Thatch Films

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder and CEO of Cashe. It’s an ethnically sourced cashmere clothing company with philanthropy woven into its DNA. We give 10% of all of our profit proceeds to the Nepal Youth Foundation. We just launched in November 2020, and we’re a brand new e-commerce website. 

What challenge were you trying to address with Thatch Films?

We were trying to create a promotional video for our launch in November and we worked with them in the months leading up to that.

What was the scope of their involvement?

It was a one-minute marketing video that encompassed the brand and showcased some of the first items that we launched. The Thatch Films team also created a 30-second cut. One video was used for Instagram. The other one was shared online with the company’s stakeholders and it gave people a bit more information about how the clothes look, how they move, and more. They were in charge of filming, music, editing, and the 30-second cut. 

What is the team composition?

We worked with a videographer, editor, and project manager. 

How did you come to work with Thatch Films?

I did some research on different production companies, and since all our clothing is made in Nepal, I wanted to find a company that had worked in foreign countries before. A lot of the companies that I’ve worked with in the past, in previous jobs or more, were wedding videographers. As a result, I wanted to find a company that had a documentary-style type of videography that could incorporate some good music really well.

Then, I found Thatch Films and they had done some work in Nepal. Since they also used to have some stylistic decisions on the time they had spent in Nepal, it was great. 

How much have you invested with them?

I believe we spent $2,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We finished the project in October. The turnaround time was 2–3 weeks.

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

We received a lot of really great feedback on the video we shared, most of them rave reviews on the video and I loved that. I don’t have any metrics to really compare it to because we didn’t have any sales before that. They really did well in this project.

I think it also helped us sell the clothing and I also received feedback from different people who purchase about seeing the movement of the clothing and they mentioned that they could really tell the quality of our clothes through the video rather than just images. 

How did Thatch Films perform from a project management standpoint?

They were super transparent. I felt like I could call or text them at any time and any hour. They gave me updates on where they were and everything was outlined before we started the process of what the timeline would look like. In the end, they followed the timeline.

Thatch Films provided great communication. I was in direct contact with their videographer beforehand, and after that, with their editor. I also talked with their project manager, and whenever I needed anything, she helped me in selecting our music and putting together a mood board. She guided me throughout the process because I never did something like that. I never felt like I wasn’t getting answers from them. They sent me calendar appointments and they let me be a part of the creative process. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their ability to hone in on what I wanted was really impressive. I had a strong vision of what I wanted the video to look like and they really brought it to life. Other designers or even photographers that I worked with in the past had their own style and they didn’t really look to find what I wanted. That’s what made Thatch Films different. I told them I wanted an ethereal type of visual and they followed that. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I was very pleased with them. I would hire them a million times over and recommend them to everybody. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Reach out and have the first call with them. They’re great people and they will definitely attract other companies to work with them. If you don’t know what you want, they’ll help you figure it out. In fact, they helped me figure out my way, specifically on the creative process needed for the production. Most of all, be open to ideas, and do not be shy to bring forth your own idea because they’re definitely receptive to those. 

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the chief creative officer at a brand strategy and product marketing company. In my role, I am tasked with bring brand creative into the marketplace.

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

Fundraising for nonprofits continues to be challenging especially in light of COVID-19 and much of the world still living and working virtually. We needed a production partner that could connect interesting visual looks with compelling stories to raise brand awareness boosting fundraising opportunities for a client.

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

Thatch has an impressive portfolio of visually interesting and effective video production beyond the work we hired them to do. This is now our 5th assignment for Thatch and each time they continue to provide a quality product and experience for our agency and our clients.

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

Typical pre-production work that included background information on subjects, interesting film venues, and creative themes. This was followed by efficient production days, which not only made everyone comfortable (even during a pandemic) but also opened up subjects to share their personal stories. The post-production included creative rounds of iterations and edits.

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

Charlie and Ida make a great combo and they took creative feedback well. Each iteration made for both a collaborative and even stronger video.

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

Thatch's production work was a key factor in $750,000 new fundraising. The compelling stories they filmed were well received by all of our audiences.

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

Throughout each production phase, Ida was diligent in tracking and managing client expectations via Basecamp and email. She framed the draft creative well and shared personal experiences about the film sessions that the client appreciated.

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

How nimble they are during the production process without compromising on creative quality.

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

None