Great Projects Need Collaboration
People often ask what the key is to a successful video project or campaign. To me, that answer is an easy one…and it has nothing to do with what type of camera, editing technique or other bells and whistles are used. It may sound cliché, but I believe that it always comes back to open collaboration and teamwork from start to finish. There’s a beautiful creative synergy that occurs when everyone is working towards a clearly-defined and established goal, and when everyone is on the same page in doing it.
Starting at Square One
This starts from square one. When we start working on a new project with any new or existing partner, we love to hear about what they’re looking for, who they’re looking to reach, what types of other pieces of creative excite/inspire them, what their brand is like, etc. These early steps build the base for a successful video project. Once a project is underway and a defined plan is in place, continued communication and teamwork throughout always leads to the best final results. It’s an honor when our partners tell us that they want to create with us because they love or work and just want us to be creative and work our magic. Rest assured though, we’re doing that regardless! As the project evolves, location and talent is selected for video shoots, voiceovers are selected and many other creative decisions are made, we always want to make sure we’re moving in the right direction, and want to hear open, honest feedback. And we make sure it's easy for our partners to provide that feedback, whether it’s regarding storyboards, talent or revisions throughout the editing process.
Our Dedicated Account Managers
At PEG, one way that we achieve this is to always have a dedicated Account Manager coordinating all the details with each of our partners, every step of the way on a project. Many video companies, especially ones of our size, may have Producers, Editors or Animators not only creating the pieces, but also overseeing client communication. We believe that coordination and communication is important enough to be a full-time job in itself, performed by team members who specialize and excel in those areas. This also allows our creative team members to focus on creating high-end work and focus on the production/creative process. That obviously doesn’t mean that they aren’t often included on calls and meetings, but most projects have a lot of coordination and organization that’s needed to ensure they’re successful, delivered on-time, and are of the top notch quality we delivery. Those Account Mangers also aren’t just working directly with each external partner, they’re also working with our internal creative team making sure all information, assets and feedback are relayed accurately and efficiently. They’re working to manage timelines, secure locations, book talent, schedule video shoots, coordinate location scouts, gather feedback and answer any other questions about a project that our creative team may have. They serve as the link that connects everyone on a project, and are essentially like the coach of a sports team, making sure that every person involved is following the game plan that will put us all in the best position for success.
The Sum of All Its Parts
TL;DR Every great project – and every great agency – is a sum of all its parts. It’s great creative, effective communication, on-time execution, excellent project management and all-around selfless and collaborative teamwork. It’s something that we pride ourselves on at PEG. Together, we’ll create amazing things together, and have a whole lot of fun while doing it. Ready to work together on your next project? Let's talk.
