First you have to ask yourself this. Why do I want to start a production company? Then think long and hard about the answer. I'll make it easy for you and give you two only answers. The first is a passion for filmmaking, creating emotions and stories on celluloid whether it be on 30 second formats or feature length canvases. The second reason you would want to start up a production company is for the money.
It is imperative that you figure out which point you are starting at, then follow the steps outlined in this article. You can refer to my Production company and the Website Spot On Media to see an example.
FOR THE LOVE:
No matter what stage of life you're in or how much experience you have in Production, this is the best advice I can give you. Jump in. Invest a few thousand dollars and buy a Panasonic DVX-100A. This camera will give you the option of shooting at 24P to give your work a cinema look. Get a tripod ($120). This will be enough for you to get started and create short films and 30-second spots for local businesses.
How do you find local businesses? Just call them. Everyone wants to get on Television, so if they get a call from someone who offers to make them a free commercial, do you think they will refuse? Of course not. This will give you the experience you need and build a portfolio of 5-6 Television spots before you can start charging.
Many starters ask how to get Actors. There are so many FREE casting websites where you can post your project, and you will be surprised as to how many submissions you will receive from Actors who will work for free. Just like you, actors will participate for no money only to build their reel. Here are some free websites you can utilize: www.nowcasting.com, breakdownexpress.com, lacasting.com.
For voice-over actors, voice123.com is always a great source.
While you are building your portfolio, you can create a website that gives a little bio about you and lists the different services you offer.
FOR MONEY:
So you don't have any talent but still want to get into the production industry? No problem. If you have some start-up money, you can start off with designing a website. I can't stress the importance of a website. What do you put on it? You can find a ton of talented filmmakers who will gladly give you their work to put on a website for a minimal fee. Or you can make a deal with them of putting them in charge of producing the spots that come in as a result of their samples.
Be concise in your pricing packages and show your customers that you bring value to the work and you're going to make their business look good. There are three things customers want most out of a production company.
1. CHEAP
2. QUALITY
3. FAST
Most production companies will tell their companies to pick TWO. If the client wants the commercial to be cheap and fast... then the quality goes out the window.
If the client wants high quality and cheap, then the production company will take its time completing the project.
If the client wants quality and a fast turnaround, then the company will charge a pretty penny for the package.
What will make you stand out from the competition is if you offer all three of those BENEFITS!
For more information about TV commercial production visit www.spotonmediatv.com
If you liked this article, you may be interested in:
Commercial Production
Creative Branding
Television Ad Storytelling
Branding Exercises
Infomercial Production
DR Productions
DR Marketing
Direct Response Production
Direct Response Commercial
Infographics
