Simple Story Videos

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Communications Coordinator of Green Key Global

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Green Key Global is a best in class sustainability certification for hotels and meeting spaces.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Simple Story Videos to accomplish?

• To educate people about Green Key Global
• To assist members in completing requirements of their membership

SOLUTION

How did you find Simple Story Videos?

• Online Search
• Referral

Why did you select Simple Story Videos over others?

• High ratings
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

What was the size of Simple Story Videos’s team?

2-5 Employees

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

6 part illustrated video series in English and French:

• About your Green Key Global online assessment – A walk through for hoteliers and staff on how to take Green Key’s self-assessment and the next steps post completing it.
• Talking about sustainability at your hotel - How hoteliers can market their sustainability efforts with guests and how to incorporate sustainability in staff onboarding and training.
• About Green Key Global / Sustainability Best Practices – A general overview of Green Key Global, the eco-rating program, the meetings program, and best practices in sustainability.
• Carbon Neutral Event Program - An explainer and overview of our new carbon neutral event program
• Being Sustainable in Different Areas of a hotel - A walkthrough of general areas of a hotel and providing tips and facts about being sustainable in all areas of a hotel
• Preparing for your Audit - a walk through for hoteliers and staff on how to prepare for their mandatory audit

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

• Success would be measured in satisfied customers, less questions while filling out assessment, and more attention/people visiting our tradeshow booths

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

Their project management was amazing, they kept us updated along the way, applied all the feed back we left beautifully, and stayed on top of the tasks at all times. They were about two weeks delayed on final delivery, but it turned out okay because we were able to extend the project. We weren't able to meet internal deadlines, but it wasn't a big deal

What was your primary form of communication with Simple Story Videos?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

I was most impressed with Simple Story's ability to make my visions come to life for every single video they worked on for us. Every video exceeded my expectations, and I cannot wait to show them off.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Simple Story Videos could have done differently?

Since we paid a rush fee to meet a specific deadline, it would have been nice if the deadline was met. I did appreciate their ongoing communication in the matter though

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a Senior Knowledge Mobilization Specialist with the Atlas Institute for Veterans and Families, and the project lead on this specially funded project to create video resources for public safety personnel and their families on post-traumatic stress injuries.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Simple Story Videos, and what were your goals?

We hired SSV to create a series of videos on the topic of post-traumatic stress injuries (PTSIs). This includes 7 testimonial videos featuring public safety personnel (PSP)and their families sharing their experiences with PTSIs, and four animated videos on various topics related to PTSI. The goals of these videos were to provide information, reduce stigma and increase help-seeking behaviours for PSP and their families.

SOLUTION

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

We searched for a production company who would work with an Advisory Committee comprised of PSP and families, along with our team, to ensure the videos to ensure the final videos reflected the needs of this audience and would resonate with them. Our organization had worked with SSV before, and they were understanding of the need for flexibility when working with an advisory committee.

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

We had a discovery meeting, and then went through several stages throughout the process including scriptwriting, storyboards and illustrations for the animated videos, and remote filming for the testimonial videos. We also met with the Advisory Committee throughout the development of the videos so they could provide feedback and direction.

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

We worked with a project manager throughout the process, and through the use of monday.com it was simple to track where we were throughout the process. The use of vimeo also allowed us to provide feedback directly on the videos with timestamps.

Additionally, we requested feedback meetings with our project team, the video production team and our Advisory committee which the SSV team accommodated, this allowed our audience to be directly involved in the development of the videos to ensure they would resonate.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our advisory committee, who has been involved through the process and is comprised of members of the target audience for these videos, has shared positive feedback throughout the development feedback. We can't wait to share the videos more broadly!

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

We used monday.com to communicate with the project manager, which was a very helpful tool given the size of the project and number of deliverables. This made it easy to streamline communication regarding each step of the process. The project manager was also very flexible with us in terms of timelines, which was necessary for us in order to gather feedback from our advisory committee.

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

We really appreciated the flexibility and understanding of the process we wanted to take to develop these videos, which included meaningful engagement with an advisory committee. They were understanding of the needs this entailed.

This included incorporating their feedback, allowing for flexible timelines and sometimes re-doing something we just didn't get quite right initially. Throughout our time working together, SSV demonstrated a commitment to 'getting it right' and worked with us and our advisory committee to ensure we were happy with the final product.

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

Having a better understanding of the full process initially may have been helpful, so we could understand all the steps involved in developing videos (this was largely due to our own naivety). I think a discovery call with the advisory committee initially during the creative visioning process would have also been great.

There were a few hiccups with virtual filming in terms of scheduling challenges (i.e. SSV members were no longer available and we didn't always hear this before our scheduled time). This was a really large, complex project so understandably there were so hiccups along the way (from us, as well!) however the team was always so understanding and flexible which really made them a joy to work with.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of communications for The Ottawa Mission, Ottawa’s oldest and largest homeless shelter, which has been around since 1906. We provide 17 different programs and services to help people rebuild their lives.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Simple Story Videos?

We initially hired them to make a video to accompany the release of our annual impact report.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Simple Story provides video production for us. We've hired them to create videos promoting public understanding of why people become homeless, which is a very complex issue. A secondary reason is to highlight our organization's work in helping people rebuild their lives. The videos are also a form of community engagement and fundraising. All these objectives are involved in each of the videos they've done for us.

In 2019, they produced a three-minute video for our annual impact report called "What the Ottawa Mission Means to Me." In 2020, they made a follow-up video on a special project called The Million Hours Project; the video was three minutes long and in the same style as the one from 2019. In 2021, they created a video on the 20th anniversary of our hospice, one of the oldest hospices within a homeless shelter in North America. 

This year, we hired them to do four animated videos, two animated and two live-action videos. The first is an animated video about our 2022 annual impact report; it's 60 seconds long and speaks about the diversity of our programs and services. The second animated 60-second video is about an advocacy campaign we ran on housing and homelessness during the municipal election. 

The team also created a video for a project concerning an art exhibition at the Ottawa Art Gallery; it's an artist's profile, including her journey to creating paintings of our organization's clients, volunteers, and staff. The fourth video for this year overviews our programs and services for a fundraising campaign. 

For each project, we have a kickoff meeting where we describe what we're looking for, and they come back with initial concepts. Simple Story delivers a script or storyboard, depending on what kind of video they're producing. For example, animated videos have a brief script and storyboard, while live-action videos are mostly scripts or interview transcripts. From there, we go through a series of revisions as an iterative process, reviewing music selection, transcripts, and editing orders. 

Simple Story provides their own equipment and cameras and does all the editing. They deliver an initial cut of the videos through Vimeo, where we add comments to the draft. We'll be working with them again in 2023. 

What is the team composition?

Our main point of contact is Vicki (Lead Producer). We also work with Gabriel (Head of Production), who usually has an assistant helping him, most recently Marvin (Productions & Office Coordinator). Usually, we work with 2–3 Simple Story teammates per shoot. 

How did you come to work with Simple Story Videos?

We had a volunteer who had a working relationship with Simple Story and told us about them. After an initial meeting, we found them great to work with. Additionally, we did an initial scan of around four companies. Based on the videos on their websites, we found Simple Story's work more compelling regarding information conveyance and the emotional response they elicited. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about $12,000 CAD (approximately $8,900 USD) per year in 2019, 2020, and 2021, and about $28,000 CAD (approximately $21,000 USD) in 2022. In total, we've spent around $56,000 CAD (approximately $41,000 USD). 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together around August 2019, and our relationship is ongoing. The project deliveries were in November 2019, September 2020, September 2021, and September, October, and November 2022.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Simple Story knows what they’re doing and delivers superb work. Our most tangible metric is fundraising dollars. The video Simple Story created for our fundraising campaign resulted in a significant increase in the money we were able to raise. Moreover, whenever we’ve played their videos on a local television network, there’s been a significant uptick in donations. 

Viewer and participant engagement is also one of our metrics, and I’ve had inquiries from people who see our videos and want to work with Simple Story. At the art exhibition, attendees came up to us to tell us the video was amazing and asked who had created it.

Additionally, the team’s concepts are bang-on every time. The first video they did for us was lovely and poignant, and the follow-up was powerful and engaging. The team has been able to figure out how to address heart-wrenching topics. Simple Story is very responsive, collaborative, open to ideas, and inclusive. 

How did Simple Story Videos perform from a project management standpoint?

They always deliver items on time and stay within the budget; they’ve never overcharged us for anything. When we ask for additional video formats, such as for Instagram, the team creates these versions without additional charge.

Simple Story is also very responsive. We primarily communicate through monday.com and also have phone calls and Zoom meetings. We use Vimeo as a collaboration tool to leave comments directly on their video drafts. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

The quality of Simple Story’s work distinguishes them from other providers. Moreover, their work has a significant emotional appeal. The team comes up with really clear concepts; it’s not easy to articulate what it means to be in a homeless shelter or a hospice, which are conditions people are afraid of. Simple Story has created very engaging and powerful concepts on these topics. 

Additionally, the team sticks to the video duration we indicate. We specified that the impact report and election videos had to come in under 60 seconds because they were for TV, and the team stuck to that. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t have any suggestions for improvement; they should stick to what they’re doing because they’re very good at it. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Come in with a general idea of what you want and receive their proposal with an open mind. We work in an iterative and collaborative process with Simple Story, and it works quite well.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Atlanticus powers better financial outcomes for Americans by offering credit solutions to underbanked and underserved population. I'm the creative director, driving our branding for multiple products.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Simple Story Videos, and what were your goals?

The Retail Credit team needed a better medium to communicate our message to partners. We enlisted the help of Simple Story to drive that message in a way that was both engaging and informative.

SOLUTION

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

The Simple Story team was amazing from the beginning, which is what helped them stand out. Stefania was thorough and sure to answer any and all question before moving us along in the process, which was significant because of the number of stakeholders involved in the project.

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

Our team began the review of our old video, and communicated the areas that needed visual improvement. The Simple Story team worked hand in hand with us to edit the script and provided several options for V/O artists. Along the process there were several unexpected pauses due to stakeholder feedback which grew to senior leadership. Once we had a couple rounds of edits completed, the team delivered the final product, as expected, and followed up to make sure things were great.

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

Our PM was Shannon, who was also a phenomenal bridge between Atlanticus and Simple Story. She was extremely patient and understanding of our internal review process, very responsive on Monday.com for our project management and feedback and kept us in the loop about best practices and potential roadblocks based on our review and feedback. I'd love to have Shannon with us for the next project!

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

With this video, there aren't many measuring sticks to determine success, however, in our journey to grow all brands, this video certainly moved the needle forward significantly.

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

The management style was very direct and easy. We used Monday.com for communication back and forth. We also used Vimeo for video review and delivery. I can't speak highly enough about the level of patience the Simple Story team showed us! Amazing.

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

What i found to be most impressive was the team's vision on making something so detailed come to life. They were able to bring fresh ideas to the table and articulate them to our team members who didn't understand the technical terms and deliver on those ideas quickly!

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

No, none that I can think of. Even outside of project management from the creative perspective, the team was extremely understanding in our processes. Simple Story is amazing!

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the manager for inclusive and belonging workplaces with hire immigrant ottawa.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Simple Story Videos, and what were your goals?

We hired simple story to create a 30 second 2D video to help promote our new workshop series, Fostering a workplace culture of inclusion and belonging

SOLUTION

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

personable team and we could get a sense for their work from the videos they showed us

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

Discovery meeting to determine our needs, clear project management steps using monday.com, regular updates that took us through script, storyboard, music selection, voiceover. We were included and consulted every step of the way.

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

project manager as primary contact. Other team members as required. clear feedback process, helpful every step of the way

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

we haven't shared the video yet, but we think it's great!

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

monday.com was easy to update, and back/forth message, understand timelines, etc. they were very communicative and responsive

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

They were super collaborative and easy to work with. They took our feedback seriously and tried to incorporate them as much as possible. They were organized and always responsive

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

The final delivery of the video wasn't totally clear to us, would have preferred it delivered in a different package than a link to vimeo.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Founder and CEO of Wavve Boating, an easy to use marine navigation app sold in Canada and the United States.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Simple Story Videos?

Wavve Boating is an innovative and different product in the marine industry. We offer features and values to boaters that many are not familiar with. It was important to us to create How-to Videos so that we could educate our customers to get the most out of our service.

What were your goals for this project?

Create five How-to Videos that cover the major functionalities of our mobile app in a fun and educational way.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I researched several animation companies in the south eastern Ontario area. In addition, I had met Nathan at a business event in 2019, I was impressed by his passion and interest in our company.

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

Five animation videos of length 30-90 seconds were created. The process was: background and education-> Copy -> Style Board -> Annimation.

What was your vendors' project management or feedback process?

We used Monday for project communication and vimeo comments on animation work.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Feedback on the educational videos has only been positive. It has already saved us a lot of time on customer service and we have been using the videos as a lead generation source. When included in a mailing campaign, the videos get the most clicks!

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow was amazing. Communication was clear, fast and effective. Using Monday with the SimpleStory team was a great way to communicate and visualize the project progression.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

It's clear everyone cares. From project management to animation. The SimpleStory team took any concerns that I had along the way, worked to find a solution, and continues to exceed expectations.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Comment process with vimeo in animation was a bit difficult to convey certain edits. It had little impact on our project because all the videos required very little editing but I imagine it could be cumbersome for greater feedback.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Art Director on the Marketing Team at TravelBank, an all-in-one Travel & Expense solution for businesses.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Simple Story Videos?

We needed a short video to explain our latest feature release.

What were your goals for this project?

To get folks excited about the release, explain what SuperItinerary is, and help promote our new feature.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I worked with Simple Story on a previous project, a brand explainer video. I found the company through a LinkedIn recommendation and loved their pitch and process.

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

They worked alongside us to produce a video our team was very happy about and they were able to be flexible as the goals and the vision of the video changed.

What was your vendors' project management or feedback process?

I worked with the team's art director and illustrator directly. We communicated mainly through email and Monday (I actually find Monday to be confusing to use and would have preferred to keep communication to email in some instances... I use Asana and Jira now so it may just be a personal preference.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We haven't had enough time between the video release and this review to see results. Feel free to contact me in a few months!

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Pretty effective! I appreciated being able to work with the illustrator directly since I am a designer/director -- it was important for me personally to give design direction and feedback and the Simple Story team was understanding of that.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I really enjoyed working with the art director and illustrator. They were both collaborative and understanding. Simple Story is also affordable for what they produce. Would definitely recommend.

Are there any areas for improvement?

As mentioned, Monday isn't the easiest or most intuitive software for me personally. I also felt like deadlines got pushed because I was not asked a question that needed answering or told that the team wasn't able to use the files I provided (like, I didn't know the team didn't have Sketch and I handed over only Sketch files... if I would have known this I could have been more helpful in providing what was needed). I was also asked to find several stock videos but wasn't given the log in information until 2 days before the videos were needed. More communication there would have been appreciated.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m an Olympic athlete in freestyle wrestling.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Simple Story Videos?

It’s really important for me to give back to my community and leave a legacy beyond sports, so I hosted a number of events over the course of one week. I hired Simple Story Videos to capture moments at these events and help share my story on a much broader level. I wanted to use these videos on social media for my personal brand.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

For each of the three main events —an artwork launch, a wrestling clinic, and a Fast and Female charity day—I explained to Simple Story Videos what I wanted to get out of them. We came up with a script and message to guide the video, emphasizing my legacy as more than an athlete. Once we developed this narrative, they guided me through the type of content we’d need to collect and how it would all piece together. Their team handled all the onsite production, filmed the events and edited the video.  

What is the team composition?

I worked directly with the videographer and producer.

How did you come to work with Simple Story Videos?

I had a few connections in the tech space who had used Simple Story Videos before. I thought some of their previous work was very special and knew it was exactly what I wanted. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between $25,000–$50,000 on their services. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We spoke to them for about 6–7 months before filming, but they completed the project within June 2019. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Seeing the video for the first time made me emotional—it was really impactful to see how they brought it all together. I posted it on social media and it reached over 12,000 people. It was great to see how the event affected different people and see the footage that Simple Story Videos captured. The final product was unbelievably great and went way beyond my expectations. 

How did Simple Story Videos perform from a project management standpoint?

The communication between our teams was always really clear; we primarily used email. If I was delayed in getting some information to them, they were really understanding and ensured I had everything I needed. Their team laid everything out well and were great to work with. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They had a great combination of technical skill and creativity. I was impressed with how they brought the video together and their great attention to detail. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

A place where they could provide even more service would have been if they offered support in launching the video. I didn’t ask for this, but it’d be an area where they could further their services. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be open to the creative process. You should come in with an idea but be flexible about how it’s executed. Having a great level of trust and communication is what helped me feel so happy about the final product. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the COO of BeeHex. We’re a 3D food printing company that originated out of a NASA funded project. We now 3D print all types of food and build custom machines for our customers. 3D food printing is the core of our business, but we add on some robotics and some entertainment aspects as well.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Simple Story Videos?

We needed to create a video to run simultaneously with the printing process in our proprietary viewing station in order to make it more entertaining. We asked Simple Story to create the video in a way that would accommodate the viewing of 3D food printing along with watching the video and to essentially create a story out of it. It was made to showcase the demo machine to our potential customers.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Simple Story developed an animated video from scratch and delivered it in record time. I didn’t give them much guidance in the creation of the video other than sending them pictures and videos of what exactly they would be dealing with. I let them fully use their creativity to develop the 2-minute video animation.

How did you come to work with Simple Story Videos?

At the time, I was reaching out to another company but their lead time and cost was really high. We had a short timeline, so the other company I originally reached out to referred me to some other options and Simple Story Videos was one of those. Simple Story set up a call right away and was onboard with what we were doing.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in June or July 2017, and the project was completed in early August.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Simple Story performed incredibly well. Our video was funny and fit our needs perfectly. We just showcased the video to an investor company and they loved it.

How did Simple Story Videos perform from a project management standpoint?

The team sent me screenshots and brief updates, and whenever I had a question regarding the progress, Kara, the director of business development, would get back to me right away. We didn’t need any kind of meeting other than the kick off meeting, therefore I wasn’t a witness to their internal project management. I let Simple Story use their creativity and let them just go for it. The video was delivered on time, and it worked out perfectly.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Simple Story Videos created a video that was unique and really fit the physical attributes of our machine perfectly. There is no way we could find another video that would work in the same way. They are creative and hardworking.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I didn’t have many expectations, but Simple Story Videos met the few that I did have.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

SamCart is a software company with an e-commerce platform that lets online entrepreneurs create a check out page very simply and quickly. It allows them to sell all kinds of digital products and services online. I’m the VP of marketing.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Simple Story Videos?

We are coming up on a product launch. We wanted to create a 60-second animation explainer video to explain what SamCart is, what it does, and why it’s fantastic.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We have some marketing capabilities in-house, so we provided Simple Story with the script. We worked with them in a collaborative way to make that script come to life. They gave us choices for voiceover talent and music, which were very helpful. We were on a rushed schedule of four weeks.

We wanted to use the video for our launch materials, our emails, Facebook, hosted sites that people will connect to purchase our product, etc.

How did you come to work with Simple Story Videos?

We have an on-site designer who also happens to have a background in animation. He’s familiar with the field and knew about various firms including Simple Story. We looked at several different animation companies, and we liked Simple Story’s animation style.

We put out an RFP to various companies. We chose Simple Story based on their portfolio as well as their financial proposal. They were also able to accommodate our tight schedule and assured us that we would get a good product for what we thought was a very fair price.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $18,000, which included rush charges.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in July 2017, and the video was completed in August 2017. We would certainly consider working with them again.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We were very happy with the service they provided and the product they delivered. It was very collaborative, and they were very easy to work with. They came up with their own solutions and we reacted to those. In the end, they requested permission to use the video on their portfolio site which we granted.

How did Simple Story Videos perform from a project management standpoint?

They hit all the deadlines and were very responsive.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They delivered a great product very quickly at a decent price. The price range that we got for this project from other potential partners was up to five times what we paid for this. Simple Story wasn't the cheapest, but they weren’t the most expensive either.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything. They were pleasant to work with and very collaborative.