What important aspects of event video entrepreneurship does a video producer need to consider when taking the team approach? What does the video producer bring to the table and what is to be expected from the rest of the video production team members? Who calls the shots? Who feeds the crew? Who gets paid … or not? Insurance will often be a make-or-break factor for the client and for you. Are you prepared if the worst should happen and somebody gets hurt on the job or property gets damaged? There’s a lot to consider when stepping up to the video entrepreneur approach and organizing a team of professionals.
Will your gig generate the revenues necessary to cover this extra help? Will the extra help generate video production values sufficient to convince your client of its worth? Some event production could certainly use the small team video entrepreneurship approach and there might be times when it is profitable down the road to do something for less now. But do you want to go down that path?
Pick your events carefully, wisely and know your costs before you make an offer the event sponsors can’t refuse. It’s important to have an audio technician, video camera operator(s), lighting specialist in mind or to know where to find the small video entrepreneurship team you’ll need before pursuing gigs that support this approach to video production.
Many video entrepreneurs and independent video services providers get their start from independent, run-and-gun operations, often using an unmanned unit on a stationary tripod, setting up stand-alone digital recorders and/or using wireless mic systems, then shooting off-the-shoulder or using a monopod or another stabilization device to get the job done. During the course of your independent video production business operations, you develop resources and contacts that can prove valuable when you need to put together a small team for larger video productions.
The ability to get the gig, do the work, organize your small video team, develop production, editing and delivery strategies that are profitable is what makes or breaks you in pursuing video entrepreneurship for small teams. And then there’s the marketing. How do you find event planners that are willing to pay more to get higher quality video production?
Planning ahead is an absolute must in video entrepreneurship for small teams, beginning with knowing your expenses and having a reliable team of video production professionals going in. While run-and-gun as a lone video producer can do event videography as well, it’ll go much easier on the video entrepreneur who knows how and where to acquire the equipment, services and team members needed before taking on a video event production calling for more than one person.
Matthew York is Videomaker's Publisher/Editor.
