Frequently Asked Questions

1. What type of video does OHBOY! Pictures specialize in? 

At OHBOY! Pictures, we do not restrict ourselves to any particular types of videos. We work with clients from across industries to fulfill their needs, no matter whether it’s a promotional video, interview video, event video, music video or any other type of video content. At the end of the day, our focus is on providing exceptional service, rather than just the end product.

That said, we are aware of that range can sometimes come at the cost of depth. Thus, for projects requiring specialized video production services (eg. multi year timelapses), we will work with or direct you to our partners who are experts in the area. You can rest assure that we will not in any way compromise on the quality of your product.

2. How should I go about commissioning a video?

The first and most important step in commissioning a video is to put together a brief that will help video production companies to understand your needs.

Questions to ask yourself include:

1. What is the purpose of the video? To sell? To entertain? To inform?
2. What is the core message of the video? What is the main thing which audiences should understand after watching the video?
3. Who is the target audience?
4. What are the monetary (i.e budget) and non-monetary (i.e locations, talents, contacts, props etc) resources which you can put into the project?
5. What is the timeline of the project?
6. Is there any particular style of video which you are considering? Do you have any samples of what you have in mind?

Questions 1 – 3 are absolutely critical ones to answer before going out to search for a video vendor.

Answering questions 4 – 6 can further help vendors to give you an accurate and realistic proposal in terms of concept and quotation.

3. On that note, how much does it cost to produce a X-minute long video?

It would be disingenuous for us to provide you with a number without knowing any specifics of the project. Like many other creative services, the value of a video ultimately lies in its content (eg. complexity of edit, need for props and talents, camera used etc) rather than length. In fact, many of our short videos cost far more than long ones!

As a rough gauge, our pricing for filming runs in half (5 hours) and full day (10 hours) blocks, and run upwards from $1000 for a half day shoot with 1 cameraman. This will rise with the addition of scripting services, directing fees, talents and post production work. On average, we produce projects that are priced between $15,000 and $35,000.

4. That seems awfully expensive. Company Y gave me a quote for half the price! 

We would gladly concede customers to companies that are able to produce high quality work for a low price. Unfortunately, cheap and good are often oxymorons.

Although we are not able to comment definitively on the pricing strategies of other companies, what we do know is that our pricing is transparent with no hidden costs, provides reasonably for contingencies, and includes personalized and quality service for a smooth process.

Moreover, our pricing allows us to pay our freelancers fairly and on time, which is not always the case in our industry despite heavy reliance on freelancers.

5. Why do you use freelancers? Don’t you have an in-house crew? 

Our team consists of creatives – producers, directors and writers – who help set and guide the vision of the project, as well as a post production team which puts together the final product. Freelancers are used for the processes in between, i.e the actual filming itself.

Before freelancing became cool among the millennials, freelancers were already a steadfast feature of the video production industry. This is because companies do not typically film videos everyday, and thus a hiring full-time film crew often means shouldering costly spare capacity. On the other hand, using freelancers allows us to keep costs low, while further allowing for a customized team to be put together for each production, based on the specific needs of the project and skill sets of the individuals.

That said, we have built up a close relationship with a pool of freelancers whom we work with on the majority of our projects. Some of these freelancers have been working with us for longer than our in-house staff and we are thus well aware of their commitment and ability to make any project a success.

6. How long does producing a video take?

There is no one answer for this and in fact, we have worked on timelines varying from 2 weeks to 2 years. While projects can generally be completed within 6 – 8 weeks, we will advise you in more detail upon understanding the requirements of the project and factoring in our available resources.

Common factors which can affect the timeline for producing a video include the time needed to obtain permission to shoot at certain locations, the availability of talents/interviewees, and the time needed to gather comments from various stakeholders.

7. Who owns the footage you shoot for me?

While some clients explicitly state this in their contracts, others do not. Policies can differ from company to company but for OHBOY! Pictures, any footage taken for the project is owned solely by the client. Clients may either request for a copy of all raw footage upon completion of the project, or request a copy from us within 6 months. In both cases, charges will apply only for the provision of a storage medium, and not for the footage itself.