The Benefits of Agency Work | Creatives Grab Coffee 63
In this conversation, Jeffrey Riley, co-owner of Noble Bison Productions, discusses his experiences working with agencies and the challenges of breaking into the industry. He highlights the benefits of agency work, such as higher budgets and more creative opportunities. Jeffrey also shares his strategies for building relationships with agencies, including follow-up emails and reaching out to new agencies. He emphasizes the importance of having a strong portfolio and suggests taking on passion projects or spec ads to showcase desired work. Overall, Jeffrey encourages filmmakers to be proactive and persistent in pursuing their goals. The conversation revolves around the topic of pricing and budgeting in the creative industry, specifically in the context of video production. The speakers discuss the idea of doing spec work or offering discounted prices to attract clients and build a portfolio. They emphasize the importance of reframing the mindset around spec work as a marketing strategy rather than working for free. The conversation also touches on the challenges of scope creep and the need to communicate and negotiate additional costs for extra services. The speakers share their experiences with event shooting and editing, highlighting the difficulties and frustrations involved. In this conversation, Jeffrey Riley of Noble Bison Productions discusses various aspects of the video production industry, including pricing, budgeting, and the sales process. He emphasizes the importance of transparency and open communication with clients, as well as the need to adapt to changing budgets and project requirements. The conversation also touches on the challenges of competition and the importance of building rapport with clients. Overall, the conversation provides valuable insights into the business side of video production.
Creatives Grab Coffee is produced by Lapse Productions, a video production company based out of Toronto, Canada. Reach out to them for your video production needs.
Watch: The Benefits of Agency Work | Creatives Grab Coffee 63
Listen: The Benefits of Agency Work | Creatives Grab Coffee 63
Takeaways
- Agency work offers higher budgets and more creative opportunities
- Building relationships with agencies requires follow-up emails and maintaining contact
- Having a strong portfolio is crucial for getting agency work
- Taking on passion projects or spec ads can help showcase desired work
- Persistence and proactivity are key in pursuing agency work Reframe spec work as a marketing strategy to attract clients and build a portfolio.
- Communicate and negotiate additional costs for extra services to avoid scope creep.
- Consider hiring freelancers or editors to free up time and focus on more creative aspects of the business.
- Events can be challenging and may involve scope creep, but they can also be lucrative and provide faster payment.
- Upselling is an opportunity to add value and increase revenue during the pre-production process. Transparency and open communication with clients are key in the video production industry.
- Adapting to changing budgets and project requirements is essential.
- Building rapport with clients can help win projects based on quality and trust.
- Competition in the industry can be challenging, but it’s important to focus on your own strengths and unique selling points.
- The sales process should be streamlined and efficient, with clear options and pricing for clients.
- Creative control can be balanced with client budgets by offering different options and discussing the possibilities.
- Naming your company can reflect your values and aspirations, such as the combination of ‘noble’ and ‘bison’ in Noble Bison Productions.
Chapters
- 00:00 Introduction and Challenges with Riverside
- 03:00 The Exciting Potential of AI Voiceovers
- 06:11 Introduction to Noble Bison Productions
- 07:15 Clientele and Favorite Projects in Denver
- 11:31 Working with Agencies and Targeting Specific Industries
- 16:27 Preference for Agency Work and Relationship Building
- 25:25 The Numbers Game of Cold Sales and the Importance of a Strong Portfolio
- 30:07 Hot Take: Taking Initiative and Doing the Work You Want
- 32:46 Reframing Spec Work and Marketing Strategy
- 39:23 Navigating Scope Creep and Negotiating Costs
- 48:39 Challenges and Opportunities of Event Shooting
- 51:07 Upselling as a Strategy
- 57:05 Transparency and Communication
- 58:45 Adapting to Changing Budgets and Project Requirements
- 59:15 Accounting for Costs as a Professional
- 01:00:31 Showing Options and Allowing Client Choice
- 01:03:53 Navigating Competition in the Industry
- 01:06:20 Balancing Creative Control and Client Budgets
- 01:11:19 Building Rapport with Clients
- 01:18:21 The Meaning Behind the Name
