Video is now part of routine business communications. Companies utilise video for social media purposes, product launches, recruiting employees, training, educating customers, brand promotion, business events and updates on internal affairs. Along with growing demand for video, many firms find themselves facing a choice – whether to create an in-house video team or collaborate with freelance production specialists.
While it may make sense for certain companies to create a video division, organisations producing videos every day, those which require incredibly fast turnaround, and those who have a predictable pipeline of content can gain from employing dedicated personnel. However, for many other businesses, collaborating with video production specialists outside the firm seems to be more rational.
It is not only about cost-cutting, but a change in the way companies organise creative processes.
The Cost of an In-House Team Goes Beyond Salaries
The hiring of a videographer appears to be an easy job once the production process is considered altogether. A good video could require creativity, scripting, shooting, lighting, sound recording, editing, motion graphics, color correction, animation, and the posting of the video through various platforms.
One person can perform a few of these jobs, but it is impossible to be a master of all trades. In-house production capacity may require more than one expert.
However, the cost goes beyond the salary. The cameras, lenses, mics, lighting equipment, editing computer setup, storage, software, studio, and other expenses come into play when you consider the real cost of in-house production.
In contrast, outsourcing takes away this approach. Instead of bearing these costs all year round, one only needs to pay when needed.
Different Projects Need Different Creative Skills
A customer testimonial, product film, recruitment video, and event recap may all be called “video content,” but producing them well requires different approaches.
A product launch may need controlled studio lighting and detailed cinematography. A brand documentary depends more on interviewing and storytelling. An animated explainer requires motion-design expertise, while a live event may need multiple camera operators, audio technicians, and fast post-production.
This variety makes it difficult for one internal team to handle every request at the same level. For businesses that need different specialists from one project to the next, access to external production expertise through World Production Service can provide a flexible way to connect projects with the people and production resources required for different types of content.
External production lets companies shape the team around each project. A business can use a small crew for an interview and a larger, specialised team for a major campaign without permanently increasing headcount.
Production Demand Is Rarely Consistent
Workload in video production tends to fluctuate from time to time. There might come a time when there would be multiple productions needed for launches, conferences, campaigns, or rebranded products and services, but then again, things will cool off a bit afterwards.
The fluctuating workload makes management harder when full-time employees are considered. There may be too much going on for the team to cope with, which may cause deadlines to be missed. The firm will still incur its fixed costs regardless of how things stand.
Outsourcing helps convert the fixed cost into a flexible cost, thus enabling the business to increase or decrease production depending on how things stand. This is especially helpful for businesses whose needs are increasing but unpredictable.
Access to Better Equipment Without Owning It All
Professional video production often entails much more than just a camera and microphone. The crew may require cinema cameras, special lenses, stabilizers, drones, teleprompters, wireless mics, big lights, monitors, or even a studio.
Buying every piece of equipment that might be useful is rarely efficient for a company whose main business is not media production. Using production equipment rental through World Production Service can give projects access to appropriate cameras, lighting, audio, and other production tools when they are needed, without requiring businesses to maintain a permanent inventory themselves. Technology also changes quickly, which means expensive equipment can become outdated or less suitable for newer formats.
Production partners can select equipment according to each project, giving businesses stronger production capability without having to own, store, maintain, and continually upgrade the entire kit.
An Outside Team Can Bring Fresh Perspective
Teams inside the organization know the organization in great depth, which is certainly good. However, there could be an instance when the familiarity makes it difficult for the message to reach out in the way the brand-new individual perceives it.
An outsider team of creators will identify the fact that there is too much use of internal language, that the great story of the customer is not being considered at all, and that the company is focusing more on features of the products than on solving the problems. This different viewpoint helps in making the business information a customer story.
Collaborative relationships are always the best when it comes to outsourcing. The business gives the objectives and brand insight, and the production team makes the messages visually communicative.
Businesses Can Scale Faster Without a Long Hiring Process
Developing a team from scratch takes time. Companies must define roles, hire people, examine their portfolios, onboard them, develop a workflow, and buy equipment they need. It makes sense to do so when it comes to developing a long-lasting department, but it becomes too long when companies want to launch a campaign in a couple of weeks’ time.
With outsourcing, businesses get access to ready-to-work teams and workflows. A producer can gather all needed specialists – directors, cameramen, editors, animators, sound engineers and others depending on the requirements of the project.
It becomes particularly beneficial when a company works on several projects in different cities and countries. Instead of sending one in-house team to various locations, businesses use production networks and local specialists with creative control staying centralized.
Internal Marketing Teams Can Focus on Strategy
Marketing departments are already responsible for the planning, management of campaigns, social media presence, performance tracking, branding, scheduling of content, market research, and coordination with sales.
In the case where the marketing department is also responsible for the logistics of the shoot, equipment scheduling and management, solving all technical issues, and managing the post-production process, strategic thinking is likely to become secondary to all that.
Outsourcing is not about taking the marketing department out of the process of video production; it is about changing its role within the process. Separate areas of responsibility tend to simplify the entire project since everyone knows what they are good at.
Outsourcing Still Needs Good Management
Collaboration with an external production team is not necessarily superior in every case. Bad briefings, vague approvals, frequent changes, and mismatched expectations can cause delays irrespective of the production of the video by anyone.
Organizations should have a clear understanding of the objective of a particular project before the start of the production process. Who are the audiences? What is the message to be delivered or action to be taken after watching the video? In which media will it be shown? What kind of versions are needed? Who will have the final say in the matter?
A good production partner should also offer a process for pre-production, recording, feedback, editing, delivering files, and licensing.
The Future Is Likely to Be Hybrid
The option of going either for outsourcing or internal teams does not necessarily need to be a binary decision. The hybrid solution is now becoming popular among firms. While the in-house content specialist can manage the basic social videos, short interviews, and regular updates, the external specialists can deal with the more extensive campaigns, animation, global shootings, premium brand films, or any projects that require specific equipment.
Thus, the firm will manage to combine speed and understanding of the brand with broader production skills whenever the projects become bigger and/or more complicated.
However, in fact, firms increasingly outsource their video production activities due to the increasing importance of the ability to be flexible. The content requirements change rapidly, platforms continue to evolve, and not every company needs to control all the capabilities it uses. The best strategy for each firm is the one that fits its specific requirements and workload. While the internal production studios may be necessary for certain firms, others will find it more convenient to collaborate with the professionals outside the firm.
