Commotion Engine

Please describe your company and your position there.

Nuspire is a leading managed security services provider (MSSP) founded over 20 years ago to revolutionize the cybersecurity experience by taking an optimistic and people-first approach.

Our deep bench of cybersecurity experts use world-class threat intelligence and 24x7 security operations centers (SOCs) to detect, respond and remediate advanced cyber threats. I'm the Director of Content Strategy, developing content for all stages of the buyer journey.

For what projects/services did your company hire Commotion Engine, and what were your goals?

We were getting ready to launch an industry-first product to the market and needed help demonstrating the power and possibilities of our new offering and we knew video would be a strong medium for our audience.

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

I had worked with Commotion Engine before at another company and loved their process. They take the time in the beginning to understand the goal and direction of the project, getting everything dialed in, in the planning phase so that when you get to production, the project flies.

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

We had the need for a marketing promo video, a more technical explainer, and also a webinar stinger for our launch webinar series. They started with an outline phase which is a great opportunity to get feedback from other stakeholders before diving into the production. What this meant for us is that when production started it moved really quickly.

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

We worked with Jared and Scott throughout the process, both were very responsive. They asked for clarification when needed and were upfront about timelines and status. When I had questions they were quickly answered, I felt that if at any point I needed to reach their team, I could.

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

When they delivered the first draft of the video, it was exactly what we wanted. We see these videos helping us support our efforts as we continue to launch and iterate on our new offering. They will be valuable tools in educating our audience around something that's never been seen before in our industry. Today, they are our flagship content pieces on our product pages to help inform prospective and current customers.

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

Commotion Engine does a good job of communicating the timeline and gives visibility into a living document of the timeline to help manage when things might start to slip. I felt like I had a good sense of what needed to happen on our end to keep the project on schedule. Jared and Scott would check in regularly as the project moved into the different phases of production so I always felt connected to the status.

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

What I've been impressed with in the past and why I wanted to work with them again is that they have such a dialed-in process. This process is clear and leads to a great product, every time.I think what makes the team at Commotion so different is that they put a lot of focus on the discovery and planning and pre-production phases of the project.

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

Not really, I had a great experience working with them.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Content Manager I write and help produce videos, eBooks, articles, press releases, and more.

For what projects/services did your company hire Commotion Engine?

Our team, and other teams within Neustar, have engaged Commotion Engine for a number of animated videos. The videos present complex information about technical subjects in an easy-to-understand way, with engaging graphics.

What were your goals for this project?

Our goals were to drive thought leadership in the area of robocalls, call spoofing, branded calling, and broadband issues. We worked with CE on numerous videos, which all relate to one another, but delve into very specific subject areas. We also use the videos to drive leads, on social media, and through our website and emails.

How did you select Commotion Engine?

When I started at Neustar, CE had already done several projects for us, and I admired the work.

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

As an example, we recently worked on a Branded Call Display (BCD) video. I provided a creative brief and we held a kickoff meeting. Then we collaborated on creation of the script. Once we got approval internally for the script, CE developed storyboards for our ok. After that, we made several tweaks, and they delivered the draft with motion video for our ok. At every point, we were able to tweak anything needed.

What was your vendors' project management or feedback process?

We have a small team, but need to get approval from several other stakeholders. So, after our team agrees, we get the draft versions and run them by our stakeholders. We consolidate the feedback and share with CE. There are times when after we get far down the road, there is an industry change, or someone notices something they missed and we ask for more edits.

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

Not only is the BCD video a hit internally, but just from my personal experience posting it on LinkedIn, the video was viewed close to 300 times. I ask our CommSol team to share the video on their social media through our employee advocacy platform, Gaggle, and so, if you multiply that by at least 40 people, after being posted for ten days, the reach was over 10,000. We are also starting paid social media around it.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Excellent. CE is easy to work with, friendly, accommodating, and can understand and convey technical topics well.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

This seems to be a very energetic group of individuals who can easily learn, interpret and translate new, complex subject areas into entertaining videos with exciting visuals and snappy dialogue. They're great!

Are there any areas for improvement?

Keep it up!

Please describe your company and your position there.

My company is a nonprofit organization focused on education the public, building the community, and advocating for policies favorable to Hindu Americans. I am the creative director.

For what projects/services did your company hire Commotion Engine?

We hired Commotion Engine to help us produce a series of animated videos.

What were your goals for this project?

Our goal was to produce short, easily digestible videos that aim to explain some basic concepts of Hinduism. These videos would be 30s - 1min and give a sense of familiarity to the viewer.

How did you select Commotion Engine?

We did a google search and found commotion (as well as a few others). commotion had great reviews on clutch. And after going through a pitch, we felt they had the quality we were looking for at a cost we could afford.

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

Process with Commotion Engine has been really easy. Our initial conversations were about mood and style for the videos. We created a script because we needed to be very particular on the subject matter.

After submitting, we received a rough storyboard. After the storyboard was reviewed, refined, and approved. We were given quick frames to review the art, and then a quick cut from the video to review. A full cut was then provided, for us to comment and finalize.

What was your vendors' project management or feedback process?

Feedback on the videos were done through a web app which allowed us to make real-time comments on exact time stamps.

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

Our first video was a general video about Hinduism. We played it during one of our virtual galas and was extremely well received all around.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow between our teams was smooth. It really helped that Commotion was receptive and accommodating to feedback within reason. When something could not be done, they always offered an alternate solution.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Commotion Engine’s quality speaks for themselves. What we found very helpful was how easy they are to work with. They haven’t tried to nickel and dime us when additional changes are needed. They work with us to create solutions. And their team is very personable.

Are there any areas for improvement?

We don’t really have anything at the moment that could be improved. Any (minor) hiccups that may have occurred were rectified right away and only happened in the initial video process when our teams were getting an understand of each other.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a senior project manager at a healthcare advertising agency.

What challenge were you trying to address with Commotion Engine?

We had a workload capacity support issue. Commotion Engine is a partner that we’d used in the past and we’d had a good relationship with them, so we reached out to them for this particular project.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Our company provided them with scripts, and then Commotion Engine took them and created storyboards. We went through multiple revisions with them, and they also took on the edits for that.

What is the team composition?

I had two points of contact: a project manager and the VP of marketing. 

How did you come to work with Commotion Engine?

We had worked with them in the past on similar projects. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between $10,000–$15,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working them in fall 2019, and the project ended in June 2020.

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

Commotion Engine delivered a significant standard of quality in a timely manner. 

How did Commotion Engine perform from a project management standpoint?

They always exceeded our expectations, so I give them high marks for project management. We communicated via phone and email. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re a great team to partner and collaborate with on creative concepts, designs, and overall approach.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I have no suggestions. Commotion Engine did a really good job and we had a good relationship with them. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure that your team has a clear vision in mind of what you’re looking for. Any information that you can provide to Commotion Engine during the initial discussions will help them get a fuller understanding of the project and execute on your idea.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a Senior Account Executive with an advertising agency located in Miami, FL. One aspect of my job is to oversee production, timing and costs of all creative projects.

For what projects/services did your company hire Commotion Engine?

We had C/E produce and animated three short form videos (2 - 3 minutes) for internet use.

What were your goals for this project?

This was part of an awareness campaign for our client. The intention was to promote their impact window products and encourage FL residents to be proactive and protect their homes. Ultimately increasing our client's social media engagement and website traffic.

How did you select this vendor?

Our team searched online for video production/animation companies and narrowed the search down to three. Ultimately we liked C/E's sample work the most and found their pricing to be competitive with the other candidates.

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

Once we began working together, my team provided C/E with general outlines for each video. From their C/E developed scripts and then storyboards before they began animation. They also provided the VO talent. The end result was three short form explainer videos with a mix of 2D and 3D animations.

What was your vendors' project management or feedback process?

Since our companies operate from two different states, most of our exchanges were through email and various Google docs and online platforms to keep sharing feedback.The team worked with us on several rounds of feedback. We worked with a total of three C/E team members.

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

We have yet to launch the videos online but currently, all stakeholders are very happy with the videos.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The quality of communication between our teams was clear and direct. C/E always let us know exactly what to expect in each video draft and when we could expect to see it.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

C/E has a highly creative and collaborative team. They did a great job! While the videos exceeded our expectations, so did their attentiveness, responsiveness, and professionalism. Most importantly, they were extremely patient with us and our client.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No, we look forward to working with C/E again.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m a product manager at OTO Systems, a venture-backed startup working on the next generation of voice intelligence software. I manage our product development and product marketing.

For what projects/services did your company hire Commotion Engine?

Because we offer a voice-based software solution, we’ve struggled to identify how to showcase our capabilities visually. We hired Commotion Engine to create a high-quality explainer video that could tell our story.

What were your goals for this project?

We needed an explainer video that paints a clear picture of what we do and what our products are. Our goal was to have a video that we could post on our website and use for sales related outreach.

How did you select this vendor?

We reviewed and received quotes from multiple explainer video production companies based in the US and Asia. We ultimately picked Commotion Engine because we wanted to have a US-based partner, and we felt that the quality of their work was above others within their price range.

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

The process was structured in a very straightforward manner. It included scripting, storyboarding, voice recording, and 2D animation production.

What was your vendors' project management or feedback process?

For each step, we had two or three feedback rounds before they continued to the next phase of production. They used project management tools to collect feedback.

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

The video is now live on our website, and we’ve been able to use it for sales related outreach. Though we don’t have any measurable outcomes, we’ve witnessed the reactions of viewers who can now quickly grasp what our company does.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Their team managed the entire process well. They were responsive throughout production, and were always clear and transparent with our team. The project moved relatively quickly, and our feedback was continually incorporated into their work. We were very hands-on, especially during the scripting stage. Also, their team was quick to adjust their schedule when necessary.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The 2D animations they created are superb. All of their work is clean and professional while still retaining a playful element. We were also very impressed by the logo animation that they made.

Are there any areas for improvement?

We had to be significantly involved in the beginning, which we didn’t expect. This ended up being a valuable experience, and we became less involved as production continued.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the product marketing specialist at Payscape, a financial technology company specializing in payment and processing solutions for small to medium-sized businesses.

For what projects/services did your company hire Commotion Engine?

We launched a new product, Payscape Registration, early this year and needed professionally designed marketing videos to explain its features and solutions. 

What were your goals for this project? 

We wanted to develop three explainer videos to use for social media, email marketing, and other internal purposes. The videos would help promote our new product.

How did you select this vendor?

An internal employee referred us to Commotion Engine, and we selected their services after speaking with a few agencies. 

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

Commotion Engine produced three explainer videos to promote our new registration product. Each video begins by outlining the pain points of manual registration that schools, camps, and other organizations experience. Then, they dive into an outline of Payscape Registration and its features, benefits, and solutions as well as the target audience.

What was your vendors' project management or feedback process? 

Commotion Engine used a helpful storyboard feedback process where we could write in comments for specific elements in the videos. They were very responsive and followed up with questions and clarification.

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

We are only just beginning to use the videos but are confident that they will drive conversions and engagement across our marketing channels. 

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs? 

The workflow was very effective because we maintained consistent communication to ensure that they understood our goals.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

It was a great experience working with their team. They were patient, willing to listen, and very flexible throughout the whole production process. 

Are there any areas for improvement?

No, nothing comes to mind.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the CEO of Big Leap Creative. We’re a non-profit foundation whose mission is to promote excellence in education and broad-based community support.

For what projects/services did your company hire Commotion Engine?

We wanted to create a video to explain how Idaho schools are funded.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to educate the voting public in our county as to why we have school levies. 

How did you select this vendor?

We greatly enjoyed a video they did for an education alliance in New York.

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

To start, they created a draft script based on our messaging brief, which we revised into a final version. Then, they developed a storyboard and style sheets and provided us with voice-over options. One day ahead of schedule, they delivered a draft video. After incorporating our feedback, they handed over the final 90-second product.

What was your vendors' project management or feedback process?

They were highly collaborative every step of the way and fixed whatever problems arose.

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

It's too soon to tell its true impact, but we’ve already had over 1,800 organic views on Facebook. Viewer feedback has been almost unanimously positive.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Working with their team was incredibly easy. We used a storyboarding app and Dropbox.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They were open to feedback and resolved any issues in the drafts. They exceeded our expectations.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I can't think of any.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the marketing manager for SafeRide Health. We provide a healthcare logistics platform to manage non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT) services.

For what projects/services did your company hire Commotion Engine?

We engaged Commotion Engine to create a 90-second explainer video to help prospective customers understand our offerings.

What were your goals for this project?

The video needed to explain our services and their value to customers in an easily digestible format. It had to reflect the future of our product while enticing viewers to learn more.

How did you select this vendor?

I searched for vendors who created explainer videos in the healthcare sphere. I compiled a list of four agencies and two freelancers who I then made introductory calls with. Commotion Engine, as an agency, could manage the whole project end-to-end. Their portfolio also matched the type of video that we wanted to bring to life, and they accommodated our budget concerns easily.

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

During our intro call, we described our company goals and vision for the video in greater detail and provided a draft script. Commotion Engine conducted several rounds of revision on scripts, storyboards, and style frames. The team then oversaw the entire video production process from start to finish. We had a specific style and set requirements that the video needed to meet; they accommodated us easily and ensured that we had final say in any decisions. They gave us options for narrators and music. They also suggested specific steps based on their experience making similar videos, which we appreciated.

What was your vendors' project management or feedback process?

Micah (Content Strategist and Digital Marketing Director, Commotion Engine) was our main point of contact. He led a larger team behind the scenes. Commotion Engine responded to feedback promptly and provided several rounds of revisions at every stage.

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

We have yet to launch the finished video, but it has garnered positive feedback from internal stakeholders. Our leadership team especially likes how the video conveys our message. The production style also matches our voice exceptionally well.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Commotion Engine communicated effectively throughout the entire process. We collaborated via email and found it extremely helpful to have a single point of contact from start to finish. Micah centralized feedback and presented it in a comprehensive way to both our team and his. The Commotion Engine team used Boords to make storyboards and Frame.io for video collaboration. Both tools have built-in feedback mechanisms that made each revision process more straightforward.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Commotion Engine turned around a high-quality video ahead of schedule and under budget.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No, we’re highly satisfied with the quality, speed, and value of Commotion Engine’s work.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the co-founder and CEO of Epic CleanTec, an environmental technology company that is reinventing sustainable water treatments and sanitation for cities.

For what projects/services did your company hire Commotion Engine?

We hired Commotion Engine to produce an explainer video for our website, presentations, and general marketing purposes.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to give a detailed explanation of our industry into a short video that is both informational and inspiring.

How did you select this vendor?

We researched and talked with many creative agencies. We ended up going with Commotion Engine based on their portfolio and willingness to work with our budget. Their team was persistent.

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

We worked with Commotion Engine from the initial discovery stage, through scripting and storyboarding, and to the final animation and revision process.

What was your vendors’ project management or feedback process?

I worked primarily with David (Director of Operations, Commotion Engine) and Micah (Content Strategist, Commotion Engine). They worked efficiently and responsively. I appreciated how willing they were to take on multiple revisions.

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

We now have a sleek explainer video that we will use to ramp up our marketing efforts in the new year.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The engagement was seamless. We used work-sharing platforms that made it easy for our teams to communicate and collaborate on each stage of the process.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Commotion Engine worked quickly, internalizing our feedback and producing a high-quality piece of work. I was impressed with how fast their team grasped our business and turned it into a compelling visual.

Are there any areas for improvement?

We would’ve liked an expert writer to beautify the language in the video, but this was minor, and the result is still fantastic.