of their work. We did an interview with a few other agencies. Ultimately, we chose Cloud in the Sky Studios because we were impressed with their previous clients and the type of content they’d produced before.

How much have you invested with them?

We invested about $120,000 CAD (approximately $91,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

The engagement lasted from June–September 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We were on an extremely tight timeline, and they were very proactive about getting the project kicked off. Their team hustled hard on their end with the production piece. We had to build a full set, and they completed that in a quick turnaround. There were some casting difficulties that led to last-minute changes, and they handled them like a champ. Their team was very receptive to feedback.

How did Cloud in the Sky Studios perform from a project management standpoint?

Project management was collaborative. Their handling of the production of the video was great.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their team is really fun and invested in whatever they take on, which is nice to see. They were always enthusiastic about the project and pushed for it to be the best that it could be. It was clear that they worked very hard.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I’d love to see them push their creative concepts a little bit more if we have a future project with them. It’d be great if they took on some of the core project management pieces that lead up to the actual production.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Ensure that all lines of communication are open and that you’re getting regular updates from the team.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a Sr. Manager of Solutions Marketing at Kinaxis, a provider of concurrent planning software for supply chains.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Cloud in the Sky Studios?

We wanted to create a super slick video to illustrate what happens behind the scenes on the backend of our software - showing customers and prospects that in just seconds, there are thousands of computations occurring that help them make informed decisions for people, profits and the planet.

What were your goals for this project?

We had a very short timeline, as we wanted to get this project completed before our virtual user conference.

SOLUTION

How did you select Cloud in the Sky Studios?

My company has worked with CITS previously and has always been impressed with their portfolio and customer service.

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

We had a kickoff call to go over the storyboard I had put together, and then the CITS team took it from there! The video required a lot of abstract concepts, but the team at CITS far surpassed our expectations to achieve what we were looking for.

What was your vendors' project management or feedback process?

The process was so simple and revisions were sent via email for review. It was so efficient and quick.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We finished AHEAD OF SCHEDULE with an amazing finished product. Our CEO said it was the best marketing video he's seen from our company!

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Extremely efficient.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Wonderful customer service, delivery ahead of schedule, quick turnaround on revisions and so easy to work with. Absolutely stellar!

Are there any areas for improvement?

No!

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I work in corporate communications at CIRA, the Canadian Internet Registration Authority.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Cloud in the Sky Studios?

We hired them to create a corporate video about working at CIRA. The video is meant for employer branding and recruiting and it was important to get across our values and culture, in an authentic way featuring our staff.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

After we explained our needs and the story we wanted to tell, they came up with storyboards for what the video could look like. They had a lot of great, creative suggestions for different ways to incorporate staff experiences. We had already interviewed several staff members on our team, and they incorporated those while coming up with their own ideas.

We had a full day of filming. There were a lot of moving pieces, but they handled all of the coordination. They took many shots of our office and did a voiceover with a  number of our staff speaking different lines of the video. The final video was about 90 seconds and we put it on our career site, Glassdoor, and Indeed. We’ve also placed it on social media, especially LinkedIn. We use it for recruiting events and job fairs, too. 

What is the team composition?

We mainly worked with three people from their team, including Joseph (Digital Content Strategist), Dominic (Creative Producer), and Julien (Head of Production). We worked with a few others on their team as well on filming day.

How did you come to work with Cloud in the Sky Studios?

My colleague had seen their work before and we were impressed with their video production work.

How much have you invested with them?

In this corporate video project, we invested around $18,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from October 2019–January 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The video has really helped our recruiting and employer branding efforts. We have been named a top employer in Canada which was really exciting. We’ve heard from candidates who watch the video that they feel inspired, which is the feeling we want people to be left with. Judging from the stories we’ve heard from people who have applied, we know the video has made a difference in how they understand us and what we do.

How did Cloud in the Sky Studios perform from a project management standpoint?

They listened carefully to who we were and the ideas they brought back to us really resonated. They managed the day of filming with many moving parts, helped make staff feel comfortable and were adaptable. 

They were responsive and professional. There was great communication between our teams. If we didn’t think something would work or they had different ideas, they were candid and honest with us. We knew we could trust them.

What did you find most impressive about them?

From the beginning, we were impressed with how they understood the story we wanted to tell. They added their own creativity but focused on making something that resonated with us. On our side, there were a few stakeholders they were dealing with so they were good at managing different expectations, too. We knew we could trust them and we're really proud of the video — we were grateful for their work. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

Nothing comes to mind. Overall, we were happy with the results. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

From the beginning, be open about the story you want to get across. Having open and candid conversations helps build trust and make the relationship successful. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

The Global Centre for Pluralism is a research and education organization that promotes respect for diversity around the world. I am a program manager for the Global Pluralism Award, which aims to recognize the achievements of individuals and organizations that promote respect and diversity.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Cloud in the Sky Studios?

The Global Pluralism Award recognizes three candidates every year. We wanted a visual and engaging way to tell their stories at the events. Cloud in the Sky was contracted to come up with a storytelling project about these extraordinary individuals. We wanted distinct presentations for each of them, maintaining a consistent look-and-feel.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Cloud in the Sky managed our project from the onset. They provided suggestions on the storyboard based on the profiles of the individuals who would be interviewed. They traveled to the three locations of the award winners—Kenya, Colombia, and Australia—along with a member of our team who introduced their team to the interviewees.

They helped us craft questions that made sense in terms of storytelling. The questions would deepen the audience’s understanding of the real issue, and how those individuals tackled it.

Cloud in the Sky also worked with us recently on another project—a promotional video for our next awards cycle. The video mainly looked at the support and value that past recipients saw in the Global Pluralism Award. They filmed interviews with the 10 recipients in November 2017. They also filmed B-roll from the awards ceremony and used that material to tell our story. They invited people to apply and to nominate others for our next cycle.

What is the team composition?

We worked closely with two of their members, but there were other individuals from the support team involved later in the process.

How did you come to work with Cloud in the Sky Studios?

We researched online and inquired with partners from other organizations working in our space. We came up with a shortlist of three candidates and conducted an intensive review of their previous projects. We contacted references and had final interviews. Cloud in the Sky’s proposal offered the best value for our money.

How much have you invested with them?

The cost of their services across both projects was $50,000 CAD ($40,000 USD). Travel was a big part of the cost for the first project. We had three people traveling to multiple locations.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Cloud in the Sky in May 2017. Our second project ended in February 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

It was surprising for a small organization like ours to get the number of online views that our videos had. We had more than 170,000 views combined for the first three videos. We’ve received a lot of praise from dignitaries, government members, and corporate people who attended the award ceremony. Our stakeholders were satisfied with the product, and we appreciate the visibility their work has brought us.

How did Cloud in the Sky Studios perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re a great, personable team. They understand our ethos and the culture of our institution. They asked many questions and never assumed things. They always came with new ideas we hadn’t thought about. The project management flow was very good.

They go beyond expectations and make sure that the final product is to the satisfaction of the client. We are a perfectionist organization, and they were willing to make all the changes and adjustments we required, making sure that the product would be to our satisfaction. They’re very accommodating.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They have a perfect combination of creativity and execution. They are professional in the way they present stories, in their use of color and images, and in terms of music selection. The way they guided us and the interviewees through the process confirmed that Cloud in the Sky was not just repeating a script. They did their research for each of the projects, tailored the questions to each one, and extracted all the human elements of each story, all thanks to their insightful creativity.

Cloud in the Sky was instrumental in helping the story flow from a human perspective. They have good insights for looking into the personal side of a story, the motivations of the individuals starting a journey, and of their inclusion into society. I would highlight their storytelling ability.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Our experience with them has been excellent. One thing that could be improved is the handover process, particularly when there are multiple formats required. This became a bit complicated in our case.