Frequently Asked Questions

Why should I (or my organization) use video?

Film/video is the most revolutionary advancement in media over the past 100 years. As a marketing tool or information medium, it has no equal. Why?

Your sales people are great, but it's impossible for them to show what your company can do in 3 to 5 minutes. Video instantly impacts the viewer emotionally through sound and images, superceding the mediums of radio and print. It has an ability to take us behind the scenes, show your product in action, help the viewer perceive intangibles, present convincing information — all in a rhythm, style, and delivery that is carefully controlled, tightly edited, and infinitely repeatable — and at an affordable price.

In fact, new technology has now made the cost of producing video on par with that of print campaigns!

Video is everywhere — and customers expect it. The statistics don't lie:

• six times as many people prefer a video to printed information
• video expedites a buying decision by 72% compared to print, and leaves prospects more likely to purchase the product or service
• video boosts retention rates by 50% over a live presentation
• 94% of video direct marketing recipients will pass a copy along to a friend

The advantage of video over print is obvious: you're more likely to toss a flyer in the waste bin than you are a DVD. One picture may be worth a thousand words, but with video, there are literally 30 "pictures" per second — and video is a much more immersive experience: the pictures move and there is sound to help generate an emotional response in the viewer.

Simply put, companies who care about marketing know that video is effective — and that's why they use it.

But test yourself: take a look at some of the videos we have produced for our clients in our Portfolio or Archive page. Don't they pique your interest? Do you understand more about the services or products they offer? Are you not curious to find out more about them? Then ask yourself: "Is MY story being told?"

Why should I choose Pacific Producers Group?

For three simple reasons: We love what we do, we're enthusiastic about it, and we're good at it!

We've been successfully helping people and businesses tell their story since 1990. Why are we successful? We're interested in you and what you do. Check our referrals on the testimonial page and you'll see what our past clients like about the relationships we build with them:

..."patience", "hard-working", "approachable", "professional",
"expertise", "fair and reasonable", "responsive"...

We're not a factory. We produce award-winning client-centered video that features creative scriptwriting and high quality visuals.

As university graduates, we know how to research and familiarize ourselves with a topic, understand complex subject matter, and show it clearly and simply to an audience — "on time and on budget." Our progressive equipment also makes you or your company look good, while still being cost-effective.

Our creativity, coupled with our experience in multiple industries, with several types and lengths of video, and with businesses large and small, means we can handle your project, whatever size, and find great ways to tell your story.

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What does the video production process actually entail?

The process will vary depending on the type of production we are doing. In a typical video production, we would meet with you to discuss your goals for the video, your audience, how you would like it to look/feel, budget considerations, an approximate finished length, and what your planned final use (and format) for the video are.

Once we have listened to what you need, we would write a budget with a detailed cost breakdown and provide a contract for you to sign. Your signature on the contract becomes the official start of our work.

Once we have entered into contract for the production, we would research and write a script for you based on your initial input; if you already have a script, we would want to provide suggestions and feedback to ensure that it is, in fact, written for video — i.e. that it takes advantage of the strengths of the video medium, and that it will provide a strong direction for the finished, edited product. Our first draft of the script is considered "wild" — it's usually a good attempt to capture what you want expressed. You would take the first draft and give suggestions as to what you like and what you would like to change. We incorporate these revisions into our second draft. The client is usually allowed one more time to make any last changes to the script — and thus, our third version of the script is considered the "final" draft. In some cases, we "read your mind" correctly the first time, and there is no need for a second or third draft.

Once the script is finally approved, we would break it down for actual shooting, and contact you for scheduling shooting days (or one day, if that is all that's required), as well as locations (if it will be on your premises or elsewhere) and "talent" (whether these are real employees, or actors that we provide). This second phase is considered the "production" period, where the script comes to life on camera.

Once shooting is done, we begin the post-production process. This entails editing, and all that might come with it: titles, motion graphics, music, narration, stock footage, as well as the actual "cutting" of the video. Any logos, photos, or graphics the client wants to have included is provided during this editing period. Towards the end of this phase, you would be invited to our studio to take a look at a "rough cut" of the video, and to give your feedback about things you may want to change. With clients who can't make it into the studio, we will occasionally use FTP to send a small digital version of the video — or send a DVD — for them to preview the rough cut. As with the script, two feedback sessions are usually all that's required; the third version is invariably the final version, although some exceptions apply.

When the client has given final approval for the edited video (often referred to as the "final cut"), they receive a copy of the finished video in the format they initially requested in our first meeting. You may wish to have a DVD, VHS, DV, or Beta SP copy; it's up to you! If you have requested duplication, you would receive your duplicate copies as well. Pacific Producers Group always retains a copy of the master for our records — and in case you misplace yours.

In some circumstances, PPG is hired to produce something you have already written or shot; in these cases, the process is slightly different.

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What can I expect of PPG during the production?

We pride ourselves on service to the client. We love to have clients who are generous with their feedback and input; that way, we can better satisfy them. Production companies often spend all of their time focusing on merely the "art" of video production, but we think that good listening skills are just as important. You've got a story to tell, and we want to make sure that we understand it completely before we try to tell it to others. Our listening and our creativity is invaluable when it comes to solving your communication needs; we invite you to use us to the full! In kind, we'll keep you regularly updated on the status of your project, send you rough cut previews, voice-over artists to choose from, and will schedule shooting days for you or give recommendations as to what you have scheduled already.

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Is there anything I have to do or provide?

An initial meeting, script feedback and approval, rough cut suggestions, and final cut approval are the main things required for complete productions. You may, though, have logos, graphics, employees, location space, or other things that you are contributing or arranging for the production.

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How much does a video production cost?

There isn't a standard, flat rate for productions (except for legal video work, which is charged by the hour), as there are numerous variables that are optional and chosen, in the end, by you. Just like purchasing a car, your video production is customizable and can have various features added or removed based on your budget and preference. Some things that might add to the cost are:

• Actors
• Custom Motion Graphics
• 2D or 3D graphics
• Stock footage (for example, of remote locations)
• Travel expenses if outside the Lower Mainland
• Complex shots (underwater, aerial, time lapse, dolly/crane)
• Special editing (greenscreen/chromakey, compositing, F/X, etc.)
• Custom music
• Multiple professional narrators
• Location or studio rental and permits

The higher the budget, the more elaborate these elements can be. Our rates are competitive, though, and we shoot everything with broadcast quality HD cameras and use fast, digital non-linear editing equipment. Also standard with any PPG production are professional lighting and sound equipment kits -- and our standard kits come at no extra cost to you. The best way to figure out the cost is to contact us, and we can provide a detailed, itemized quote!

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What are your payment terms?

In most productions, once we have a contract signed and in place, Pacific Producers Group would be paid a third of the total budget up front, before the script is written. Another third is paid after scripting and filming is complete. Finally, when the "final cut" is delivered, the remaining balance is due.

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How can I pay for the production? Cash? Debit? Cheque? Credit card?

All of the above: we accept cash, debit, cheque, and Visa or Mastercard. Payment by credit card can be done over the phone.

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There's a lot of talk about web video, HD, etc. What format for my video do you recommend?

It really depends on how you plan to use your finished video; we can certainly offer suggestions for your particular production.

Here are some general things to consider:

• Web videos "cost" the same to produce as regular videos (same equipment, labour, graphics, music, and production process), but the media costs are much cheaper: storage and streaming on your computer is virtually "free", whereas DVD discs, VHS tapes, labels, cases, etc. have costs. However, most web videos suffer in viewing size and quality (resolution); larger viewing size and higher image quality require longer download/stream times for your audience. Youtube an dother video sharing sites are inexpensive ways to put content up (on a company Youtube channel for instance), without having to have an IT person design (or redesign) a web page for your videos.
• In terms of quality, Blu-Ray is the best, but only a small percentage of people have Blu-Ray or HD DVD machines; putting your project onto Blu-Ray is certainly a good way to view your material if you have a Blu-Ray player though. Still, it will likely be another few years before their usage becomes the standard. PPG offers other broadcast-ready formats like Betacam SP, but unless you plan to have your video broadcast on television, using these formats is unnecessary.
• At this time, the best bang-for-the-buck in terms of optical or tape media still comes from DVD. VHS machines are now obsolete and Hollywood studios no longer release their movies on tape. DVD's offer great picture and sound quality for the price, and DVD players are now common in all but a few homes.
• If we are shooting and editing your project on mini-DV (or DVCam), we will keep a copy of the finished master on DV tape for you. DV provides good quality mastering for DVD or tape duplication in the future. Material shot in tapeless digital format will be archived to hard drive.

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What if I need to change the video a few years from now? What then?

At Pacific Producers Group, we keep all of the raw, unedited footage in our archives, as well as your project files, narration, and graphics. Depending on what needs to be changed, we can re-edit segments of your original video from the raw footage we have in our archives. This is usually a cost-effective way to update your video!

Costs for re-editing vary according to the complexity of the task. For example, if you have to change contact information that was part of your closing title, this can be changed inexpensively. If you want to add some new footage, we can usually shoot the new footage and re-edit it seamlessly with the original. Changes to voice-overs or other things carry additional costs, but in general, re-editing a video is much more cost-effective than shooting an entirely new video from scratch.

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Do you shoot live events?

Yes. We offer one to three-camera shoots; cost varies accordingly.

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Do you shoot weddings?

No. We can recommend other established wedding videographers though, and we can duplicate wedding DVD's (or convert VHS tapes to DVD) for you.

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Can you transfer 8 mm film to VHS or DVD?

Although we regularly convert VHS, VHS-C, and other formats of video (including foreign — PAL and SECAM) to DVD, we rarely do 8mm transfers. We recommend Doug Johnstone at dvdhome.ca for his outstanding (and affordable) work with 8mm formats.

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I'd like to have multiple copies made of my video. Do you do that?

Yes. We can duplicate small or large quanities of DVDs (or even VHS). Contact us for current rates.

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Which areas of Vancouver do you serve?

Although we're more centrally located near Vancouver, we still serve the rest of Greater Vancouver, including the Fraser Valley and Squamish. Video production is a portable industry, so wherever you are located, we can help you!

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How can I contact you?

Phone: 604.374.5242
Email: info@pacificproducersgroup.com
Snail Mail: 4678 Highlawn Drive, Burnaby, BC V5C 3S8

All of our contact info is listed on our banner at the top of this page.