MindsEye Productions
Video FAQ
1. How much does a video cost?
2. How long will it take?
3. What's involved?
4. Can we do it ourselves?
5. What kind of gear do you use?
6. Can I get a tour of your production facility?
7. Can our video go on our website?
If it's our credentials you're looking for, check the credits page for a sampling of past projects. To get the particulars about other services offered by MindsEye Productions, see our wordsFAQ or webFAQ. And if you have any other questions, please do contact us.
1. How much does a video cost?
Well, now, how much does a car cost? It all depends: do you want a Whopping Big Mother of an SUV, or the chocolate-brown Skoda that's trying to shine down at Billy Bob's Carporium? Realistically, a professionally produced 6- to 10-minute video will run you anywhere from $5,000 to $30,000, depending on the "options" you want to include. Bring in the producer (that's MindsEye) as early as possible and we can help you plan a cost-efficient project. And, of course, our standard business ethics apply.
2. How long will it take?
From "Hey, we should do a video!" to completion can take from a few weeks to a year, depending on a number of variables. We find that many people underestimate the time required to get everyone on their committee signed off on a draft script, for example — there are several such "approval points" in the process, and each one will take time. And then there's Nature. If your video requires outdoor fall activities and it's now November, you can't get that footage until next year. But don't wait until next September to start planning — do it now.
3. What's involved?
We'll walk you through the details when we meet, of course, but here's the general process: Before you start phoning around to production companies, determine exactly why you need a video and who the audience is. Meet with several producers and see who's a good fit for you. There are a whole lot of details to work out before the camera rolls, and a "treatment" helps to get us all on the same page. Next, and the most important step, is the script — we like to set our script in 2 columns (video/audio), to help you visualize what you'll see and hear from moment to moment. With an approved script, we can move on to organizing the actual shoot: location, crew, talent, gear, permits — all the logistics and details. The footage that's acquired must then be edited into a rough cut of the program. You'll be asked to approve this offline, then it's tweaked into a finished version and copies are made.
4. Can we do it ourselves?
This calls for another "car analogy" — Ever read the fine print at the bottom of the screen on those TV car ads where the car slides sideways past a surreal desert sunset? "Professional driver, closed course." That applies to many things in life. We all have our specialties. MindsEye Productions, for example, doesn't do computer animation, veterinary surgery, or septic-tank maintenance. For those, we go to the professionals.
5. What kind of gear do you use?
Anything we need. We decided 10 years ago not to invest heavily in boxes full of technology that would be outdated before the first bank payment cleared. We do, however, know people who have all the cool toys — and as far as we know they still like us. So we rent broadcast-quality equipment and buy edit-suite time as required, and we hire some very fine local freelancers when we need extra crew.
6. Can I get a tour of your production facility?
Sure. But if you're looking for a shiny-new office tower packed with cool electronics, you won't find it here. Corporate HQ for MindsEye Productions is an old farmhouse in Keswick Ridge, New Brunswick — and, coincidentally, our home. While others are commuting, you know we're already at work.
7. Can our video go on our website?
Yes, indeed. With today's technology we can do a whole bunch of really neat things — including delivering video via the internet. Mind you, that doesn't mean that your customers in Show-me, Missouri, will see full-screen broadcast-quality video of your Stir-o-latomometer. Video files are digitized using a CODEC (compressor/decompressor) which essentially throws away some of the redundant information about the recorded picture and sound. This reduces file size, although it will also reduce the quality of the video that's delivered to your viewers. But the Silicon Valley technology elves are working on that, right now.