PRE-PRODUCTION
PART ONE: RESEARCH
Our videos are built on a foundation of research, planning and careful strategy. Here’s a rundown on the process leading up to our initial video pitch.
First, we learn everything about your business.
We study every page of your website, we look at all your marketing materials, and most importantly, we ask you questions, in order to create a profile of your business that encompasses your history, your core services, and your unique qualities.
Next, we assess your competition.
We look at other similar local businesses, and what kind of videos they’ve done. Then we look at your industry as a whole, and find out what the absolute top firms in the world are doing with their video marketing. The idea is to not copy, but improve upon what’s been done, so that you’re sure to stand out.
Then, we create a series of marketing messages.
These are custom-made for your business that are impactful, memorable, and digestible. Through our research, we’ve found out what makes your company unique, and now we communicate those differentiators with grace and flair.
Finally, we come up with the concept(s) for your video.
Concepts come in all shapes and sizes. There are different kinds of videos (narrative commercials, customer testimonials), and there are different tones (funny, nostalgic, sentimental, serious). Only one concept will be perfect for you—but we usually pitch you on a few, just so you have options.
PART TWO: SCRIPTWRITING
Once the concept has been approved, and we’ve been hired for the job of creating your video, we get started on writing the script.
The script is the blueprint for the video.
A video can only be so long. It’s important to keep people engaged. We grab viewers from the opening image and pull them through a gripping story that they won’t be able to look away from. Our scripts will make anyone in your company who reads it ‘see’ the final video— and be excited about it.
We write within your budget.
We’re not going to set a scene in a Roman coliseum with gladiatorial lions wearing laser beam-firing helmets if you don’t have the money for it. We take your project’s budget into consideration when writing, and write scenes that we can actually pull off. We squeeze the production value out of every dollar, making your video look much more expensive than it actually was.
We offer unlimited revisions.
Once we finish the initial draft, we ask for your feedback and incorporate it. This process repeats itself over and over until you’re head over heels with the script and can’t wait to shoot it. Although we try to nail it the first time, there’s no limit to how many script revisions we’ll do.
Now that the script has been approved—or in Hollywood-speak, ‘greenlit’— it’s time to put it into production. But most of the work happens before the camera ever rolls.
PART TWO: SCRIPTWRITING
Once the concept has been approved, and we’ve been hired for the job of creating your video, we get started on writing the script.
The script is the blueprint for the video.
A video can only be so long. It’s important to keep people engaged. We grab viewers from the opening image and pull them through a gripping story that they won’t be able to look away from. Our scripts will make anyone in your company who reads it ‘see’ the final video— and be excited about it.
We write within your budget.
We’re not going to set a scene in a Roman coliseum with gladiatorial lions wearing laser beam-firing helmets if you don’t have the money for it. We take your project’s budget into consideration when writing, and write scenes that we can actually pull off. We squeeze the production value out of every dollar, making your video look much more expensive than it actually was.
We offer unlimited revisions.
Once we finish the initial draft, we ask for your feedback and incorporate it. This process repeats itself over and over until you’re head over heels with the script and can’t wait to shoot it. Although we try to nail it the first time, there’s no limit to how many script revisions we’ll do.
Now that the script has been approved—or in Hollywood-speak, ‘greenlit’— it’s time to put it into production. But most of the work happens before the camera ever rolls.
PRODUCTION
PART THREE: PLANNING THE SHOOT
Preparation is everything. By the time we show up on set, all the details have been worked out beforehand in order to make for a smooth shoot. Here are some of those details:
We cast the video.
indoreFirst, we do a search of all the actors who could play the roles. We put together a document listing their ages, heights, pictures, and reels. Then, after reviewing the options with you, we hire the perfect actors to represent your particular brand.
We scout locations.
Some videos can be filmed entirely in your office. For others, more elaborate locations are required. We try to save you money by shooting in places you already have access to, but if the budget allows, we can find any type of location for shooting, from restaurants to studios.
We find costumes and props.
Is the main character in your commercial a firefighter, a talking robot, a caregiver, or a stay-at-home mom? Whatever concept we dreamed up for you, now we start bringing it to life through the clothes the characters wear and the objects they use. A story is only as good as its characters, and we want to create iconic ones for your brand.
We handle the insurance and permits.
Shooting a video involves lots of paperwork. It’s important to make sure we have permission for everything we shoot, so that everything is clean and legal and you own your video 100%: no ifs, ands, or lawsuits. From location insurance to actor’s permission forms, we cover all the angles.
Now that we’ve done our homework, it’s time for the fun part—shooting your video!
PART FOUR: SHOOTING YOUR VIDEO
Here’s a few reasons why Minifridge Media is the best possible company to shoot your next commercial or corporate video project.
We shoot with the most advanced cameras and equipment possible.
At Minifridge Media, we shoot most of our commercials on the RED Epic Dragon, the same exact camera used to film most Hollywood movies, as well as television commercials. (This doesn't mean we charge Hollywood prices).
We shoot in 4K.
This means our videos are perfect for social media. We can crop them into square format without losing any resolution.
We hire experienced, professional crews.
Our camera teams are the best in the business. They’re ready to move at a moments notice; they’re true artists; and above all, they’re incredibly professional and polite, which means you can feel comfortable bringing them into your office.
We offer freelance directing services.
Our founder, Andrew David Osborne, is an accomplished director, having directed every video in the Minifridge Media portfolio. He’s also directed videos on behalf of other companies and brands, and he’s available to direct your video. Ask for his day rate here.
POST-PRODUCTION
PART FIVE: VIDEO EDITING
Our founder, Andrew David Osborne, got his start at Toronto’s top post-production firm, working on commercials for big brands like FedEx, BMO, and Expedia. So it’s no wonder Minifridge Media takes the editing process seriously, and is well-regarded for its editing skills.
We edit using the best software in the industry.
We edit on high-end Mac stations using industry editing software, including the Adobe Creative Cloud. Our stations allow us to handle any sort of video format and deliver our final product in a format that suits our clients needs.
We offer unlimited revisions.
No other firm will offer this. We want you to be insanely happy with your final video. So we’ll keep going back and forth until it’s perfected. Of course, it usually only takes a few cuts to get it right, but at least you have the option.
We offer freelance editing services.
We are available to edit your video project. Have footage but don’t know how to put it together? Contact us for a custom quote on your project. Our rates are extremely competitive and our work is top notch.
PART SIX: COLOURING,
SOUND DESIGN & VFX
Almost at the finish line. There’s just a few more crucial steps we take in order to give your video that truly professional polish.
Colour-grading is the process of making colours beautiful.
It’s a little known and vastly under-appreciated process that is critical to the look and feel of your video. We use the best colour-grading firm in Canada, Alter Ego, as our colourists and they do a fantastic job. Click here to see how they’ve transformed some of our videos.
We use the same voiceover artists employed by the world’s biggest brands.
Our database of voiceover artists sends us project-specific auditions, where they read your script out loud. That way, you can watch your video with lots of different voiceover artist options and decide which is the best fit.
We’re experts at VFX.
When we say VFX, we mean a lot of things. It means logo animations, or animated name tags for interview subjects. In many cases, it means digitally inserting your app or website into a blank computer screen. Whatever visual effects your video needs, we have the team to make them look amazing.