How do you maintain creativity and professionalism with video clients?

I also believe from my experience at a creative agency, that having a project manager greatly saves your creative energy from burning out. A project manager in this case would be someone who is able to communicate with clients about how long the process will take, key milestones, feedback rounds and ultimately be able to turn the clients wants and needs into a creative brief. If you are a freelancer, it is possible to learn basic project management initiatives. I particularly like using Trello or other forms of Kanban boards. This is an extremely easy way to keep track of different project metrics, deadlines and updates for the customer to see or for your ease of communication.

My experience shows that the most important things in negotiation is having enough information about the strategy of brand. All the things will happen after this...

Something that's helped me take creative risks with more confidence is getting the clarity ahead of time on the elements of a project that the client has specific goals/visions for, and what elements are 'open' to your creative interpretation.

It's helpful to ask clients if they have a reference video that they want to emulate. This helps to have a better idea of what they're looking for as well as the level of production needed for the job.

Think of it this way... The client bakes the cake and you frost and decorate it. That's the creative part. Every moving picture is a film, not a "video". Semantics count, always. Videos got phased out in the late 90s. Referring to a project as a film changes everyone's mindset and expands the stories perspective. The "cake" is the story. The history. The idea. The " wish " by the client. How the story is delivered is a stylistic interpretation created by the director. The client is involved in the development of the interpretation with your guidance and creativity as the director. Film has 3 intrinsic requirements for delivering a story. Sight Sound Meaningful replies not possible at 750 character limit.

It’s very important to study and understand how an idea translates into money. Ultimately a video project comes down to how muck it’s going to cost. And how much you’ll spend and get to keep. Knowing how much it will cost to capture a client’s vision saves you time and your client. A budget provides boundaries for creative development. This means every element of the production process must be kept in mind. And financial stewardship is key to creating an idea. Lots of creatives are great with coming up with ideas for clients, but not many are savvy unto how much those “great” ideas cost. Knowing how much one idea costs, one scene costs, etc., means knowing the business of video / film production.

It's really important to communicate everything to a customer from the get-go. I've had projects where something has gone wrong with my technology, which has increased a day on the original deadline. Due to the fact I was able to communicate this with the customer they were more than happy to extend the deadline without any hesitation. If for example I hadn't communicated this issue, it would break the trust barrier created with the customer.

Establishing your process and being able to communicate it clearly is incredibly important. Another thing to add is when communicating this whether it’s over email, a call, or in person your demeanor and tone can also influence how the client responds. Your approach has a significant role to the start of the relationship with the client.

This falls into the "Scope of Work" category. I find that having a scope of work that details, process, vision, locations, equipment, responsibilities, editing and deliverables helps not only the client understand what to expect but also those involved in the project including myself and crew, on a step by step.

When showcasing work as a production manager a completed video may be the right path to showcase. If you are a videographer there may be stock footage that was used in a project and showcasing that may give a client the feeling that you shot all of the content. It is important to have those conversations with your clients.

Show a client work that is relevant to them and their sector. If you have nothing of your own, show them work that you know ticks their boxes. Then demonstrate to them how you can emulate this.

I watched a YouTube video last year and it's changed the way I refine my videography skills, Normally I would wait until a client project to try something new or refine a certain skill. However after watching this video, the creator explained how he went out and practiced his favourite shots from films and did that in his own surroundings. I first practiced this with a Gimbal that I bought and was able to learn a lot quicker than if I was to put pressure on myself learning on set with a customer. Now I am fairly advanced at using a gimbal and it's something that I can include in my skill stack.

I find that in the early stages, spending a little time with your client on YouTube to see what peeks their interest, gives you a chance to discuss why you might do something slightly different for their project. Remember many clients hire you for your experience and direction in the process not just to produce a video.

Boundaries are key and help maintain professionalism. Clients want creativity and they are relying on your expertise- so definitely refrain from over promising and underdelivering. They want you to communicate and speak up to keep the standards high.

A life lesson for everyone here, always set professional boundaries! When you are working in a demanding profession such as videography, clients may not understand how much work goes into videos. However it's up to you to communicate clearly what you can and can't do and also the time it's taking you. Don't be afraid of the response or loss of business you may get from communicating your boundaries. I've actually found that people in business respect this more when you are able to display self-awareness

There are different types of clients. Individuals, small businesses to large corporations. And quite often companies that have marketing teams that have already completed focus groups. Understanding the clients goals also means understanding their vision. As a project manager or videographer it is important to know when you are creating a clients vision or your own. Recently a client wanted specific stock footage placed into their videos. I explained why it wasn't a good fit. The client insisted, so I used them. After review the client agreed they did not fit the story. We then went in my direction. Most clients can't visualize. If you are able to storyboard ahead of time this can help maintain a better client relationship and boundaries.

This is good advice. I used to be a videographer before the term was even used. Nowadays I direct lighting camerapeople and DoPs. The way I see it "creativity" is nothing to aspire to, if you serve your craft and the brief, creativity will take care of itself. I immediately reject a portfolio that features all the standard gimmicks like sliders and slo-mo. Keep it simple, get the shots to tell the story.

A client is always looking to solve a problem. With video it is important to simplify the solution, even if the production is complex. Never make commercial work about you, until you get to a level when clients come to you specifically for your approach. And don't fall into the technology-race trap. Videography isn't about the kit! It's about understanding what kit (and so much more) will achieve the required end result. Save your money for your promotional/test shoot/hiring someone to do your socials really well, rather than upgrading every year.

At the first stage, 1. Motivation arousal is led by the presales manager in working with the client. At subsequent stages of customer relationship management, various specialists are involved. Let’s go through the stages of working with the video client: 1. Motivation arousal 2. Solution selection, budget. 3. Contract signing, briefing, timelines, payment terms. 4. Solution/product delivery. 5. Receipt of final payment. 6. Contract closure. Signing of acceptance certificates. 7. Transition to the first stage. Creativity and professionalism will grow proportionally to the client’s budget.