Teamwork and Collaboration On Video Projects
Most of us are taught basic teamwork skills from the time we are young. From swing sets to scout troops to sports teams, the ideas of cooperation, communication and coordination are important.
You learn early on that Together Everyone Achieves More, right?
These basic principles don’t really change as we get older, and move from playgrounds to office buildings.
The Three C's
Teamwork and collaboration are closely tied into the overall culture of producing great creative work.
Cooperation: You need a sense of community, equity and camaraderie. If everyone involved in the project is working towards the same goal – everyone is more likely to stay engaged and motivated.
Communication: Makes sure you understand each other and keep each other in the loop, not only to increase efficiency, but reduce overall stress and complications during the process.
Coordination: Being coordinated and organized through the process makes it easier for everyone to jump in and help when needed to provide additional support. It helps increase flexibility and maximize resources.
Key to Success
People often ask what the key is to a successful video project or campaign. And really it has little to do with what type of camera, editing technique or other bells and whistles are used. It may sound cliché, but it always comes back to open collaboration and teamwork from start to finish. There’s a beautiful creative synergy that occurs when everyone - this means everyone from creatives, to account teams, to clients - is on the same page and working towards a clearly-defined and established end goal.
Team and Collaboration From the Start
This starts from square one. When work starts on a new project with any new or existing partner, it's important to meet with them, ask questions and really listen to what they have to say. 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.
i.e. Get everyone cooperating and on the same page.
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. Account Managers are always involved and keep the clients up to date on everything as things progress. And there is always ample time built in for feedback and notes at every step to make sure everyone's voice is being heard.
i.e. Stay in constant communication throughout the project.
As the project evolves, there are lots of moving pieces and parts - from location to storyboards to music tracks to voiceovers - there are a lot of creative decisions are made even before we get to the shoots and edits! Sometimes a client wishes to do these things themself, but other times its important for Account Managers to use their expertise and make sure all those different parts are brought together on-time, on-focus and on-budget.
i.e. Put an emphasis on staying coordinated and organized!
Dedicated Account Managers
At PEG, the way we achieve these three C's to success 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. PEG believes that coordination and communication are important enough to be a full-time job in itself, performed by team members who specialize in those areas.
This also allows our creative team members to focus on creating high-end work and put their time and energy into the creative and production process. They are still included on calls and meetings so they can talk directly to clients, 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 quality that PEG delivers.
But those Account Mangers also aren’t just working with external partners, 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 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 puts 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. We’ll create amazing things and we'll do it together.
