How to Avoid Hiring a Sub-Par Videographer

Within about two weeks, I had two clients come to me after getting burned by another video provider. In both cases, the product offered by the other videographer was of a much lower quality than the client expected. Unfortunately, the discrepancy in expectations was not apparent until the project was completed, so the client lost both time and money in the transaction. There are a lot of ways to make sure you and the videographer are on the same page, but one thing should happen first and foremost:

#ProTip: Ask the videographer for work samples.

Seeing what a videographer has done in the past is the best way to predict what they will do in the future. They will likely use the same technique and equipment, which will determine the quality of the new video. Beyond the technical, each videographer has an artistic style, and their past work can help you see if that style matches your vision. You can even use those previous videos to help you convey your expectations for your own project, like, “I really liked all of the quick cuts,” or “We would want there to be more color in our backgrounds.” Work samples can serve as a guiding light to help you pick your videographer, because you’ll be investing far too much money and time to take a shot in the dark.

Katie Rutter is the executive producer of Thing in a Pot Productions. She has received multiple awards for her videos and the overall quality of her work, including being honored as Video Producer of the Year in 2018 by the Catholic Press Association. Subscribe to our newsletter to receive our video Pro Tips in your inbox every month!