Fluid

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m an executive producer at Warner Bros in Denmark. I work in the factual documentaries and entertainment, for example, travel documentaries and domestic stories in Denmark. 

What challenge were you trying to address with Fluid?

When we produce a travel show, we do the initial research preface here in Copenhagen. This show was in the U.S. so we needed a diligent, local person who could be our extended arm there. In the process of initial research, there are so many questions that we need to have answers to. 

What was the scope of their involvement?

They met up with people in the U.S. and conducted interviews. They filmed and took photographs so we could stay in Copenhagen and judge which stories and people to follow. They did the on-ground paid scouting. 

They’re also very good at looking into and understanding what kind of show we were aiming at. I was happy to send our script to them. They were also a creative partner at the same time. They weren’t just doing the research; they understood the creative product we were looking for. Every time we had a creative idea, we would involve them and they would check whether or not it’d be possible or not.

When we came to the U.S. and starting shooting, they were still assisting us. They also helped with the filming credits and the insurance. They had the role of production assistant in the films, which was handy and helpful.

What is the team composition? 

I worked with one person who involved her partner occasionally.

How did you come to work with Fluid?

Someone who I trust very much had been working with them. 

How much have you invested with them?

Around $12,500. It was a fair price and saved us a lot of trouble and money.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started worked together from September until November 2014. 

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

The project was handy and saved us a lot of time, money, and travel. We’re very happy with them; in fact, we’ll be working with them again for another research project the year after. 

How did Fluid perform from a project management standpoint?

It was really easy. They quickly got a clear idea of the project we were working on and what we were aiming for. I never had any trouble with communication. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were clever and understood what we were looking for. They were honest if they felt one of our ideas wouldn’t work and never withheld important information from us: they were fair in underlining the good and the bad things about a location or a character. We were never disappointed when we met up. I’d definitely be happy to work with them again. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I would like them to be stronger on the East Coast. They’re based in L.A. and they know about that are in detail. They do cover almost the whole country though. 

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am a film director and the CEO of Danish Documentary. We are in Copenhagen, Denmark. We do international, feature-length documentaries for theater, TV, and film festivals.

What challenge were you trying to address with Fluid?

We needed help with video production.

What was the scope of their involvement?

We’ve been collaborating for a few years. They produce the films that I direct. They do the line production and production of the film. We’ve worked on 2–3 films together. Now, we’re working on 2 more with another one possible in the pipeline.

On the line producing side, they set up the production, both in financing and keeping budgets. They make sure we have permits, insurance, and releases to make the film possible, and they also research the areas that we’re going to shoot. They set up the whole production side of the shoot. It’s also creative dialogue about the story on how we need to approach it. We discuss how to get the story told in the best possible way in terms of setting up the production. This is an important part of the collaboration we have with them.

We’ve collaborated on scriptwriting for films. We’ve not collaborated on the shooting yet. It’s still a collaboration about the shooting though. We have a cinematographer with us, but Fluid is still a big part of setting things up.

We currently have 1 film in production and 1 in development. These are films that we produce from Denmark, but Fluid handles our production in the U.S. because a lot of the film is shot there.

How did you come to work with Fluid?

My producer who knew Nina [Producer, Fluid], who is head of Fluid. I was at the Sundance Film Festival with a film I made called, “The Monastery.” My producer introduced me to Nina. I got in her car and said hello, and the rest is history. It was a very good collaboration from the beginning.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in September 2010, and the work is ongoing.

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

Doing documentaries is a very difficult task because it involves real people. There has to be to an understanding from the production side to be able to manage the difficult task, as well as have an understanding what it’s like to work with real people. This is a very delicate matter. Fluid has a great understanding of this and their role on the team. It’s a very comfortable environment. Things get done in a great, collaborative way with respect to both the director’s wishes and also to all the circumstances there are around doing a film project. They’re a valuable team and a good team for us to work with.

How did Fluid perform from a project management standpoint?

I’m very happy with the way that they go about things. They’re very good at understanding what the project is about. They’re interested in understanding what our ambition, goal, or vision is to do the best job possible in production. They have a great understanding of the vision of the projects. It’s paramount when you make films. It’s not just a production or a practical thing to solve; it’s a vision to carry out.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They are absolutely outstanding at understanding the vision of a project. They understand what good filmmaking is and what it takes to get there. That’s really strong in the collaboration with them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I’m really happy.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be open with your project. Let Fluid get involved in the project and in the vision of the project. That’s important. It’s not just a company that completes a task. It’s a company that wants to understand your project so that they can do the best job possible. It’s a visionary company.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a founding principal at Citizens of the World, a charter school system.  

For what projects/services did your company hire Fluid?

We needed to create a video to highlight a specific educational program at our school.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to share the unique learning opportunities students at our schools have with an outside audience.

How did you select this vendor?

Fluid responded quickly to our request, and assured us that they could complete the project on time.

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

We provided them with our specifications and then they shot, edited, and produced the video.

What was your vendors' project management or feedback process?

They were responsive and open to suggestions.

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

Fluid’s video is one of our most viewed videos to date. Visitors to our school often mention it.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

It was very effective.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They were able to replicate our vision of the project just from hearing a description; it came to life.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I can’t think of any.