What can a video do for my business? What does the production company do? Why should I choose Big Sky Productions? How much will it cost? How long does it take to make a video? What are the steps involved? What questions will Big Sky Productions ask me? Can I see examples of Big Sky Productions’ work?

What can a video do for my business? A video can take your audience somewhere they cannot otherwise go. A video can present your product or service directly to your audience in your words, from your perspective, with precision and repeatability. A video can blend pictures and words and music to impact your audience across a range of senses and emotions. A video can motivate your employees or your sales force to help your business work smarter whether to save money or make more money. And if for some reason a video is not the best medium to communicate your message, we’ll say so.

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What does the production company do? Video production is a collaborative process wherein a producer assembles a team of freelance creatives, technicians and specialized subcontractors chosen specifically to fit each unique project’s needs. The Production company manages the entire process from start to finish on behalf of the client. Depending on the needs of the project, this can include collaborating with writers, directors, casting directors, actors, directors of photography, art directors, set designers, location scouts, lighting directors, stylists, audio recordists and specialists ranging from stunt coordinators to animal wranglers. A crew can range from a couple of people to a couple dozen. Most if not all are free-lancers. The production company coordinates the services of all these individuals, handles the billing, payment and accounting, carries special production insurance, contracts with the various equipment vendors to supply the cameras, lights, audio equipment and more, and packages all these goods and services into one simple, single point of contact with the client. And in addition to managing the creative process during all stages of production, the production company is also responsible for creating the budget and production schedule and ensuring that the final product is delivered on time and on budget.

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Why should I choose Big Sky Productions? You need your project to be handled professionally. You need to trust that every step of the process will meet or exceed your expectations and cast you in the best possible light to your colleagues and superiors or your clients. You need to know it’s going to look great, sound great, feel great, produce the desired result, and be done on time and on budget. With over twenty years of experience to draw upon, you can trust the professionals at Big Sky Productions to deliver on every count.

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How much will it cost? Just as no two productions are exactly alike, no two budgets are the same. The first step in answering this question is to identify exactly what you do and don’t want in order to make your production a success. We’ll ask you questions about your needs (see below) and then offer our suggestions for achieving your goals. Next we’ll build a budget estimate line by line, itemizing for you exactly what each labor item and piece of equipment will cost and how our value added services will streamline the process and save you money in the long run. Some clients know up front what they want to spend, and in those instances we work backwards to determine the best way to achieve the objectives within the budget parameters. Fine tuning the budget is the first priority. This important first step can be every bit as creative as composing a beautiful shot on camera; the key is to make sure every customer gets the best possible product at the lowest possible price.

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How long does it take to make a video? What are the steps involved? There are three steps in every project: pre-production, production, and post-production. The amount of time each of these steps can take varies, often significantly, from one project to the next, but it is helpful to understand each step: PRE-PRODUCTION is the crucial first step. After identifying your needs, we build the budget and tentative production schedule for client review and approval. Upon client approval of costs and timeline, we develop the concept and write the script (if applicable), analyze the production and post-production needs, develop a shooting script or shot breakdown, cast the talent or pre-interview the subjects, assemble and schedule the resources necessary to complete the job, secure the crew, equipment, locations or studio space, purchase the raw materials… in essence, whatever it takes to make sure that everything will be in place before the first day of production. For jobs involving extensive production, pre-production can take several days. Other jobs are created primarily in post-production and require less pre-production, yet careful, orgainzed planning is integral to every project and is a key service we provide. PRODUCTION is where the raw materials are shaped, framed, set into motion and recorded for subsequent manipulation in post-production. Blending the creative abilities of the people in front of the camera and those behind it, the process of capturing new images and sounds on tape is the essence of the production process. The scope of the process is infinitely scalable and depends on the needs of the project. Some shoots require two or three people, while others may require ten times as many. Some simple projects might be shot on one location in one day, while others can take a crew around the world and take months to shoot from start to finish. So the best answer to the question, “How long does it take” is to simply say, “It depends.” Each project is unique, but after we discuss your objectives and budget, we’ll agree on a plan to get it done as expediently as possible without sacrificing quality, on time and on budget. POST-PRODUCTION is where the raw images and sounds are edited and shaped and combined with graphics and special effects and music into the desired end product. The steps of this process vary in duration depending on the quantity of new material and the complexity of the finished product, and can include: Digitizing the new images and sounds into the computer system on which the project will be edited Organizing the new material, notating the best takes, transcribing interviews, loading music and graphics Editing a rough cut, exporting a copy for client review, revising it according to client feedback, fine-tuning it Mixing the music, voiceover and source audio, adding sound effects, finishing a stereo or surround mix Final color correction, full resolution layoff to tape or conversion to other formats for streaming, DVD or other

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What questions will Big Sky Productions ask me? One of our primary objectives is to make the production process as efficient for you as possible. Right from the start, we’ll ask you a number of questions to make sure we understand your business and your objectives, and in turn we want to make sure that you understand what is required of the client in order for the whole process to run smoothly. Here are some things you’ll want to have clearly defined before you make the first call to a prospective production company: Who is your audience: Retail customer? Business to business? Internal employees? Event audience? How will you reach them, via what format? Television? Internet? DVD? Projection? What is your core message? What response are you trying to elicit? What do you want your audience to do? To feel? Do you have a budget already established? Do we need to budget according to a fixed price? Do you have certain individuals in mind, or star talent, whom you would like to be included in the production? Do you have certain locations in mind, which you would like to be filmed? Will travel be required? Are there existing materials which you would like incorporated into the production? Do you anticipate a need for extensive graphics, animation, or special effects? Will there be a expert primary contact person available throughout the process? How many people will be involved in the review process? How long will your review process take? Do you have a fixed deadline? Are there certain dates we need to accommodate in the schedule? How soon would you like to get started?

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Can I see examples of Big Sky Productions’ work? In our PORTFOLIO, you can see examples of the high quality of our past productions and the breadth of our experience. You can also read what past clients and collaborators have to say in these Testimonials along the left column of this page. And you’re more than welcome to give us a call, pay us a visit, ask us any question you’d like. We’re here for you.

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