True Productions

Introduce your business and what you do there.

The organization I founded is a K–8 STEM education company that focuses on transforming learners into innovators.

What challenge were you trying to address with True Productions?

There are two specific areas of plug-in where we utilize their expertise. One is in website development, and the second is around the production of several key videos to help us outline the product and services we provide.

What was the scope of their involvement?

For the web development project, True Productions started with a discovery phase. They took the time to not only speak with key members of our team, but also with the clients of our products. This was so they can understand what we do, who we are, and get the voice of the customers involved as part of the overall process — they then went ahead and built profiles out of our clients based on their prior research.

Once that was done, they came back to us with a readout of what their learnings were to start the concept phase, and suggested concepts in terms of web development. We worked together to figure out what we thought made the most sense based on their learnings, then we gave them a bit of creative latitude to put together a preliminary set of pages for the website. Once we were aligned with the format and style, they went ahead and started working on the website for the prototyping phase.

The fourth phase was when they completed the website, and the fifth phase is support, which we’re currently in.

What is the team composition?

I routinely work with three people. There’s Anthony (Principal & Founder), Terri (Project Manager), and a creative specialist.

How did you come to work with True Productions?

We found them simply through our media consultant. Two years ago, we were looking to develop some videos about our company, so our media consultant screened around 10–15 companies in the Chicagoland area. We narrowed those 10–15 to five and asked them to provide proposals to things that we did. I then got involved when we narrowed it down to two companies and we elected to go with True Productions after I had my discussion with Anthony and his team.

When we saw the quality of their output, we told them we’ll go with them should our marketing needs arise in the future, and that’s what drew us back to them in terms of this web development project.

How much have you invested with them?

I would say, we’ve spent about $25,000–$50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our ongoing partnership started in October 2019. After my support ticket was answered, I’m passing down potentially 11 new video production projects to them.

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

We’ve had tremendous anecdotal feedback from educators. A number of our existing education clients contacted us days after the website was published, and told us that our website was remarkable — that it was a fantastic change we’ve done. Moreover, parents also started contacting us, asking how can they get it in their schools. In addition to the local feedback, we started getting national calls about serving people from Texas or New Jersey.

The website became a conduit to showcase ourselves to the world — it has given us a wonderful impact in terms of lead generation, which is awesome. Internally, the team is delighted because for the first time, the website was very clear to them as it’s spelled out in such an easy-to-understand language.

Their support model has just been superb — you contact them and within two minutes, you’ll get a response. They don’t leave you hanging, and that’s something that I really want to emphasize. They are there to help you out and that’s the reason why I always go back to them. They do what they say, and say what they do.

How did True Productions perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re doing far better than they should be doing in terms of project management. We had an underperforming employee that caused a significant amount of chaos in the process. We couldn’t find the source for some of the communication challenges we were experiencing, but True Productions handled it like a champ. They involved me more in the process, and then as I understood that we had an underperforming individual, we removed them from the scope of effort — things ran extremely smoothly after that. True Productions just kept marching forward despite the roadblocks, which was amazing to me.

We typically communicate through Email and Zoom.

What did you find most impressive about them?

What’s impressive about them is that the sleek look and feel of their work really aligns with us as a company and as an organization. Compared to the other companies we screened, something just always pops about the way True Productions does things — whether it's in animation or rolling footage, there is always a high level of art to what they're doing, and that really lends itself well to telling an overall story.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Honestly, I don’t have anything to add here. We’ve always been so delighted with our experience, which is why we keep going back to them. Anthony is their leader, and he has a very open door. In the sense that as a client, if I have a concern, he’ll have no issue with me calling or emailing him. This is why we’re able to fix things before they grow into something larger. Anthony was part of the web development, and that couldn’t have had more of a personalized and more focused touch. They were diligent and scrutinized every detail because they’re perfectionists. It’s one thing to make a client happy, but they have a higher bar so they always beat the mark.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

It would really help to have a good sense of what you want going into the partnership with True Productions. They’ll help you craft what you’re looking for of course, but ultimately, you need to be the one to make that decision. I think it’s also good to have creative input into the process, but that’s really where they shine in terms of development, or whatever service they’re going to render for you.

Let them run with it, and trust them to see what they can come up with, because you won’t be sorry — you’ll be surprised by the level of creative output that they can generate. Don’t tell them what to do, just provide them with ongoing feedback.

Please describe your company and your position there.

Managing Director, Gate 16 Consultants is an experience design company creating Point of Reference virtual and live events.

For what projects/services did your company hire True Productions?

The True Productions team were responsible for live stream design, graphic design, pre-recording and editing portions of the program and worked with us to create an evergreen sizzle reel for the show. Anthony also served as Technical Director for the show live switching the program.

What were your goals for this project?

The sizzle reel to be truly evergreen while also creating an emotional connection - a big goal for a little budget. Goals for the show were to bring this regional event national; minimize technical and financial risk for this first ever virtual event for this group; produce recordings that could serve as educational content for the alternative fuels industry.

How did you select True Productions?

The AltWheels Founder and Steering Committee hired me as the Virtual Event Producer for Fleet Day. The idea of taking AltWheels Fleet Day conference virtual triggered a number of committee questions and concerns including affordability;

• technical literacy of the audience
• lack of familiarity with the range and features of platform options
• tactics to minimize overall risk
• effective ways to engage virtually with new and long-standing sponsors and audience members
• how to put together the right tech team and developing a vision for the event.

Anthony is a great presenter who communicates highly technical concepts in a clear understandable manner and has a passion for the mission of the organization. He also brought a level of technical and design sophistication to the project that I was looking for.

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

We chose to pre-record all the panels and keynotes in advance with live Q&A day of show. The amount of time it took to do all the recordings exceeded the estimated time by a considerable amount. The True Productions team worked extra time to do multiple recordings for one panel and additional editing time for poor quality speaker lighting and sound. The sizzle reel was also challenging in that the concept for the video changed from the original.

What was your vendors' project management or feedback process?

We provided the script and video clips to True Productions. From this they created the video with transitions and music. Again they ended up spending more time than anticipated mostly due to lag times on our side. Anthony and team were responsive within very reasonable time frames and also made themselves available for extra recording sessions.

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

Client is beyond thrilled with the sizzle reel which was a joint effort with True Productions and Gate 16. The idea was to create an emotional connection to the audience through the sizzle reel. Feedback from the founder and the committee was that the video was not only on target but was also emotionally moving for them. The overall program received comments from within the industry using words like "outstanding" "beyond expectation" "exceptional"

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Anthony and Terri were very easy to communicate with and very responsive to all communications and requests.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

It was a great collaborative and creative experience we look forward to repeating. True Productions has our trust - that not only will they do what they say they will do but in a manner that truly exceeds expectation.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Very professional organization.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the chief operating officer for a private equity firm. We invest in the healthcare, and food and beverage, and industrial services spaces.

What challenge were you trying to address with True Productions?

We needed help with web development.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Before they came on, we had a poorly managed site. Now, True Productions provides hosting, enhancements, video production, marketing, outreach, and hosting some of our annual events.

For the video production, they helped with the strategy and filming live events. They’ve also done a lot of editing, hosting, and traveling to our businesses to capture what they do. The team does live-action and interview-style videos.

What is the team composition?

We work with around six people. It’s a mix of designers, developers, and producers with one main point of contact.  

How did you come to work with True Productions?

They were recommended to us by a mutual colleague.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve probably spent more than $200,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in September 2018, and our work is ongoing.

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

We just had our annual event and they hosted it last minute. We had wonderful feedback from multiple people. We had over 200 attendees.

How did True Productions perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re available to me 24/7. They keep me on task.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re very nimble and able to change last minute. They’re fantastic.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, they’re a great group.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Don’t box them in. Let them do as much as they can.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of marketing for Fluid Aerodynamics, a company that specializes in the design, sales, installation, maintenance, and repair of industrial compressed air systems. Our main market is manufacturing and production processing facilities.

Fluid Aerodynamics has a sister company that produces and sells compressor equipment and filtration units. That company has a primary brand called Unipipe, which markets a unique piping system for compressed air.

What challenge were you trying to address with True Productions?

We were doing a video for a demonstration kit that we’ve developed. We needed professional assistance in developing that promotional piece to use in the marketplace.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They reviewed my script, helped tighten it up, shot the video, and edited it, with the goal of conveying the product in an interesting and informative way.

They ultimately developed multiple edits of the original script that are used for different purposes. There’s a 1-minute piece called “Why choose Unipipe?” that segments out of the long-form demonstration kit video that’s offered alongside the product.

What is the team composition?

I worked with three people. Anthony got the project rolling for us. Terry spearheaded production; he helped us figure out the ideas we wanted to convey and made it a reality. Another young man served as the sole camera operator.

How did you come to work with True Productions?

I googled video production companies in the Chicago area. They stood out as a good, viable choice with a robust team. They seemed to make high-quality videos on a regular basis. I shortlisted them, and upon talking to them, they distinguished themselves as offering the most value for the price.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent somewhere around $10,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project began in April of 2020 and wrapped up in August of that year.

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

The videos have played a significant role in our sales processes with both resellers and partners. We’ve been happy with the videos. They made them interesting and incorporated different spins on it that I wouldn’t have known to ask for.

How did True Productions perform from a project management standpoint?

They hit the mark every time with deadlines. We held Zoom meetings, which was our primary method of communication.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They demonstrated the depth of their experience. I also appreciated that they had multiple people on their team to offer a diverse range of perspectives.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We’d established that we’d use a teleprompter on set. I had the script ready but was surprised to find that there was only one person on the shoot. The teleprompter ended up being an iPad hung from a clip in front of the actor. I was slightly disappointed since I’m sure that they’ve used professional equipment in the past. In the end, though, we ended up with a great product for the money we spent, so we really can’t complain.

We also had one issue where the video brochures had a blue tint to them. I had some trouble communicating to them exactly what I was seeing on my screen. I guess that we could’ve planned for that a little bit more, but that was the extent of my criticism.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm a self-employed artist/writer currently finishing a book series. I've a publishing house awaiting the manuscript of the first book. I also have film connections and plan transposing my books into screenplays for movies.

Aside from that, I'm an entrepreneur involved with projects that concern education, plus others mitigating poverty, hunger, violence, and government deficits.

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

I personally hired them and am receiving great feedback from others worldwide that includes famous and successful people. Right now, my goal is building "people equity". My connections span the globe.

How did you select True Productions and what were the deciding factors?

I've been blessed meeting my connections serendipitously. I met the owner, Anthony Cassara, at WellFit's '19 Christmas Party where we exercise. We discussed many details of our personal business and agreed to collaborate on projects. I've a very good sense what works and won't.

Call it instinct, intuition, or divine intervention. True Productions will assist me with website development, videos, and CRM. I had a feeling of a special connection and it's already proven true.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

I'm not well-versed with technical aspects, but knew what I wanted and True Productions surpassed expectations. Just look at my website and see for yourself: www.visionarytransformations.com.

I supplied all the visuals and wrote all the text. What they did was arrange it in a way that I didn't have the equipment or skills for. Now that is collaboration with a capital "C". I'm very pleased with the result and there's more to come.

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

Anthony, the owner, worked with me. The Project Manager, Teri, took over the project once everything was in place. I loved how we collaborated.

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

I was already connected with famous and successful people when I began constructing my artist website. A writer's website will soon follow. As I've already stated, my measurables begin with people equity. Money is important, but it's not the only thing. The feedback from my website has been stellar. One good thing leads to another and sales is certainly part of that.

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

Very professional with detailed day-to-day feedback that allowed me to peruse daily and make spot-on decisions that turned-out great. I initially sent all materials directly to Anthony Cassara, Owner. Once received, Teri Tucci, Project Manager, took over and did a superlative job contacting me, via email, on a daily basis. Everything went so smoothly.

It feels great to be working with such a wonderful knowledgable team that delivers.

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

The professionalism and expedience of delivery. The superlative communication between us that led to an exemplary result.

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

I can't think of one. I threw a lot of material their way and it successfully came together. It's a bit atypical doing an artist website like mine. As we continue our journey working together, we'll see. So far, so good.

Please describe your company and your position there.

High Voltage Kids Ministry Resources provides videos and teaching curriculum to churches around the world.

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

Complete buildout of a Digital Membership site. I wanted everything to look clean, have a seamless integration with my online store, and function flawlessly.

How did you select True Productions and what were the deciding factors?

I had received much praise about True Productions from colleagues. I am thankful that I was connected with them because they were able to handle the entire project fully turnkey.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

They designed the entire site, set up the download pages, uploaded content, and designed many logos and banner ads for the site. They connected everything to Infusionsoft, Infused Woo, and Woo Commerce.

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

I worked mostly with Jonathan, the lead design consultant. Also spoke with Anthony, the owner, on several occasions. They work seamlessly together.

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

I was fully pleased with the outcome. Everything worked smoothly and all came together to perform just as I expected - even better, actually!

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

Great communication! ALWAYS on time with deadlines! Exceeded expectations!

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

They are a small company that delivers BIG! I always felt like they were ready to respond to any challenge and helped us take everything to the next level!

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

None that I can think of!

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We import home products from Italy. We have three showrooms in Chicago.

What challenge were you trying to address with True Productions?

True Productions developed our website.

What was the scope of their involvement?

The team built a corporate website for us, showcasing our projects, collections, and teams. I had an idea of what I wanted, but their team physically executed it. They also created graphics for the WordPress site.

What is the team composition?

I work closely with Jamie (Principal) and Anthony (Principal), but there are people behind the scenes.

How did you come to work with True Productions?

Jamie used to work for me. She already knew my business, so it was a natural choice.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $10,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

I started working with True Productions in 2018. We’re always working on updating the website.

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

I’ve been extremely satisfied. I sent a newsletter announcing the new website, and I received so many responses about the clean look of the new website.

How did True Productions perform from a project management standpoint?

It’s fantastic. Their team knows how I function and work. They accommodate everything. They’re embedded in my business, executing what I want.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their customer service approach is beyond expectations. They take pride in what they do.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Truthfully, I don’t know what can be done better. They’re pretty current.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Customers should definitely hire them. They’re reasonably priced and do a very good job. You have to make sure you have what you want in mind.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the CEO and owner of Dr. Blue Pencil. The company provides two different services: one is for editing academic papers from high school all the way up to the Ph.D. level, and the second is consulting for accessibility-related to people with disabilities.

What challenge were you trying to address with True Productions?

Their team helped to design and develop my website, as well as to make my website accessible to everyone, including those with visual impairments.

What was the scope of their involvement?

True Productions built the website themselves from scratch, including the backend architecture, the frontend UI designs, and even the logo designs for the company. We started with the logo, moved to the design of my social media page, and then tackled the website itself so that everything would be aligned.

From there, I asked them to work on the accessibility portion, and we discussed back and forth over the various features that effort would include before they got to work on that as well.

What is the team composition?

I worked with about three people from their team, including a logo designer, a website developer, and a manager who served as my main point of contact.

How did you come to work with True Productions?

We interviewed all the web design companies in our area, and based on the quote and my impressions, their team felt like the best option to move forward with.

How much have you invested with them?

It was a $7,000 investment in total.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project lasted from around January 2019–May 2019.

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

I was thoroughly satisfied with the quality of all of the work that they delivered. It was a great investment for me, and I know that my clients are thoroughly appreciating the usability and extra features they added as well.

How did True Productions perform from a project management standpoint?

They were a really great team to partner with. We had a lot of discussions in person and over the phone, so I always felt up to date, and they did a great job of sticking to the timelines they laid out for the work.

Their team would email me the primary design and we would discuss ways to make it work. When they finalized that, they would send me the final product for review, and it would go through a final feedback and edit process before being published to the site.

Are there any areas they could improve?

At the moment, there’s nothing that I think they should have done differently.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

As long as you have open communication, they will give you a roadmap and work with whatever design you have in mind.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of Chicago Helicopter Experience.

What challenge were you trying to address with True Productions?

We were trying to increase our sales by way of improved digital marketing.

What was the scope of their involvement?

True Productions designed our WordPress website — in accordance with a unique digital strategy — to optimize our customer experience and maximize sales. They integrated our website into Salesforce. They came up with a way to sell flight vouchers through Salesforce.

 They also helped establish automated email marketing campaigns. Along with streamlining our email communications, they built a custom tool where we can see customers’ photos after their flight. They keep on finding opportunities for us to improve, so they’re continuing to work on more projects with us.

What is the team composition?

I’ve worked with 4­­–5 people from their team. The team is comprised of a project manager, a sales expert, and a couple of developers.

How did you come to work with True Productions?

They were recommended to us by another partner who serves as our consultant.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent somewhere between $30,000–$40,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together in December 2018, and it’s an ongoing engagement. We keep in contact with them fairly regularly. They keep everything running and in top shape.

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

True Productions knows what they’re talking about, and they’re able to execute. We’ve worked with several partners over the years, and they’ve been the only group that’s been able to execute more quickly and less expensive than the original estimates. They’ve been the best experience we’ve had, in terms of outsourcing.

Our direct sales via our website (as opposed to through third parties) increased dramatically. They also established our ability to sell vouchers, which is responsible for half of our revenue. We now have an updated site that’s sleek and functional.

They would recommend best practices and ways in which we could optimize our spending, so I really got the sense that they were helping us make money. We now rely on them for everything.

How did True Productions perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re a younger, tech-savvy group that’s fast and nimble. I found their work style to be perfect for a smaller company like ourselves. We appreciated the open communication and speedy feedback we got from them because it almost felt like they were our in-house marketing team.

They were very responsive when we needed them to make changes or fixes. I’d describe them to be hands-on, accessible, and accountable.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We went to them with an idea of what we needed to do. They returned to us with a better plan and use of dollars than what we’d originally outlined. They provide stellar feedback and insight into your ideas to effectively elevate them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t think that they themselves realize how much value they’re able to add solely through their insights. We could reap great benefits from a stronger emphasis on consulting.  

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

No, not really. They’re transparent and punctual, so you’ll get what you ask of them. You’ll feel good about what you spent in terms of the value you receive.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the president of a health and performance company.

What challenge were you trying to address with True Productions?

We hired them to share our message and content, and manage our e-commerce website.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They designed and implemented a new website for using WordPress on the frontend and Infusionsoft on the backend.

What is the team composition?

We work with Anthony (Principal) and his team.

How did you come to work with True Productions?

They were a referral. We had a couple of conversations about what we were doing and what he could provide for us.  

How much have you invested with them?

We spend $3,000–$5,000 per month.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in June 2012, and our work is ongoing.

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

We’re very satisfied. They try to make so we can focus on what we do best, and they help us bridge that gap. The team has always over-delivered in what we’ve asked them to do. Now we run a $1 million website, as opposed to when we started, it was around $150,000. They definitely give us the ability to grow with the maintenance and lack of worry.

How did True Productions perform from a project management standpoint?

That part of the business has totally evolved. Anyone on the team will get back to us within minutes. Mostly we explain the project and the timeline, and they do a great job of delivering.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their customer service really stands out to us as their best attribute. They’re always smiling on the other end of the line, even when there might be a problem or something that needs to be fixed. The team is always very energetic.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could improve with project management. Anthony needs more high-quality people to scale the business since people are a big part of their work. I would suggest making sure they have a streamlined process of new talent and retained talent.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

They can do everything, but the more specific you are, the better they’ll do at execution. They’re not going to run your business; they’ll be more of an asset and an add-on for your business. Anytime we had any issues, it’s because what we asked wasn’t clear.