Chris Fenner
Cinematographer - Prep Site
- The Story -
"Stories are the creative conversion of life itself into a more powerful, clearer, more meaningful experience. They are the currency of human contact. "
- Robert Mckee (Hollywood screenwriter, author and award-winning writer)
You and your clients have a product, a service, or a brand ... but so does everyone else. What makes you different is your story: every story is unique. People connect with stories and are moved by stories. People also share stories.
Consequently, we believe that the story is the most important aspect of a commercial film. Great commercials tell great stories: some are funny, some are poignant, and others are inspiring. Can you tell an effective story in sixty or even thirty seconds? Absolutely. How many people do you know who watch the Superbowl for more than just the football game?
When customers talk about a brand, a product, or a service, they typically do so through the story of how it impacted their lives: how it changed them, met their need, or solved their problem. You and your clients have more than a product or service; you have a story, and we want to help tell that story in the best way possible.
- The Demand -
Adobe’s 2012 Digital Video Index Report provides the following statistics (LINK):
Over 20 billion video streams were produced in 2012.
Online consumption of web video grew over 30% through the year.
Video starts for TV-related content (such as full episodes of television shows) are 30% higher when compared to other video types on tablets.
During 2012, video social engagement jumped from 42% to 70%. Viral reach of video also outpaces other types of content. In Q1 2012, viral reach share was 55% versus non-video content, and by Q4 had grown to 77%.
While these statistics are from only one source, it’s clear that the most consumed media by a current or potential customer is video content. The stronger the story of the commercial film, the greater that potential customer’s engagement will be, and the greater the engagement, the more likely it will convert to action (purchase, sign-up, visit, etc.).
- The Model -
Our model is unique in that, rather than doing all the creative work ourselves, we partner with the top creative directors in the industry.
While we may direct many projects ourselves, our model provides benefits in two ways. First, using outside talent enables us to scale our capacity and to meet a high level of client demand while providing attentive, individualized service. Second, the broad range of creative styles at our disposal enables us to match the right director with each client according to their business and brand messaging.
- The Proposal -
Whether producing commercials for broadcast television or utilizing alternative venues of advertising like cinema advertising and web videos, Jay Friesen and Chris Fenner can provide total production services for top-tier commercial films that don’t merely sell a product or advertise a business, but that create a lasting impact through telling a story.
Producing any high-quality film (TV commercial, web video, feature film) is an immense undertaking that happens in three primary stages: Pre-Production, Production and Post-Production. Because we believe it will be valuable for Avitus representatives to know what’s happening behind the scenes during the production process, we outline the process below.
We propose to handle all production and other logistics on behalf of Avitus Group and their clients on a cost-of-production plus 15% basis. A 15% profit margin enables us to provide highly attentive service to clients, although we would be willing to negotiate a lower percentage for larger projects.
- The Cost of Production -
The budgets contained in this section are primarily for Avitus Group’s reference. In most cases, the client won’t ask for a detailed cost breakdown, but sometimes they do. Regardless, we feel it will be helpful for Avitus to understand the costs and variables in what can be a complicated service. As partners with Avitus group, we also want to set a standard of transparency and integrity by providing the numbers we use to Avitus and their sales representatives.
Several factors play a role in the cost of a production, and specific budgets cannot be produced until after the creative concept is developed. One of the primary factors is the length of the project, which is especially pertinent when considering web video or alternative forms of advertising such as documentary or cinema advertising that may not have the time constraints of Broadcast/TV advertising. Each minute of video could require hundreds of gigs of storage space and additional hours of computer processing (“rendering”) time, both of which have associated costs. Other factors with cost implications include how many visual effects are used and set/location choices, such as travel to an exotic location or using locations that require services like blocking off streets and applying for permits.
These costs can be managed in two ways. The first is simply by providing the client up front with an expectation for what can be produced given their budget. The second is by giving the client a clear understanding of all costs involved in the production so that they can choose where to invest more heavily and where to spend more conservatively (e.g. filming at a cheaper location in order to spend more on music composition and animations). Provided below are the current line-item costs for the work and talent needed for a typical commercial production.
While it is extremely difficult to place a standard price tag on film production, given all of the variables for each client’s needs, we propose the following packages as a starting point (package prices include calculations to demonstrate price point rationale).
- The Process -
So how will we work together to make the process smooth and simple for the client? We propose the following:
Avitus presents the packages/price points, answers initial questions, and provides the creative questionnaire (included) to the client.
When the creative questionnaire is completed, we receive it and develop three creative concepts that fit within the scope of information and goals included in the questionnaire. We might have additional questions for the client at this point, so this would be an appropriate time for Avitus to “hand off” the client to us.
The client selects the creative concept they like best. Adjustments are made for budgeting or creative purposes and the client signs off on development of the project. At this point, we would request a 15% non-refundable deposit (primarily to mitigate the risk of the client taking our creative concept to someone else for production).
The client will then sign off on the developed concept: script(s), storyboard(s), and other pre-visualization. This is crucial because changes after this point can be very costly! At this point, 75% of the production cost balance is requested to cover initial production expenses.
Production begins! We schedule, hire, film, and finish. Regular communication on progress and development with the client is maintained.
Final payment is required before delivery of finished commercial film(s).