Sparkhouse

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the co-founder of a company which designs and distributes products for the home and develops apps to help users stay organized in their daily lives.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We are launching a flip-top food storage container along with a partner app on Kickstarter, so we needed an introduction video explaining our products to potential backers. We also planned to post clips to our social media accounts.

SOLUTION

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

We found this company by searching on google for video production companies which specialized in product launch videos. We reached out to around 5 different agencies and we chose this one due to a combination of a few factors including strong examples of work done for other companies, clear explanations regarding the costs of production, and a personable attitude.

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

The video was hosted by an office worker who goes about her day introducing the various features of Sulagan and how they help her throughout her workday. The production process started with a team meeting where we went over the product features and clarified the purpose of the video. After that, they provided a creative brief based on this and the onboarding document we filled out. Then they gave us a choice of two concepts and moved onto the mood board based on our decision. They then wrote the script and upon approval fleshed it out more in the audiovisual script. We could then choose our actress from around 10 different auditions. They then moved on to filming and editing which spanned many different versions and edits.

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

We mostly were in contact with the owner of the company. But depending on the which stage we were at we worked directly with who was managing that section. For example, during the script- writing stage we emailed with the writer, during the shooting stage we emailed with the director etc. I found it easy to give feedback via an online document that was viewed by the relevant person.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

So far the video has helped us show our product to potential customers in a fun way and has helped us gain subscribers to prepare for our product launch.

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

They are very organized and were easy to keep track of and communicate with.

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

When we weren't 100% sold on the footage from the first round of filming, they found a great solution and we ended up loving the final product.

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

I think it would be great if the shot list was shared with the clients, but other than that it was a smooth process.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Manager of Business Development at Fry Steel. We are a leading metal supplier in the southern California region.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We worked with Sparkhouse to develop a Marketing video to help expand our reach. It was also to highlight the vast amount of processing equipment Fry Steel has to offer our Customers and Next Day Delivery service.

SOLUTION

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

We researched for a video production team in the southern California area. After meeting Torrey and his team, we felt they were the best company to help us create our marketing video.

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

We started with a discovery meeting. We collaborated on a storyboard and script. Once the script was finalized, we picked out the voiceover actors and set a date for filming. The Sparkhouse team came to our facility and filmed everything in one day. After filming we reviewed different versions and made edits were needed. The overall process was painless and the sparkhouse team helped us along the way.

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

We worked with the project manager who helped to keep us on track and assisted us along the way throughout the project.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We shared the video with our corporate team and fellow subsidiaries. Everyone was pleased with the end result. Since releasing the brand video, we have received several positive feedback form vendors and customers.

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

The project manager was easy to work with and provided weekly updates.

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

They took the time to learn about our business and incorporated key parts of our business in our brand video.

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

Working with them was very easy. I can't think of any areas to improve on.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

My boutique firm handles the social media and marketing for Callahan & Blaine, a top law firm in Orange County, CA.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

The firm's founding partner wanted to build out a YouTube channel. However, we asked for an introduction to the videos that had some humor in it. We wanted the founding partner to appear approachable and speak to his sense of humor - so we decided on a "spoof" video of Magnum PI.

SOLUTION

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

I interviewed three different vendors, and it was my meeting with Torrey that made me decide to use their services over the other vendors. Torrey seemed to "get it" and had an "up for anything" attitude - while the other vendors seemed quite reluctant to do anything out-of-the-box.

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

The team was very forthcoming and had some great ideas that really added to the video. They were very responsive and the shoot day was actually really fun. They have been very communicative through post-production and the intro video is exactly what we wanted... actually, it's turned out even better!

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

Mainly Torrey and Tanner, but the rest of the team has been in copy. They have been very amenable to making changes and updates based on feedback. We really appreciate that.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We haven't released the final intro on YouTube just yet as there are still a couple of tweaks to be made, but the people who HAVE seen it, absolutely love it!

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

It's been great and super transparent. I'm aware of where they are at in the process every step of the way.

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

They came to the production day armed with some ideas of their own. They know how to get just the right shots and reactions out of our main client.

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

Nope - they have been great!

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

theidlekid is a video production house and I, Ankit Singh am the CEO/Executive producer there.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

my associate came up to me with Sparkhouse through LinkedIn and we felt that our working style was compatible to theirs after a meeting which is what led us to work together.

SOLUTION

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

The project included post-production work such as creating animations and VFX.

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

Feedback was provided to us by Torrey & Jay on a weekly basis as we sent our drafts through

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We were able to meet deadlines prior to the last date which boosted our morale as creators, I believe that was progress for us that would help in the long term.

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

The managers were easy to get in touch and they've been very patient and kind around the whole scenario which we really appreciate.

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

What stood out for me was that members of the team were very polite and professional and they made it easy for us to get through the whole process.

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

Not really. We were overall satisfied working with Sparkhouse and it was a great experience for us

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the Vice President of a Marketing Agency in Irvine, CA.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Sparkhouse?

We've worked with them on a number of TV Spots and videos. This project, in particular was producing over 50 versions of :60 and :30 TV spots in both English and Spanish and another 6 in Vietnamese.

What were your goals for this project?

During the Annual Enrollment Period for Medicare, our agency kicks our marketing efforts into high-gear with media buys across California. To personalize the TV spots for each market, and because we wanted to track to results of the buy, we developed similar, yet customized spots per county/market.

There were also 3 different endings per spot, and we produced them in 3 languages, resulting in several different versions. The timeline was short, and Sparkhouse was able to complete them all on time and on budget.

SOLUTION

How did you select Sparkhouse?

Sparkhouse was referred to us by another Marketing agency, and we've worked with them on a number of projects. Because we had successes with their team and the spots and videos they've produced, we knew they would be a good fit for this project.

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

We provided a majority of the custom illustrations and the scripts, and Sparkhouse handled storyboarding, the animation, VO, Music, additional graphics and editing.

What was your vendors' project management or feedback process?

After a kick off meeting with the entire team, they hit the ground running. They used google sheets to keep track of the 50+ versions, and fram.io for easy review and feedback for both our agency and the client. The project manager kept us on task and edits were completed in a timely manner.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The client was very happy with the TV spots, and we received great results.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

After a kick off meeting with the entire team, they hit the ground running. They used google sheets to keep track of the 50+ versions, and fram.io for easy review and feedback for both our agency and the client. The project manager kept us on task and edits were completed in a timely manner.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Sparkhouse makes things easy. They understand that as an agency, we have tight deadlines and that the approval process is layered because there are multiple people involved in the approval process.They deliver.

Are there any areas for improvement?

The only hang ups really came from Sparkhouse not being able to get the Voice Overs done as quickly as we had wanted, because of the lack of response from some of the VO Artists. We understand that - and we were able to work through those issues and they were able to get them resolved.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CPO and co-founder of Plumedot, a digital signing company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Sparkhouse?

We were trying to create a video to raise funds from investors.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The goal was to create a video that conveys our message and what we’re offering to investors. We couldn’t meet in person because of COVID restrictions, so Sparkhouse set up recording days virtually. They brought all the actors we wanted to hire and sent us the voiceovers. They took care of everything.

What is the team composition?

We worked with quite a few people. The head of Sparkhouse was involved, as well as a team of about five or six. We felt like we were getting more than adequate support on the project.

How did you come to work with Sparkhouse?

We did some research online and found Sparkhouse had some great reviews. We watched the videos on their website and really loved their style. We thought they had an eye for what we wanted to accomplish and that they seemed superior to the other video production vendors we were looking at.

How much have you invested with them?

The total cost was between $10,000–$15,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from September 2020–February 2021. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We haven’t deployed the video yet, so we don’t have any metrics. From a qualitative standpoint, we’ve shown the video to some members of our target audience, and they all loved it. They thought it was phenomenal and engaging. It’s a huge plus for Sparkhouse that they were able to pull off such a compelling video.

How did Sparkhouse perform from a project management standpoint?

We used Frame.io to make comments directly on the video. We also used Google Docs to collaborate back and forth on the progress of the project, the script, the action items, and other things like that. We went back and forth over email. 

Overall, Sparkhouse was extremely prompt in delivery. There weren’t any delays on their side. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

We were really impressed with their patience in working with us. Midway through the process, we realized we wanted to change our message, which took us about a month. The team figured out how to fit different video clips together, solving the problem with a lot of patience.  Sparkhouse went above and beyond any video production company I’ve ever come across. They’re one of a kind.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There’s nothing I can think of. I don’t think there’s anything Sparkhouse could have done better.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Engage with them. The experience speaks for itself. They’re definitely worth the price they charge, and they’ll do a fantastic job. We have no regrets working with them.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Our company, Refinery Pass, develops safety orientations for the petroleum industry and serves these orientations on an online platform. I am an owner and creative director of the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Sparkhouse?

Sparkhouse helped Refinery Pass dig us out of a projected hole! We had an influx in projects due to COVID and they helped dig us out of a hole.

What were your goals for this project?

Out goals was to lighten the load on the animators internally by hiring outside help.

SOLUTION

How did you select Sparkhouse?

Looking at many companies online, I could tell by Sparkhouses portfolio that they were able to deliver quality work. What sealed the deal was their ability to communicate.

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

Refinery Pass would hand over a marked up script of what the animations would look like, along with audio and a graphical library for their animators to work with. Once an animator would give the animations their first pass, we'd review internally using a platform called Frame.io which worked nicely.

Due to our planning and Sparkhosues performance, the animators would usually only need to make another pass and the videos would be green-lit to hand over. There was only a couple of times where the video would need a 2nd or 3rd pass, but that was generally in the beginning when Sparkhouse and Refinery Pass were learning to work together.

What was your vendors' project management or feedback process?

We used Frame.io to makeup the videos and make comments at specific timestamps. It worked so well that Refinery Pass adopted it for our internal and client reviews.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Sparkhouse nailed everything subsequently allowing us to expand as a company and take on more simultaneous projects without having to hire more animators. An owner couldn't have asked for more.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

It was highly effective. Most of the kinks were on Refinery Pass's side, learning to teach someone else how to animate in our style. Once we got over that hurdle with better preparation, we were a well-oiled machine!

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I found their communication and project management to be impressive. It's hard to find companies that communicate well, everyone is on the same page, and we as the client have good visibility on where things are at! They knocked that out of the park.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I don't think there are any areas for improvement. Sparkhouse, just keep doing what you're doing. We appreciate everyone and all the help in 2020!

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the director of e-commerce for a dietary supplement and wellness company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Sparkhouse?

We were looking to create a video to use across our e-commerce platforms as well as on our own website.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Sparkhouse produced a series of four videos for us. Each 30-second video focused on a unique product of ours and featured an actress engaging with the product and listing its benefits and features. Their team was responsible for storyboarding and scriptwriting as well as a few minor edits. 

What is the team composition?

We worked with three members of the Sparkhouse team, including the owner, a project manager, and a copywriter.

How did you come to work with Sparkhouse?

After searching for video production vendors on Clutch, I came across Sparkhouse. I engaged with a few different companies but Sparkhouse best understood what we were looking for. They had examples on their site of past work that was very similar to what we wanted so we decided to work with them.

How much have you invested with them?

We invested about $15,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement with Sparkhouse ran from October – December 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The videos have already led to a small increase in conversions, and we expect to see a bigger difference over time. The production quality of the videos is above and beyond the industry standard. The videos are visually stunning and flow very well compared to the competitors. 

How did Sparkhouse perform from a project management standpoint?

Sparkhouse meets deadlines and encourages a seamless workflow. They laid out a timeline of steps early on and stuck to it. We were able to call or email them at any time with questions, although this was rarely necessary since they kept us informed throughout the process.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Sparkhouse kept us in the loop the entire time. They clearly understood what we were looking for even when we couldn’t articulate it ourselves. Nothing was ever shot without our approval. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, we told them exactly what we wanted and they were able to deliver on that.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Listen to exactly what they say and fill out their forms carefully to make sure they have what they need to succeed.. Follow their project management layout because that certainly helped us.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Digital Artist Management, Inc. provides recruiting services for the video game industry. I am the president and founder of DAM, Inc.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Sparkhouse?

DAM hired Sparkhouse to generate a branding video for DAM and two supplemental videos that we can use to better engage with our customers.

What were your goals for this project?

The goal of working with Sparkhouse is to improve DAM's engagement with potential customers. The games industry is growing at a torrid pace and it's challenging to connect with customers. The use of video in our digital marketing strategy to reach these customers was a top priority.

SOLUTION

How did you select Sparkhouse?

Sparkhouse's team is very impressive. They are consultative and thoughtful in their approach. Our decision was easy after viewing several videos Sparkhouse created for other organizations.

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

Sparkhouse helped us build an outline for the topics we wanted to cover in the video and shaped a narrative around our vision. Once the narrative was agreed upon, we shot the video at Sparkhouse's production studio.

The team was very professional and patient...especially considering our team has no prior experience in front of the camera. Once the video assets were shot, Sparkhouse's editing team worked on creating the final video.

What was your vendors' project management or feedback process?

Sparkhouse's feedback loop was efficient and accurate. The momentum of the project never stalled.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We are extremely happy with the end result of the video. Despite our lack of experience working in front of the camera, Sparkhouse executed on creating a branding video that represents our business and exceeds our expectations.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Sparkhouse's use of Frame.io made it easy to provide feedback on the progress of the video and the edits were made extremely fast.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Professionalism, patience, communication, execution.

Are there any areas for improvement?

It will help if there was a list of best practices or suggestions for Sparkhouse to distribute to the actors/contributors who may not have worked in front of the camera.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of Human Marketing, a full-service digital marketing agency.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Sparkhouse?

We wanted to fill in the gap of video marketing and video production, which is something we don’t handle a lot internally.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We’ve done about four or five projects over the past three years with Sparkhouse, but we worked with them on one recently. 

We start with the organization process, and they’re very detailed about getting all the prerequisites in order. Before we even begin the actual video, we have high-level brainstorming meetings with the team, where we make sure we have the concept down.

From there, we move into the creative overview and agree on those briefs before going into the wireframe. We then start on the production elements like sound, voiceovers, audio, and more finalized production elements. Next, we work on the script, and finally, move into actual video creation or animation. 

In the case of this project, we went with animation. We did a few rounds of edits for the final animation before it was completed. 

What is the team composition?

I usually work with two direct contacts. For this project I worked with Spencer (Account Manager) and John (Creative Director). Broadly, I’ll usually work with Torrey (CEO & Founder) on most projects, who oversees from a high level.

How did you come to work with Sparkhouse?

It was several years ago, but we were either introduced to us or we found them through a search. They’re local to us. 

How much have you invested with them?

This particular project was about $6,500. We’ve facilitated ones as high as $30,000–$40,000 in the past.

What is the status of this engagement?

This project took place between September–November 2020, but we’ve been working with Sparkhouse for about three years. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

In this case, I was the client, since the video was for an app we created. We’re very happy with Sparkhouse’s work — the video speaks for itself. We use it in our website to convey in short form what our product is and what it does. So far, it’s been very well received.

How did Sparkhouse perform from a project management standpoint?

From a project management perspective, they’re great at keeping us on track. We’re busy and there are sometimes delays, but Sparkhouse great at checking in at the start of every week to let us know what they’re working on and what they need from us. They’re very diligent and consistent. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

I really enjoy working with Torrey. He always ensures the project is going well, even going so far as to get involved where and when needed to make sure we’re happy. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

We could probably have a few more meetings, whether it’s over video, the phone, or in person, rather than communicating so much over email. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be prepared as much as possible to share what you want. Have your vision, story, and as many elements as possible written down, so it doesn’t hold the project up.