To my fearless clients – This may be a little long-winded but I promise the 10 minutes you take to read this will save you hours and days on the first project you apply it to. 

For some context, I’ve been working in commercial production for over 15 years and have worked on hundreds of successful campaigns with clients all across the globe. 

As the EP at Eastward I’ve produced commercial, branded, political, and entertainment content with a wide range of clients from all different backgrounds and experience levels. Some have been a dream to work with, while let’s say – others have maybe presented a few more challenges along the way. 

With the goal of helping myself by helping you –I've put together a little guide to end your creative misery and help you become the ultimate production partner.

Know your budget and be transparent: 

1. During the bidding/budgeting process please have a clear budget in place and be transparent about it. Production costs can vary drastically from production to production and there is no point in us providing a creative treatment that clearly could not be accomplished in the budget you have. Our goal is to provide solutions and if we don’t know the budget (or you're unwilling to share) you limit our ability to help. 

2. Please don't ask us to bid 8 variations of the same project – this just wastes everyone's time and resources and makes it clear you don’t know what you really want. We’ll pick-up on this and budget appropriately to account for the lack of direction. 

3. Come prepared. We’ll typically ask you to fill out a questionnaire (bid template) ahead of time or request a “discovery call” before we ever bid a project. This is an opportunity for us to get to know you as a client, how organized the project is, and little details that can have big impacts on the budget. Come prepared for this and be decisive on the objective. 

4. Going back to #1 and worth repeating. The creative and production approach can have a significant impact on the budget: There are many factors that can impact the budget, including the number of locations, the number of cast and crew, and the type of equipment needed, and VFX requirements to name a few. We’ll be your sherpa in this process so by disclosing the budget in advance, we can work together to come up with creative solutions that stay within your budget and still deliver the results you want.

Now that we’ve gotten through that. Let’s talk about working together or the process.

Be our advocate:

Our best clients have also always been our best advocates, and they know how to manage stakeholders. 

1. Manage stakeholders effectively: Stakeholders very rarely know the complexities of what they're asking for and how it will create unintended consequences in other areas of the video. If you’re uncertain, check in with us, we’re here to help you. 

2. Be willing to say no: It's important to be open to feedback and new ideas, but it's also important to be realistic about what is and isn't possible. If a request from a stakeholder falls outside the scope of the project, compromises the quality/direction of the piece, can’t be achieved in the current schedule, or just goes against common sense. Please…Don't be afraid to say no. 

3. Be an Advocate: Like mentioned above the best relationships come from keeping each other's interests in mind. This never goes unnoticed and we’ll always push the extra mile for those relationships centered in mutual respect. Remember we’re here to help you achieve your goals and deliver kick-ass work, so help us, help you.  

Revisions, Feedback, & Scheduling:

1. Trust the process: We’ve been here before, many times over. You’ve hired us for a reason, so allow us to be your guide through the process. We want to make you look good and make it as painless as possible. So trust us to handle the details, save your sanity. 

2. Limit micro revisions: Though tempting, micro revisions quickly spiral out of control and open a door that generally should remain shut. 

3. Consolidate feedback: Instead of pushing for micro revisions, try to gather all feedback, consolidate it, and eliminate conflicting feedback from multiple stakeholders BEFORE giving it to us. This will help to streamline the process, keep everyone on schedule, and ensure that the final product is the best it can be.

4. Avoids delays: If we don't receive necessary materials until the day of production or by a scheduled date in post, it affects the work and can cause delays that disrupt the workflow. By providing materials on time it helps to avoid these delays, digest the material, gather any additional resources,  and lead to productive creative solutions.

5. Allow for Flexibility: The production process is controlled chaos and can be unpredictable, Being open to feedback and new ideas allows for flexibility and the ability to pivot if needed. 

And with that, our little lesson on being a kickass production partner comes to a close. So go forth, dear client, and conquer the production world with all the knowledge and wisdom we've bestowed upon you.We can't wait to see what amazing things you'll create. Happy producing!

Written by: Jake Bulgarino, EP, Eastward Films.