Independent production a thriving industry in Vancouver
When I got out of film school and started working in the film industry, I was surprised to find the volume and level of local video production companies and independent film companies in Vancouver. There are thousands of independent productions going on at any given time. I realized it is not just production shooting in Vancouver but a thriving local industry.
Red+Ripley Video Production from Red+Ripley on Vimeo.
But being an independent production company traditionally meant you are separated from the larger studio workflow that supports the film industry. Vancouver has a market of over 1.2 million people who support nearly 100,000 businesses and 10,000 companies grossing over 1 million per year. This means that if every large company needs a video every 5 years, there would be roughly 2,000 independent productions each year in Vancouver. And we are happy to share that our company produces over 100 of those.
Why independent production thrive in Vancouver
There are three distinct areas of independent production in Vancouver.
- First is that Vancouver, as a service industry to California and other areas of the states, created a strong tax incentive program mixed with a great exchange rate that encourages independent productions to shoot north of the border.
- Secondly, there’s a thriving commercial industry that mostly supports local brands for their social and web advertising needs. This is mostly local video production companies in a business-to-business environment.
- The third major area of independent production refers to the videographer or independent producer, or what we like to call the filmmaker.
Filmmaking has a great name right now because commercial, web and social production have all been placed in the hands of anyone with a camera (or an iPhone for that matter).
BoConcept Vancouver from Red+Ripley on Vimeo.
Our company has been producing videos and commercials for over a decade now and we’ve seen budgets reduce while the technology has become more approachable. I was part of productions budgeted in the $100,000 to $500,000 range just 10 years ago but that has slowly shifted. I believe brands have budget expectations at least half that. Many large companies know that they can get great commercial spots in the $20,000 range now. So maybe their budgets have introduced but they’re getting four or five productions for the price of 1 just 5 years ago.
To summarize, anything outside of traditional studio environments is called an independent production. Local video production companies have been producing independent works for decades and the volume just continues to increase.
Check out our video marketing article here
What to look for in an independent production company
The true mark of an independent production company is one where you don’t have to transition from director to producer, to a production company, to post-production, to sound effects house and all those other departments that absorb cash.
Tesla – The Road Not Taken from Red+Ripley on Vimeo.
There’s no reason an independent production shouldn’t be streamlined and thoroughly professional. It just means that you stay away from the traditional studio environment by going with the local and independent video production company.
Working with one company that can handle everything allows you to stay in control and work collaboratively so your vision isn’t lost in the transition from company to company to get your production finished. Work directly with a great executive producer that you trust. You need someone to advise you, provide creative direction and navigate the complicated production environment.
Find out more about film companies here
Collaboration is vital for a successful video production
If you’re looking to take your workflow to the next level, send us an email. We work in a collaborative environment where we ask lots of questions to thoroughly understand your project and build out a thorough production book so you can see everything on paper.
Crossfit Oahu Video Profile from Red+Ripley on Vimeo.
Check out our process page to learn how we make awesome videos for your brand or agency. We research your company first and provide measurable and achievable outcomes. We bailed out your entire production on paper in a production book document. We just ask that you come to the table with a vision, a great idea and some measurable success outcomes that we can work out and achieve. These will help us determine whether or not we were successful at the end of the project.
One of the most important parts of any production is the viewer. Understanding your target viewer and speaking in their language and even using their demographic, sociographic and psychographic helps a lot. These advanced viewer profiling strategies are something that any independent video production company can do in house.
Contact us today and we’ll discuss your timeline and budget so we can craft something creative for your digital campaign.
About the Author
Colter Ripley is the Executive Producer for Red+Ripley and a Video Producer.
We’ve been producing videos for over 18 years after winning film festivals nearly two decades ago.
Colter is certified in digital film with a specialization in cinematography. In addition, he has a multimedia diploma and handles project management and is a certified business coach.
His main focus is on collaborative and custom video production which guarantees lots of customer service and a final product that clients are excited to share!
If you’re looking at working with a great producer for animated explainer video production, definitely give us a call or fire us an email. We’ve been doing this for so many years so it’s pretty easy to quickly help.
Email us to discuss your production!