Are you looking to hire a professional videographer for your Oregon business or event? Here's my best advice for how to find a skilled and affordable video production team in the Portland area.
I get asked all the time about how to find the perfect videographer for a particular type of event or industry. So I went ahead and made this video to highlight the most important ways to find the right videographer for you.
Of course, if you're looking for a professional and affordable Oregon videographer, let's talk. I'm an experienced cinematographer, editor, drone pilot, and online marketer and I'd love to work with you on creating the perfect videos for your business or event.
So what should you be looking for in a professional videographer?
Check out their reels
The first place to look when considering a videographer is at their reel. This is a short highlights clip that shows off their best work. If they don't have a reel, that's a big clue you may not be dealing with a professional.
Personally, I don't just have one reel. For each industry and type of scenario that I have extensive experience, I make an individual reel. That's why I have my main commercial reel (above), plus an interview reel, an events reels, a real estate reel, a drone reel, and more.
While it may take only a few gigs for a videographer or editor to make their first reel, specific reels for a specific industry, like food and beverage, require extensive experience in that field in order to have enough footage to cut into a highlights reel.
Finally, I want to emphasize that when looking at reels, don't just pay attention to the overall talent. You are specifically looking for a videographer who matches the style and tone of your brand.
Look at their complete videos too
Reels are nice, but that's only the first step when comparing videographers. Once you find a few that you like, have a look at their complete client videos. Whereas a highlight reel will pick the best two or three shots from a particular job, the full video will require a lot more footage.
Are their full videos of high quality from the first shot to the last? If so, then you know that this is a professional who's able to execute on a marketing plan and deliver.
Check out my client work here.
Find someone with experience in your industry
As mentioned above, industry match is important. A videographer could be the best drone pilot in all of Oregon, but that doesn't make them the right person for your close up product videographer.
Bear in mind that it may not need to be an exact industry match. If you're a real estate business, you could certainly work with a videographer who's done extensive work with tourism and travel clients, as they will have a lot of experience with outdoor videos, aerial photography, architecture shoots, and more.
Make sure they are reliable
A great real doesn't mean someone is easy to work with. You know what they say about the temperament of artists. Use the interview process as a way to get a feel for whether this person is reliable and good at meeting deadlines.
Ask questions about what they might do if a shoot encounter obstacles. Also, keep track of your interactions. Are they prompt at responding to requests and good at communicating? These are good signs that you may have the right person.
Get the right gear
Unless you are a videographer yourself, you probably have no idea of what type of gear you need to make a professional quality video. So what can you do to make sure that your videographer has the right gear and knows how to use it?
A good idea is to find 2 to 3 examples of videos that you like that are close in style to what you want. Ask the videographer if they have examples like this and what kind of gear they need to make them. This should start a good conversation about the logistics of your shoot and give you a good idea of whether they know what they are talking about or not.
Find an affordable videographer
Video is a big investment. It's not something to be entered into lightly, without a good understanding of the total costs. Unfortunately, it's not as simple as just asking a video production team how much it costs to make a 3-minute video.
There's a lot that goes into video production. Before I can give a client a quote, I need to know how many locations will be required, how many people will be interviewed, what type of lighting is required, and what type of special gear is needed, such as drones or stabilizing gear.
Most professional videographers will offer some standard packages that clearly outline what is included. This is a good starting point to get an idea of what the overall cost of your video campaign will be.
Find the right videographer for your business or event
Looking for a videographer? I am an experienced video production specialist based in Portland, Oregon. I'm happy to answer any questions you have about your video needs.
Let's make some great content together!