When you begin your search for a production company there are a few things to consider: Budget, timeline, quality, communication…

But how do you know which company is actually right for you? Maybe this is your first experience selecting a Production company and aren’t sure what to expect or where to begin.

The first step in hiring any sort of Production Partner should always be establishing a clear vision of what you want and what will be necessary to achieve it in a measurable way. A simple yet effective way to do this is developing a scorecard. This scorecard should consist of four questions with ideal answers detailing exactly what you expect from a production company. When you ask these questions, determine if their answers match what you are looking for, making it easy to figure out who is the right fit for you.

This method of expectation-driven interviewing allows you to see beyond flashy sales pitches and find a company that understands and can give you exactly what you want. For example, when choosing a new cell service provider, you determine exactly how many lines you need, how much data you need, and which device you want based on the features you need. This list of expectations helps you avoid selecting a package that might be a great deal but won’t provide you with the specific services you require. In the same way, a production scorecard helps you weed out the extras that may sound impressive but won’t add value to your production and allows you to focus on finding your specific wants and needs in a production company.

What is your process?

This question isn’t necessarily to help you find a process that works best for you, but rather to make sure a company has a production process in place that they are familiar with, confident in, and can communicate articulately. This step will help you rule out disorganized, inexperienced companies who will not be able to update you on the status of your project regularly. Ask them to walk you through their process on paper, ask them for an estimated timeline, ask them to set a clear expectation of what they will be able to do for you. If a company cannot make this clear for you right away, you’re likely in for a lot of going back and forth, wasting your time and money. The right production partner will make sure to set the right expectations for you, can tell you exactly what you can expect from them, and can tell you what you need to do to make sure your collaborative experience is flawless.

What are you really good at?

If a video production company replies that they are really good at video production, hang up. Asking a company what they’re good at gives them the opportunity to set themselves apart and show you what they’ve got that other companies don’t. If they are unable to identify and articulate areas of production where they shine they most likely aren’t worth your time. If they are able to dig deeper and list strengths that you’ve identified as must-haves on your scorecard, follow up by asking for specific examples of their expertise at work. Building your scorecard for this question is a bit different because you can be a bit more specific with your expectations. You want experts in a specific niche that matches your scorecard. More importantly, you want people that will understand how you work and what you do so they can sell your experience or product accurately on film. Set your specific expectations before speaking to a company so you know exactly what you’re looking for and won’t be tempted by a flashy showreel that has nothing to do with your project.

What are you not good at?

Asking what a company is bad at reveals something more important than any skill or strength: Are they honest? If a company either can’t come up with a weakness or humble-brags about how they “work too hard” they are lying to you. Every person, company, and brand has its flaws, and that’s cool as long as they don’t lie about them. As far as navigating responses to this question on your scorecard, come up with things that you absolutely need from your production partner and if a company is able to genuinely list some pitfalls without ruling out a must-have service they could be the company for you.

When (not if) I contact your references, what would they rate you on a scale of 1-10?

Actions speak louder than words so naturally a company’s work will tell you more about them than an interview alone will. Make it a requirement that companies provide you with at least 3 references who can speak to their process, professionalism, and quality of work. When asking this question, be sure to ask what their references will say when you call them, not if. Letting them know that you will reach out to references and will ask for a rating of their work might inspire them to be a bit more critical of themselves and, again, more honest. Obviously, on your scorecard, you’d prefer companies to consider their work high on that scale, but be sure to get a rating from their references to get an accurate idea of how well their work is received by clients.

Using this method of scoring production companies can give you control over an otherwise overwhelming process. There’s no denying the amount of work that goes into selecting the right production partner for you, but the results will always be well worth your time and efforts. Spending that extra time choosing the right company once will always beat working with someone who will make you look bad, waste your time, and not be able to give you what you want. Make your scorecard, spend time time, and get the job done right the first time.

The post From Scorecard to Success: How Setting Specific Expectations Will Lead You to Your Perfect Production Partner appeared first on True Film Production.