RFP for Video Production

You have just decided to keep up with trends and boost your business to the next level. So you will have your first video made and look for a video production company that will be the best fit. Where do you need to start? The market is full of companies offering the service. But let’s say you have a limited budget for creating a video and a general idea of what it should be. It’s time for RFP!

RFP (request for proposal) sent to different production studios will help you make an informed decision. It will reveal the company’s prices and ideas of what they can do in your very case. According to Loopio, the average timeline for the response is 23 hours, with 1-6 days for submission. Then you get a proposal for video production and choose the most appropriate one for your project. 

We will explain all the necessary aspects that need to be considered when writing an accurate RFP for video production. Do you want to write a request for proposal that will immediately lead you to a perfect candidate for your video production? Here you will find some tips on the basic does and don’ts. 

What is Video Production RFP?

Request for proposal is a general description of what kind of video you want. It states the time and budget limits, type, style, length of the video, and your general expectations from the company. 

Benefits of writing RFP:

• It shortens the list of candidates suitable for creating your video. Considering deadlines and budget, only a few of those present in the market will match your requirements and produce what you expect. 

• It gives necessary information to the video production company. The team you will be working with needs this to understand you and your goals better. Introduce yourself and your project to make better contact.
  
• It brings clarity. You can imagine the result you want to reach, and you have for sure a general idea of the style and features you want to include. But structuring it and writing it down will help you summarize and overlook your requirements. Making adjustments to your vision while creating a video production RFP is quite probable. 

8 Steps to Create Video Production RFP

Follow these tips to provide a proper structure to your request and include all the basics.

Company Overview

This part should be brief but informative. Try to include all the basics to introduce your company. You should mention:

• What kind of content it produces 
• What are the values and aims of its service or product 
• What is the current style of your brand 
• What kind of niche your company wants to occupy.

It’s still important to make vendors aware of who you are, but you can be laconic in this section.

Why Do You Want a Video

Here you need to add more details because this is the part that excites vendors most. Represent the purpose of shooting a video clearly, and be sure to specify the idea you have in mind. If you are not sure yet, indicate the type of upcoming video. Is it an event video, a product introduction, or an explainer? Factors like type, length, and goal make a difference and impact the duration of production and the cost. 

What is the Target Audience

This part is related to the goal of your video but also makes it more understandable for the video production company. Depending on who will be an average viewer of your video, it might differ in style, location, music, sound effects, and so on. You probably already know your user, so it makes sense to describe them to a video production studio. They might let you know if they have experience making videos for similar audiences. If you heard of studios working in your specific niche — contact them first.

Specify Selection Criteria 

Save the time of yours and the vendors by stating your selection criteria in the RFP. This will help video production companies understand if they are a perfect fit for your project. Mention what is vital to you. For instance, you want to find a company that offers affordable prices, a specific kind of expertise, or provides a certain type of production and equipment. Reviewing your RFP, the company will conclude if they can meet your requirements. Also, it’s worth mentioning how many agencies you are sending your RFP to. The general recommendation is not more than ten, to have a real choice between several.  

Mention Video Specifications and Distribution Strategy

The least you can do here is mention the type of platform you are aiming for. Is it social media, your website, or an app? Release of the final product and its distribution matter due to the format and other possible specifications. So if you know exactly what you need, stating it in your RFP will be helpful. 

Set the Deadlines and Deliverables

The timeline is one of the questions any agency would ask initially. It has to be mentioned, especially if your video should be released on a specific day or if you need to make it as soon as possible. If it’s not urgent, the vendors still want to estimate the possible price and the complexity of the shooting process. 

The number of deliverables and the expected duration of each stage will make it even easier for agencies to imagine what they will be dealing with. Each stage of production is an important gear. For instance, if you need the concept development and the scriptwriting included, it will impact the price and timeline. Besides, not every agency has the necessary equipment and staff to provide all production stages. 

Define the Budget

The agency will do its best to consider your requirements and calculate the approximate cost. Described in RFP video type, the time required for production and editing and any specifications will matter here. But since you have your budget limit, letting the vendors know about it will make things clearer. Remember that video production is quite costly, so you should study the price range before making a request.

What is the Style of Your Video

Vendors who provide different video production techniques will benefit if you include the style specification in your RFP. Of course, they can offer it in their proposition response, but perhaps you already know if you want your video to be live-action or animated. Style is another factor that has a major impact on your video’s price, time, and deliverables.

Top 5 Mistakes of Creating Video Production RFP

If you want your RFP to be right and clear, leading to a quick response without dozens of additional questions, try to follow this structure. Save time for more complex tasks that are about to occur. 

Lack of Information

Don`t forget to provide the essential information about your business, the type of your product or service, and the general aim of your company. Vendors will do their research anyway. But it is much more efficient if you share your vision. 

No Questions to Respond

Feel free to ask your questions. To be sure your expectations meet reality, get yourself involved. Your questions on the following topics will be the most relevant.

• How does the revision process go? This is important if you want to verify the results of the team’s work on time and not to delay the production.
  
• Are there any clients’ references? Not any website provides customer feedback. This information can convince you that you are making the right choice. Not only that, but also the agency’s comment on what they do best can be helpful. What if they are experts in live-action and you are looking for advanced animation?
  
• Who is involved in the team? Some agencies have the full package of specialists, including actors or actresses and scriptwriters, while other teams consist of three or four people.
  

As you can get from video production proposal samples, they can be quite concise. So if you don’t ask, you may not get the necessary answers on time. It could interfere with further cooperation. 

No Links and References

The vendors may not fully understand your requirements. Extra links and references will give them a better vision of the project. Sometimes one example is more valuable than two pages of explanations. 

Lack of Structure

The structure is important to any type of writing. To make sure that your RFP is clear and precise, divide the text into logical paragraphs. Don’t leave the readers at a loss. 

Overestimating the requirements

Most of us want the job to be done quickly, high quality, and e not expensive. But remember that whatever you state in your request for proposal video production is a complex and intensive process. Study the approximate costs and time required for production before setting your limits.  

Choose wisely

Each step of video production is important and leads to success at the next level. Do not underestimate video RFP since it sets a clear idea of what your planned video should look like. Writing an accurate request for proposal will help you get along with the video production company promptly. Then the creation process will finally start. Send a correctly composed RFP, get your proposals, and make your choice. 

If you are looking for partners to create stunning video content for your business, we at Explain Ninja are waiting for your email. Leave us a note and send your RFP. We are here to make any video and animation content to turn your idea into reality!